Author: DOuG pRATt

DeSouze, Glick, Maynard, LaPierre

lapierre

You’ll recognize the names in the subject of this post only if you live around Boston. Gary LaPierre, the morning man on WBZ 1030 AM, is the fourth major ‘BZ radio announcer that I can think of at the moment to retire since my family moved to Massachusetts when I was 13.

Carl DeSouze, Dave Maynard and the uniquely quirky Larry Glick all called it quits many years ago. I believe DeSouze is now deceased, but the voices of Maynard and Glick can still be heard from time to time as guests.

LaPierre’s last day on the air was Friday. At 64 he’s still in fine form, but he had coronary bypass surgery last year. A couple of years ago he was cornered into making the embarrassing admission that during the winter he was rattling off the school snow cancellation lists from his home in Florida.

I admire anybody who can make a lifelong career in the radio business, let alone become something of an institution in a major market. Gary LaPierre is a top-notch announcer who I enjoyed listening to, and he deserves a long and comfortable retirement.

[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Sounds/Wordpress/DEC06/GaryLaPierre.mp3]

The audio player has some of LaPierre’s farewell, and a three-minute tribute. Take note of the Acton and Acton-Boxborough (the regional junior and senior high) school cancellations. What a perk it was, going to a school that’s always first on the list!

Hackers On The Net – 2

[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Movies/Wordpress/DEC06/sketchpad.flv 400 300]
This series isn’t a history of the Internet, per se. It’s a gosh-wow look back at an article in Rolling Stone that I read in 1972, while still in high school. Part 1 showed a mock-up of a proposed personal computer called a Dynabook, that was the brainchild of Alan Kay.

Here is Kay’s original drawing for the Dynabook, which was ahead of its time, to say the least. Kay is credited with uttering the notable quote, “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.”

Another visionary whose work was discussed in the article is Ivan Sutherland, who between 1961 and 1963 created the groundbreaking computer program called Sketchpad. The video above is an excruciatingly dry, but exceedingly significant, 20-minute demonstration of Sketchpad. It was produced for Boston PBS station WGBH by Russell Morash, who introduced TV viewers to Julia Child and created the show “This Old House.”

Blond. James Blond.

Here’s how the progress looks on the previously mentioned Natick (MA) Mall, as seen from my friend Bismo’s desk at work. There are some reflections in this picture, but I was able to get up on the roof and take some photos with a better zoom lens. You won’t believe what was going on up there! Here, see for yourself!

Even more amazing is that I recognized one of those men! I knew I’d seen him somewhere before, and then it hit me — it was at the Boston Museum of Science Bodyworlds show! Checking the cellphone pictures I had taken surreptiously at the exhibit, I was surprised to find a couple of shots that included this mystery man.

Re-recording

Recently, I offered some Beatles studio session outtakes of HELP! , and before that an outtake of I Feel Fine, and in the comments I made mention of “The Beatles Recording Sessions,” by Mark Lewisohn. As pointed out by best buddy Denro, Lewisohn admits his 1988 book is now superceded by “Recording the Beatles,” a $100 tome that is essentially self-published by its authors, Kevin Ryan and Brian Kehew.

I had no idea of this book’s existence until today. The first printing of 3000 copies is sold out, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the second printing is already spoken for. But I’d better get in line, as this is an irresistable item that, despite the expense, I must have.

Click here to read a New York Times article about Recording the Beatles, and other self-published Beatles books. If that link asks for a registration you don’t want to have, click here instead.

Dr. Macro’s Vision

Somebody calling himself Dr. Macro has posted a lot of super high quality scans of old movie stills, along with many movie clips in WMV format. Worth a look, so click here. Above and below are a couple of stills that he doesn’t have. Grace Kelly sure looked a lot less glamorous without makeup.