Copper


Magic and Loss

I and so many of us are saddened by the passing of Nanci Griffith at 68. Some singers are good, some are truly great, and the rare few can move...

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Pilgrimage to Sturgis, Part Two

Part One of the story appeared in Issue 143. Recap By the time I got my helmet and jacket off, the warlord was standing next to me – a big...

What Exactly is Classic Rock? Part Two

In Part One (Issue 143), Jay Jay talked with FM DJ Joe Rock of Long Island’s radio station WBAB, and asked the question: just how, exactly, do we define classic...

Moving to Computer Audio: A Comprehensive Overv...

An Individual Approach to Computer Audio Mention the words “computer audio” and it is likely to mean different things to different people. To traditional audiophiles, it could mean convenient access...

Martin Theophilus of The Museum of Magnetic Sou...

Martin Theophilus is the Executive Director of the Museum of Magnetic Sound Recording (MOMSR), a private collection of recording machines, tapes and other materials, along with a companion website. The...

Diamonds and Rust

Point taken: yes, you could get a Grado XTE+1 cartridge for $19.95 in the 1970s ("the free nickel bag of high-end audio," as my late friend Bob Reina called it),...

The Psychedelic Supermarket

In issue 141, Issue 142 and Issue 143 Ken wrote about his late 1960s relocation from New York to California. The story continues here. At this point I was over...

The Future of Jazz Clubs: a Crossroads and a Co...

For some time, many music industry critics and pundits have postulated that jazz is dead. Even the great Wynton Marsalis wrote a song called “The Death of Jazz.” Some of...

More SACD Reviews of New Releases

The Doobie Brothers – What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits I’ve always had this kind of love/hate relationship with the Mobile Fidelity record label, and that goes all the way back...

Nanci Griffith: Sometimes a Rare Music

A master of songcraft is silent now, passing on Friday, August 13, 2021. Nanci Griffith, singer, songwriter and proponent of “folkabilly”: her unique combination of folk and country is gone at 68. Griffith was born in...

Lyle Mays – Composer, Arranger, Producer and Ke...

It’s been a year and a half since we lost the brilliant composer, arranger and keyboardist Lyle Mays. While he had avoided the limelight during the last phase of his...

Some Notable Analog Recordings, Part Three

As I mentioned in my previous article (Issue 142), I recently installed a new cartridge. Even though it is the exact same model as the cartridge I had used for...

Creedence Clearwater Revival: Kings of Swamp Rock

They’re known for singing about the bayou with a Louisiana twang, but the members of Creedence Clearwater Revival all came from a suburb of San Francisco. But that’s showbiz, and...

Cassette Multitrack Recorders: the Original DIY...

During the 1960s and 1970s the notion of a personal studio for an artist to record demos or possibly masters of their songs was still an expensive prospect, involving reel-to-reel...

Ragtime World by Augustus: New Rock from Octave...

Octave Records’ latest release, Ragtime World by Augustus, offers the band’s distinctive blend of melodic indie, alt-rock, post-rock and other not-quite-categorizable music. Since 2014, Augustus has toured the US and...

Singing His Praises: Bach Cantatas

Among the 95 suggestions for improving Catholicism that Martin Luther nailed to the door of a Wittenberg church in 1517 was the radical idea that worshippers should be able to...

Up In the Cheap Seats

The Coronado Performing Arts Center, Rockford, Illinois, Row NN, Seat 13. Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick was an honorary member of the committee to restore the theater, and donated an...

Stephen Duffy: Flying Beyond Duran Duran With t...

“Rock royalty” is perhaps an overused term these days. But there are those who have applied their creative hand to so many pieces of music over time that it’s impossible...

Finding a Place for Bass

In our previous article, “The Audio Butterfly Effect” (issue 143), we looked at some options for the placement of multiple subwoofers to achieve a smoother in-room low-frequency response. In this article we’ll...