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Sunday, May 3, 2026

Krautrock’s heroes - Conny Plank 💫

 


German producer and sound engineer Konrad “Conny” Plank played a decisive role in shaping the sound of experimental and electronic music in the 1970s and early ’80s.





Starting his career as an assistant at the Europawelle Saar, he swiftly rose to prominence, crafting groundbreaking sounds for artists like Kraftwerk, Neu!, Cluster, and Harmonia. Operating from his rural studio in Wolperath near Cologne, he cultivated a working environment that encouraged experimentation, improvisation, and unconventional recording techniques.


His influence extended internationally from the late 1970s onward. Plank produced and collaborated with artists including Ultravox, Devo, and Eurythmics, helping bridge the gap between avant-garde approaches and emerging pop and new wave sounds.


Plank became one of the most influential producers in late 20th-century music. He died in 1987 at the age of 47, leaving behind a body of work that continues to shape modern production. 


Today would have marked Conny Plank's 86th birthday. Happy heavenly birthday, Conny!

Saturday, May 2, 2026

Bushes ☺️

 





💫



A Nick Drake’s Pink Moon sculpture 💫

 


Thanks to Joe Hope for sharing his amazing job.









A labor of love.


💫



The Ghost at CERN in Geneva 💫

 


In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists at CERN have reportedly detected a mysterious force that is sending shockwaves through the theoretical physics community. This four-dimensional force, ominously named "The Ghost," has been detected within the Large Hadron Collider, the world’s most advanced particle research facility. It is disrupting particle paths in a way that current physics models cannot explain. The force is producing measurable, reproducible disruptions that challenge our fundamental understanding of reality.

The force, which cannot be explained by any known equations or models, has scientists at CERN puzzled. The Standard Model of Physics, the most thoroughly tested scientific theory in history, cannot account for this anomaly. The disruption of particle behavior suggests that the current framework is incomplete, and it might be time to rethink our understanding of the universe. This discovery has the potential to open up new realms of physics, offering a glimpse into dimensions beyond what we currently perceive.




For decades, physicists have theorized that our observable universe, which consists of three spatial dimensions and time, may be embedded within a larger framework. This framework, predicted by String Theory and M-Theory, could contain additional compactified dimensions beyond the three we experience. The recent discovery of "The Ghost" seems to lend weight to these theories, indicating that the universe may be far more complex than previously imagined.

This new development at CERN raises profound questions about the very nature of reality. Could this force be evidence of higher dimensional space that we have yet to fully comprehend? The implications for science are immense. If this force truly exists, it could provide the missing piece in the puzzle of the universe’s fundamental structure. It may even lead to new breakthroughs in our understanding of gravity, time, and the fabric of spacetime itself.

As this research continues, scientists will be watching closely to see if the Ghost can be studied further and if its effects can be replicated. The questions raised by this discovery may take years to answer, but it is clear that we are on the cusp of a new era in physics. The search for answers to the mysteries of the universe has just taken an exciting turn.

A controversial claim has circulated online involving statements attributed to scientist Dr. Astrid Stuckelberger, who spoke in a 2022 interview about unusual ideas connected to CERN—the world’s largest particle physics laboratory. She suggested that beyond its publicly known research, CERN could be involved in experiments that go far beyond standard science, including theories about hidden dimensions and unknown phenomena.

According to her account, conversations with individuals she described as CERN physicists led her to believe that there may be more dimensions of reality than the three we experience daily—possibly 17 or more, a concept that loosely echoes certain theoretical physics models like string theory. However, these ideas are highly speculative and not part of established, publicly verified research conducted at CERN.

Mainstream science maintains that CERN’s work focuses on understanding fundamental particles and forces using the Large Hadron Collider, with no credible evidence supporting claims of portals, beings, or secret nuclear programs beyond standard experimental physics.

While such stories continue to capture public imagination, they remain unverified and are widely regarded as interpretations or personal claims rather than confirmed scientific findings.

The common-man belief that not everything has been known and explained is - slowly but steadily - becoming a reality.





