The Drink Tank 101

ChrisforTaff.org [email protected] Issue 100 has sat long by having really great guests. Silicon It was a nice feel for a con. While cons enough on its own and had another approach. like CorFlu deliver on a community it’s time to get back Friday was the Relaxaday. There feeling, Silicon left me with a very dif- to what I do best: run- was no programming (other than the ferent feeling, more akin to the feeling ning pictures of large- Game Room being open) before the I had leaving WorldCon. There was a breasted women! No Meet The Guests at 7. That allowed for general fannish glow to things that you seriously, this issue folks to mill about, register, get some don’t find a lot of places, even BayCon is going to be about dinner, all without fear of missing any- this year didn’t have the warm glowing fandom and blogs. thing. It was during that period that warming glow. BayCon 2005 certainly Trust me, it’ll be OK. I started meeting folks. I ran into my did, though. buddy David who proofs the issues of The second day was much dif- Why fandom needs more cons like SF/SF, Kevin Roche (wearing a suit!), ferent. There was programming, the Silicon Andy Trembley, Leigh Ann Hildebrand, art show, the dealers room, all of it by Christopher J. Garcia Dave Gallaher and various others cel- running all day. if you only came for Another Silicon has come and ebrating the contract signing for Cos- Saturday, you might have thought you gone and left no trace upon the Earth tumeCon 2008 26 at the DoubleTree. were at a much larger con. There was a it touched so briefly. I really had a To me, this was a great idea, because lot of programming that went lightly at- wonderful time and was most pleased it allowed the folks who were throwing tended, but there was a good selection to see that there were a lot of new faces parties to do just that I don’t normally see around cons. that. It was a very Hell, my buddy Jordan was there and good idea. It also I’d never had pegged him for attend- allowed Silicon ing. It was at the DoubleTree, which is to be more about where I’ve been going for cons since the Night Program- beginning of time. The con had a lot ming. They had a going for it and I was glad that I made film festival on Fri- it. day night and the You see, there’s something about parties and Rocky small cons that I really enjoy. Relaxa- Horror. All these cons are one thing: I wouldn’t say I’m things were there a big fan because a lot of times it’s to be had in the like sitting around at a big party. I like evening. It felt like some programming, but not so much a small con, cer- that it feels regimented. CorFlu had tainly not as big as the right amount when I went in 2005. BayCon, but it was Conjecture had too much the years I delivering a lot of attended, though they made up for it bang for the buck. of stuff to be heard. a slave auction as always. There was Silicon sort of rode a strange a particularly fetching lass there, but line. There was a focus on Comics, alas, I did not get to speak with her. but only a few comic book vendors (in All this party atmosphere was fact, the entire dealers room was much great, making the con seem like a big- smaller than the one for BayCon as far ger deal. I learned from the newsletter as selection) and there was a large art- staff that there were probably eight ist’s alley that I thought was very nice. hundred people over the course of the It was also a general SF con. I found con, which is a very good number. It a lot of typical SFing going on, which felt like a real honest to gosh local con. is always nice. And there was a strong While BayCon is a regional drawing film presence, which I always appreci- folks from all over the West Coast, Sili- ate. Cons that ride lines like that stand con has carved itself a niche with BA- a good chance of drawing new folks rea fans and semi-fans. That’s a good from one into the other. There were way to build a local fandom that’s nice people who came strictly to see Mr. and strong. Lobo and his Lobotronic Film Festi- The last day was interesting. We val and there were folks there to see had the SF/SF panel where we took Mark Bode (Vaughn’s son) and some the Family Photo and talked about the were just there because they always go zine. The folks who do read us seem to BArea SF cons. It was an interest- very happy with us. There’s just not ing crowd. The mash-up of folks really enough people that do every week. made me smile. This’ll probably start the change. We One thing that I’ve always loved actually managed to draw more people about fandom is inclusiveness, and to the SF/SF panel than the GoH panel Silicon was probably the most inclu- did in the same slot! We rock. sive non-WorldCon I’ve ever been to. It Silicon was a fun time and I ran was a great time and I was so glad that around passing out TAFF ballots and Saturday was as good as Friday. gossiping and writing for the newsletter Saturday night was party night, and just plain having a good time. I’m including the Evil Geniuses party looking forward to next year already, which is always a crowd pleaser. It even though I’m not sure where it’s was one of the favourite parties at gonna be at (I understand that they’re WorldCon even, so you know it’s gotta talking with the DoubleTree, whihc is be good. They had a mess of folks and great) and I have no idea who the GoHs the BASFA party was low key and a will be, but if it’s like this year, I’m cer- place to go and chat if you wanted to. tain to go home happy. There was also Mara’s Bar which had nograph” from 1888-89. You can hear ing funds to support Fisk University it at http://www.gutenberg.org/files/ beginning in the 1860s. They were a 10311/10311-m/10311-m-001.mp3. long-running groups and they sold lots There were several pieces on these of sheet music and early recordings. cylinders and there’s no real clear copy One of them was Swing Low, Sweet of these since the technology wasn’t Chariot, which they made hugely pop- perfected, but it’s incredible to hear ular in the 1990s on their tours. It’s some of the earliest sound recordings. one of the first recordings, though the There’s not much to it, but I listened to ones you’ll find on the various Fisk Ju- the whole thing. bilee records are later.

