I haven't seen any mention yet of the Chaos "World of Motion" kits. These let you create Rube Goldberg devices which send large marbles down various paths. A motorized elevator is provided so you can let your creation run forever. Multiple kits can be combined to create enormous layouts.
I received one as a Father's Day gift six years ago. Whenever my kids and I get it out, we have a great time coming up with new tortures for the yellow marbles. Like LEGO, I am sure this is going to be something the kids, their grand-kids, and I play with 20 years from now.
While not exactly like a roller coaster, the Chaos kits are as intriguing. I often see metal versions of these at science museums.
If Rock Opera was so great, why did Punk crush it?
on
The Joy of Random Shuffle
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· Score: 2, Insightful
Maybe I am classifying myself as an "old fart" here, but I seem to recall a revolution where a bunch of guys and gals with guitars and basic talent created raw albums because the recording industry was littered with art bands making long, boring rock opera albums! This happened 25+ years ago. Artists and critics stuck on requiring the listeners to "appreciate" music in a particular way have not learned the lesson from punk (and jazz and rock and grunge and blues and...).
I don't recall Elvis Presley creating rock opera albums (or even ones that required being listened to in order). I don't recall having to listen to great blues tunes in order to get that special feeling. I don't recall even the record companies demanding this... after all, the record companies have released "singles" for radio play for decades (although singles used to have tunes not on albums).
If artists or critics want to demand that listeners only hear albums in a particular order, then they will watch on the sidelines as the next "punk" revolution happens. I personally think that there are two "punk" aspects happening right now:
1. It is very easy for a single person or bunch of friends to fire up instruments, fire up a computer, and create songs and albums themselves. It may not be as polished as a studio album, but blues, punk and garage bands never were polished yet offered some of the music with the most intense feelings. Music distribution for these band "start-ups" is still tricky, but it is much much easier now with the Internet than before. Hopefully this will have an impact on music as a whole (much as "college bands" in the 80s, who got distribution on college radio stations, forced their own way into the U.S. music scene).
2. The ability to have large digital music compilations (legal or not) is letting listeners dictate how they want to buy and hear music. I think the cost of the technology is still a little high to truly infect all corners of music, but that will happen over time as costs come down and digitally-stored music (on hard disks) becomes ubiquitous. Hopefully this will also have a big impact on the music industry.
It will be interesting to see how music will be created and listened to 10 years down the line. Rock, punk, college rock, grunge (and many other minor revolutions) changed popular music. Given how stale pop music once again seems these days, seems like we are ripe for another revolution.
I beta-tested there.com as well. I think it would probably be a good way for a couple to get together when seperated by real distance.
I personally found there.com to be a bit limited in things to do (since I really didn't care for the singles-oriented socializing). It was fun to explore for a while, but there was little for a solo-oriented player to do. Plus, I was rather put off by some of the aspects that looked like a singles bar.
However, I suspect it is better when played with a good friend, particularily if you can't get together easily.
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I haven't seen any mention yet of the Chaos "World of Motion" kits. These let you create Rube Goldberg devices which send large marbles down various paths. A motorized elevator is provided so you can let your creation run forever. Multiple kits can be combined to create enormous layouts.
I received one as a Father's Day gift six years ago. Whenever my kids and I get it out, we have a great time coming up with new tortures for the yellow marbles. Like LEGO, I am sure this is going to be something the kids, their grand-kids, and I play with 20 years from now.
While not exactly like a roller coaster, the Chaos kits are as intriguing. I often see metal versions of these at science museums.
Thankfully (and amazingly!), the company still exists. Check our http://www.chaostoy.com/.
Maybe I am classifying myself as an "old fart" here, but I seem to recall a revolution where a bunch of guys and gals with guitars and basic talent created raw albums because the recording industry was littered with art bands making long, boring rock opera albums! This happened 25+ years ago. Artists and critics stuck on requiring the listeners to "appreciate" music in a particular way have not learned the lesson from punk (and jazz and rock and grunge and blues and ...).
I don't recall Elvis Presley creating rock opera albums (or even ones that required being listened to in order). I don't recall having to listen to great blues tunes in order to get that special feeling. I don't recall even the record companies demanding this ... after all, the record companies have released "singles" for radio play for decades (although singles used to have tunes not on albums).
If artists or critics want to demand that listeners only hear albums in a particular order, then they will watch on the sidelines as the next "punk" revolution happens. I personally think that there are two "punk" aspects happening right now:
1. It is very easy for a single person or bunch of friends to fire up instruments, fire up a computer, and create songs and albums themselves. It may not be as polished as a studio album, but blues, punk and garage bands never were polished yet offered some of the music with the most intense feelings. Music distribution for these band "start-ups" is still tricky, but it is much much easier now with the Internet than before. Hopefully this will have an impact on music as a whole (much as "college bands" in the 80s, who got distribution on college radio stations, forced their own way into the U.S. music scene).
2. The ability to have large digital music compilations (legal or not) is letting listeners dictate how they want to buy and hear music. I think the cost of the technology is still a little high to truly infect all corners of music, but that will happen over time as costs come down and digitally-stored music (on hard disks) becomes ubiquitous. Hopefully this will also have a big impact on the music industry.
It will be interesting to see how music will be created and listened to 10 years down the line. Rock, punk, college rock, grunge (and many other minor revolutions) changed popular music. Given how stale pop music once again seems these days, seems like we are ripe for another revolution.
I beta-tested there.com as well. I think it would probably be a good way for a couple to get together when seperated by real distance. I personally found there.com to be a bit limited in things to do (since I really didn't care for the singles-oriented socializing). It was fun to explore for a while, but there was little for a solo-oriented player to do. Plus, I was rather put off by some of the aspects that looked like a singles bar. However, I suspect it is better when played with a good friend, particularily if you can't get together easily.