Future Mythologies

Some things about America are good. Some are not so good. One of the very good things about America is Sam Phillips. More than anyone else, this guy invented rock n' roll. If you ask me to tell you the first rock n' roll record, chances are I'll tell you either "That's All Right Mama" or "Rocket 88." Well, this guy produced them both. He's also the starting point for any discussion I have about studio wizardry. Thomas Edison invented recording, and Les Paul may have invented the recording studio, but Sam Phillips was the first genius-producer. Not only that, but he wasn't even an asshole! Joe Meek made "Telstar" England's first #1 single on the US charts only by drowning out the band with layers of keyboard and sound effects, without their knowledge, after they had left. And Phil Spector, well we all know enough about him. It's a tragedy, though a predictable one, that he dies almost without mention compared to Bob Hope, who is infinitely his lesser. Hell, Bob Hope was the obvious lesser of Spike Milligan, who died in 2002 to little fanfare.
In a hundred years, live music will be a quaint rarity, and recorded music will be the overwhelmingly dominant listening experience, similar to the way books and storytelling are today. We won't be around to listen to it, but we can hear the way the story begins.