Beat Box: A Drum Machine Obsession book / review

[walkathon]

http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsoun ... sfield.php

One of many articles about the Beat Box: A Drum Machine Obsession book that's out now.
Got my Record Store Day copy yesterday. All in all, pretty well done ... you get a download card
w/ a number of drum machine recording mp3's, too, and Roger Linn, Davy DMX et al interviews. RSD version worth it for the add'l 7" and cassette.

The drum machine nerd in me couldn't help get sad-collector OCD about it at times though, and yes I'm not proud ...

* Include the Drumulator instead of the SP-12 or 1200? The Linn 9000 WAS included, so wasn't a sample-based bias.
* Mention that the Sakata is difficult to program but not the KPR-77? The latter is impossible to program without a manual. I dare people.
* No MPC's to be found, but lots of samey Roland TR-66 type variations, though would've been cool to see that last generation Multivox w/ the rainbow buttons I still desperately want in my collection, etc.
* Some rebrandings mentioned but not the Gemini -> Eli CR-7030.
* Was hoping for a few more German & Russian oddities
* Classifying the Casios VL-1 and PT-7 as drum machines .. I guess?
* I still say the Wurlitzer Sideman is highly overrated


Please forgive the nitpicking ... still a recommended purchase.
If Moby doesn't have his copy already, I'll be sorely disappointed in Mr. Hall.

[Blue Monster 65]

I have the regular (non-Record Store Day) version on my wish list, but right now the price at Amazon is nearly $100! Hopefully we'll see it back at its original price of $54 soon.

Glad to hear you're diggin' your copy, though. I am jealous!

[walkathon]

I have the regular (non-Record Store Day) version on my wish list, but right now the price at Amazon is nearly $100! Hopefully we'll see it back at its original price of $54 soon.

Glad to hear you're diggin' your copy, though. I am jealous!

Dang, I nabbed mine here, but looks like they sold out fast.
http://turntablelab.com/products/joe-ma ... ition-book

If I see more out and about, I'll post here for VSE'rs.

[Blue Monster 65]

Yep - got that site bookmarked, too. I'll pick one up ... someday ... someway ... (spot the reference)

Or I'll borrow yours!

[thestreets]

The release party for this book was a few weeks ago here in Boston. It was a fun time he had a couple of the machines on display (can't remember which ones). Couldn't afford to cop the book but good to see people are supporting this.

[walkathon]

For those interested, Bull Moose appears to have some RSD copies in stock still:
http://www.bullmoose.com/p/15385102/MAN ... -OBSESSION

[BPMD]

Best place to order is direct from the company (owned by the author, Joe Mansfield).

You can get the deluxe and "regular" versions there, which are only $10 apart so you might as well go with deluxe.

www.GetOnDown.com

[walkathon]

Oh nice, didn't know they were stocking RSD versions.
Yeah, go there, thx for the 411.

[wiss]

Included the Drumulator instead of the SP-12 or 1200? The Linn 9000 WAS included, so wasn't a sample-based bias.

I was surprised by this too....it was a WTF moment for me

No MPC's to be found

The Linn 9000 and Studio 440 were given their props and the MPC-60 is just a further development of those two machines.

Was hoping for a few more German & Russian oddities

I thought Vermona DRM/DRR from 1987 would have been mentioned.

[Blue Monster 65]

Got my copy from the kids for Christmas! Very nice indeed ...

[mute]

Included the Drumulator instead of the SP-12 or 1200? The Linn 9000 WAS included, so wasn't a sample-based bias.

I was surprised by this too....it was a WTF moment for me

SP-12 and SP-1200 are 2 of the most coveted drum machines/samplers in existence and that isn't a new trend. It is surprising the Drumulator isnt mentioned due to its importance at the time, but to exclude either one of these would have also been crazy.

[Blue Monster 65]

This isn't a history, but a collection of historic (i.e. old) drum machines that's nowhere near complete nor definitive.

Re-read the intro: it talks about HIS collection and his perceptions about drum machines vs. samplers. He's not interested necessarily in the latter for this collection. The inclusion of the VL-1 works as it was used as a drum machine as often as for anything else (IMHO, as apparently in his).

My favorite pic is the stack of boxes, as there are several in that pile that I've had myself and wish I still had!

EDIT: fixed sentence (ipad typing)

[walkathon]

I do wonder what the Knicker Knocker is ...


Also would be cool to see a tour of his collection, ala Vice's interview w/ Moby a while back.

Also #2, kinda sad the TR-505 box is MUCH cooler than the actual machine.

[wiss]

Re-read the intro

Drum machine p**n books are not read until I have thoroughly objectified every single photo.

[Blue Monster 65]

Unfortunately, Wiss, by that time the pages are stuck together. Ugh!

... kinda sad the TR-505 box is MUCH cooler than the actual machine.

Agreed. One of my LEAST favorite machines!