Bob Moog Foundation Announces "Moog Is Now" at Moogfest 2012

Bob Moog Foundation Announces “Moog Is Now” Exhibit and Sale At Moogfest 2012

October 19, 2010 - For Immediate Release (Asheville, NC) - The Bob Moog Foundation and David VanKoevering have joined forces to bring “Moog Is Now”, an exhibit and sale of vintage Moog inspired albums, to Moogfest 2012. The event will celebrate the early use of Moog synthesizers in popular music, with recordings from as early as 1967 to the late 1970s. "Moog Is Now" will be presented throughout the weekend in the Diana Wortham Theatre lobby in downtown Asheville. It is open to Moogfest attendees and to the general public

Over 300 albums will be for sale from VanKoevering’s private collection, some signed by Bob Moog. The signed albums will be part of an exclusive silent auction. More than 70 additional albums will be displayed in an exhibit created by the Foundation. Part of the proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Bob Moog Foundation.

The title of the event originates from a slogan that VanKoevering used in his marketing effort for the Minimoog in the 1970s, emphasizing the synergy of the 1970s cultural revolution and innovative Moog technology.

Acquired over decades, the collection on display and for sale will include recordings from such artists as: Wendy Carlos, Jean-Jacques Perry, Gershon Kingsley, Mort Garson, Isao Tomita, Keith Emerson, the Beatles, Kraftwerk, Michael Iceberg, Harry Brewer, Ralph Carmichael, Chick Corea, Paul Beaver, Bernie Krause and Jan Hammer. Each album will be sold with a Certificate of Authenticity.

David VanKoevering is a lifelong colleague and friend of Bob Moog. He began working with R.A. Moog, Co. shortly before the Minimoog was first developed. When the Minimoog was released, and met with initial mild success, VanKoevering pioneered the sale of the instrument, opening the market from a few hundred instruments to several thousand. His marketing saavy, legendary within the industry, has led him to be referred to as the man who brought the Minimoog to the world.

In his later career, Music Trades and other industry publications heralded VanKoevering’s collaboration with Bob Moog on an innovative interactive piano stating “Synth pioneers Bob Moog and David VanKoevering team up on interactive CD based piano.” Bob Moog is quoted as stating “Never before has so much technology been introduced in a single instrument” about the piano.

"Moog Is Now" will be open in the Diana Wortham Theater lobby from 12-6 on Friday and Saturday of Moogfest and Sunday from 1-5.. VanKoevering will be present during those hours. The Bob Moog Foundation will also be hosting Dr. Bob's Interactive Sonic Experience and SYNTH: A Group Art Show Inspired By Bob Moog, in the Theatre lobby throughout the weekend."

An Interview with Jon Appleton - One of the Creators of the NED Synclavier

via Astronauta Pinguim where you'll find the full interview.

"APPLETON - I have the first and the second Synclavier but I don't play them. I am not sure they work. Sydney and Cameron and I developed the instrument first from something called The Dartmouth Digital Synthesizer. It was my conception and their design..."

Check out the "all-star" pic below. You should recognize some of the names. Peter Zinovieff was he man behind EMS. Via Fabricio Carvalho on The MATRIXSYNTH Lounge

Astronauta Pinguim also brought us interviews with Vince Clark, Gershon Kingsley, Herb Deutsch, and Jean Jacques Perrey.

Remember you can find all interviews featured on the site via the Interviews label below.

Adebayor, por Lira

YouTube Published on Aug 7, 2012 by cultura

MATRIXSYNTH-T sighting.

"O convidado de Fernando Faro, Lira, canta ?Adebayor?, música de sua autoria, inspirada no jogador de futebol togolês Adebayor."

Googlish: "The guest of Fernando Faro, Lira sings? Adebayor? Music of his own, inspired by the Togolese footballer Emmanuel Adebayor."

