PMB065: Introduction to Personal Computing (Perrey & Kingsley, Wing, The Bran Flakes, France Gall, Bruce Haack, Covox, Joel Vandroogenbroeck)

This week on the show we kick off a new occasional part-work series of shows in which we aim to introduce listeners to the exciting new world of personal computing. This week's topics include computer safety, jazz computing, computer romance, programming yourself and computing in German.

Listen now (please be patient if using this new player - it takes a few seconds to start):

Alternatively, download the MP3 directly.

The Music

1.	The Bran Flakes: A Musical Computer from I Don't Have A Friend
2.	Perrey & Kingsley: Computer In Love from The Out Sound From Way In!
3.	Wing: Safe Computer from Safe Computer - EP
4.	Covox: Computer Love from 8 Bit Operators: A Tribute to the Music of Kraftwerk
5.	John Baker: PM - Computers In Business from The John Baker Tapes Volume 1: BBC Radiophonics 1963-1974
6.	France Gall: Der Computer Nr. 3 from En Allemand - Das Beste In Deutsch
7.	Gianni Safred: Jazz Computer 1 from Futuribile
8.	Bruce Haack: Program Me from Farad: The Electric Voice
9.	Jonathan Gibbs: Computers In The Real World from The BBC Radiophonic Workshop - A Retrospective
10.	Joel Vandroogenbroeck: Computer Graphic from Computer Blossoms
11.	Bill Schaeffer: Igotrhy from PLATO Computer Music 1977 - 1982
12.	The IBM 7090 Computer: The Voice Of The IBM 7090 Computer from Music From Mathematics

Project Moonbase is listener supported. So next time you buy anything from Amazon, please go via our Amazon affiliate link. It won't cost you anything, is totally anonymous and best of all it helps keep the show running. Thank you!

The Unnecessary News

• Girl, 3, amazes parents as she faces down angry lion
• 'Incredible Hulk' Robs Bank
• File-sharing becomes a recognized religion in Sweden
• Amusing Response to Cease and Desist Letter
• Hamster named Frederick among bizarre items left behind by Travelodge guests
• Canada anti-terror barrier 'attacked' by mussels

Personal Computing - A Preparatory Module

In preparation for this evening's show (An Introduction to Personal Computing) here is an educational module in which you will learn about important concepts such as Windows, Icons, the Mouse, and Pull-down menus (or WIMP for short):

Num Nums from NAMM 2012

Regular listeners to the show will know that we are great enthusiasts of squelchy analogue electronics here at the Moonbase. One of the best events to find out about the tastiest new analogue synths is the annual NAMM Show which has just taken place in Anaheim, California.

Lots of great gear was unveiled at this year's NAMM but here are four new toys we were particularly moved by:

First up, those giants of all things analogue, Moog Music Inc, have released the Minitaur, a new version of their classic Taurus bass pedal line, except this time it's in the form of a bass synthesizer into which you can plug any MIDI controller (or CV/Gate controller for that matter):

Next, Arturia who up until now have been chiefly renowned for producing software emulations of some classic analogue synths (including the Moog Modular and Minimoog). They have, wisely in our view, decided that there's nothing quite like twidding real knobs and have released the amazing Minibrute. Of particular appeal is the presence of a "Brute Factor" knob:

Both of the above synths will be selling in the region of £400-500. This next one is out of the range of mere mortals (it'll set you back about $15,000) but it's worth a mention because we love the idea of a modular synth which you can fold up. This is the latest in the 200e line of modular synth systems from that other great pioneer of analogue synthesis, Don Buchla. He calls it the Buchla Skylab:

Finally, another analogue synth designed for portability, this is the Pittsburgh Modular Foundation which, as with the Minitaur above, can be played with any MIDI controller. What's particularly appealing about this one is the fact that it includes a number of REALLY GIANT KNOBS:

Sources: Moog Music Inc, Matrixsynth, Synthtopia.

PMB064: The Birds (The Advisory Circle, Spacedog, Moondog, Julie Andrews, Jean-Jacques Perrey, Neal Hefti, Rick Jones, Ivor Cutler, Jim Fassett)

Prompted on the one hand by the inclusion of an owl-themed track on the new Spacedog album and on the other by a seagull-themed track on Jonny Trunk's recently released collection of music and songs used in Fingerbobs, we thought it an appropriate moment to celebrate all things avian by making birds the theme of this week's show. This is part of our ongoing exploration of the animal kingdom. If you have a particular favourite branch of the evolutionary tree or if there is a genus or species you are particularly keen on, do let us know and we will do our best to make it the subject of a future show.

Listen now (please be patient if using this new player - it takes a few seconds to start):

Alternatively, download the MP3 directly.

The Music

1.	Jean-Jacques Perrey: Crazy Crow And Daffyduck from Good Moog
2.	Neal Hefti: My Fine Feathered Finks from Batman Theme & 11 Hefti Bat Songs / Hefti in Gotham City
3.	The Advisory Circle: As The Crow Flies from As The Crow Flies
4.	Rick Jones: Gulliver's Theme from Fingerbobs
5.	Florian ZaBach: Hot Canary from 100 Jazz Legends
6.	Dick Hyman: Blackbird from The Age of Electronicus
7.	Jim Fassett: Symphony of the Birds Intro from Symphony of the Birds
8.	Jim Fassett: Andante e lirico from Symphony of the Birds
9.	Moondog, Julie Andrews, Martyn Green: The Cuckoo from Songs of Sense and Nonsense
10.	Spacedog: Owl Club from Juice For The Baby
11.	Jean Bell: Theme from The Owl Service
12.	Ivor Cutler: Birdswing from A Flat Man
13.	Leona Anderson: Yo Ho The Crow from Music To Suffer By
14.	The Kramford Look: Night Bird from 1970

Project Moonbase is listener supported. So next time you buy anything from Amazon, please go via our Amazon affiliate link. It won't cost you anything, is totally anonymous and best of all it helps keep the show running. Thank you!

The Unnecessary News

• Students break record by folding toilet paper 13 times
• Boxes of Shreddies from the 1970s found in shop fetch £160 on eBay
• William Shatner's Returning To Broadway For 'Shatner's World'
• Beezow Doo-Doo Zopittybop-Bop-Bop mugshot
• Woman Wears Fake Mustache to Rob Neighbor
• Australian researchers name rare horsefly after Beyonce