Re: weird Muzak experiences
Geff King said: On the Muzak thread - perhaps Mike Woods will weigh in on this one, as rumour has it he actually used to *work* for the Evil Ones... It's true. I'd have chimed in earlier, but I'm in digest mode these days. I had a summer job with the Washington DC Muzak franchise back about 1970. I was the Credit Manager. This is a big title for someone who calls up the folks who are behind in the payments. I'll tell you how things worked back then, but it's probably changed by now. There was a room with a bank of about six tape machines with 15 inch reels. These started and stopped automatically. I'm not sure how they were controlled -- this was long before there was a computer on every desk. For fifteen minutes one tape would roll -- this was the "office" program. Then it would stop and another would roll -- the "factory" program. Muzak's theory was that it was most effective as an efficiency tool if it was on for fifteen, off for fifteen. There were different song selections for clerical and industrial applications. Most of our customers, though, were restaurants and office building lobbies, and they wanted background music all the time. The music was broadcast over one of the local radio stations, using a sideband or subcarrier or something technical like that. Every customer had a radio receiver. They were billed so much for the receiver, so much for each amplifier, and so much for each speaker. The account cards for each customer indicated the equipment they had, the price for each piece, the total monthly billing, and the amount that went to ASCAP and BMI. The bigger portion went to ASCAP. We used account cards and typewriters then -- computers were beyond the grasp of small business. Every week we'd receive a shipment of tapes with this week's program. We'd use a set of tapes for a week and then ship them to the next franchisee. We got a typewritten list of the program, with scheduled times, with the tapes. That made possible some office games of "Name that Tune." Sometimes customers would call in asking to know what song had just played. I worked in the tape room and had my own private volume control. I'd scan the day's program every morning looking for the two or three good cuts they had so I'd know when to turn up the jams and have a boogie moment. I remember I liked their version of "Vehicle," and there were a few others that rocked pretty well. A few. Their engineers as a policy trimmed out a lot of the low frequencies, so there was no way to have the bass punch you in the gut. And that's just about everything I know about Muzak! -- Mike Woods
Re: weird Muzak experiences
On Wed, 14 Apr 1999, Joe Gracey wrote: I would gladly lend you $100 except that I just sent every penny I had to the IRS, plus a IOU which I hope they will accept in good humour. I think we should take a P2 poll - find out a.) who's paying this year; and b.) who got or is getting a refund. People in Category b.) can buy the drinks tonight. On the Muzak thread - perhaps Mike Woods will weigh in on this one, as rumour has it he actually used to *work* for the Evil Ones... I always imagine Muzak as sort of like Dilbert's Accounting Department. And who can forget the old Muzak logo of the lady with the lightning bolt through her face? -- Geff King * email [EMAIL PROTECTED] * http://www2.ari.net/gking/ "I can explain it for you, but I can't understand it for you." -- Anon.
Re: weird Muzak experiences - IRS
Geff wrote: I think we should take a P2 poll - find out a.) who's paying this year; and b.) who got or is getting a refund. People in Category b.) can buy the drinks tonight. I'm paying, but after savagely whittling the gross down with a shoebox full of receipts (littlest appears to be fifty cents to replace a lost cymbal stand wingnut, alongside a stack of similarly priced toll slips from the Mass Pike), it's all Self Employment Tax. Can't buy OR drink drinks tonight - gotta work! Tom Smith
Re: weird Muzak experiences - IRS
Geff wrote: I think we should take a P2 poll - find out a.) who's paying this year; and b.) who got or is getting a refund. People in Category b.) can buy the drinks tonight. Paid. Paid big time. Much deep hurting. Was in denial 'til I finally mailed the check yesterday. (Who knew that a sleepy little town like Andover could contain such evil? Well, evil other than Phillips Andover...) Somone buy me a ginger ale, eh? Tom
Re: weird Muzak experiences - IRS
Tom Smith wrote: I'm paying, but after savagely whittling the gross down with a shoebox full of receipts Ditto. Thank god for Quicken, because after moving, my receipts are all over the damn place. The big fun is figuring out under which equipment category to put "Telecaster." Dave *** Dave Purcell, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Northern Ky Roots Music: http://w3.one.net/~newport Twangfest: http://www.twangfest.com
Re: weird Muzak experiences
At 08:44 AM 4/15/99 -0400, you wrote: On Wed, 14 Apr 1999, Joe Gracey wrote: I would gladly lend you $100 except that I just sent every penny I had to the IRS, plus a IOU which I hope they will accept in good humour. I think we should take a P2 poll - find out a.) who's paying this year; and b.) who got or is getting a refund. People in Category b.) can buy the drinks tonight. Reluctantly here...got money back. I believe I owe Benz and Purcell a few drinks in St. Louis, so that return should come in handy... g Morgan
Re: weird Muzak experiences
I was in the HEB supermarket too.. many... jokes... NW, whose wife's uncle once called me "the 'brew" as in "Hebrew."
