Temples Of Sound - the author replies

[Robert Blank]

from the author of the book, in reply to my comments in this newsgroup:

To:
Subject: bobby baby!

Hi,
It's Jim Cogan, co-author of Temples of Sound. Glad you didn't purchase
the book! Wow, a picture of an MCI console! Scintillating! You'll have
to differ, I guess, from the opinions of lightweights like George
Massenburg, who think the book is absolutely brilliant. Audio geeks like
you truly need to get out of the iso booth that is your life and get
into the world. The book is about CULTURE, my friend.
You are EXACTLY the type of dude I spent 20 years in the audio world
trying my best to avoid.

My reply:

Sorry you are not comfortable with commentary.

I accept the 'coffee table' book concept but I am just uncomfortable
with the lack of factual info and the discrepancies. History is always
a little 'clouded' with the recollections of the survivors, but I think
the cursory 'research' was really too simplistic.

I accept that the book was mostly rehashing of pop history of record
company 'official history' but I was hoping it would be a little more
about the studios and a little less fluff about 'official record company
history'.

Jim, the reason that the MCI console at Sigma was important is that not
only was it one of the first consoles to use automation it was also
customized with special eq, etc. These things defined the 70s music
scene - paved the way for today's contemporary music techniques, etc.
It was so integrated with the sound of Sigma (I know this as we
regularly worked with their masters) and so identifiable that it would
have been quite a good point to discuss. The studio was very innovative
about many production techniques, and you failed to do much more than
talk about generalized pop culture references.

Jim, take criticism as a positive thing. You apparently are making a
'career' out of these glossy 'remember when' books and they ARE aimed at
the music/recording afficionado, so at least try to add something to the
pantheon of writing about this subject. I think you went 'cheap' on
pictures and content. Next book (which I can imagine is on it's way)
try to be a little more than the creator of fluff - Guralnick's book on
Stax, Abbey Road Sessions, and John Hammond's autobiography are a good
place to start...







--
BLANK PRODUCTIONS USA / your music production resource

web: http://www.blankproductions.com
203-667-0137

From:
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2003 10:19:54 -0500 (EST)

[Charles Robertson, Psy.D.]

Some of us ( myself included ) like CSI, some like CSI Miami.
chuck
"Robert Blank" > wrote in message
.. .
> from the author of the book, in reply to my comments in this newsgroup:
>
> To:
> Subject: bobby baby!
>
> Hi,
> It's Jim Cogan, co-author of Temples of Sound. Glad you didn't purchase
> the book! Wow, a picture of an MCI console! Scintillating! You'll have
> to differ, I guess, from the opinions of lightweights like George
> Massenburg, who think the book is absolutely brilliant. Audio geeks like
> you truly need to get out of the iso booth that is your life and get
> into the world. The book is about CULTURE, my friend.
> You are EXACTLY the type of dude I spent 20 years in the audio world
> trying my best to avoid.
>
> My reply:
>
> Sorry you are not comfortable with commentary.
>
> I accept the 'coffee table' book concept but I am just uncomfortable
> with the lack of factual info and the discrepancies. History is always
> a little 'clouded' with the recollections of the survivors, but I think
> the cursory 'research' was really too simplistic.
>
> I accept that the book was mostly rehashing of pop history of record
> company 'official history' but I was hoping it would be a little more
> about the studios and a little less fluff about 'official record company
> history'.
>
> Jim, the reason that the MCI console at Sigma was important is that not
> only was it one of the first consoles to use automation it was also
> customized with special eq, etc. These things defined the 70s music
> scene - paved the way for today's contemporary music techniques, etc.
> It was so integrated with the sound of Sigma (I know this as we
> regularly worked with their masters) and so identifiable that it would
> have been quite a good point to discuss. The studio was very innovative
> about many production techniques, and you failed to do much more than
> talk about generalized pop culture references.
>
> Jim, take criticism as a positive thing. You apparently are making a
> 'career' out of these glossy 'remember when' books and they ARE aimed at
> the music/recording afficionado, so at least try to add something to the
> pantheon of writing about this subject. I think you went 'cheap' on
> pictures and content. Next book (which I can imagine is on it's way)
> try to be a little more than the creator of fluff - Guralnick's book on
> Stax, Abbey Road Sessions, and John Hammond's autobiography are a good
> place to start...
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> BLANK PRODUCTIONS USA / your music production resource
>
> web: http://www.blankproductions.com
> 203-667-0137
>
> From:
> Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2003 10:19:54 -0500 (EST)

