Adam's Historical Perspective

[Todd Madson <crash@waste.org>]

I re-read Adam's response to my earlier assertion that Trent Reznor 
should have gotten some custom CD-Rs burned for him so he could do 
the background ambiences of the original tracks live.  His response
was that in 1991 CD-r recorders were way expensive.

I remember when Nakamichi came out with the OMS-1000 which was a 
prototype CD-r recorder in the late 1980s, early 1990s timeframe
and it was at least $100,000.  I was unaware the first desktop 
units were $6k, although my first CD player that I bought in 1986
or so originally had a $1000 price tag on the box.

He's right though.  It's easy to forget that a few short years ago,
a recordable CD device would have been an unreachable luxury for most
people - now they sell for $200 at Best Buy.  It's almost shocking 
when you think about it.

It's really amazing how technology has changed the face of music in 
just a few short years.  In 1991, I could have sent you a cassette 
tape demo with a written label, possibly typewritten.  It certainly
wouldn't have been impressive from a presentation aspect.

Today, I could send out a demo CD-r with full custom color artwork in
a jewel box with 74 minutes of music.  The artwork would have been 
printed from a photo-realistic inkjet printer and the music would have
been recorded on a personal digital audio workstation (who could have
foreseen these "four tracks on steroids" with the advent of cheap DSP
chips and inexpensive digital storage?).

It goes further - looping itself is merely a digital replication of 
a process formerly achieved via two large reel to reel recorders in
a box the size of a soda can.

Now we have to think of what comes next?  What's the next innovation..

Re: Breakdowns onstage:
Kim, I believe, had indicated that even a CD player could have broken 
down under 100+ degree conditions.  So true.  In fact, some would say 
that picking that location would have been a bad idea for a large 
concert in the summer and I'd almost have to agree - however, even in
Minnesota where I am it gets above 100 in the summer.  Sometimes there
is an advantage with indoor concerts, but something that large would have
been impractical.