A Kinda Thorough Look at the Unit- 2) The Jesse Walter Fewkes field re- 5) Casey at the Bat recording from ed States National Recording Regis- cordings of the Passamaquoddy Indi- 1915 by De Wolf Hopper. Hopper is try ans from 1890. Talk about massively the one who made Casey at the Bat I’m a mark for registries. The important to the history of these Unit- a big deal. The poem appeared in National Film Registry announcement ed States. This was probably the first of new films being added is a big deal field recording (the device he used was in my eyes and I always look it up as less than two years old and still tightly soon as it’s announced. Usually I’m controlled) and the subject, the Pas- happy and surprised with the selec- samaquoddy Indians, were one of the tions, and those that I don’t agree with lesser studied tribes. We’ve got a good make for good arguments. snapshot of the time, the language A few years back, the Library of and their songs from these recordings. Congress launched the National Re- Sadly, I can’t find them on the web, cording Registry to do for audio record- but I heard them at a lecture once. ing what the NFR did for the moving image. I’m a lover of music and spoken 3) Stars & Stripes Forever’s first disc word and history, so this was an add- recording from 1897. This is another ed event every year for me. I’ve spent one of the major stepping stones as a fair amount of time looking at the this might have been the first disc sold. choices and here are my thoughts on There weren’t a lot of disc players until many, not nearly all 200, but the ones about 15 years after this came out, but that I think are very noteworthy. what are you gonna do.

From the 2002 Innaugural List 4) Swing Low, Sweet Chariot by the 1) Edison’s Exhibition Recordings in- Fisk Jubilee Singers. This is a strange cluding “Around the World on the Pho- one. The Fisk Jubilee was a group rais- the San Francisco Examiner and I’ve last 70 years was a bit of an exaggera- never been quite sure how, some five tion. Brilliantly constructed piece of months later, Hopper managed to get radio drama. a hold of the poem to read it before a packed house with both Chicago 10) Cradle Will Rock- This is the most and the New York Giants in attend- important musical of the 1930s. The ance. His many recitations around story of what it took John Houseman the world were amazingly popular and and Orson Welles to get this shown even though there is an older record- coupled with the brilliance of the lyrics ing (by Russell Hunting), Hopper’s is and the fact that it was a spectacular still the best. You can hear it by going piece of social commentary all come through the Wikipedia entry at http: together in its inclusion. //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_at_the_ Bat. You can also hear the Hunting 11) The First Grand Ole Opry radio version. broadcast- believe it or not, without the Opry, there would be no rock ‘n 6) The Victor Talking Machine Com- roll. Folks who listened to it started pany’s Bristol, Tennesee recordings the rock revolution in the 1950s. This from 1927. Wow, these recordings are performance is a little hard to find, but what modern Country Music sprung President. Amazing look at the way a it’s worth searching out. forth from the Bristol Barn Session. President can personally connect with A Victor talent scout by the name of his people. 12) Kind of Blue from Miles Davis- If Ralph Peer discovered several musi- you wanted to explain Jazz to some- cians, including the Singing Brakeman 8) Who’s on First- the first Radio one who had never heard of it, I’d play Jimmy Rodgers and the Carter Fam- Broadcast in 1938. This is probably them this and say “this is the best of ily. It would be impossible to overlook the best known comedy routine of it.” Miles with his crew that included either of these seminal influences on all-time and one of the worst perform- Cannonball Adderly and Coltrane play the history of country music, especially ances of it. The filmed version is much some of the most amazing songs in the The Carters who really hit huge. There better, as were most of the Vaudeville history of Jazz. So What is my personal are lots of commercial versions of these performances. They speed through it fave. Everyone should own a copy. recordings available. but not in a way that makes it funnier. Even Abbott said that the radio version 13) The Message by Grandmaster 7) The Fireside Chats- FDR may have was crap. Flash and the Furious Five from 1982- been a Democrat, but he was a charm- ‘Broken glass everywhere, people pis- ing man and had a marvelous voice. 