[mikemercer]

I just noticed the thread to THE Show Newport was locked, so I wanted to continue this here (I started it there).  Good thing, locking THE Show Newport's thread.  I was getting tired of reading about how EVERYBODY else was responsible for the success of THE Show in all the audiophile websites.  I'm even reading that from my peers in the high end that we (our Head-Fi crew) spent time so much time with!  No, it wasn't the injection of the youth that helped lively up THE Show this year!  It's not an ego-thing, but they don't even wanna admit that we helped make it fun.
 
What, was it all the Hawaiian shirts on-display??
 
THANKS TO ALL MY HEAD-FI BROTHERS FOR THE SUPPORT AND KIND WORDS.
YOU MADE THE SHOW FOR ME.
 
 
I've finally found a COMMUNITY here in Head-Fi.
NOT a bunch of ego-driven, middle aged pocket-protector audiophiles that argue over 20,000 a meter snake-oil, and which sucker bought it today!
 
Sure, it was the cigar stand that gave THE Show an injection of fun.
Damn these high end fools are so outta touch with the street and the youth movement in todays information age it makes me wanna scream! Because not only are they wholly disconnected from the populace.  The Absolute Sound publishes it's 40th Anniversary issue, without so much as a PHONE CALL OR A CAPSULE DEDICATED TO ITS FOUNDER??
 
Sure, Jonathan Valin told a vailed history of TAS for the issue.  
But Harry Pearson's ISN'T DEAD.  This man gave almost ALL OF THEM their start, just like me, and they forget that so conveniently now it makes me SICK.  As John Atkinson told me at Newport (when discussing Harry, and how I feel like I'm the only one who gives him ANY credit for creating the community for which they are ALL employed): "You can NEVER stop thanking people enough who have helped you in life".  John is one of the few real dudes still in this.
 
So, in light of this admitted anger over what I see as an insult to the very man who coined the term "high end audio", and also the man who literally gave us a language to describe things sonically that we all deploy today - I think it's time the world heard about how a kid fresh outta high school and his ALWAYS-FAITHFUL group of lifelong friends, along with his mother (no BS) and a couple friends
 
SAVED THE ABSOLUTE SOUND!
 
I mean, it warms my heart to hear "sonic fairy dust" is still in the lexicon here! Also originated from Harry: who's not doing so well, so, UNLIKE the magazine that just celebrated it's 40th anniversary without so much as a phone call to its founder - lets ALL think Positive for Harry Pearson OK?  
 
I can't share details yet, but I haven't even said this much to the old guard high end audio circles.  The venom and envy/jealousy (coming down to one of his former writers calling him "irrelevant" - what an insult) - if it wasn't for Harry Pearson NONE of us would be here.  J Gordon Holt began a new sonic journey many years ago - by beginning to review stereo equipment by describing it's musical performance, not mere test results.
 
Many peeps don't know this (and I believe you won't find it in the 40th anniversary of The Absolute Sound - I can't even open it I'm so broken-hearted over the way they treat the man ):
 
But Harry Pearson started The Absolute Sound Newsletter (before it became a magazine, that was digest sized and always had cool artistic covers - NOT just gear photos) because he got tired of waiting for his issues of Stereophile!  Mr. Holt was a fantastic writer, but not a good business man.  He was beloved, and for good reason.  Harry wanted to take what he started and expand on it.
 
He also wanted to build a community around high end audio.  After all, he started with a newsletter (he was a reporter for Newsday and Consumer Reports before that)!  So - he's very happy when I speak about what you guys have built here.  I'm not  b*******ting.  He's spoken with Jude a few times and has alot of love for that man!
 
Anyway - sorry for the em-passioned cyberbabble - but I'm preparing my own article for Positive Feedback - about how, at one point (and you won't find this is the new issue either - not that many peeps, if ANY here, read TAS today) it was me and my teenage friends - along with a handful of dedicated older cats, that worked for MONTHS without pay for Pearson Publishing Empire LTD (The Absolute Sound's previous parent company) in order to keep the magazine ALIVE!!!!
 
Seriously, we made it possible to present the magazine for sale to Tom Martin and the team at Absolute Multimedia
(they own the magazine today).
 
We put issues out with shoestring budgets before the sale to keep it alive,
and my own mother came in to copy-edit Harry Pearson (she's an editor)!!!!
 
I think its time to tell people that if it wasn't for some youthful people/energy surrounding Hp, when everybody who learned under him
left when the money went missing (another story of loss and deceit, CRAZY drama) and started their own magazine entitled Fi - 
which only lasted a few issues - that the MIGHTY TAS WOULD'VE FALLEN!!!!
 
