J. Gordon Holt Opinion Piece

[boom3]

http://www.stereophile.com/asweseeit/1107awsi/

I ran across this while I was reading my annual one-issue purchase of Stereophile to amuse me on a long airplane ride. I don't agree with his last riposte, but what he says before that unecessary burst of bile is very good indeed. I'd like to think that Klipsch is still on the "audio advancement" track. It would be interesting to hear Holt acknowledge that-if he agrees-since I gather he and Paul did not see eye to eye, to put it politely.

I hope some folks at Stereophile squirmed at his mention of voodoo science. [*-)]

[billybob]

http://www.stereophile.com/asweseeit/1107awsi/

I ran across this while I was reading my annual one-issue purchase of Stereophile to amuse me on a long airplane ride. I don't agree with his last riposte, but what he says before that unecessary burst of bile is very good indeed. I'd like to think that Klipsch is still on the "audio advancement" track. It would be interesting to hear Holt acknowledge that-if he agrees-since I gather he and Paul did not see eye to eye, to put it politely.

I hope some folks at Stereophile squirmed at his mention of voodoo science.

"Boomers...Ouch!"

Can't imagine what differences existed based upon (what I have garned thus far, being new here) reading the article. May have been the "measurement" discussion, purist debate that may have occasioned the times. Certainly Mr. Holt reads like,no mincing of words.

[IndyKlipschFan]

Trying to create the "experience" is a tough job! And I am so sorry we have been lied to for too long... BIG sound needs BIG speakers... Period!

While I agree, sadly, or at least IMO even though some of it is I am older I am sure.... music IMO is stagnant, has been for years.... and not going anywhere in 2008. The music I cared for in my youth is being sampled, re spun, into unimaginative dribble..... that has a shelf life of 3 min at best, and is on every commercial trying to make me feel young again to buy it?

How many copies of _____< insert your favorite artist here> do you need?

Sad, too, I can afford it..... so I built my own audio nirvana with equipment I dreamed about as a kid, but play "new music on it" that has so little that inspires me today, to enjoy it on? I begged for a dream system like this as a kid... While most kids listen to ipods with single songs cool one min throw aways the next with NO connection at all to the artist, the bands history, other than it is "hot." Well, for the next 30 seconds maybe like sheep they all switch to something else they are being spoon fed.

MTV is not about music.. Reality shows on a music channel? Where is the music?

On a bright note... The New James Taylor dvd/ cd is amazing... a 10+++ I actully cried.. It was so beautiful last night listening to it. It is just James in a small theater with a keyboard player... and the feedback of the audience. Amazing!!

http://www.amazon.com/One-Man-Band-CD-DVD/dp/B000V4ZY2Y/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1196357526&sr=8-1

Go watch the video on amazon... and one person's review here..: Go out n buy it.. Crank it up, the DVD is just awesome!

An instant CLASSIC!! A must-have for the ardent fan, or just someone who wants to know who JT really is, November 16, 2007

By	C. A. HAMPTON "Nat's mommy" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

"As James has explained, this cd/dvd set is a "primer" of his music --
by stripping it down and going back to the basics: his amazing, soulful
voice, the unique sound he creates on his custom Olson guitars and the
accompaniment of the incomparable Larry Goldings on piano. I cannot
emphasize enough how beautiful it is, a compilation/distillation of
many of his very best songs -- some faves, but some lesser known. They
span his entire career, from "Something in the Way She Moves," written
when JT was only a teenager, to "Traveling Star," which was on his most
recent album "October Road." Plus, it's 19 tracks and 2 hours of music!
What more could you ask for?


This is not just another "greatest hits" album. I have all of his
albums and none of the songs on this one are recorded the same way as
on the original album where they appeared, or anywhere else. Notable
examples are the use of the Tanglewood choir via videotape as backup on
"Shower the People" and "Traveling Star" -- which is such a brilliant
idea, by the way. Why hasn't that been used more often? Or the
gigantic, wooden drum machine that accompanies a couple of tracks.



I was lucky enough to be in the front row of his "One Man Band"
show in Los Angeles, so I was very familiar with what is on the dvd.
It's such an intimate, special show in that he explains the inspiration
for many of his songs and shows personal, family photos and video
footage. You feel like you get to know the real person, what makes him
tick, and you are also exposed to his great sense of deadpan humor.


If you are already a fan, then your collection is NOT complete
without this set. But if you are not that familiar with this brilliant
artist, this true American treasure, and are interested in getting to
know him, then this is the set to buy."

I guess we forum members can be opinionated too! Some of the best music of our youth is better than the dribble of today. Even if that is my opinion too.

Roger

[seti]

MTV is not about music.. Reality shows on a music channel? Where is the music?

MTV sucks.

VH1 sucks.

Unless you live in a cool city Radio sucks.

Auditoriums generally book the most bland acts in history.