9) War of the Worlds. Orson Welles sing on the stairs you know they just If it hadn’t been for these broad- would have been nothing if it weren’t don’t care’. That’s how the most im- casts, he’d not have been a popular for this, even if the hysteria that was portant rap song in history opens. The described in the popular culture of the Message records the conditions of The 5) Every Man a King speech by King- Bronx in the late 1970s. It’s an impres- fish Huey P. Long. Of all the political sive piece of commentary as well as a figures of the 20th Century, there’s wonderful piece of hip-hop. no one who moves me like The King- fish. He was one of the best speakers There is literally nothing in the in American history...even if he was first year’s choices that I disagree with cunning and conniving. Every Man or even question for a second. It covers a King was his motto and it brought such a wide range of things that it was him great success in his life. You can the perfect way to open the list. hear one of his speeches at http:// historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5109/ 2003 This year it seemed that the 6) Jelly Roll Morton interviewed by focus slipped a little. While there were 3) Frances Densmore’s Chippewa/ Alan Lomax in 1938. Lomax did a lot still plenty of things on the list that Ojibwe Cylinder collection. These are of incredible interviews document- recorded American life, there were a incredible. As important as the Pas- ing American music of the early 20th lot more popular cultural recordings, samaquoddy recordings are, these century. I always thought that his several of which I didn’t quite think recordings from the 1907-1910 time Woody Guthrie oral history was the belonged. Still, not a bad list. frame record many of the important most important of the ones he did, figures in late 19th Century Chippewa but the Jelly Roll Morton one was 1) 1898 Honolulu Cake Walk by Vess history. These are much harder to find, also incredibly inportant to the study Ossman. If you ever want to under- but are wonderful. of Musicology. You can find out a lot stand the origins of Jazz, go to http: about Lomax and his projects at http: //home.earthlink.net/~ephemeralist/ 4) William Jennings Bryan’s Cross //www.pbs.org/pov/pov2006/lomax/ honolulu.ram and give Honolulu Cake of Gold speech. Now, the Democratic index.html. Walk a listen. It’s all there. National Convention of 1896 was a big deal. There was a battle between those 7) WJSV’s September 21, 1939 full day 2) The First Bubble Book from 1917. who wanted to stay on the Gold Stand- of Programming. If you want to really The Bubble Books were the first re- ard and those who wanted bimetalism understand what radio was in the late cordings done just for children and using silver and gold. Bryan was one of 1930s, you need to listen to the whole sold with illustrated stories. Remem- the later and gave the greatest speech thing, an entire day’s worth of pro- ber those records which had various in the history of the Democratic party grammes. It wasn’t like it is now, for- folks reading stories for you to read at the convention. He re-enacted the matted stations were rare. Radio was along with? Well, this is where those speech in 1921 for recording and you still like TV is today, with networks all started. These are hugely collectable can still find it at http://www.historym carrying a full slate of programmes. now and can fetch very high prices on atters.gmu.edu/d/5354/ Washington’s WSJV recorded a full eBay.com. day’s worth of programming and had it placed into the National Archives. It’s formed a couple of bands and when Hotel. Never let anyone tell you that a wonderful document of one full day. he hit upon the Texas Playboys, he it was Kenny Rodgers and Dolly Par- You us places, but a college station knew he got it right. He really had two ton that crossed Country over into the in Boston once dedicated a full day to bands: one a Big Band that played Big mainstream. playing the entire thing. You can hear Band and Dixieland and the other, the a Senator’s game (they beat the Indi- far more interesting Fiddle and Steel 9) First Broadcast of A Prairie Home ans), an FDR speech, Amos & Andy, Guitar stuff that I always associate Companion from July 6, 1974. Of all news and music from the day. It’s an with Wills. The New San Antonio Rose the shows that have run on National incredible piece that makes you realise (the follow-up to the instrumental ver- Public Radio, none have had the im- just how important putting the pieces sion they released in the late 30s) sold pact that A Prairie Home Companion of a puzzle together can be compared more than a million records. What’s has had. It’s the only show a lot of to having the individual pieces to look most incredible is that Wills made folks listen to on NPR and it’s