Random Notes
Brief observations, musings, irritations and enthusiasms.
Democracy dies in cowardice
My dear friend of 40+ years had an inestimable impact on my life. I’ll always remember his kindness and wisdom.
Not quite getting the brilliance of “The Bear”
Scott Galloway — serial entrepreneur, college professor, speaker, and social relations observer — uses his sharp mind to offer valuable solutions and real-world advice.
Our new Acousticomp™ really is an incredible pedal, and we have another review to prove it.
If you’re hungry for a Johnny Cupcakes t-shirt, this is your store. If you’re just hungry, look elsewhere. A case study in customer aggravation.
No, he didn’t really say that. But I bet he thought it. The hustle never seems to end, because the hustled never seem to learn.
Hinrichs calls his work “narrative design,” where every design elements contributes to the story being told. He's a master whose work spans 50 years.
Craig has recorded some terrific demos for us again. Give these a listen to hear the power of our new Acousticomp pedal.
Joni did not sing a “sour discordant note.” Does this WAPO critic even know what a discordant note is, or were they just trying to be cute?
Enough with the financial experts relentlessly predicting economic doom and recession. You can relax (for now). They were wrong.
This is a logo that delights the eye and gets the job done — in print, animation, motion, wayfinding and digital platforms
My wife, Elizabeth, was a patient and good-natured t-shirt model for the JangleBox 20th anniversary promotion.
What started out as a DYI vanity project turned into a terrific small business. And we still have more sounds to explore.
An undeniably impressive tour de force of a film. But there is so much multi-layered stuff going on that it verges on overload.
Should we still cheer on the godless heathens who manage to win a college football game? Can atheists run, pass, block, tackle and catch?
Bradley Cooper didn’t want to create a biopic of Leonard Bernstein. So what? Enjoy this wonderful film on its own terms.
The occasional memory lapse is no reason to panic (I think). Sometimes there’s a great surprise ahead.
The approval process for this project was probably a major headache for the designers. But they still delivered a pretty decent product.
Be very judicious when deciding on a change in your brand. Doing it for reasons of style or simply on a whim are almost always bad ideas.
Another beautiful album by the two talented sisters. The songwriting matches the brilliance of their live performances.
Still rockin’ at 80?
Why not, if you can keep delivering the goods?
A JangleBox compressor for acoustic guitar players who want to enhance the natural sustain and resonance of their instrument.
Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin is disgusted with media “both-siderism” in political reporting. She makes a very good case.
Peter Buck plays the Hamilton, and a sharp-eyed fan spots a JangleBox Nano on his pedal board. Cool!
Enough already with the dire predictions of recession and financial catastrophe. The experts got it wrong. They should admit it and move on.
Generative design is here, but that’s not necessarily a good thing.
I promise, this is it. But we’ve waited 20 years to be rid of him and a small celebration is in order.
Hard to believe, but the former Byrd turns 81 tomorrow.
An instrumental version of Stephen Foster’s “Hard Times” on my Martin D-42. I love this guitar.
Douthat is wrong about so much, but I agree with him about the “immersive experience.” Plus, those $3,499 Apple goggles look so ridiculous.
Fender Guitars wisely invests their money and influence to get and keep young folks interested in music.
My new Martin D-42 is the most beautiful acoustic instrument I've ever owned, in appearance and tone. And I’ve owned dozens of guitars.
It looks like spring is really here.
Dan Snyer’s utter incompetence isn’t even his worst quality. He’s just a horrible person.
I will endlessly proselytize for Marty & the Fabulous Superlatives — simply the greatest four-piece touring unit in the world today.
His score for The Revenant was note perfect.
The country-surf songs are actually incredible. These guys can play anything.
Not my favorite illustration style, but it’s undeniably compelling visually. And I’m starting to see it everywhere.
The master of anything with strings, David was weird, hilarious, and incredible.
Jony Ive is a brilliant designer, but his latest projects fall short of his work with Apple. He and Steve Jobs needed each other.
He didn’t want to be just “the harmony guy,” but no one sang harmony like David Crosby. He made everyone he sang with sound better.
The husband and wife team are stepping out from their long-time roll as back-up supporters to finally take center stage. Their timing is perfect, as is this 10-part series.
My sister-in-law lived a life of incredible value and significance. She gave hope and encouragement to so many others.
The former foreign correspondent who became editorial page editor wrote with a command of intellectual rigor, fairness and decency. It’s a loss for journalism.
The U.S. is deeply divided culturally and politically. The flag is one of our unifying symbols. What if we reconsidered its design to reflect these divisions?
How did we go from a collective sense of unity to where we can’t even agree on objective facts today? How did our politics become zero-sum warfare?
Reston, VA 20191