It is hard to find new good music but I must say it is out there just harder to find. I explore other cultures and other times for new music as well not everything in the west is the best. Satelite Radio is good and I hope it doesn't go the way of the am fm radio waves. I also use http://www.music-map.com/ to find music enter a band you like and explore what the map finds. David Byrne from the Talking Heads has a streaming playlist which changes monthly http://www.davidbyrne.com/radio/index.php . His selections usually change drastically month to month. I have found some good stuff this way. Just don't count on the big industry music labels to hand out the best music as Indie labels and local home brew labels offer very good music. There is incredible talent in every city made by people who really love music. It does take some sifting through some bad ones to get the gems.

[boom3]

MTV is not about music.. Reality shows on a music channel? Where is the music?

MTV sucks.

VH1 sucks.

Unless you live in a cool city Radio sucks.

Auditoriums generally book the most bland acts in history.

It is hard to find new good music but I must say it is out there just harder to find. I explore other cultures and other times for new music as well not everything in the west is the best. Satelite Radio is good and I hope it doesn't go the way of the am fm radio waves. I also use http://www.music-map.com/ to find music enter a band you like and explore what the map finds. David Byrne from the Talking Heads has a streaming playlist which changes monthly http://www.davidbyrne.com/radio/index.php . His selections usually change drastically month to month. I have found some good stuff this way. Just don't count on the big industry music labels to hand out the best music as Indie labels and local home brew labels offer very good music. There is incredible talent in every city made by people who really love music. It does take some sifting through some bad ones to get the gems.

A big A-men to this...but the big industry music labels are slowly fading...the indie distribution channels and open pricing are killing them, which is both a good and bad thing. Our kids and grandkids don't perceive pop music through the lens of Top 40 radio and the industry's A&R men (like us Boomers did), there are so many different offerings and different distribution methods now...leaving taste aside.

And let's not get into the classical music biz...IMO it's audiophiles who are keeping that alive at all...

I have played Byrne & Eno's My Life In The Bush of Ghosts countless times since its release in 1981, it's one of my Desert Island Disks. I read about it in Stereo Review, it never got any airplay that I know of.

[Guest IVstringer]

There are days when I get skeptical like you do Indy. But I have to remember that nowadays, music discovery is a more personal experience. The internet allows one to do their own digging, find their own niche. Anymore, I view mainstream media as serving their own agenda: making money on popularity of ____. This includes "Top 40" radio, etc. They're going to go with whatever they can make the biggest bang in the SHORTEST time on. Then, they can just as easily move on to the next thing. It's not the model of "this is great music, enjoy it" that radio used to have. One thing I like about American Idol (and anything like it) is seeing some new talent develop. One of the things I HATE about American Idol is that it just feeds the new machine. It is ironic how NOT winning the competition, but finishing 2nd/3rd/4th usually produces artists with more "staying power". Nonetheless, Simon Cowell still owns them for a year or two, so time will tell on that.

Of course, having to search yourself makes it a little more challenging for the individual to find good new stuff. I've actually found that print media does the best job. When I was reading Bass Player religiously a few years ago, I'd pick up one or two good albums out of their music reviews/suggested albums. I'm sure every magazine of that kind has some good stuff to recommend. Not to dismiss Stereophile and the hi-fi mags, but I think they gear more towards music that brings out the best in your speakers. There's a time and a place for that, no doubt, but in general they're not going to say, "Here's a new artist that's really awesome."

So, all in all, don't get discouraged, after all the success is sweeter having done the work yourself, right?

[seti]

I have played Byrne & Eno's My Life In The Bush of Ghosts countless times since its release in 1981, it's one of my Desert Island Disks. I read about it in Stereo Review, it never got any airplay that I know of.

Speaking of new old music are you aware that My Life In The Bush of Ghosts was remastered last year and the new release contains 7 previously unrealeased tracks. I almost forgot about it perhaps I can find it today.

The main incentive that I have found to get me to buy music that I oridinarily wouldn't be rush to buy is the additional DVD included in some limited runs. This has caused me to buy an album right when it comes out instead of waiting. The Creatures album AH! had an incredible DVD bundled with the initial release of their new CD. Great marketing IMO.

One of my favorite regular threads is Thebe's Members Weekly Music Recommendations in the DVD Music and Movies section which doesn't get as many post as it should. I have found a few good suggestions there.

[boom3]

I have played Byrne & Eno's My Life In The Bush of Ghosts countless times since its release in 1981, it's one of my Desert Island Disks. I read about it in Stereo Review, it never got any airplay that I know of.

Speaking of new old music are you aware that My Life In The Bush of Ghosts was remastered last year and the new release contains 7 previously unrealeased tracks. I almost forgot about it perhaps I can find it today.

The main incentive that I have found to get me to buy music that I oridinarily wouldn't be rush to buy is the additional DVD included in some limited runs. This has caused me to buy an album right when it comes out instead of waiting. The Creatures album AH! had an incredible DVD bundled with the initial release of their new CD. Great marketing IMO.