intro- at and study. That’s what being a his- his biggest mark on California’s mu- duced a lot of great old-timey music torian is all about. sic scene. He was a tremendous draw to the masses even before O Brother, in Los Angeles (and modern Texano Where Art Thou? did it. It’s a pretty 8) Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys music is very much influenced by his good episode, though it really took recording of New San Antonio Rose. work), and he had a giant radio show about two years to get great. What launched the Texas Swing sound coming out of KGO in San Francisco was a feller name of Bob Wills. He had which was recorded at the Fairmont 10) What’s Goin’ On by Marvin Gaye. I gotta say this threw me for a loop when I was first going over the list. There’s a lot of Vietnam Era protest music that’s not on the list (including nothing by Joan Baez), and while I don’t debate Marvin’s genius, I would have chosen something by Dylan or even Country Joe & The Fish. Still, it’s a powerful song and an important recording.

The rest of the list is a mix of early recordings and music of the later half of the 20th Century. That’s the section I had the most trouble with. Yeah, Crazy should be in, along with Judy at Carnegie Hall (which both came out in 1961) but I’m not sure Tapestry by Carole King should be. Sgt. Pepper’s, obviously, but Born to from 1939 hardest banjo Run? I’ve Been Loving You Too Long with Richard pieces ever re- (To Stop Now) by Otis Redding instead Hale narat- corded and I’ve of (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay? At ing. This is the always loved it, Folsom Prison? Absolutely no question. first version partly because Roll Over Beethoven by Chuck Berry of Peter and it’s also great instead of Rock Around The Clock by the Wolf I ever chase music. Bill Haley? These are arguments best heard. I dis- left to historians. tinctly remem- 6) Lovesick ber the voice of Blues (1949) by The 2004 list was nearly as bril- Richard Hale Hank Williams liant as the 2002 list. While I was going from the all- Sr. You can’t through it, I discovered that there were in-one record say that the far fewer things to argue than were on player we had Williams aren’t the 2003 list. at Westwood the greatest Elementary. music family in 1) Some of These Days by Sophie This version American His- Tucker from 1911. Recorded for Edi- probably in- tory. Yeah, the son, Some of These Days was a popu- troduced more Carters, and lar song for the zaftig Tucker. She was kids to classi- the Judds, but right up there with Fanny Brice as far cal music than the effect that as popularity goes on the Vaudeville any other piece of recorded music. Hank the Elder had on popular coun- circuit. There’s a lot of her stuff out try, combined with Hank the Younger’s there, but you can find this recording 4) U.S. Highball from Harry Parch, popularity and talent and Hank 3’s at http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist2/ 1946. Harry Parch, and let me say experimentation and ability to combine days.html. that’s a great name, was a composer punk rock and real country makes who used weird scales to do his works. them number one in my book. Lovesick 2) Swanee by Al Jolson. What can you He built his own instruments, using Blues was a giant hit. say about Jolson? He was a giant per- bizarre scales. U.S. Highball is hard- former and really one of the reasons ish to find, but I heard it at a demo of 7) Guys & Dolls Original Cast Record- that Radio music took off. Swanee is some of his instruments at the MFA in ing. Musicals were represented by Cra- the best of his tunes and the filmed Boston. dle Will Rock in the first set, but Guys versions of him singing it are wonder- & Dolls might be essential American ful, but this early recorded version 5) Foggy Bottom Breakdown by Flatts musical. You could argue Oklahoma from 1920, is spectacular. & Scruggs (1949). The greatest banjo (and even Show Boat), but the record- player of all-time is Earl Scruggs. ing of Guys & Dolls was by far the 3) Sergey Prokofiev. Peter and the Wolf Foggy Bottom Breakdown is one of the best-selling. Douglas MacArthur’s Old Soldiers that comes close are Indiana Jones one that can really hang with it as far Never Die speech. I’ve only heard this and E.T., also from Williams. as content is Straight Outta Compton a couple of times and it’s probably the from NWA. Nirvana’s Nevermind is an best military speech I’ve ever heard. The albums included in 2004 are odd choice when not a single Sonic Big Mac was a stud, a real dyed-in-the- a good bunch, though debatable. Live Youth, Ramones or even a Velvet Un- wool warrior who made questionable at the Apollo from James Brown is a derground album made the