Re: weird Muzak experiences
On Thu, 15 Apr 1999, Jennifer Sperandeo wrote: Am I the only one in love with this Pinetops record? Aren't you the only one working it?g--don
Re: weird Muzak experiences
Now that was funny... -Original Message- From: Don Yates [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thursday, April 15, 1999 1:49 PM Subject: Re: weird Muzak experiences On Thu, 15 Apr 1999, Jennifer Sperandeo wrote: Am I the only one in love with this Pinetops record? Aren't you the only one working it?g--don
Pinetops (was Re: weird Muzak experiences
Seriously though, that li'l record has been growin' on me quite a bit. Kinda jangly roots-rock with a few songs adding some lovely country flavor.--don
Re: weird Muzak experiences
In a message dated 4/15/99 1:13:15 PM EST, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I think so. Unless you're looking for some Payola in which case call Tar Hut. Totally. While in Austin, those guys *drove* me to see the Ex-Husbands, bought me dinner and then gave me a ride back to my motel. Talk about perks. Yow. NW
Re: weird Muzak experiences
Not to mention that we actually picked up 'ol Neil in one of those old 1970s golf carts with the big L.A. Dodgers hat on top of it that tey used to bring the pitchers in from the bullpen with. We go the extra fuckin mile. jc -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thursday, April 15, 1999 2:32 PM Subject: Re: weird Muzak experiences In a message dated 4/15/99 1:13:15 PM EST, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I think so. Unless you're looking for some Payola in which case call Tar Hut. Totally. While in Austin, those guys *drove* me to see the Ex-Husbands, bought me dinner and then gave me a ride back to my motel. Talk about perks. Yow. NW
Re: weird Muzak experiences
On Thu, 15 Apr 1999, Tar Hut Records wrote: Not to mention that we actually picked up 'ol Neil in one of those old 1970s golf carts with the big L.A. Dodgers hat on top of it that tey used to bring the pitchers in from the bullpen with. We go the extra fuckin mile. But did you bring Sandy Koufax with you to talk about the Tarhut line-up? He would have loved that. NP: new Mandy Jerry
Re: weird Muzak experiences
In a message dated 4/15/99 1:44:23 PM EST, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Not to mention that we actually picked up 'ol Neil in one of those old 1970s golf carts with the big L.A. Dodgers hat on top of it that tey used to bring the pitchers in from the bullpen with. We go the extra fuckin mile. But did you bring Sandy Koufax with you to talk about the Tarhut line-up? He would have loved that. You know how to go straight to my heart. I'd fucking love an LA Dodger golf cart. I could park it in my driveway and use it to back down the 30 or so feet to get my mail every day, kinda like the guy in the mansion in Northridge when I was growing up who had a Raiders cart for mail and trash. Of course, his driveway was about 100 yards long. Good fluffy thread here folks. NW np - Peter Himmelman
Re: weird Muzak experiences - IRS
Tom Stoodley wrote: Geff wrote: I think we should take a P2 poll - find out a.) who's paying this year; and b.) who got or is getting a refund. People in Category b.) can buy the drinks tonight. It's horrible when you are self-employed and you have to write them checks every quarter OUT OF YOUR OWN BANK ACCOUNT. However, our CPA says there are worse problems than having to pay taxes- it just means you made some money this year. I'll buy. -- Joe Gracey President-For-Life, Jackalope Records http://www.kimmierhodes.com
Re: weird Muzak experiences
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I was in the HEB supermarket too.. many... jokes... NW, whose wife's uncle once called me "the 'brew" as in "Hebrew." "HEB" is a chain of stores here in South Texas. Means "H.E.Butts" and they have soulful stuff because a lot of their customers are cedar choppers and Hispanics. They also have the greatest food store in the world, Austin's Central Market. -- Joe Gracey President-For-Life, Jackalope Records http://www.kimmierhodes.com
Free Austin shows (was weird Muzak experiences)
