Known for his dearly beloved series on the ARP 2600 and the Minimoog, this new series will be available only on the hipper than hip new synth /music channel by SonicState.com, Sonicstate.TV. I hear they are still putting on the finishing touches for a proper "site launch", but it looks heavenly to me!

Anyway, here's Marc's description of the video:
"...Here is the Korg MS-20 series introduction. The series will demonstrate the sound and functionality of the Korg MS-20."
Via AutomaticGainsay on YouTube:

Our dear friend and label mate, Jean - Jacques Smoothie, bestowed upon us this lovely little rock star of a synth, the Yamaha CS-5. Mr. Smoothie used this very synth to create the sweet bleeps and blips in his 2001 classic, "2 People". Along with a Moog Opus 3, Smoothie also used the charming little synth in his live setup and during his 2003 tour (guess who got to sing "2 People"?).

And now....

Here is the first episode of the CS-5's journey to our L.A. digs with her new foster parents! Via tarabusch on YouTube:

I'll be firing her up today - hopefully she'll have a mouthful of obscenities for us between what may be an injured circuit board and a few loose screws. Perhaps we can fix her together!?? Thoughts anyone?

Till then, here's the divine Jean Jacques Smoothie w/ his sweet U.K. smash "2 People" on Top of The Pops.

Find Smoothie's website here!

It's full of great goodies & downloads including the new version of "2 People" by Smoothie and Vandal with my vocals.

I'll keep my eyes peeled during those neighborhood yard sales for this sassy little Casio.

I had a chance to visit Mr. Wigdergal's website - wow! What a wonderland.

Next up, SonicState.com's latest episode of the 20 Weirdest Instruments....
The EMS Synthi 100 steals the show.....the devastating blow wasn't the 12 VCO's, the 3 ring modulators, the 3 channel digital sequencer(from 1969?!)or even the oscilloscope - it's the fact that it requires an ignition key. Dreamy.

More movies to come today! The rumours are true!

You're gonna LOVE this, especially you fellow American '80's kids . Everyone else will hopefully have some morbid curiosity....remember Alfonso from the show Silver Spoons? The "fold -out breakin' board"?
via radiumclock on YouTube.

But wait! Here's more. I've never even heard of this and it's not even a commercial! It's just another terrible 80's video. But do I spy a Moog Prodigy?
via microview on YouTube:

Anyway, we traveled to North Hollywood to scoop up my newly repaired Pro One from Big City Music. One of my favorite places to visit, we had a short wander with Roger around the "candy shop"! And what a candy shop it is.... a massive Analogue Systems Modular, Analogue Solutions Vostok Suitcase Synth, LL Electronics RozzBox (the one with the "tube filter"...hmmm!),Moog Taurus Pedals, Future Retro's Revolution Synth, Jomox's XXX 999 Drum Machine, Metasonix pedals and Moogerfoogers, the Minimoog OS...and, sitting quietly in the corner dripping patch cords from her face like a 3 year old child with a plate of spaghetti, was the one that makes my heart sing: the ARP 2600. (via AutomaticGainsay on YouTube.)

We made our way to the main room where a few machines in a similar state that my Pro One used to be in were undergoing "minor surgery". I spied a Roland TB 303 & a Moog Prodigy ( maybe - I could only see the back) and maybe an OB-8 or two ?? Anyway, I began wonder: is my Pro One happier here? I bet I'm taking her away from all her new friends!
This scenario brought to mind that movie that traumatized many children in the 1970's - "Snoopy Come Home"....Oh, the dispair that flooded forth when Snoopy and Charlie Brown were seperated...Who remembers this? Via TickleMeCthulhu on YouTube:

If this doesn't make you sob, then perhaps you need to put some marshmallows in your hot cocoa. Or maybe some bourbon...

We said our goodbyes and sped off into the hills for Los Feliz. The Pro One sat mournfully in the back seat (behind her securely fastened seat belt) and I thought...well, Farfisa & Vox Jaguar will be happy to see you; so will Rhodes and Whurly! Well, here's the good news:

Happy keys indeed....but Pro One hasn't met the "new" Yamaha CS5 yet.... Stay Tuned!

I especially love that you must get the key to the church from the pub up the street....wonderful.

Here's a bit that I copied from the sign out front:

"...St. Brynach's is a little altered mediaeval church of 12C origin. It is noteworthy that St. Brynach's was for centuries the parish church of Penllyn and remains its burial ground.It is thought that the stone traces of the settlement adjacent to the church are of Romano British origin and that this "village" was wiped out in the Black Death(14C)."

Read more about the history here and here.

And yes! The Pump Organ! Wheezy, sad and reluctant with sticky keys and mildew, nothing sounds quite like it. I love it. I was particularly charmed by the fact that this Mary Pickford of a musical instrument had a Vox Humana "organ stop"...hmmm...just like the luscious Polymoog (What is Vox Humana? Peek here.)!! Watch here via tarabusch on YouTube...

Stay tuned for more adventures from Wales including "The Journey of Jean Jacques Smoothie's CS-5":

Lovely , huh? It also brings to mind this deeply philosophical question:"What would Siouxsie do?" with such a creative woe as this?

She'd hop on a bus & go on tour to perform songs from her latest work entitled "Mantaray", of course.

So dear readers, as we edit more movies for you and perfect my recipe for the Cure, have a peek at these goodies that are perfect for a lazy Saturday cuddled up with a favorite beverage and plate of cupcakes! Here's parts 1 & 2...hop over here on SonicState.com for the rest.

P.S. I'm still kicking myself over missing her recent performance in L.A... Check out the photo below via This Is London! Goddess.

The primary reason for our travels from our quaint Los Feliz village to "the Westside" (quite an effort for an Angeleno) was to create this post featuring Dan McPharlin's lovely batch of "freshly baked" miniature cardboard synths - but little did we know that more loveliness was waiting around the corner at the Off The Wall Antiques booth...

We were pleasantly rendered speechless by this beautiful instrument looming ghostlike and glorious in the corner of the crowded exhibition hall - the Story & Clark Storytone Electric Piano!

Designed for the 1939 World's Fair by John Vassos and manufactured by Story & Clarke & RCA - Victor, this is most definitely the Jean Harlow of all musical instruments (for the Norma Desmond of all musical instruments, click here and here)!

Many thanks to Dennis Clark at Off The Wall Antiques in Los Angeles!
via tarabusch on YouTube:

More in a bit - I have some lovely new movies on the way for you!

This past Sunday, we raced down to Santa Monica Civic Auditorium to catch Dan's wonderful creations in the flesh! After weaving our way through countless booths stuffed to the gills with mouth-watering mid century and art deco furniture and artwork, we spied the sweet, miniature synthesizers in Lawrence Converso's booth, Converso Mod.

Have a peek! "Believe you me", they are quite a treat. Dont forget to check out more of Dan's work on his website and his Flickr site!!!

via tarabusch on YouTube; the music, "Can You Read Me?" is taken from the album "Pilfershire Lane" by Tara Busch :

More to come from the LA Modernism exhibit including the first-ever electric piano by RCA!!! I'm not joking, it'll bring tears to your eyes. Stay tuned......

P.S. - Also posted by Matrixsynth yesterday:
"...Hand-made cardboard model by Dan McPharlin. Produced for Esquire magazine.View the full set."