list. True, moves that sometimes paid off. Those no-brainer, though it begs the ques- in many ways it was Nevermind that choices cost him his job, and here is tion that if they over-looked TWTYTW finally cracked punk into the collective the source of the greatest protagonist’s because it was live, then why include American voice, but even Iggy Pop isn’t goodbye: old soldiers never die, they LatA? Pet Sounds, the single great- in so I question the timing is all. just fade away. est Beach Boys album, was an easy choice, though I’d liked to have seen 2005 featured a lot of interesting choic- 8) Song by Tom Lehrer from 1953. This Miserlou from Dick Dale enter the es. is an outrage! That Was The Year That Registry. The Allman Bros. At Fillmore Was was easily the funniest album East was an odd choice, but I could 1) Fanny Brice’s My Man from 1921. that Lehrer ever did, but they chose justify it to myself. Fear of a Black Fanny Brice was a giant star with a bi- another album of his work, possibly Planet by Public Enemy is the greatest zarre voice. Every shrill Jewish mother because they wanted something studio political rap album ever and the only imitation you’ve ever hoid is based on instead of a live record. Still, they need Brice. Her version of My Man was one to put TWTYTW in sooner or later. And of the big sellers of its day and is still for that matter, at least one Stan Fre- an interesting piece to see a mirror berg album (the US History one is my held up not only to the time of pro- favourite) duction, but to the way we see these things today. 9) Stan Getz’ version of The Girl From Ipanema, 1963. Well, the most whis- 2) 1917 Over There by Nora Bayes. tle-able song of all time deserves this There were lots of recorded versions of treatment. There are other versions Over There during WWI, and the Bayes that are nearly as good, but this was version wasn’t even the best seller (that the ultimate Bachelor Pad album, was Billy Murray’s) but Bayes was along with Brubeck’s Take 5. George M. Cohan’s fave, so it gets the nod. 10) Star Wars Soundtrack by John Williams. Well, you could debate that 3) The Inauguration of Calvin Coolidge. there are better scores, but there are This one’s an interesting choice. few as deeply buried in the minds of There’s a lot of history behind record- two generations. I’d say the only ones ing the first action of a President’s that. It’s a good thing they had the great sportsmen. The fight is one of the common sense to hook up a record to best pieces of boxing calling ever, with the line or there’d be no record of it Clem McCarthy being a true legend. whatsoever...no pun intended. 8) Blueberry Hill by Fats Domino, 5) Show Boat. Show Boat changed Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On by Jerry American musical theatre forever and Lee Lewis and That’ll Be The Day by the performance of Paul Robeson can- The Crickets. These are all really im- not be overlooked. It’s aged badly to portant recordings, but where’s my the point where trying to watch Show man Haley? Bill Haley has been over- Boat is incredibly difficult for folks who looked. grew up on musicals like Brigadoon, Hair, and RENT. I like it, but not near- 9) Switched on Bach by Wendy Car- ly in the same league as 1776. los. Electronic Music, ye have arrived. There are other very important elec- 6) Archibald MacLeish’s Fall of the tronic recordings, but Switched on City. Here’s a classic that often gets Bach was the first to really enter the forgotten. Orson Welles was already mainstream. It sold huge numbers doing The Shadow when he did this of copies and to this day remains the adaptation of MacLeish’s classic. Bur- biggest seller of its genre. Hugely im- term, dating back to filming of the gess Meredith and Paul Stewart also portant to the development of 1980s Cleveland edition. McKinley’s is the had roles. This one is on CD and is SynthPop. earliest that’s known to survive, but well worth finding. I love Welles’ voice. the Coolidge inauguration was broad- 10) Don’t Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me cast coast to coast and I am fairly 7) Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling from the Pliers from the Firesign Theatre. certain it was the first of them to be June 22nd, 1938. This was a legen- One of the funniest albums ever. You so treated. I could be wrong, but the dary boxing match. There aren’t a lot cant go wrong with Firesign, and this timing is right. of sporting events on the list (in fact, was probably their best piece. I mean, there’s only one baseball game (and you’ve got Tirebiter, for Christ’s sake! 4) First Transatlantic telephone conver- it ain’t the one with The Shot Heard The Firesigns are still going today and