Depeche Mode - Precious

Depeche Mode - Precious (Official Video) Published on Oct 26, 2009 Depeche Mode

This one goes out to Mike.

Precious and fragile things
Need special handling
My God what have we done to you
We always tried to share
The tenderest of care
Now look what we have put you through

Things get damaged
Things get broken
I thought we'd manage
But words left unspoken
Left us so brittle
There was so little left to give

Angels with silver wings
Shouldn't know suffering
I wish I could take the pain for you
If God has a master plan
That only He understands
I hope it's your eyes He's seeing through

Things get damaged
Things get broken
I thought we'd manage
But words left unspoken
Left us so brittle
There was so little left to give

I pray you learn to trust
Have faith in both of us
And keep room in your hearts for two

Things get damaged
Things get broken
I thought we'd manage
But words left unspoken
Left us so brittle
There was so little left to give

RIP Mike McGrath of Muff Wiggler

It's come to my attention that Mike McGrath, founder of the Muff Wiggler forum, has passed away. I am in complete shock. I don't know what to say, what to post. As most of you know, Mike created the de facto modular synth forum on the internet, Muff Wiggler, and he did it in a way that put members first. He created a platform for makers and users of synths to come together and engage directly with each other.

Some personal history:  Mike reached out to me years ago, before starting the Muff Wiggler forum. He actually had a couple of blogs including Muff Wiggler before the forum. That image to the left is the first image of his I posted here back on Dec 4, 2006 (he also had a classic blue Wiard modular system that was the envy of many synth enthusiasts). The last post from Mike went up back on July 30, 2018 when he gave away a Buchla Music Easel to save a life.

I met Mike at NAMM, and at the opening of the Muff Wiggler store in Portland back in 2014. We chatted off and on over email over the years and he was always supportive. He was real and down to earth. I was looking forward to reminiscing with him on the "old days" and what it was like for him to run the best modular (and synth) forum on the net. He once corrected me when I said he ran the best modular forum - he said the forum covered synths too! :)

I just can't believe he is gone. As the host of this site, I feel like I lost a fellow compatriot. Someone I had history with through the ups and downs. Running a site can be a challenge, and just knowing he was out there doing his thing helped. I am going to miss him and the lost experiences we would all have had with him around.

Mike McGrath of Muff Wiggler Giving Buchla Music Easel Away to Save Two Lives

via @muffwiggler

"Please help me save two lives. Time is running out. Please repost everywhere. Thank you."

And an update via Mike McGrath:

"Update: thank you everyone for your kind words, love and support. We now have a candidate in Toronto being assessed and a backup in Ottawa ready to go if the current candidate doesn’t meet the bill. Things are looking up. I cannot thank you enough. ❤️❤️❤️"

Reach out to Mike if you want to be on the list in case the two candidates do not work out for whatever reason. I'd be happy to relay to Mike if you are not on Twitter or Facebook.

Roland System-500 Analog Modules by Malekko - Final Production Prototypes - World Premier

Published on Sep 19, 2015 Genshi Media Group

"This is an uncut, rough video of an event I attended earlier today which was the world premier of the final production prototypes of the Roland System-500 eurorack analog modules, made by Malekko Heavy Industry in Portland Oregon. The presentation is by the creator himself, Joshua Holly of Malekko. It's an almost 30 minute video from a bad angle and I wasn't able to get a direct audio feed, but it still sounds pretty good and has lot's of good info regarding these modules (they're nicer than I expected, to be honest.)"

http://store.muffwiggler.com
http://www.roland.com...
https://malekkoheavyindustry.com

Roland/Malekko System-500 Eurorack Module Demo Heading to the Muff Wiggler Store Sept 19

"Mark your Calendars @Roland_US @malekkoheavy 500 Series Eurorack Modules demo Sept 19th at 4 pm at the MW Store"

http://store.muffwiggler.com
http://www.roland.com...
https://malekko...

MuffWiggler Presents AN EVENING WITH GENESIS P-ORRIDGE

via MuffWiggler

"MuffWiggler and Private Island are teaming up with MOCA to present an evening with Thee Genesis Breyer P-Orridge.

This exciting night of programming will include a presentation and
 signing of Genesis’ new book released by First Third Books. The evening continues with a premiere glimpse at Hazel Hill McCarthy III’s newest film, Bight of the Twin, which documents Genesis’ pilgrimage to the origins of Voodoo in Ouidah, Benin and their serendipitous discovery of the practice of Twin Fetish. The screening will be followed by a rare conversation between Hazel Hill McCarthy III and Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, and will conclude with a special modular synth performance featuring DJMREX. Come join us in celebrating one of the most exciting and versatile contemporary artists of our time. Expect a few surprises!"

MW will also have a small table etc with a modular for attendees to play with and try out etc. It’s also a fundraiser for Genesis’ new film.  Full details on Muff's here.