We (my boys and I) at one point, had to move the magazines entire office ourselves to a small space in Sea Cliff, Long Island.  
I did it all with a few of my oldest friends - NONE of whom were or are audiophiles.  We were forced to vacate the original Pearson Publishing building.  We even broke back in to take possession of all the back issues!  Seriously, I couldn't make this s__ up!!
 
Think audiophiles wanna hear that story?  About the fact that the large, standard-issue consumer format magazine they currently get
entitled The Absolute Sound would not exist if it wasn't for the care, love, and dedication to Harry from a bunch of my childhood friends!
 
THAT's why Harry is so proud of what ya'll have built here.  He always wanted the high end to work together to spread the message of 
great sounding music to more people.  The way I see it?
 
It's destiny that I ended up a proud member of this COMMUNITY.
 
So should I shake the audiophile world up a little bit with this??  I think it's important for people to know (while many ignore the youth market) that it was a group of youths who saved arguably the most influential high end audio magazine.  Period.
 
THOUGHTS????

 

[warrenpchi]

  LOL, rant much?   Kidding bro. 

 
I think the old guard needs to get it into their mindsets that anytime they start seeing Hawaiian shirts, board shorts, etc. - THAT'S A GOOD THING!
 
It would be a long article... I'm thinking that a three or four parter would be necessary to tell the whole tale.
 
But you know what the hardest part of this is gonna be right?  You're gonna have to take a huge trip down memory lane - possibly talking to a LOT of people that you haven't spoken to in years (not always a kind experience).  There's an emotional toll to be paid here.  Are you ready for that?

 

[wink]

Truth is the daughter of time.
 
It's about time the unthankful and possibly ignorant people riding on the shoulders of their forebears are made to realise that they are not the be-all and end-all of High End Audio publication.
The quicker they are reminded or educated as to where their heritage lies, the sooner they may be brought to realise they need to pay homage to their past generations.
 
The science world still recognises Newton, Einstein, Bohr, Hubble etc. etc., so why shouldn't High End Audio publishers recognise those who went before ...?????

 

[warrenpchi]

Holy moly, that's like the longest post you've ever made Wink! 

 

[wink]

Wut?

 

[warrenpchi]

Now there's the Wink I know! 

 

[wink]

Quote:warrenmod

Holy moly, that's like the longest post you've ever made Wink! 

Obviously you havent checked out the Joke thread and seen my posts of:-
 
The World's Longest Joke,   or
http://www.head-fi.org/t/518686/this-joke-is-totally-awesome/240#post_7464171
 
The White Elephant Joke,   or
http://www.head-fi.org/t/518686/this-joke-is-totally-awesome/285#post_7538833
 
Elephant Jokes.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/518686/this-joke-is-totally-awesome/180#post_7319113
 
 
The older I get, the shorter my posts get.

 

[warrenpchi]

Okay... but
 
Quote:

Obviously you havent checked out the Joke thread and seen my posts of:-
 
The World's Longest Joke,   or
http://www.head-fi.org/t/518686/this-joke-is-totally-awesome/240#post_7464171
 
The White Elephant Joke,   or
http://www.head-fi.org/t/518686/this-joke-is-totally-awesome/285#post_7538833
 
Elephant Jokes.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/518686/this-joke-is-totally-awesome/180#post_7319113

 
a)  the above wasn't a joke; and
 
Quote:

The older I get, the shorter my posts get.

 
b)  well that explains it...

 

[mikemercer]

Quote:

  LOL, rant much?   Kidding bro. 

 
I think the old guard needs to get it into their mindsets that anytime they start seeing Hawaiian shirts, board shorts, etc. - THAT'S A GOOD THING!
 
It would be a long article... I'm thinking that a three or four parter would be necessary to tell the whole tale.
 
But you know what the hardest part of this is gonna be right?  You're gonna have to take a huge trip down memory lane - possibly talking to a LOT of people that you haven't spoken to in years (not always a kind experience).  There's an emotional toll to be paid here.  Are you ready for that?

I am indeed prepared to take on the emotional weight, and there will be weight for sure.
But Harry taught me better than that.  He always told me the truth is what he's after, thus the TAS stickers/phrase HE attached to the magazine "Truth Spoken Here"
(and why I resurrected it for HPSoundings.com).
 
Thanks for your insightful look into this as my friend, knowing it will take alot out of me

 

[mikemercer]

Quote:

Truth is the daughter of time.
 
It's about time the unthankful and possibly ignorant people riding on the shoulders of their forebears are made to realise that they are not the be-all and end-all of High End Audio publication.
The quicker they are reminded or educated as to where their heritage lies, the sooner they may be brought to realise they need to pay homage to their past generations.
 