[Ted Spencer]

>from the author of the book, in reply to my comments in this newsgroup:
>
>To:

<snip>

This appears to be a copy of an email sent to you by Mr. Cogan. Whatever your
differences of opinion are with the gentleman concerning his book, it is wrong
to post his personal communication with you in a public forum. You should know
that.


Ted Spencer, NYC

"No amount of classical training will ever teach you what's so cool about
"Tighten Up" by Archie Bell And The Drells" -author unknown

[Dave Martin]

"Robert Blank" > wrote in message
. ..

>
> Steve Cropper ws not a 'legend of the control room' LOL.
>

Well, he was one of the producers at Stax, as well as doing some engineering
at American (If I remember Guralnik's description of the recording of "Dock
Of The Bay" correctly), and owned a Memphis studio after Stax folded. The
first Power of Power record was recorded in that studio, produced by Steve
Cropper.

And you know the guys in the control room talked about him while he was
playing guitar...

--
Dave Martin
Java Jive Studio
Nashville, TN
www.javajivestudio.com

[umbriaco]

Well, hasn't this gotten sweet!
Mr. Cogan - Your book and articles were enjoyable, lightweight reads.
You've written a book on a subject many of us hold dear and if we chime in
to set a record straight, even for what you may consider a superficial
detail, you should accept the corrections graciously.
Please get off your high horse and accept that there are inaccuracies.
If there is anywhere that they could be brought up and discussed
intelligently it is here.
Your defensive hard line serves no one but your publisher and distances
yourself from this professional forum.
Lighten up. You weren't there either.

[Ty Ford]

In Article >,
(Robert Blank) wrote:
>from the author of the book, in reply to my comments in this newsgroup:
>
>To:
>Subject: bobby baby!
>
>Hi,
>It's Jim Cogan, co-author of Temples of Sound. Glad you didn't purchase
>the book! Wow, a picture of an MCI console! Scintillating! You'll have
>to differ, I guess, from the opinions of lightweights like George
>Massenburg, who think the book is absolutely brilliant. Audio geeks like
>you truly need to get out of the iso booth that is your life and get
>into the world. The book is about CULTURE, my friend.
>You are EXACTLY the type of dude I spent 20 years in the audio world
>trying my best to avoid.

Well! BTW, I find the new hardbound book on the history of Neumann and
Sennheiser to be quite fascinating.

Regards,

Ty Ford

**Until the worm goes away, I have put "not" in front of my email address.
Please remove it if you want to email me directly.
For Ty Ford V/O demos, audio services and equipment reviews,
click on http://www.jagunet.com/~tford

[BASSMANCP]

>>consoles,etc, a book like this w/out pics would sell 89 copies. A book
with pics of consoles would sell 389. >>

Well, that is argueable. The interest in the mechanics of early recording is
growing by leaps and bounds. I can tell by the number of inquiries I get
regularly.

Chris Preston

[Kurt Albershardt]

BASSMANCP wrote:
>
> The interest in the mechanics of early recording is
> growing by leaps and bounds. I can tell by the number of inquiries I get
> regularly.

Then I'll again plug Robert Alexander's excellent bio of Alan Dower
Blumlein http://www.doramusic.com/
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0240516281/

[hollywood_steve]

>
> Well! BTW, I find the new hardbound book on the history of Neumann and
> Sennheiser to be quite fascinating.
>
> Regards,
>
> Ty Ford


Great, I was wondering if anyone has had a chance to purchase / read
that book yet. Is it only available from Senn- Neumann or are there
other places that can get it?

steve