COPPER

A PS Audio Publication

Issue 147 • Free Online Magazine

Issue 147 Opening Salvo

Issue 147

Issue 147

Readers may know I’m a fan of weird fortune cookie sayings. Here’s another one: “Do it now! Today will be yesterday tomorrow.”

There’s simply nothing I can add to that.

We’re saddened by the passing of George Frayne, aka Commander Cody, at 77. Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen (named after a 1951 science fiction movie) were one of the first bands to blend country music with rock, and earned their place in the pantheon of musical greats with their blazing 1971 version of “Hot Rod Lincoln.” We salute you, Commander.

In this issue: I cover the premiere of the first two vinyl releases from Octave Records: jazz trumpeter Gabriel Mervine’s Say Somethin’ and Out of Thin Air by pianist Don Grusin. Anne E. Johnson looks at rock icons the Pretenders and jazz vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson. David Snyder brings us Part Two of his comprehensive guide to Roon. Tom Gibbs sees Red – the King Crimson album of the same name, that is. Rich Isaacs has a laugh about 1970s comedy troupes. J.I Agnew is dazzled by direct metal mastering and the DMM Dubplate, Vol. 1. Tom Methans brings us Sevdah, the traditional folk music of Bosnia-Herzegovina. B. Jan Montana rides closer to Sturgis.

Ken Sander revisits Summer Jam at Watkins Glen – and an innovation that changed live concert sound forever. Russ Welton begins a series on getting better sound from computer audio with the least expenditure, and another on choosing speakers. Rudy Radelic surveys the landmark Dionne Warwick recordings with Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Ray Chelstowski interviews rocker Joe Grushecky on the eve of the 25th Anniversary reissue of American Babylon. Steven Bryan Bieler grooves to train songs. Stuart Marvin remembers Sixties rock hype victims Rhinoceros. Andy Schaub has a personal look at FM radio. Larry Jaffee digs Big Bill Broonzy live in Nottingham. The Copper A/V squad concludes the issue with an avian audiophile, this year’s model, multichannel women, and a hole in the wall.

Staff Writers:

J.I. Agnew, Ray Chelstowski, Cliff Chenfeld, Jay Jay French, Tom Gibbs, Roy Hall, Rich Isaacs, Anne E. Johnson, Don Kaplan, Ken Kessler, Don Lindich, Tom Methans, B. Jan Montana, Rudy Radelic, Tim Riley, Wayne Robins, Alón Sagee, Ken Sander, Larry Schenbeck, John Seetoo, Dan Schwartz, Russ Welton, WL Woodward, Adrian Wu

Contributing Editors:
Ivan Berger, Steven Bryan Bieler, Harris Fogel, Robert Heiblim, Steve Kindig, Ed Kwok, Stuart Marvin, David Snyder, Bob Wood

Cover:
“Cartoon Bob” D’Amico

Cartoons:
James Whitworth, Peter Xeni

Parting Shots:
James Schrimpf, B. Jan Montana, Rich Isaacs (and others)

Audio Anthropology Photos:
Howard Kneller, Steve Rowell

Editor:
Frank Doris

Publisher:
Paul McGowan

Advertising Sales:
No one. We are free from advertising and subscribing to Copper is free.

