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Conference mr1pst::music

Title:MUSIC V4
Notice:New Noters please read Note 1.*, Mod = someone else
Moderator:KDX200::COOPER
Created:Wed Oct 09 1991
Last Modified:Tue Mar 12 1996
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:762
Total number of notes:18706

142.0. "Dr. Steinvax and the Cluster" by RENOIR::MARKEY (Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging) Sun Feb 16 1992 18:49

    I figured there might be some discussion of this, so I though it
    deserved its own note...
    
    Alpha is here and it's fast, fast, fast.
    
    So who are Dr. Steinvax and the Cluster? We're a group of DEC musicians
    who recorded and produced a video for use on the DVN broadcast next
    Wednesday. We did a version of the song "Jumpin Jack Flash" by the
    Stones (gotta love that Fred and Barney ! :-) ). The lyrics are a
    celebration of DEC's new Alpha chip; the rootenest, tootenest, piece of
    silicon this side of the Rockies. Or any side, for that matter.
    
    The project was organized by U.S. Vax Marketing Manager Ken (Have
    Leslie, Will Travel) Steinhardt. Ken did the lead vocal in the
    song/video and also wrote the lyrics and, in general, did a mean Billy
    Preston impersonation.
    
    The video was produced by Mary Jane Bentley of DVN fame with the very
    capable assistance of the folks at Quantic Communication in Andover
    (Quantic is the company that was spun off from DEC's Media and
    Communications Group). While Mary and co. are new to rock videos,
    they've obviously had their Mtv.
    
    Here's a run-down of the "band":
    
    Ken Steinhardt:		Lead vox (or should I say Vax) and keys
    Charlie Farren		(Yes babies, *the* Charlie Farren) on
    				guitar and backing vox.
    Butch Leitz			Drums and mania
    Brian Markey		Bass and recording/mixing engineer
    
    The project was recorded an mixed at Sound Techniques in Boston (great!
    studio) last Wednesday from 8am-5pm. The video was shot in Andover from
    6pm-11:30pm the same day. Mary and the Quantic people pulled another
    late day Thursday and did the video-tape editing and audio-post in one
    day. We had our copies of the video on Friday (an absolutely amazing
    job by Mary).
    
    So, check it out this Wednesday on DVN. If you want to ask any
    questions or make any comments, this is the place to do it.
    
    P.S. Rumor has it that there is an alternate version of the song with
    Charlie Farren singing the real Stone's lyrics. 'Course, that's just a
    rumor! :-)
    
    Brian
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142.1today's the dayMRCSSE::LEITZbutch leitzWed Feb 19 1992 15:4612
Today's the day...

I saw the earlier showing (they ran late and the video came on around
10:30 or so). 

You can still catch the afternoon showing..the video comes on a  little
over an hour after the DVN starts, so figure seeing it around 2:00 or a little
after this afternoon. You can sit through the talking head stuff if you want
to (if you're in sales, you probably ought to), or stick your head into 
wherever they're showing it about midway to catch 
    "Dr. Steinvax and The Cluster".

142.2Whoa !19007::FIELDSyoudon'tlie,youdon'tlie,youdon'tlieWed Feb 19 1992 17:294
    Wild !!!! Just saw the 2nd showing !!! so whens the tour start ? and is
    it true you'll be the opening act for Spinal Tap ! :')
    
    Chris
142.3Tap and the Cluster, hmmmm....CSTEAM::STEINHARDTWed Feb 19 1992 19:5111
    re -1: Only if they'll let me have a Leslie that "goes to 11"!  Several
    Digital V.P.s (to go un-named) have already spoken with me and
    they have voiced their unanimous approval of both the concept and
    the video.  Yes, Digital does still have a sense of humor, sometimes
    less visible. Butch, regretably they forgot to let me get in the plug for
    everybody in the A.M. broadcast, but I managed to sneak in a few words
    in the P.M. broadcast.
    
    Cheers,
    Ken
    
142.4ok where ?SALEM::TAYLOR_JPickin' and a grinnin'Mon Jun 27 1994 13:271
    So where can we get a copy of the song, tape, etc. ? DEC Library ?
142.5If we only marketed Alpha as strongly...MSBCS::STEINHARDTMon Jun 27 1994 17:0021
    While the full original DVN broadcast (2/19/92?) is available on VTX IR, 
    the audio is not particularly good when compared to a first generation
    copy of just the Dr. SteinVAX and The Cluster portion (which I have, 
    of both the video and audio)  If you are interested in a video or 
    audio copy, send me mail at:
    
    	Ken Steinhardt @BXB   or MSBCS::STEINHARDT
    
    and when I get a chance, I could make copies at cost.  Or, since the
    video/audio only runs about 3 minutes, get a tape of your choosing to
    me and I'll make a copy.
    
