scooter's spot v. 2.0

(VIDEO!!) Theremin Video #1

Theremin Killed the Radio Star

It took me a little while to figure out what my first post back would be. I knew I wanted to write about something that I hadn't recently seen on one of the countless blogs that I regularly frequest (see blog role to the right for some examples).

Perusing YouTube one fine afternoon, I came across a video (that has to be at least 50 years old) of a dude playing a theremin. You can read the whole history of the instrument at wikipedia, but here is the most important part, just so you get the gist:

The theremin or thereminvox is one of the earliest fully electronic musical instruments. Invented in 1919 by Russian Léon Theremin, the theremin is unusual in that it requires no physical contact in order to produce music and was, in fact, the first musical instrument designed to be played without being touched. The instrument consists of an array of circuitry including two antennas around which the user moves his or her hands to play.

I remember back in the day (beginning in '96) Page McConnell, the keyboardist from Phish, would play solo versions of songs like "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"and the theme from star trek on the instrument, as well as jamming on it on select tunes. I always kind of thought that it was a bit of a gimick.

But recently (due to the proliferation of sites like YouTube and the like) I've seen some crazy theremin playing, and I want to share some.

So in another (hopefully not lame) attempt to start a regular feature here on Scooter''s Spot, I'm gonna link up a theremin video. I got a bunch more, and will post them as time goes on.

Here is Jon Bernhardt, theremin player with the Pee Wee Fist and the Lothars (two bands I must admit I've never heard of) playing the Buggles tune "Video Killed the Radio Star" at the Ethermusic 2005 festival in Asheville, NC last August.

posted by Unknown @ 7:24 PM