One of my favorite regular threads is Thebe's Members Weekly Music Recommendations in the DVD Music and Movies section which doesn't get as many post as it should. I have found a few good suggestions there.

Thanks for the tips. I have the new release. It deleted the song "Q'uran" (sp?) which was pulled for fear of offending Muslims who might object to their scripture being set to Westernm music.

[garyrc]

At one point, Holt (in the 1970s or '80s) was going to borrow a pair of Klipschorns and review them, because he said that so many musicians wrote the magazine saying they liked them. I can find no evidence he ever did that. Did he?

PWK reported on a blind comparison between several highly reputed speakers and live instruments (all were invisible behind a scrim). I believe he said, "Reality came in third." Does anyone have a copy of this article or memo?

The only part of Holt's comments I seriously disagree with is his view of the Baby Boomers: I don't really think we Boomers were spoiled, especially, just fortunate in some ways (attenuation of authoritarianism on our parents' part, raised in a relatively stable economy) and very unlucky in others (Vietnam, hypocrisy in our parents' generation regarding their best ideals -- ideals some of us took seriously, and tried to hold them to). We converted some of the negatives into positives (and blew others). In reality, we were so diverse that most of the negative and positive stereotypes apply only to small slices of our population -- and it's almost always true that it's not crowded on the leading edge. Of course, tragically, some of the worst of the Boomers are now in very powerful positions.

[pauln]

Boom3, "I have played Byrne & Eno's My Life In The Bush of Ghosts countless times since its release in 1981, it's one of my Desert Island Disks. I read about it in Stereo Review, it never got any airplay that I know of."

Wow! Thanks for reminding me that I have that record. The last time I listened to it was when I had Heresys, before the current La Scalas, and I had forgotten how cool that record sounds. I played it a little while ago and got a hankering for some more Eno, so I played his "Music For Films" record, which I have liked for a long time.

The center peice of the MFF album for me is "Alternative 3" which captures the holiest beautiful yet abstract sound this side of the best moments of Yes or pre-'68 Pink Floyd. I have heard the peice "Final Sunset" as the background to a segment of PBS' "Front Line" show. Worth giving a listen if you like Eno...

Recorded between '75-'78, others on this album include John Cale, Robert Fripp, Phil Collins, and Percy Jones...

[stereohermit]

As an avid reader of Stereophile, I can tell you JGH never did review anything Klipsch. The first full review of any of the heritage series, speakers was of the LS2,in Nov06 vol. 29, no. 11.. SamTellig reviewed it favorably. The Absolute Sound reviewed the Klipschorn way back in, ,I think issue 4 and 5 in 1974. Not so favorable.

[billybob]

As an avid reader of Stereophile, I can tell you JGH never did review anything Klipsch. The first full review of any of the heritage series, speakers was of the LS2,in Nov06 vol. 29, no. 11.. SamTellig reviewed it favorably. The Absolute Sound reviewed the Klipschorn way back in, ,I think issue 4 and 5 in 1974. Not so favorable.

I understand from the original poster to this topic that Mr. Holt is still around, so it's never to late.......and thanks for the info......

*** Garyrc wrote: "Of course, tragically, some of the worst of the Boomers are now in very powerful positions."

I would tend to agree with that statement!

[jacksonbart]

so where were you flying to?

[boom3]

so where were you flying to?

Atlanta-Denver & back . I pulled out the JGH piece and tossed the rest of the mag. JGH wrote a piece for Pop Electronics in the early 70s, which I wish I stil had, something like the Best of the Best...his recommendations for the best in audio. He said, and this is a paraphrase from old memories, folks:

"The speakers designed and manufactured by Paul Klipsch have an enviable reputation among those striving for the very best [in loudspeakers]. His new Klipschorns may be excellent, but apparently he has decided that my ears are not fit to judge his speakers".

Mee-oow!

He was very enthused about the KLH-9 and the upper level Grado catridges as I recall.

[garyrc]

I think that PWK decided not to loan speakers to magazines to review, after a mag produced a frequency response curve on a Klipsch speaker (don't know which one) that he had great difficulty duplicating. The speaker was designed to be against a wall (usual in those days) or in a corner. Finally, PWK put the speaker on a high stool, in the middle of a room, and got a curve like the magazine's.

[boom3]

I think that PWK decided not to loan speakers to magazines to review, after a mag produced a frequency response curve on a Klipsch speaker (don't know which one) that he had great difficulty duplicating. The speaker was designed to be against a wall (usual in those days) or in a corner. Finally, PWK put the speaker on a high stool, in the middle of a room, and got a curve like the magazine's.

This was the infamous High Fidelity "review" of the LaScala, circa 1965. High Fidelity, after Paul responded, disavowed the review

[stereohermit]

That wa a review in High Fedelity mag, dont know the date ,but I belive it was prior to 1973

[Duke Spinner]

Check out ...MY .. James Taylor ...

http://www.emusic.com/album/The-James-Taylor-Quartet-Chalkpit-Tough-Chicken-MP3-Download/10605681.html