Friday, May 1, 2026

Keith Jarrett’s struggling 🍀❤️🍀

 



Beloved ​Keith Jarrett suffered two debilitating strokes in February and May 2018.

​The strokes unfortunately left him partially paralyzed on the left side of his body.



​Sadly, Keith Jarrett can no longer play the piano with both hands, making a return to his iconic solo improvisations and concerts impossible.

​Although he can play short pieces using only his right hand, he has publicly stated that he will likely never perform in public again; yet, he declared in an interview he quite often dreams he’s playing his piano.

​It is a profound loss for music, but his legacy remains monumental and unique.

I wish him the best 🍀




The Pop Group



Bristol based post-punk funk/jazz becomes one of the most psychedelic recordings of its and most times partially thanks to a freefall production by Reggae producer Dennis Blackbeard Bovell.

The music itself is pretty open ended influenced by funk, free-jazz, dub, and a few rock signposts like Captain Beefheart and Can.

I picked up my copy of this in a purchase with Beefheart's Lick My Decals Off, Baby thanks to comparisons being made to these bands in early British music press coverage of the Birthday Party. This was in 1983 and I had a really good local 2nd hand record shop where a lot of the money I had went in the mid 80s.




Very very good, very unique lp. Lysergic as all get out with that production. I think pretty essential lp but Ive been listening to it for 43 years as well as the rest of their catalogue and some of the band's offshoots. Singer Mark Stewart went onto record a bunch of stuff with Adrian Sherwood at On-U Sound. Other members became Pigbag and the drummer wound up in P.i.L a few years later.



The bandname seems to be somewhat situationist in objectifying the nature of a group of performers. I'm also reminded of the cans marked FOOD in Repo Man. I don't like the idea that it's a reference to Iggy anywhere near as much.



Band later became a deal more concrete and less psychedelic on their 2nd lp For How Much Longer which is also good. & the compilation We Are Time captures them live and in outtakes but should have been on one cd with Cabinet of Curiosities.

Thanks to Stavo Olende.

Labor Day 🖖

 

Respect to everybody’s skill, sweat and strength.



Sure not belonging to politics and politicians!

🤡🤮😱🤡





Thursday, April 30, 2026

The Bumblebee 🥳

 


Here is the “wrong” handmade “mild-bass” horn and the mighty Goto SG146LD: experts and acousticians & assorted mavens will swear this very horn (120 cm long, odd-petals “morning glory” Goto’s design, cm 90 Ø mouth) shouldn’t/couldn’t work - i.e. sound right, with a flat frequency response - but… 





… same as the bumblebee, which is too heavy and shouldn't be able to fly...



…. but it doesn't know this and it flies, anyway!


… same happens for this horn: it’s lightly-built and not audibly resonant at odd, annoyingly disturbing frequencies and it nicely blends with upper ways… it shouldn’t sound, but it does!

It’s not capable of subterranean, telluric low end, but it adds a natural foundation to any music program with such a coherence and class to easily and vastly outperforms any other “subwoofer “ I’m aware of, period.





I’m not a flat-earther who disproves every scientific law, just using my senses and musical tastes.

Amen.

🖖




Two watts of beauty - the ‘65 Telefunken 6080 magical sound 💫

 


The 120 dB Gotorama 2.0 allows impressive, unique experiences: this morning I optimized cabling (‘30s Siemens Klangfilm 32 VGA solid core copper with silk dielectric between Goto drivers and crossover and Audio Consulting cryogenic solid core silver between crossover and amp, all carefully cut at minimum length) and switched from Quad II/22 combo I used yesterday as very first listening to my beloved handmade Telefunken 6080/Brimar 5V4G/Haltron SJ7GT and Audio Consulting  “Silver Rock” passive preamp, with cryo silver Audio Consulting boxwood RCA signal cables.

As I’m “only” enjoying some cherry-picked CDs, I’m almost worried I’ll be not able to handle the possible tsunami of emotions, the overdose of beauty when I’ll soon switch ON Misho’s Audio Antiquary phono-stage and my Garrardzilla or the mighty Studer C37!