The band:
Lirinha: voice and sampler
Astronauta Pinguim: Minimoog, Crumar organ, Wurlitzer 200A electronic piano and Moog theremin
Neilton Carvalho: guitar
Hugo Carranca: percussion
Angelo Medrado: percussion
Igor Medeiros: bass synthesizer

via Fabricio Carvalho aka Astronauta Pinguim.

Be sure to see previous posts featuring Fabricio Carvalho aka Astronauto Pinguim. You'll find a performance with Lirinha here, and interviews including Vince Clarke, Gershon Kingsley, Herb Deutsch, Jean Jacques Perrey and more.

Ah se não fosse o amor, por Lira

Published on Aug 7, 2012 by cultura

"Lirinha canta ?Ah se não fosse o Amor?, uma composição dele em parceria com Dan Maia."

Ela Vai dançar, por Lira

Published on Aug 7, 2012 by cultura

"Lira fala de sua peça de teatro ?Mercadorias e Futuro? e ainda canta ?Ela Vai dançar?, uma composição dele em parceria com Fábio Trummer, da banda Eddie."

My Life, Memória e Ducontra, por Lira

Published on Aug 7, 2012 by cultura

"Lira fala de seu filho de 9 anos, que compõe e canta, nos mostra um trecho de ?My Life? canta ?Memória? e ?Ducontra?."

Gershon Kingsley's Sabbath for Today with the Moog Synthesizer 1971

Gershon Kingsley's Sabbath for Today.mp4

YouTube Published on Aug 10, 2012 by GKingsley

"1971 from Temple Rodeph Shalom. Ephraim Biran cantor/soloist, Rabbi Gunter Hirschberg, speaker, Alfred Drake, narrator, Kenneth Bichel, Moog Modular"

Update: 14 minute version:

Gershon Kingsley's Sabbath for Today 1971

Published on Aug 14, 2012 by GKingsley

"Gershon Kingsley's Sabbath for today, conducted by the composer, broadcast on Channel 13 in 1971 from Temple Rodeph Shalom. Ephraim Biran cantor/soloist, Rabbi Gunter Hirschberg, speaker, Alfred Drake, narrator, Kenneth Bichel, Moog Modular"

Gershon Kingsley's Moog Modular System Up for Auction

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
via this auction

This is the one featured in this video posted yesterday.

"This extraordinary and historic Moog modular system has been completely and expertly restored to full working conditon by E.A.R.S./The Analog Lab of New York City. They are New York's premier repair and restoration center for analog synths, and head tech Jeff Blenkinsopp has spent months (and I have spent several thousand dollars) on this restoration. All jacks, switches, and knobs have been thoroughly cleaned, all faulty modules have been repaired, the keyboard has new bushings for a smooth and consistent action, and it's tuning has been re-scaled, etc. In fact, the tuning is as good as you'll ever find on a 5 octave Moog keyboard- you can play the entire range and it will still be in tune with itself. Also, 3 of the oscillators had a factory mod done which makes the tuning more stable on them. This was done at the factory by Moog Custom Engineering, not by a third party. Everything else on the whole system is totally original and stock. A link to a video,below, allows you to hear the synth as well as see it, but first a bit more about what modules it consists of and it's history:
It is actually several things put together- the guts of the system , over half of it, was the original modular system first owned by Gershon Kingsley. He was a famous synth pioneer of the 60's and a good friend of Bob Moog's. He used it in a group called The Moog Quartet, who famously gave the first ever live public performances of a synthesizer at The Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan. By the way, Gershon will be celebrating his 90th birthday this fall with a performance in NewYork at Lincoln Center and has expressed an interest in using this synth for it. If the buyer is on the East coast of the U.S. I can put you in touch with him, and you might be able to rent him the system for that performance.
Several modules were added over the years, such as the reverb module (a great sounding spring reverb), and finally around 1977 the double sequencer cabinet. Most of the modules are dated Jan.1969 (they are stamped inside), some Oct.1969, some 1971, a few later than that.
It is a huge system, with 6 oscillators, 4 filters (2 low pass, one high pass, & one fixed filter bank), 2 VCA's, 4 envelope generators, and many other modules, some quite rare (such as the filter coupler) and topped off with 2 sequencers, complete with sequential switches and a sequential interface A complete list of the modules follows. with cabinet #1 being the furthest left in the photos, #4 all the way to the right:
Cabinet 1: 1x 904a Low Pass Filter, 1x 904b High Pass Filter, 1x 904c Filter Coupler, 1x 911a Dual Trigger Delay, 1x 903 White Sound Source, Control Voltages (no model #), 6 blanks
Cabinet 2: 1x 901 VCO, 1x 903a Random Signal Generator, 1x 905 reverb unit, 1x 995 attenuator, 1x 912 envelope follower, 3x 901a oscillator controllers, 5x 901b oscillators, 2x 4 channel mixer modules (no model #) Cabinet 3: 1x 907 Fixed Filter Bank, 1x 904a Low Pass Filter, Filter and Attenuator (no ID #), 2x 902 VCAs, 4x 911 Envelope Generators, 1x 911a Dual Trigger Delay, 2x 962 Sequential Switches, Envelope and Trigger Voltage Module (no model #), Mult module, Power Module w/ trigger and pitch in/out (no model#)
Cabinet 4: 2x 960 Sequential Controllers, 1x 961 Sequential interface,