At 04:14 PM 4/15/99 -0500, Joe wrote: "HEB" is a chain of stores here in South Texas. Means "H.E.Butts" and they have soulful stuff because a lot of their customers are cedar choppers and Hispanics. They also have the greatest food store in the world, Austin's Central Market. BTW the new Central Market opened in South Austin and Charlie Burton is playing there at 6:30 this Saturday. Also for you Austinites I have a copy of the free Parks shows this year: Wednesdays at Auditorium Shores 7-9pm April 28: 3 Balls of Fire, Lisa Tingle May 5: Rhythm Rats, Rotel and the Hot Tomatoes May 12:Jimmy Lee Jones Band, Night Crawlers May 19:Los Aztex, Beto y los Fairlanes May 26:Barbara K (of timbuk3), Courtney Audain June 2:Mandy Mercier, Newmatics June 9:Seth Walker, W.C. Clark June 16: Walt Lewis, Jump Start June 23: Bukka Allen, Ray Wylie Hubbard June 30: Justin Trevino, Don Walser and the Pure Texas Band Sundays at Zilker Hillside Theater 5-7pm April 25: Thad Beckman, High Island Hepcats May 2: Leeann Atherton, Betty and Gene Elders May 16:Kimmie Rhodes (and Joe!), Redheaded Stepchild May 23:Steven Fromholz, Darcie Deaville May 30:Mike Landschoot, Roy Heinrich and the Pickups June 6:Albert/Gage Band, Suzi Stern June 13: Ray Baker, Paul Glasse Group June 20: Ethyl and Methyl (you've loved em on the Southwest Airlines commercials!), Forlini and Cross Of course I just typed that so any typos are mine and all acts subject to change. Hope to see some of you P2ers at those Sunday shows. Jerald
Re: weird Muzak experiences
At 02:35 PM 4/15/99 -0400, you wrote: Not to mention that we actually picked up 'ol Neil in one of those old 1970s golf carts with the big L.A. Dodgers hat on top of it that tey used to bring the pitchers in from the bullpen with. I've got to check ebay for one of those. I'd be the envy of every suburban homeowner. Twang content: An upcoming release which might interest some of y'all: Hank Penny: Hollywood Western Swing 1944-47 A compilation on Krazy Kat of this underrated western swing artist. Penny is joined by Merle Travis, Roy Lanham, Jimmy Widener, Charlie Morgan, Noel Boggs and others. end twang Jeff Miles of Music mail order http://www.milesofmusic.com FREE printed Catalog: (818) 883-9975 fax: (818) 992-8302, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Alt-Country, rockabilly, bluegrass, folk, power pop and tons more.
Re: weird Muzak experiences
At 4:23 PM -0500 on 4/14/99, Joe Gracey wrote: "Touched By An Angel" is apparently a rilly hot TV show right now I was startled to see that there's a weekly show about people whose lives have been changed by the show. Scary. Bob
Re: weird Muzak experiences
At 8:44 AM -0400 on 4/15/99, Geff King wrote: I think we should take a P2 poll - find out a.) who's paying this year; and b.) who got or is getting a refund. People in Category b.) can buy the drinks tonight. Refund, though not much of one. I'll see if I can send something to the barkeep at Off Broadway to cover a round... Bob
Re: weird Muzak experiences - IRS
President Joe Gracey says: It's horrible when you are self-employed and you have to write them checks every quarter OUT OF YOUR OWN BANK ACCOUNT. However, our CPA says there are worse problems than having to pay taxes- it just means you made some money this year. I'll buy. UGH! I'm just starting to do that for the first time, 'cause I started freelancing heavily beginning in January, 1999. The bright side is, it means I will feel justified hiring some schmuck to do my taxes next year. g BTW, I paid $126 to the feds today, and $171 to the state. Can't buy ya drinks this time. --Jamie S. np: Dwight Yoakam, "Yet to Succeed" [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.wavetech.net/~swedberg http://www.usinternet.com/users/ndteegarden/bheaters
Re: weird Muzak experiences
Joe wrote:
Seems like the title was "Rain Keeps Fallin'" or something, but it was
one of their followup hits after "Mover". They also had a hit with
"Mendocino" (which I have heard played by an orchestra on Muzak.)
--
Also had a strange experience with Muzak. I was in Austin a couple
of years back just before Xmas (you ever heard the Cornell Hurd
band do an Xmas medley while you're eating enchiladas?) and I was in
the HEB supermarket near the Austin Motel stocking up on anchos. I
became aware that the Muzak sounded familiar, after listening a few
seconds I realised that it was the German hymn tune 'Tannenbaum'
which I believe you associate with Xmas ('O Christmas Tree, O
Christmas tree etc'). Now anyone from over here only thinks of one
association with that tune, it's the air to 'The Red Flag' longtime
anthem of the Labour movement ("The people's flag is deepest red,
it shrouded oft our martyred dead "). I resisted the temptation
to join in the chorus ("So raise the scarlet standard high, Beneath
its shade we'll live and die, Tho' cowards flinch and traitors
sneer, We'll keep the Red Flag flying here") as I figured it might
not go down too well in Texas, even in Austin, but it did strike me
as pretty weird.