 – FD

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#231 Piano Prodigy Jude Kofie Releases His Debut Album On Octave Records by Frank Doris Jun 01, 2026 #231 Underappreciated Artists, Part Two: City Boy by Rich Isaacs Jun 01, 2026 #231 Music and the Art of Creation: Talking With Saxophonist Rob Scheps by Joe Caplan Jun 01, 2026 #231 How to Play in a Rock Band, 24: Further Adventures at the 2026 Montauk Music Festival by Frank Doris Jun 01, 2026 #231 Courtney Barnett: Creature of Habit by Wayne Robins Jun 01, 2026 #231 Angine de Poitrine: Interstellar Guitar Rock Saviors Headed for Late-Night TV Pop Stardom? by Mark Lepage Jun 01, 2026 #231 My Impressions of AXPONA 2026, Part One by Frank Doris Jun 01, 2026 #231 2026 La Jolla Concours d'Elegance: Another Aesthetic Feast by B. Jan Montana Jun 01, 2026 #231 Country Music Icon Jo Dee Messina’s Bridges: A New Beginning by Ray Chelstowski Jun 01, 2026 #231 The Luxury Dispatch Hosts a Video Podcast With Ken Kessler by Ken Kessler Jun 01, 2026 #231 The Vinyl Beat: Tracking in the Motor City by Rudy Radelic Jun 01, 2026 #231 Lots of Fun With DSP: The Ferrum Audio WANDLA DAC and Its Tube Mode by Frank Doris Jun 01, 2026 #231 From The Audiophile's Guide: Digital Source Components and Streaming Audio by Paul McGowan Jun 01, 2026 #231 Onkyo’s Monster M-510 power amplifier by The Staff at Just Audio Jun 01, 2026 #231 PS Audio in the News by PS Audio Staff Jun 01, 2026 #231 Naming Convention by Peter Xeni Jun 01, 2026 #231 Les Invisibles by Frank Doris Jun 01, 2026 #231 Wildlife Scene by James Schrimpf Jun 01, 2026 #230 Camaraderie by B. Jan Montana May 04, 2026 #230 AXPONA 2026: A Family Gathering by Paul McGowan May 04, 2026 #230 Pianist Ryan Benthall Explores Jazz Realms and Far Beyond With Divine Sky by Frank Doris May 04, 2026 #230 The Vinyl Beat in AXPONA-Land by Rudy Radelic May 04, 2026 #230 Teddy Thompson’s Musical Growth Deepens With Never Be the Same by Ray Chelstowski May 04, 2026 #230 More Fun in the Sun: Florida Audio Expo, Part Two by Frank Doris May 04, 2026 #230 CanJam NYC 2026 Show Report: Heady Sound, Part Two by Frank Doris and Harris Fogel May 04, 2026 #230 Sonic Youth On Murray Street by Wayne Robins May 04, 2026 #230 Graffeo Coffee: A Symphony of Sensory Experience by Joe Caplan May 04, 2026 #230 The Saul Authority: The Story of Hi-Fi Pioneer Saul Marantz by Olivier Meunier-Plante May 04, 2026 #230 How to Play in a Rock Band, 23: Encounters With Famous Musicians, Part Two by Frank Doris May 04, 2026 #230 An Outlier in the Rack: A Vintage BIC Beam Box by The Staff at Just Audio May 04, 2026 #230 PS Audio in the News by PS Audio Staff May 04, 2026 #230 A Cautionary Tale by Rich Isaacs May 04, 2026 #230 Reel-to-Reel Roots, Part 33 (Revised): Ken Kessler Reports On the 2026 (British) AudioJumble by Ken Kessler May 04, 2026 #230 Text Messaging by Frank Doris May 04, 2026 #230 The Audiophile Rat Race by Peter Xeni May 04, 2026 #230 On the Rocks by Rich Isaacs May 04, 2026 #229 The Earliest Stars of Country Music, Part Three by Jeff Weiner Apr 06, 2026 #229 The Healing Power of Music and Sound at the Omega Institute by Joe Caplan Apr 06, 2026 #229 CanJam NYC 2026 Show Report: Heady Sound, Part One by Frank Doris Apr 06, 2026 #229 Florida Audio Expo 2026: Warming Up to High-End Audio, Part One by Frank Doris Apr 06, 2026 #229 Quick Takes: Anne Bisson, Sam Morrison, The Velvet Underground, and the Stooges by Frank Doris Apr 06, 2026 #229 The Vinyl Beat: New Arrivals, and Old Audio Show Demo Scores to Settle by Rudy Radelic Apr 06, 2026 #229 Harvard Gets a High-End Audio Education by Frank Doris Apr 06, 2026 #229 No Country for Old Knees by B. Jan Montana Apr 06, 2026 #229 How To Play in A Rock Band, 22: Encounters With Famous Musicians, Part 1 by Frank Doris Apr 06, 2026 #229 The Soulful Grooves of Guinea-Bissau by Steve Kindig Apr 06, 2026 #229 Four-Hand Piano Performance at Its Finest by Stephan Haberthür Apr 06, 2026

Issue 147

Issue 147

Readers may know I’m a fan of weird fortune cookie sayings. Here’s another one: “Do it now! Today will be yesterday tomorrow.”

There’s simply nothing I can add to that.

We’re saddened by the passing of George Frayne, aka Commander Cody, at 77. Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen (named after a 1951 science fiction movie) were one of the first bands to blend country music with rock, and earned their place in the pantheon of musical greats with their blazing 1971 version of “Hot Rod Lincoln.” We salute you, Commander.

In this issue: I cover the premiere of the first two vinyl releases from Octave Records: jazz trumpeter Gabriel Mervine’s Say Somethin’ and Out of Thin Air by pianist Don Grusin. Anne E. Johnson looks at rock icons the Pretenders and jazz vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson. David Snyder brings us Part Two of his comprehensive guide to Roon. Tom Gibbs sees Red – the King Crimson album of the same name, that is. Rich Isaacs has a laugh about 1970s comedy troupes. J.I Agnew is dazzled by direct metal mastering and the DMM Dubplate, Vol. 1. Tom Methans brings us Sevdah, the traditional folk music of Bosnia-Herzegovina. B. Jan Montana rides closer to Sturgis.

Ken Sander revisits Summer Jam at Watkins Glen – and an innovation that changed live concert sound forever. Russ Welton begins a series on getting better sound from computer audio with the least expenditure, and another on choosing speakers. Rudy Radelic surveys the landmark Dionne Warwick recordings with Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Ray Chelstowski interviews rocker Joe Grushecky on the eve of the 25th Anniversary reissue of American Babylon. Steven Bryan Bieler grooves to train songs. Stuart Marvin remembers Sixties rock hype victims Rhinoceros. Andy Schaub has a personal look at FM radio. Larry Jaffee digs Big Bill Broonzy live in Nottingham. The Copper A/V squad concludes the issue with an avian audiophile, this year’s model, multichannel women, and a hole in the wall.

Staff Writers:

J.I. Agnew, Ray Chelstowski, Cliff Chenfeld, Jay Jay French, Tom Gibbs, Roy Hall, Rich Isaacs, Anne E. Johnson, Don Kaplan, Ken Kessler, Don Lindich, Tom Methans, B. Jan Montana, Rudy Radelic, Tim Riley, Wayne Robins, Alón Sagee, Ken Sander, Larry Schenbeck, John Seetoo, Dan Schwartz, Russ Welton, WL Woodward, Adrian Wu

Contributing Editors:
Ivan Berger, Steven Bryan Bieler, Harris Fogel, Robert Heiblim, Steve Kindig, Ed Kwok, Stuart Marvin, David Snyder, Bob Wood

Cover:
“Cartoon Bob” D’Amico

Cartoons:
James Whitworth, Peter Xeni

Parting Shots:
James Schrimpf, B. Jan Montana, Rich Isaacs (and others)

Audio Anthropology Photos:
Howard Kneller, Steve Rowell

Editor:
Frank Doris

Publisher:
Paul McGowan

Advertising Sales:
No one. We are free from advertising and subscribing to Copper is free.

 – FD

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