Here is a link to a video made by The Analog Lab, who just completed the restoration. If you have trouble opening this link, try pasting it into your browser, or go to their website,www.theanaloglab.com and you will find the video You can hear the synth-the entire piece was recored on it a few days ago."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Moog Modular at The Analog Lab Video

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated. The Analog Lab NYC-Moog Modular-Holst | The Planets, Op. 32: I. Mars, The Bringer of War

YouTube Published on Jun 14, 2012 by TheAnalogLab

Update: currently up for auction here. Pictures captured in this post.

"This Moog Modular was originally owned by Gershon Kingsley and played at the January 1969 performance of the Moog Quartet. Over the years, it was also owned by Ken Bichel and has had numerous additional modules installed.

The Analog Lab in NYC has restored this piece to beautiful playing condition and the unit can be heard in all its glory in this video*. No additional effects were added.

This piece of Musical History is also for sale on eBay, so check it out!

www.theanaloglab.com

*editors note: I know some parts aren't perfectly in tune...get over it."

Gershon Kingsley - Shabbat For The Seventies - cover

flickr By m.gross196

Astronauta Pinguim with Moog Tattoo & MATRIXSYNTH T

via Fabricio Carvalho on Facebook

Be sure to catch the Astronauta Pinguim interview with Gershon Kingsley.

MATRIXSYNTH Ts

An Interview on Gershon Kingsley with Reflections on Bob Moog

Full interview on Astronauta Pinguim

"ASTRONAUTA - Today (May 23) is the day we celebrate the birthday of Robert Moog. You had contact with him in the beginnings of the invention of the Moog synthesizer and also in the last days of his life, when you were interviewed by Hans Fjellestad to the "Moog" documentary. How did you meet Robert Moog and, in your point of view, what is Bob's greatest legacy?

GERSHON - I met him in 1969 up at his place in Trumansburg and after considerable time of learning this specialty of frequency modulation, I bought with my last money the synthesizer. Luckily, in a few weeks, I got my money back making a commercial for hair dryers.

Bob's greatest legacy is the probably the polyphonic synthesizer and further development of the Theremin..."

via @astroping

Update 5/23 4:23 PST: I'm finally getting around to reading the interview in full myself. If you hadn't had the chance yet, make a note or bookmark it for when you do. It's a great interview. You'll pick up lots of interesting bits of synth history. I never knew the following regarding Popcorn: "GERSHON - When it was first recorded and we didn't have a title, one of the musicians suggested 'Popcorn', but not because it sounded like popcorn, but "pop" for popular and 'corn' for kitsch. It came out like a Russian folk tune or a Bach invention originally.