sation from January 7th, 1927. There’s Around The World) on the list so far. they were in Campbell not but a year a story that this was considered to This was a great fight. There are other or so ago. I know Kevin Standlee went be the most important moment of the ones that were certainly recorded (in- to see them, but I could not. They also twentieth century because it really cluding some of Jack Johnson’s fights) received a Hugo nomination (and a began the international communica- and this one is incredible. It would be win?) for one of their albums. They’re a tions as a reality. There’s a solid argu- hard to find two fighters of such -in very funny group and if you become an ment there. I’m not fully convinced, credible intensity who were also such acolyte of any one comedy group... but I could see why many would think Issues with the Registry Rogers and Dolly Parton album in. effect on the future of music than Jimi First off, if you look at the Na- There’s no question that they did a Hendrix did (Are You Experienced is tional Film Registry (and eventually I lot to promote Country as a main- in). After that, you’ve got the Mamas & will), you’ll see that there are a ton of stream art. Sadly, I think Garth Brooks the Papas, Peter, Paul & Mary and at comedies. There was a lot of radio com- might get in before either of them. least one Kingston Trio to make things edy produced over the last 100 years There’s still a lot of more modern stuff right. that’s been over-looked. Stan Freberg that needs to get in as far as country In the 1970s, you have Zeppelin is an obvious miss on the Registry, as goes.The best selling artist of the early and you have Skynerd and you have I said earlier, but he’s far from the only 1970s isn’t in. Marty Robbins outsold Punk. The Ramones should be in, and one. There’s Lenny Bruce as the most everybody with his albums and his sin- so should The Talking Heads. There glowing example. Religions, Inc. should gle El Paso was huge. are lots of CBGB and Mabuhay shows be in and there are several recordings There’s so much important Jazz, that were taped. For that matter at of it available. You can even find it on and almost all of it is American, that least one Grateful Dead show should iTunes! It’s an obvious one that needs you really have to be a little mor choos- be in, perhaps the New Years Eve show to be included. Bill Cosby’s Himself ey. Bitches Brew should be in with the with The Blues Brothers. Jim Croce is another one. That had a profound next batch. Miles Davis defined Fusion should have gone in before Carole effect on a generation of comedians with Bitches Brew and that needs to King, though I’m sure they’ll say there and sold like mad. There’s at least one be added to the Registry. There’s also was no single record that qualifies. George Carlin record worth preserving, the Mink-Coltrane sessions, a few more The 1980s are really tough. and the same could be said of Steve Dixieland recordings, some early violin I’d say The Talking Heads, Thriller Martin. In fact, Martin is, in many jazz and more. ways, the first comedian to become a Rock is much harder. The first rock star through the records. thing that must, no question, go into You can’t really blame the Li- the Registry is Bill Haley & The Com- brary of Congress, they don’t really get ets. I’d put him right next to Chuck comedy’s role in the world, I guess. Berry as the reasons Rock ‘n Roll There’s almost the right number of turned it up so quickly. The fact that rap albums (they’ve gotta get the first he’s not in is a crime. After that. you Sugar Hill Gang album, Straight Outta have the Loving Spoonful and Bob Compton and at least one Snoop and Denver. Both sold tons of records and Dre album) and they’re good on most of both had a defined effect on music of the early country. There’s some Johnny the 1960s and 70s. When you get into Cash that has to make it in, a little the 1960s, you have to include The more Jimmy Rodgers, some Patsy Cline Velvet Underground. There would be and at least one of the Bob Wills shows no modern alternative music without from KGO. Lou Reed. To that add the MC-5 and I’d like to see at least one Kenny Iggy Pop, who honestly had far more and probably Born in the USA as the also did some amazing flat-pickin’ in pics of 1936 are very important and first ones that should go in. Rockit, that last one there. Good Times is an- I know that those recordings still ex- by Herbie Hancock will probably be other one that certainly expressed the ist. The Rose Bowl was the first radio overlooked, but was a major piece of age in which the music was produced. broadcast sporting event (as I un- popular electronica. I’d say that there’s There are others from the 1950s (let’s derstand it) and there’s a recording of gotta be at least one Run DMC album think about Mission Impossible and one of the very early editions. As for to add to that list. Appetite for Destruc- Peter Gunn are examples) that should concerts, there’s Woodstock as the tion, the seminal Guns ‘n Roses album, be considered. The problem is they most glaring problem. Then there’s The is also a must-have. don’t want to archive things for films Concert for Bangladesh. Both of these Not all of the 1990s are eligible, that already exist in film archives, are massively important musical hap- but Nevermind is already in. I’d say which makes me wonder why Star penings and should be on the registry. that there’s probably only one or two Wars is in. I’m sure Woodstock will end up on the other albums that should make it in, There are a lot of musicals miss- rolls soon, because there is a record but one is Britney Spears' first album. ing. 1776, City of Angels, Brigadoon, version that’s different than the film Talk about changing the world. Pop RENT (which will probably be in this version and the event is just so damn Music was forever changed and not for coming year since it’s eligible) and Je- important to defining the 1960s. the better, but it is an important mile- sus Christ Superstar all need to be in, In the future, I’m not sure what’ll stone. as well as Hair. Grease is another one go in. RENT is almost a lock for the There are a few areas where the that’s gotta go in, though I think they’ll 2006 list. In 2011 I’m betting that the registry is very weak. Soundtracks not do it because it’ll be in the National 9-11 Black Box Recordings and sev- and musical scores for films are repre- Film Registry. eral 911 calls will go in. I’d say that sented by a couple of pieces, but Phi- There are a lot of significant there’s a very good chance that Dan- lip Glass is nowhere to be seen. I’d say events that need to be in. The Olym- germouse’s The Black Album will go his score for The Hours would be his in as an example of Mash-Up culture. best, but the ones with the incredibly For older stuff, the first edition of Ed- long names are the ones that should be ward R. Murrow’s This I Believe is still added. Lalo Schifrin’s works should be in existence (they played it on NPR the in as well. No Henry Mancini shows up other day) and should be put in. Same on the list at all. Where’s the score to with some Jonathan Winters mate- The Guns of Navarone or The Magnifi- rial. Esquivel is another one. Mucha cent Seven? Muchacha needs to go in. There’s little Completely left-out are some of in the way of Hispanic music already in the most sung songs of all-time: TV (there’s Mambo Fever and a few others) themes. I know, I know, very low brow, and I’d say that some Banda or Texano but you find me someone who doesn’t music should be installed. know the words to Gilligan’s Island or There’s so much that I’m glad The Beverly Hillbillies! Flatts & Scrugs they’re doing 50 a year! Letter Graded Mail baseline -- $75 -- and ran it forward sent to [email protected] just on inflation, then an at-the-door by my gentle readers membership would be about $125, not the $200 or more it is today. Still, I And now...Kevin Standlee! think a bunch of people think that’s Congratulations on the milestone too expensive. For that matter, how issue 100 of The Drink Tank! I’m glad many people reading this think that I was able to contribute two bricks to $75 -- the 1984 price, remember -- is the wall. too expensive? And a fine two bricks they were too! I’d not even bat an eye at $100, but More regarding the cost of you’re right in thinking that there’d Worldcons: One of the biggest reasons be people who would find even that the memberships are so expensive too expensive. We could do a 10k is that the convention is simply the person WorldCon, though not for a wrong size. It grew to the point where few years and not without pissing it usually needs a convention center, people off by opening up the media which loads the convention down with that started happening shortly can of worms. a huge fixed cost (over $200,000, in thereafter. Folks thought that the Here’s another outrageous ConJosé’s case, to rent the convention costs would be too high and that bidding proposal to keep the cost center and decorate it -- none of those there’d be no way to make it work. down: a membership cap. Announce chairs and tables are free). But having And yet, it did. when you’re bidding that, in an effort done so, we did not keep growing to Roughly speaking, Worldcon is to fit into smaller properties and the point where we fully utilize the either twice the size it should be or charge significantly less, you will limit space we’re renting and