PS The words of The Red Flag were:
a) originally written to be sung to the tune of an Irish folk song
'The White Cockade'
b) composed by two men stuck on a train between New Cross and London
Bridge stations
There's not many people know that, (b) anyway.
--
Iain Noble
Hound Dog Research, Survey and Social Research Consultancy,
28A Collegiate Crescent Sheffield S10 2BA UK
Phone/fax: (+44) (0)114 267 1394 email:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
---
Re: weird Muzak experiences
We have a pal named Beth Neilson Chapman who has some really great albums out on WBs and for some reason every single time I go to the grocery store here in Austin I hear Beth on the dang Muzak. It never fails. It is a very odd experience to be buying Shiner Premium with a buddy's voice wafting out into the supermarket aisles. Sadly, though, Muzak doesn't pay anything resembling a decent performance royalty rate. -- Joe Gracey President-For-Life, Jackalope Records http://www.kimmierhodes.com
RE: weird Muzak experiences
We have a pal named Beth Neilson Chapman who has some really great albums out on WBs and for some reason every single time I go to the grocery store here in Austin I hear Beth on the dang Muzak. Heh, I hear one or another of her songs (though not her records) about every time I get in the car and turn on the radio g. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
Re: weird Muzak experiences
On Wed, 14 Apr 1999, Joe Gracey wrote: She and Kimmie co-wrote "Shine All Your Light" which was sung by Amy Grant on the "Touched By An Angel" soundtrack CD and which is now certified double platinum. TV and movie soundtracks are a great thing for songwriters right now, as that RIAA info showed. "Touched By An Angel" is apparently a rilly hot TV show right now and the soundtrack CD just keeps bouncing around in the charts, never going away. Many many congratulations Joe. By the way, you all have a spare $100 you could lend me? You know, with taxes and all, I'm a bit short... NP: The Byrds - Dr. Byrds Mr Hyde Jerry
Re: weird Muzak experiences
Jerry Curry wrote: On Wed, 14 Apr 1999, Joe Gracey wrote: She and Kimmie co-wrote "Shine All Your Light" which was sung by Amy Grant on the "Touched By An Angel" soundtrack CD and which is now certified double platinum. Many many congratulations Joe. By the way, you all have a spare $100 you could lend me? You know, with taxes and all, I'm a bit short... Kimmie works her butt off songwriting and every so often she rings the bell with one. I would gladly lend you $100 except that I just sent every penny I had to the IRS, plus a IOU which I hope they will accept in good humour. -- Joe Gracey President-For-Life, Jackalope Records http://www.kimmierhodes.com
RE: weird Muzak experiences
And, as you no doubt also know, Billy Bragg and Dick Gaughan sang The
Red Flag to its original tune on Billy's Internationale mini-album. See
my Roots To Fruits playlist for 21 March, tucked between Robert Wyatt's
"Tannenbaum" version and Dave Swarbrick's lively rendition of The White
Cockade.
Richard
-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Iain wrote:
Also had a strange experience with Muzak. I was in Austin a couple
of years back just before Xmas (you ever heard the Cornell Hurd
band do an Xmas medley while you're eating enchiladas?) and I was in
the HEB supermarket near the Austin Motel stocking up on anchos. I
became aware that the Muzak sounded familiar, after listening a few
seconds I realised that it was the German hymn tune 'Tannenbaum'
which I believe you associate with Xmas ('O Christmas Tree, O
Christmas tree etc'). Now anyone from over here only thinks of one
association with that tune, it's the air to 'The Red Flag' longtime
anthem of the Labour movement ("The people's flag is deepest red,
it shrouded oft our martyred dead "). I resisted the temptation
to join in the chorus ("So raise the scarlet standard high, Beneath
its shade we'll live and die, Tho' cowards flinch and traitors
sneer, We'll keep the Red Flag flying here") as I figured it might
not go down too well in Texas, even in Austin, but it did strike me
as pretty weird.
PS The words of The Red Flag were:
a) originally written to be sung to the tune of an Irish folk song
'The White Cockade'
b) composed by two men stuck on a train between New Cross and London
Bridge stations
There's not many people know that, (b) anyway.
--
Iain Noble
Hound Dog Research, Survey and Social Research Consultancy,
28A Collegiate Crescent Sheffield S10 2BA UK
Phone/fax: (+44) (0)114 267 1394 email:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
---