To be honest, not much. However, I do like the Popcorn International I oversaw that was done with the Cologne Radio Orchestra, Popcorn Fantasie arranged by Benny Gebauer, and the M & H Band '80s version, Goodiepal (with the extra beats), the Crazy Frog version and the Swedish Chef Muppet version.

As a side remark, when I conducted in Japan in the early 80's, Yamaha invited me to their factory where I heard for the first time Popcorn as a sample in one of the Yamaha synthesizers."

Two Performances on The Ondioline

YouTube via BeeldenGeluid | Oct 16, 2010 | 4 likes, 0 dislikes\

The Ondioline
"De Fransman Jenny heeft een electronisch muziekinstrument uitgevonden. Hij komt, toetsenbord onder de ene arm, draagbare versterker in de hand van de andere, een geluidsstudio binnen, installeert het toetsenbord en sluit de versterker aan. Daarna demonstreert hij, samen met drie andere musici
(saxofoon, banjo, viool), hoe goed zijn uitvinding echte muziekinstrumenten kan nabootsen en speelt tenslotte samen met een violist een duet op de melodie van 'Plaisir d'amour'.
Jouw TV-favoriet op DVD bestellen?
Ga naar: http://www.beeldengeluid.nl/tvfavoriet"

Googlish:
The Frenchman Jenny has an electronic musical instrument invented. He comes, keyboard under one arm, portable amplifier based on the other, a sound studio in, install the keyboard and connect the amplifier. Then he demonstrates, along with three other musicians (Saxophone, banjo, violin), how good can mimic real musical invention and finally with a violinist playing a duet on the melody of 'Plaisir d'amour.
Your favorite TV on DVD order? Jump to: http://www.beeldengeluid.nl/tvfavoriet "

via elgauchoandres in the comments of this post on Oskar Sala and the Mixtur-Trautonium.

And via Andres: "The video on BeeldenGeluid channel [above] shows a very early model of the Ondioline like the one is on the Museo de Ureña in Spain [here].

This other video: [below] shows three different models of Ondioline on minute 8, featuring Jean-Jaques Perrey and Gershon Kingsley. As here.

In the case of interest here's the schematic: http://www.danacountryman.com/Jenny/Repairs.html and lots of info in http://www.ondioline.com/"



Electronic Musician Jean-Jacques Perrey on "I've Got a Secret"
YouTube via rrgomes | Mar 20, 2010 |

"Electronic music pioneer Jean-Jacques Perrey appears on "I've Got a Secret" (November 21st, 1966) with host Steve Allen and panelists Betsy Palmer, Bill Cullen, Bess Myerson, and Henry Morgan.

After several other musicians are introduced along with their instruments (violin, French horn, bagpipe, clarinet) we learn that Perrey's secret is "I play one instrument that can sound like all of these."

After the game, that instrument is revealed to be the Ondioline, an early synthesizer-like keyboard instrument. He demonstrates that it can indeed mimic the sounds of the others and make unique sounds of its own.

Perrey and his collaborator Gershon Kingsley, with whom he recorded the 1966 album "The In Sound from Way Out", then play one of their compositions."

Also see this post and of course the Ondioline label below for more.

Jean-Jacques Perrey Biography by Dana Countryman

via Dana Countryman

"My biography, "Passport To The Future: The Amazing Life and Music of Electronic Pop Music Pioneer Jean-Jacques Perrey", is out NOW!
312 pages, and over 250 photographs. Interviews with Angelo Badalamenti, Robert Moog, Gershon Kingsley and many more...
Available online, and in select bookstores.

Order online here:
https://www.createspace.com/3489660

More info here:
http://passport-to-the-future.com/

- Dana Countryman
http://www.danacountryman.com"

Also on Amazon.

Added to the Synth Books section.

