Yesterday I received a copy of the Wall Street Journal that the reporter, Dionne Searcey, had told me she would send. (Thanks Dionne).
The wood print looks great! Here it is, scanned and enlarged. Click for an even bigger version.
Interview with 700WLW
I’ll be on 700WLW in Cincinnati tonight at 8:00pm (MST) doing an interview about my backmasking page.
I think a large part of what makes backmasking so interesting is that it strikes people on so many different levels. First off, with relation to religion, when people hear that popular music might contain messages about Satan, they really want to listen and decide for themselves. Even if people are not religious, there is still a natural curiosity to hear what all the fuss is about. It’s compelling to feel like we have discovered a secret about something so prominent in popular culture. We know Paul is not dead, yet we are interested to learn all the clues about his untimely demise.
I’ve made my views fairly clear that I don’t think the “satanic lyrics” are (for the most part) intentional. Most people that I have shown the Stairway to Heaven clip can’t even hear the messages the first time they listen. This brings up another interesting aspect of this story. People are fascinated by the psychology at work here. It is amazing how the power of suggestion can transform your interpretation of what at first registers as reversed gibberish into a coherent message.
Federal Election Debate at the U of L
The local Lethbridge MP candidates were at the University of Lethbridge this afternoon in a debate. I’ll probably end up voting for Melanee Thomas of the NDP party because I think she is most deserving of my vote. She’s very quick on her feet and I imagine she’ll continue to do well in the party.
Melanee Thomas gives her opening statement.
However, after hearing some of the Conservative party plans I have a renewed respect for Rick Casson and some of the things he said today have actually made me feel better about their imminent majority victory next week. He’s not going to get my vote but at the same time it’s not like he needs it, traditionally Southern Alberta always votes for the conservatives.
It’s the topics that didn’t come up that bother me, but for the first while as/if Conservatives follow through with their top five goals, I don’t think I’ll have much to complain about—all that money for beer and popcorn — oh wait I don’t have kids.
Previously: MP questions and answers for the 2004 election
Interviews Keep Rolling In
I just finished another interview for a University paper in Ontario. What continues to confound me is that though some of the world’s biggest papers find the story so fascinating, my own University paper, The Meliorist (whose office is just down the hall from mine) hasn’t shown a bit of interest. I find it so strange. C’est la vie, how can I complain with all this good fortune.
Sirius Satellite Radio
I was just asked to do an interview for the Jay Thomas show on Sirius Satellite Radio.
The topics on Jay’s new show range from the sublime to the ridiculous and everything in between. The Jay Thomas Show takes a light-hearted approach and a middle of the road political standpoint. Past guests include Geraldo Rivera, Meredith Viera, Mike Ditka, George Foreman, Joy Behar, Mario Cuomo, Don King and many others.
I’ll be on next Monday sometime after the show starts at 1330 (MST).
The Associated Press
I had an interview with the Associated Press this morning. The story that they run will probably reach a bigger audience than even the Wall Street Journal article last week. This is truly amazing. Every time I think things can’t possibly get any bigger or better they keep doing just that.
Interview Airing Today on BBC Coproduction The World
I had an interview last Friday with the BBC/PRI show The World. The World is a one-hour, weekday radio news magazine offering a mix of news, features, interviews, and music from around the globe. Today they will be airing my interview with Marco Werman. I understand that this show is played on 200 NPR stations including New York and Seattle, and has a weekly audience of about 2 million listeners.
You can listen to the program when it airs (1730 eastern—it will be the last piece in the program, called the Global Hit) at http://www.bbc.co.uk/ or if you missed it you can find it archived at http://theworld.org/globalhits/2006/01/17.shtml.
Interview Beyond My Wildest Dreams
So I thought my huge interview last week that would be broadcast to 2 million listeners would be the peak of follow-up attention from the Wall Street Journal article on my backmasking page. I’m pleased to say, and more than a little in shock, that in fact I was just asked for an even bigger interview on a tv show that has 6.1 million viewers.
This is the big league, their previous guests have included Bono, Sean Puffy Combs, Chris Martin, Foo Fighters, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Paul Anka, Matthew McConaughey, Richard Bronson and many more. I’m keeping the name of the show under wraps for now—it’s a show you’ve heard of, but I don’t want to jinx myself. I just have to say, this is a dream come true.
Update: I was on The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos.
Flickeur
This flash app “randomly retrieves images from Flickr.com and creates an infinite film with a style that can vary between stream-of-consciousness, documentary or video clip.” Your mileage may vary—I found it an interesting way of blending random content to create art.
Prairie Post
I think things have started to wind down in the way of media attention. I still had one interview today, for a smaller Southern Alberta newspaper, The Prairie Post, but I sense that next week will be a lot quieter.*
Below is a photo from one of the interviews I did yesterday. I went to a local CBC corespondent’s house (he has a studio in his basement) and did and interview for a show (non CBC) that will air on 200 stations and reach approximately 2 million listeners. Who knows, maybe that kind of exposure will start things all over again.
*Update: I should point out that although the Prairie Post is smaller than some of the media I’ve been in contact with, it’s still delivered to about 25,000 households.