it all began with a compact disc. not just any compact disc...a pixies compact disc. this pixies album was entitled "bossanova." it is excellent. on said disc is a track called "velouria." it is excellent as well. well, one day, when i was fifteen, i was listening to "bossanova" and looking at the liner notes. in these notes, some one was credited with playing a theremin.

"what's a theremin?" i asked myself"

the answer was not readily available. I listened to track number three (velouria) the song that the instrument was credited on.

"hello, whats this? it seems to be some sort of ethereal singing sound. beautiful," thought i, "i want one."

unfortunately, i still did not know exactly what a theremin was. i asked people. finally i asked my guitar teacher. he knew, sort of. he had a vague idea of what one was. he also had an advertisement for a pitch only Theremaniac's theremin from a guitar magazine. fancy that.

"wow," thought i, "i want one."

the search begins

i set out to buy one. but at this point i need to remind the esteemed reader that i was fifteen and had no money. not even the one hundred and fiftey dollars the theremin cost.

skip to the week before my sixteenth birthday

i'm working now for the forest service specifically to reaise money for the wonderful instrument. i now have the money. deeeeelightful. i now call the theremaniac's company in michigan (?) from my workplace in north carolina. i guess i put them out a couple bucks. oh well. --skip six to eight weeks-- theremin arives. i am elated. i play it often.

skip several months

i am perusing web pages on the internet. theremin web pages, that is. i stumble across big briar inc. browsing... browsing... hits me - OH MY GOD, THEY'RE IN NORTH CAROLINA!! OH MY GOD, THEY'RE IN ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA!! OH MY GOD, ASHEVILLE IS ONLY FORTY MINUTES AWAY!! OH MY GOD, THEREMINS COST WAY TOO MUCH!! this is what occurred to me. yes, it occurred in caps.

skip to most recent summer--aug. 1997

i washed dishes all spring and all summer. i saved money for a theremin. i turned seventeen. i went to big briar inc and bought an etherwave. i had to pay state sales tax on my theremin because it was not shipped. but....i really love my etherwave. it is a beautiful black etherwave. i also met dr. moog. he is nice. my etherwave is nice.

i really, really love my etherwave. it is good. i play it often. i am currently (as of fall of 1997) a senior in high school. i advise a freshman homeroom. i got a band (theremin, guitar, bass, drums) together and played for them. it was great. i've also been featured in the school newspaper. i played during an enactment of a scene from "macbeth." it was a puppet show. lady macbeth was played by the punching nun, macbeth by satan. i played my theremin along with a man on mandolin and another man on saw. it was great. just today (10.7.97) i recorded a blues song on four-track. i sung in falsetto. my friend played a circular saw blade with a brush. my guitar was tuned to a g chord with a flat root. it was beautiful. it included my beloved etherwave.

that was really long

enough of my prattling on, back to the harpies with ya'

added -10.7.97 .... updated - same.

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