spread that half the size it needs to be. At around attending membership to 2500 people fixed cost out over about 10,000 2,500 people, you could squeeze back or the number of site selection voters, people or more. The variable cost of down into hotel properties and bunch whichever is greater. Voters get right a Worldcon membership is around of fixed expenses would go away. At of first refusal to buy an attending $20. Everything else goes toward around 10,000 people, you’d finally membership. You might manage the fixed costs. Fixed costs go up in get the cost per member down toward to drop your fixed costs drastically quanta. Once you reach a certain something that many of your readers that way. But, like my other cost- size, you need to jump up to the next may consider reasonable. On the reducing proposals, you run the risk of quanta, and your fixed costs increase other hand, I wonder what that cost antagonizing anyone who thinks that drastically. would be. If it’s what they paid in their “entitlement” is being attacked, I remember reading about FUnCon, the 1960s or early 1970s to attend a and a bid for a “traditional, full- the sorta rump WorldCon of the convention, well, we’re never going to featured, inclusionary” Worldcon would 1960s that pretty much paved get there again. But if we took the at- have popular appeal. the way for the larger WorldCons the-door cost of L.A.con II (1984) as a That’s a great idea, but sadly, I don’t see it ever happening. Of Something new and David and his scientist friend I brought course, if a con bid and DIDN’T interesting happens them into Visible Storage to start the announce it until after they won, every day around the fast tour. now that might work! Computer History Now, when folks visit for the I’m afraid that we have a lot of Museum. This last first time, they tend to get this look on people who complain about the cost Tuesday was no their face. It’s either a giddiness or a of a Worldcon whose vision of what it exception. stunned bemusement, I can never tell. should be is “the things I personally We have an David had the giddy one, no question. like, and get rid of the other stuff and annual fellows dinner The first wall that you see is full of PCs 90% of the attendees so I can afford to and this year was from the 1970s to the 1990s. There’s attend it.” everything from the Altair to the Apple You’re dead-on there. There are a a brilliant set of choices. There was Cube that did so poorly. David scanned lot of specialists who only want the requisite British guy (Sir Tony the wall, obviously finding several that to see their stuff catered to. I’m Hoare, software dude and inventor of he had used. a generalist and I love a little bit Quicksort) and there was the Internet I powered them through, of everything, but I’d love to see pioneer (Bob Kahn) and the former doing the entire circuit in less than somethings go to make it so I could Xerox PARC dude (Butler Lampson). twenty minutes. David was very afford to attend at least every other The other one was the guy I’d been interested in the very large systems year or so. pushing for us to honour for about like the Johnniac or the SAGE. It was Kevin five years: Marvin Minsky. He’s an interesting to hear his take. As we PS: In passing, and replying to the AI pioneer, wrote an SF book with rounded the Supercomputer section, article talking about other fanzines my man Harry Harrison, and is well- he took a few final photos and said, that reached the century mark, I known in various fannish circles for “minute for minute, this was the best would like to note that _Emerald City_ attending cons and such. He’s a good part of my trip out here.” passed 100 issues; the (presumably guy and I was finally going to get to High praise. final) issue will be number 134. Cheryl meet him. published monthly, though, so it took Until he had to cancel. OK, That’s it. The Drink Tank Issue much longer for her to get there than it OK, that happens. Marvin didn’t 101 is over. What’s next? Well, did you. show and I was bummed. I wanted him I’d check out chrisfortaff.org for Quite true. Running monthly isn’t to see my handiwork putting together starters, then maybe read PrintZine. easy either. It’s amazing to me that a display that featured his device The I’ll be doing another PrintZine she managed to do it for more than Muse: a sort of an electronic music (Issue 5) and the first AhwahneeCon 10 years! maker. PR before I put out another Drink Around 3:30, I got a call at my Tank, but I’ve already got ideas for desk. It was Mr. David Brin. He had it down. been speaking at Google and was Until Next time...remember: interested in coming by for a very brief Chris for TAFF! visit. I headed downstairs and met