The Model by Kraftwerk - live cover by Hyperdust

YouTube via hyperdust7 | November 20, 2010

"http://www.intensemusic.co.uk
A live cover of the track The Model by Kraftwerk. Performed by Hyperdust - James Bragg at a small musical gathering in a pub in Bristol UK. I've just bought myself a new synth - Mopho by Dave Smith instruments. Very pleased with it - small, great sounding, well feautured, very easy to control live. People seem to respond very positively to early 80's electro covers - they don't get performed often. I might try some Numan next time."

Update:

CLICK FOR MORE »

Jean-Jacques Perrey Biography

via Dana Countryman

"My biography on the legendary electronic pop pioneer, Jean-Jacques Perrey is finally out NOW!!!

This has been a seven-year project, and it feels so good to finally have my book completed, and out for sale!
It will be in stores soon, and also it will be on Kindle soon, but for now you can order physical copies from my web site.

The book is 312 pages long, and has over 250 photos and illustrations. This is the ONLY biography of this French genius, and I'm proud that Jean-Jacques chose me to write it.
I interviewed scores of Jean-Jacques' collaborators and friends for this book, including Angelo Badalamenti, Robert Moog, Gershon Kingsley, Don Dorsey, Vinnie Bell, Billy Mure, and many, many more.

You can view sample pages on the ordering site here:

http://www.danacountryman.com/not%20yet.html.

I hope you'll check it out."

Update: I originally had "Auto Biography" in the title. It's actually a biography. Title fixed.

BTW, this would make a great "stocking stuffer" for the coming holidays.

MoogFest: Devo to receive Moog Innovation Award

"MOOGFEST 2010 ANNOUNCES DEVO AS RECIPIENT OF MOOG INNOVATION AWARD

AWARD TO BE PRESENTED AT MOOGFEST, OCTOBER 29-31 IN ASHEVILLE, NC

The Moog Innovation Award celebrates pioneering artists whose genre-defying work exemplifies the bold, innovative spirit of Bob Moog. Moog Music would like to congratulate DEVO on being the 2010 recipient of The Moog Innovation Award, to be presented to the band during MoogFest 2010 weekend, October 29-31 in Asheville, NC. As part of this award, Moog Music will present DEVO with a very special synthesizer, details of which will be revealed in the coming weeks. Past recipients of the previously titled Moog Award include Keith Emerson, Herb Deutsch, Gershon Kingsley, Jan Hammer and Bernie Worrell.

“MoogFest is about shunning limitations, opening your mind and rejoicing in what’s next. MoogFest is about celebrating the marriage of technology and art, fearlessly embracing the future while respecting the genre-definers of the past. That’s why we created the Moog Innovation Award, to celebrate artists that helped to catapult pop music into the future and commemorate those artists that boldly burst through established norms to pave the way forward. That’s the spirit of Bob Moog and that’s the essence of the Moog Innovation Award.

The first recipient of the Moog Innovation Award is DEVO and we feel that they are a perfect representation of innovative sound-sculpting and genre-defying electronic music. Like Bob Moog, DEVO enthusiastically charted their own course and thus dramatically affected pop culture because of it. Not to mention the fact that they used Moog instruments to create their inimitable sound. MoogFest and the Moog Innovation Award is the perfect way to pay homage to Bob Moog and his adopted hometown of Asheville, NC where he raised his kids, gave birth to some of his greatest inventions and where he re-established the company that bears his name and carries on his legacy, Moog Music.” – Emmy Parker, Moog Music

DEVO, along with many more internationally renowned performers known for pushing creativity towards new dimensions, will play MoogFest 2010, a three-day festival celebrating the innovative vision of Bob Moog. MoogFest 2010 tickets are on sale now. To purchase tickets and for more information, visit moogfest.com.