Muff Wiggler Launches Online & Brick and Mortar Storefront

As most of you know Muff Wiggler is THE forum when it comes to modular synth gear and more. Mike McGrath of Muff's has teamed up with Cyrus Rex and launched both an online shop and a physical storefront in Portland, OR. The grand opening will be held at the TRASH_AUDIO Synth Meet at the store on May 24.  You can find their website at http://store.muffwiggler.com. You'll also find their banner here on MATRIXSYNTH on the right.


via Mike McGrath:

"I have partnered up with Cyrus Rex, and together we have created a company, Muffwiggler, LLC. We have invested a significant amount of cash and will be opening the MuffWiggler Store today.

Initially a webstore, we will be opening a physical storefront as well later this month manned by Steve ‘ignatius’ Westbrook, Ned Wahl, and Rico Loverde. We have a building in Portland, Oregon (that's right Cali and other out-of-state Americans, HUGE TAX ADVANTAGES!), fulltime staff to check, test, carefully package and quickly ship your order, and an absolutely astounding inventory of some of the very best gear ready to ship immediately.

We are very proud and flattered to have incredible support from our launch partners, and are currently stocking gear and adding inventory this week from the following:

CLICK FOR MORE »

MODULO - A New Documentary on Modular Synthesis

MODULO from Travis Boisvenue on Vimeo.

"A musical documentary and tribute to Hugh Le Caine.
The story of early electronic instruments, and the nearly forgotten Canadian music pioneer who created the first synthesizers. As told through interviews with three modern-day modular synth musicians.

Shot and edited by me. Produced by Ryan Gibson. Funded entirely out of our pockets, so consider the Tip Jar button!

Listen to the CBC radio version produced by Ryan Gibson:
https://soundcloud.com/user5746720/modulo-ottawas-synth-secret

Featuring:
Arturo Brisindi (AKA Hard Science)
Edmund Eagan
Mike McGrath (AKA Muff Wiggler)

Thanks to the CBC, Soshal, The Library and Archives Canada, The Science and Technology Museum, Artengine, CHUO, Weird Canada.

Thanks, Mere."

Muff's Wiard Modular

via Mike McGrath of http://www.muffwiggler.com on The MATRIXSYNTH Lounge

"My Wiard rules the universe and all the other places too."

Blacet with two Cynthia Zeroscillators on top and an Evenfall Mini Modular on top of that.

Vince Mecanikill Presents a Muff Wiggler Modular Synthesizer Show

via Vince Mecanikill on Facebook

Sept. 16th 2012 @ The Cave Chapel Hill, N.C.

Modular synthesizer show featuring live modular performances by: Blush Response, Ben Davis of Mecanikill?, Slaves featuring members of Yohimbe and Secret Boyfriend, and Vortex Ranger. Come and try some modular synthesizers or trade and sell your gear! Demos and swap meet start at 3PM, Live performances start at 9PM.

452 W. Franklin St. Chapel Hill, N.C.

Muffwiggler Copenhagen Synth Meeting - New Pics and Vids

See Update 2: in this post.

Muff SE Wiggle 01 - EMS June 2010

flickr set by jiblite
(click for more)

Muffwiggler 2/22/2010 STG Preparations

YouTube via donaldjasoncrunk

"a short film documenting our preparations for the February Muffwiggler gathering put on by Xart studios & trash_audio. song is "Chillicothe thug lyfe" - beats & chorus by STG, hot flows by me. you can see us making schwag & giveaway stuff, visual aids, world's second shittiest eurorack cabinet and the STG logo banners that didn't quite turn out how i wanted them to."
See this post for some video of the events.
Don't miss On The Jazz with the STG Team
http://www.suitandtieguy.com/
http://stgsoundlabs.com/
http://muffwiggler.com/forum/

Some fun trivia: For those wondering what Muff Wiggler is, Muff's Forum has become THE forum for boutique modular gear. Users and manufacturers are active on the forum and many manufactures have their own sub-forums. It is run by Mike McGrath and originally started as a blog back on November 23rd of 2006. The first time I announced Muff Wiggler was back on December 4th, 2006 in this post. Prior to that I put up two posts featuring Mike, one on July 10th, 2006 and one on July 18th, 2006. Note in the modular world there are boutique manufacturers that sell pre-assembled modules, some that sell both modules and kits, and then those that design modules and provide schematics and instructions for the DIY crowd. I think the crown for the longest/oldest running company would be PAiA, who just started selling module kits again. Note Muff's forum has a DIY section, however the bulk of DIY seems to be on the electro-music.com forums along with probably the biggest Clavia Nord Modular forum.

NYC Wiggler Meetings

flickr set by parasiitk
(click for more)

Note there are images from different events in the date. Be sure to note the date/title of each shot.

Bottom: Official cat of the evening for the July meet-up.

http://www.muffwiggler.com

CLICK FOR MORE »

Muff Wiggler

via Muff Wiggler, Mike McGrath's blog which he promises will feature "95% electronic music (software plugins, synth hardware, modular stuff in particular....)" Currently you will find posts on an AH Metasonix ad, a Blacet/Wiard Miniwave review and this Metasonix Teaser. BTW, you might remember Mike McGrath from these two posts: 1,2. I'm subbed. : )