I simply didn’t expect such a result also if I was aware of the “ingredients” of the recipe: the whole “thing” is far more than the sum of the single parts, indeed.

What makes me utmost happy is that - like a concert pianist friend says - difficult things should be showed as easy; in my (humble) case, cables are barely visible, for example… everything is cherry-picked, chosen for best sound quality.

… also the uninterested (or even the audio hater) is hooked by shape & function, and then… Music comes 💫

Will this daily immersive emotional depth experience be too much for my old battered heart?





What I’m getting is a dream: smooth and hyper-detailed sound, rich in texture and natural, with perfect decays and an immersive character, a live effect where you hear music coming from musicians but not, never, ever beaming like on (sad to say)  most of commercially available “loud”speakers!






Seiya Goto was an alien from Antares who came to bring happiness to the men of good will… how right was Reinhard Huttemberg talking about the merits of Goto SG146LD: it’s everything about cohesion and integration among the drivers, where usually a woofer is below-par sounding… here everything is playing unison, like a One.







Yes, specifically and speculating a bit on this concept of “loudness”: my deep feeling is that the boom-boom, high SPL sound commonly found at audio fairs is an industry trick to mask poor micro dynamics and nuanced uniqueness so present in real music and in musical instruments, never shouting also when played FFF!

What I’m hearing right now is untiring sound, the piano pedals and felt on strings… the roaring quietness of large drums and cymbals, barely hit by mallets, the trumpet keys and breathing of Wadada Leo Smith and all the music in between.





That’s what justifies all the hassles and expenses and expectations… this sense of bliss, the innocent need to shed a few tears (which, as my mother used to say, makes the eyes beautiful) and the deepest ever feeling to be a whole with the highest, best, infinite Universe, where only stars and love exist… no wars or evils… the consciousness and contemplation of the Highest Beauty.

Only audio? 

Only music?

Don’t think so: when done “right” (at the best of everyone’s possibilities, with purest of intents), it’s a stargate to satori.

💫




Wednesday, April 29, 2026

House always wins 😉

 






Gotorama 2.0 - woofer-less since April 29th, 2026 💫

 


At last, after almost two years… I must confess that it wouldn’t be smart if I’d be passing away without succeeding to listen to my new Gotorama… you know: shit happens 🫣




Happiness 
🌠



Lightning fast, clear, natural: a complex high-sensitivity four-ways horn system which sounds deadly silent (no hums at all, not an easy task) and as coherent and easy to the ears as a wide band, crossover-less single speaker, only better 🤭.

 💫




Tuesday, April 28, 2026

The Grateful Dead - The Workingman’s Dead 💫

 


Not only is this probably the rarest pressing I have of this quintessential album, but it’s one of the best sounding too. 

During the late 60s and early 70s the Japanese spared no expense with their excellent pressings and overall materials, including detailed inserts. 











As per above Discogs, prices are steep!


The Grateful Dead  - The Workingman’s Dead 

Warner Seven Arts W7 

1970 Japanese promo white label/red wax with OBI and insert.


Thanks for Brian Flegel for sharing and congratulations for owning this gem.

💫🍀💫🖖




Monday, April 27, 2026

Gotorama 2.0 “Das Alte Werk” 💫

 

The stereo kichigai’s dream system and my wife’s nightmare as WAF is quite on the low side.

😉🙃🤭☺️

Yet, it’s gigantic but still manageable, as you can move the whole thing with just a finger, despite the imposing weight.








In the very next hours will mount the (mild) bass wooden horns - after making two cork gaskets - will wire-up the drivers to the crossovers and will listen to some music, two years after I dismantled and crated the Gotorama on June 2024.



Ready to be punched…


The mono crossover 💫


Handling these 50 kg Goto SG146LD is quite demanding






 😳


Thanks to Luigi for the helping hand, to Arnaldo for his handmade bass-horn, to Gaetano for the solid aluminum arrays, to Enrico for the birch plywood bass driver shelf & bass-horn painting and to Marco for the Goto’s bass drivers… and to everybody who empathized and encouraged and pushed me to complete this installation.


🖖🙏💫