Thanks to the generosity of our friend Tom Rhea, EMEAPP is proud to present all 52 of Tom Rhea’s Electronic Perspectives columns from Keyboard and Contemporary Keyboard magazine published 1977-1981.
There will be a new column each week for a year, and all columns will include the facing left hand page from Tom’s 400-page book with 2 CDs of rare demos and performances: Electronic Perspectives: Vintage Electronic Musical Instruments (2023). You can view all 400 pages of EP:VEMI on a three minute YouTube video here!
The first post is scheduled to launch on Monday June 22nd! Be sure to come back then!
More about Electronic Perspectives: Vintage Electronic Musical Instruments
Electronic Perspectives was created by three people:
Brian Kehew is a polymath in music and audio: musician, author, historian, keyboardist, synthesist, mixer, stage technician, and producer. He’s no jack of all trades—he has stellar credits in these interests: Tour Technician for The Who since 2002, and substitute for John Bundrick. Performer with Air, Hole, Dave Davies, and Moog Cookbook; co-producer for Fiona Apple’s Extraordinary Machine; studio work with glitterati from Aretha Franklin to Tiny Tim; consultant-programmer for Moog, Alesis, Casio, Solaris, and Polyfusion; author for Tape Op, Keyboard magazine, and Beatlefan.
Brian Kehew and Kevin Ryan spent 15 years researching & writing Recording The Beatles: The Studio Equipment and Techniques Used to Create Their Classic Albums (2006). Three (3) books on Sir George Martin’s Music are in process. He mixed Rhino’s Woodstock 50–Back to the Garden: The Definitive 50th Anniversary Archive, a 38 CD collection. Brian Kehew curated and produced the audio tracks for Electronic Perspectives: Vintage Electronic Musical Instruments and is a significant contributor of historical artifacts for this project. Visit Brian’s website at www.roundandwound.com
Joseph Bastardo is an artist and musician whose eye for detail, indefatigable energy, and thorough mastery of pertinent tools mark him as a true graphic arts professional. His design portfolio includes work for clients all around the world and he has released several albums of electronic music on various independent record labels. He worked his magic quickly and efficiently. His fastidious restorations of photographs and graphics brought worn images (seen in all too many places) to sparkling new life. His layouts seem to intuitively manifest what Susanne K. Langer calls “significant form.”
His experience as a synthesist, composer, and performer informed his graphic design work for this publication, and he shows budding capabilities as an historian in the field. I look forward to working with Joe on future projects. Visit Joseph’s website at www.josephbastardo.com
Tom Rhea introduced analog synthesizers internationally as a Moog clinician, functional design consultant, marketing executive, artist relations specialist, and documentation writer. He has written articles for Computer Music Journal, and many owner’s manuals, e.g. the Minimoog Model D Operation Manual (1974). A noted historian, his PhD titled The Evolution of Electronic Musical Instruments in the United States (1972), and his Keyboard and Contemporary Keyboard magazine “Electronic Perspectives” columns (1977-1981) are cited in The New Harvard Dictionary of Music, The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments, and The Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments, 2nd edition. He conceived of, and wrote the first music for Oxylights (winter 1985-1986), at the time the world’s largest music & light installation (Niagara Falls, NY), recognized in The Guinness Book of World Records. Visit Tom’s website at www.drtomrhea.com