MoogFest 2010 Lineup:
Friday, October 29

DEVO
MGMT
Big Boi
Girl Talk
Panda Bear
RJD2
Mutemath
Dan Deacon
Van Dyke Parks
Nortec Collective Presents: Bostich & Fussible
Saturn Never Sleeps (Featuring King Britt & Rucyl)
The Octopus Project
Kuroma
Clare & The Reasons

Saturday, October 30
Massive Attack
Thievery Corporation
Jonsi
Disco Biscuits
Caribou
Four Tet
Matmos
Dâm-Funk
School of Seven Bells
Jon Hopkins
Emeralds
Mountain Man
Ikonika

Sunday, October 31
Cee Lo Green
Pretty Lights
Hot Chip
Sleigh Bells
El-P
Neon Indian
Omar Souleyman
Mimosa
Two Fresh
DJ Spooky

For more information about Moog Music and its founder, Bob Moog, visit moogmusic.com.

Ultimate Classic Moog Album Collection and Some Others

via these auctions

"Plugged In, Switched On! the MOOG synthesizer is featured this week. Check them all out: 26 different Moog LPs - Playing Bacharach, Playing the Beatles, Playing ABBA, playing Popcorn, Playing Bach, playing Country and Western, and always striving to "improve" on the classics. Some are pretty common, others are pretty rare, but all the epitome of good taste and artistic enlightenment such as MOOG LPs of the 70s came to represent.

"The Synthesizer Sound Machine - The Fantastic Pikes
Its incredible that all that sound comes from a machine!
That lass is rich with popcorn, and coincidentally, the song "Popcorn" features. No self respecting Moog album should be without a version of that wondorous tune.......
SONIC 9044 (Astor Goldengroove series)"

"The MOOG Strikes Bach - Hans Wurman - 1969
RCA LSC3125
Stand back as a switched-on anonymous nerd plugs-in the bewigged old masters
Thank Gott for electronic reworkings of classical favourites"

CLICK FOR MORE »

The Muppets: Pöpcørn

YouTube via MuppetsStudio | July 02, 2010

"[CAPTIONED]
(c) 2010 The Muppets Studio, LLC
Official Website: http://muppets.com
Official Twitter: http://Twitter.com/MuppetsStudio
Official Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/muppets"

And the original done with the Moog modular synthesizer:

Gershon Kingsley - Popcorn


sometest353 | June 16, 2007

The Original Popcorn Video cuz i didn't found it on youtube."

God is a Moog by Gershon Kingsley

God Is a Moog: The Electronic Prayers of Gershon Kingsley (2006) on 36 15 MOOG

There's actually a few copies currently on Amazon for a surprisingly good price. Added this one to the Synth CDs post.

Lillian Schwartz - Pixillation (1970)

YouTube via Haz657. via It's Full of Stars
"PIXILLATION
"With computer-produced images and Moog-synthesized sound Pixillation is in a sense an introduction to the electronics lab. But its forms are always handsome, its colors bright and appealing, its rhythms complex and inventive." - Roger Greenspun, N. Y. Times. Golden Eagle-Cine 1971. Moog sound by Gershon Kingsley; Version III: pulls the viewer into a primal experience. Awards:Red Ribbon Award for Special Effects from The National Academy of Television, Arts & Sciences; The Smithsonian Institution and The United States Department of Commerce, Travel Services for Man & His World at the Montreal Expo, '71; collection The Museum of Modern Art. Commissioned by AT&T. (4 min.)"

Gershon Kingsley - Popcorn (Cuban Orchestra)

YouTube via MrHotpantsImComin. via twitter.com/nortec_fussible (Web/YouTube)
"Orquesta Cubana De Musica Moderna
Directo Desde Cuba (LP 1972)
Areito/ Movie Play
Cuba"

1972

Perrey & Kingley on "I've Got A Secret" - 1966

YouTube via happymoogman.

follow-up to this post.

"Jean-Jacques Perrey makes a 1966 appearance on popular game show, "I've Got A Secret". Steve Allen is the host. In this episode Perrey appears with live musicians, and simulates their real instruments' sounds with the sounds of the electronic Ondioline.

At the end of this episode, Gershon Kingsley comes onstage, and Perrey & Kinglsey play a "live" version of "Spooks in Space" - one of the tunes from their "The In Sound from Way Out!" album. This is the only known television appearance of Perrey & Kingsley."