    Cheers,
    Ken
    
    P.S. - While it is true that three of the four original members of
    Dr. SteinVAX and The Cluster (Charlie Farren, Brian Markey, and myself)
    may have been seen together this past Saturday night, there is NO truth 
    to the rumour of a reunion tour at this time.  Brian and I (and our
    respective spousal units) were catching a performance by Charlie's new
    band FARREN, and they were great.
142.6AD::FLATTERYMon Jun 27 1994 18:022
    ...geez ken......i didn't see you guys at the  east coast...i would
    have said hello....;').............../k
142.7But I saw you! (I think?)MSBCS::STEINHARDTMon Jun 27 1994 18:558
    Well, Karen, I think that I saw you just as we were driving out of the 
    parking lot in my rear view mirror, so please forgive me for not backing
    up and saying hello!  We left during the East Coast/West Coast
    encore.
    
    Cheers,
    Ken
                       
142.8MPGS::MARKEYBeingDisintegratedMakesMeVeryAngryMon Jun 27 1994 19:2018
    I looked around for people I knew... and didn't see any. If Ken hadn't
    come over and tapped me on the shoulder, I probably would have missed
    him too. Maybe I should check into glasses.... :-) I swear, if I only
    played pinball, people would start calling me "Tommy".
    
    And Ken... you should have backed up. Backing up on route 9 is an age
    old tradition. I remember seeing someone on route 9, who's entire car
    was covered in a foot of snow, except for a glove-sized swath on the
    windshield, backing out of a snowbank they had driven into, as other
    motorists careened every which way, desperately trying to avoid this
    classic "Masshole". Just remember, as Brian Rost points out, it's
    important not to use cruise control in reverse. Other than that, you're
    in Massachusetts, so everywhere, including the sidewalk, is fair game.
    :-)
    
    Oh, yeah, almost forgot. Farren was AWESOME!
    
    Brian
142.9AD::FLATTERYMon Jun 27 1994 19:5312
    ..brian..i dont' think we've ever met so i wouldn't have recognized you 
    anyway....but i did meet ken at the last decjam....and i do remember
    a car pulling out as we were walking out....that musta've been you ken
    ....and thanks for not backing up over me....as for Farren..well, i 
    thought their sound was better than i've heard it in the past..but the
    show lacked alot of their usual energy, probably due in some part to the
    small crowd turnout..even though the people that were there were
    enthusiastic..it was a fairly small crow than what they usually play to
    ...i think charlie was a little embarrased doing his 'acoustic' stuff
    behind the sound board cuz there was virtually no one up there to
    sing to....bar crowds in the summer tend to be smaller than the winter
    so i chalk it up to that.......they did sound good though......./k
142.10MPGS::MARKEYBeingDisintegratedMakesMeVeryAngryMon Jun 27 1994 20:0816
    Karen,
    
    Actually, we've met three times that I can recall...
    
    Once at last year's DECjam (I was the bass player in Citadel with Dave
    Blickstein, Lance Levine, Bill Buckley, Rob Rothberg, and Tom Benson)...
    and we met at an earlier Farren gig, and we also met at ... hmmm... it
    might have been the gig I organized at Sir Morgan's Cove back in
    December 89 with Peasant Kings, ScReAm and Network (my old band).
    Dunno. Anyway...
    
    I never forget a pretty face. (Oh God, am I setting myself up for the
    Political Correctness Police? :-) I may not forget 'em, I just has
    trouble *seeing* them from time to time! :-)
    
    Brian
142.11MSBCS::STEINHARDTMon Jun 27 1994 22:049
    Karen, We first met four years ago when my former band (Heart of Stone) 
    was sharing the bill with your band (Sluggo) at Sir Morgan's Cove, or
    am I confusing things?
    
    And then again at DECjam.
    
    Cheers,
    Ken
    
142.12....but i do remember the 'cove' gig....;')...AD::FLATTERYTue Jun 28 1994 14:592
    .....ah.....okay...i believe you both!...looks like the ballots are in
    and i win the 'extremely lousy memory' award ..forgive me guys..;")...../k
142.13Dr. SteinVAX is leaving the building...MSBCS::STEINHARDTThu Oct 20 1994 16:4914
    Well, after 16.5 years here, I've submitted my resignation and have
    accepted a senior position as a marketing manager with EMC Corp. in
    Hopkinton.  This is entirely my choice, and I'm leaving with no 
    package, no regrets, and a smile. Thanks to all of you in this 
    conference that I've either met, jammed with, or whose notes I've 
    enjoyed.
    
    So much for the tentative return of VAXine at DECUS in Anaheim, hey
    it's my fault, OK  ;-)
    
    Cheers,
    Ken
    
    
142.14BUSY::FISED::SLABOUNTYThailboat!!Thu Oct 20 1994 20:118
    
    	They just took your nameplate off your cubicle at MRO1 about
    	a week ago.
    
    	8^)
    
    							GTI
    
142.15But have they found my other offices...MSBCS::STEINHARDTTue Oct 25 1994 13:158
    re: -1
    
    Hmmm, Interesting, since I've been out of MRO1, and in BXB for the last
    15 months!
    
    Cheers,
    Ken