The science world still recognises Newton, Einstein, Bohr, Hubble etc. etc., so why shouldn't High End Audio publishers recognise those who went before ...?????

ThanX wink!
 
Fellow Head-Fiers like you are what keeps me going.
I'm SO glad this won't just fall on the deaf ears of the old guard!!

 

[warrenpchi]

Quote:

Quote:

 
It would be a long article... I'm thinking that a three or four parter would be necessary to tell the whole tale.
 
But you know what the hardest part of this is gonna be right?  You're gonna have to take a huge trip down memory lane - possibly talking to a LOT of people that you haven't spoken to in years (not always a kind experience).  There's an emotional toll to be paid here.  Are you ready for that?

 
I am indeed prepared to take on the emotional weight, and there will be weight for sure.
But Harry taught me better than that.  He always told me the truth is what he's after, thus the TAS stickers/phrase HE attached to the magazine "Truth Spoken Here"
(and why I resurrected it for HPSoundings.com).
 
Thanks for your insightful look into this as my friend, knowing it will take alot out of me

 
You're welcome of course!
 
Okay, well in that case, I gotta say go for it.
 
Hey, I have a question.  If it were done in a positive way... like a "lost bit of history" kind of way.  Do you think TAS would actually be up for including it as an addendum in a future issue?  IOW, if it were more of a reminder and less of an indictment, would that let them see a clearer path to publication of it?  Or are we beyond all hope of that?

 

[wink]

Good point, Warren.
 
Sometimes you need honey to attract flies, other times vinegar.
 
Knowing the right time takes perspective.
 
Usually the friendliest approach is the way to go first off.
 
If that doesn't work, you need to re-assess the situation and act accordingly.
 
BTW, could you imagine the flak if Stereophile did a history of Absolute Sound if Absolute Sound didn't bother to do it?   Tee Hee  

 

[mikemercer]

Quote:

 
You're welcome of course!
 
Okay, well in that case, I gotta say go for it.
 
Hey, I have a question.  If it were done in a positive way... like a "lost bit of history" kind of way.  Do you think TAS would actually be up for including it as an addendum in a future issue?  IOW, if it were more of a reminder and less of an indictment, would that let them see a clearer path to publication of it?  Or are we beyond all hope of that?

GREAT point.  My plan is to write it the story as it unfolded through my lens.  I don't mean to indict anybody, except certain people I cannot mention in the article anyway for legal reasons!
No.
 
My plan is to write the story of a young man and his best friends, whom are, still to this day, my home NYC crew btw - I'm honored at 38 years-old to say I still have the crew I had since the second grade - 
to tell the story of them, my moms, and a couple other adults (lets say, since we were kids really) who worked for months without pay because they respected and admired it's Founder, Harry Pearson.
 
Many of us knew the ship was sinking (this was still the early days of the internet, 1993-96) but he kept us engaged through hope and a seeming selflessness (seeming, because Harry is not completely selfless, nor is he a selfish man) and dedication to the philosophy of his magazine!  He would often say that as long as the magazine lives on he's done something he could be proud of.
 
The fact that this same man, who started arguably THE audiophile bible, in a basement on the North Shore of Long Island in the early eighties - was not even contacted for a follow-up in the 40th anniversary of a magazine that was born of his vision and genius - it even makes this ALO Studio Six make me wanna break down that place.
 
But, that is NOT my aim.  Though I'd be just f__ing lying if I didn't admit at times I'm fuming - it will not, will not get in the way of my goal with this story.
Because you know who taught me about journalistic integrity?  Harry Pearson.  If he knew review magazines or websites were asking writers to sell ads
he'd have a heart attack, justifiably.  I owe it to him.
 
But I must admit - knowing I have the blessing of some members of the Head-Fi community makes it worth going through the s___ storm I'm about to walk
through in my mind!!
 
Thanks boyz.
I've been waiting to feel a part of a community like this since I walked into the doors of Pearson Publishing!
Back when Harry also had the WORLD'S FIRST HOME THEATER MAGAZINE: The Perfect Vision!!
 
Yeah - 
Gloves off,
but soft gloves t'day...

 

[warrenpchi]

Just four simple words:  I'm happy to help. 

 

[warrenpchi]

Quote:

 
Sometimes you need honey to attract flies, other times vinegar.
 
Knowing the right time takes perspective.
 
Usually the friendliest approach is the way to go first off.
 
If that doesn't work, you need to re-assess the situation and act accordingly.

 
Right-o. 

 
Quote:

BTW, could you imagine the flak if Stereophile did a history of Absolute Sound if Absolute Sound didn't bother to do it?   Tee Hee  

 
Not to mention the libel suits...