MetaChat - tales from the flower shop #3

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29 April 2009

tales from the flower shop #3 →[More:] A gentleman came in today to wire some flowers...he was in uniform. I was typing up the order and as he was telling me his name and starting to spell it for me, I glanced up and said, "Oh, it's on your uniform." Noticing that his last name was the same as a pioneering synthesizer artist from way way back, I said, "Oh, do people ever ask you if you are related to Tomita?"

He looked at me and said quietly, "He's my uncle."

(I didn't get all fangirly with him-well, not TOO fangirly- but I did commisserate with him since my last name is the same as a Certain Famous American and I used to get asked if I were related to him all the freaking time.)

What was frustrating to me is that no one else in the whole building even had ever heard of Tomita. People older than me who know who Lady Gaga is but NOT who Tomita is. Gaaah!

And if YOU people don't know who he is, I will be in the corner quietly sobbing into my electronic keyboard....

post by: bunnyfire at: 18:01 | 8 comments

I knew about Tomita, but I don't think I've ever heard anything of his, and I'm too youtubed-out to try looking now. (Hey, I just spent 20 minutes looking at racing crashes, so what can you do). I've also heard of Lady Gaga, but that has been permanently relegated to the 'no thanks' portion of my brain.

posted by DarkForest 29 April | 20:02

I first heard of Tomita years and years ago as a former boyfriend of mine was a fan of his. Later on it always seemed that folks divided themselves into two camps: Those that liked Tomita and those who were into Vangelis. I just know that both those artists have a lot to do with my musical sensibilities these days.

posted by bunnyfire 29 April | 20:35

I developed the idea from somewhere (maybe from watching Chariots of Fire) that Vangelis was sappy. So I guess I must be into Tomita. I'll have to check it out sometime.

posted by DarkForest 29 April | 20:58

I like some Tomita, but not all or even most of it, but this thread reminded me of his Close Encounters take (which sent me off to Amazon to download it). I'm really only familiar with one Vangelis album, which is the sound track to Bladerunner. I like that one a lot, but it's also one my favorite movies so I may be biased.

posted by doctor_negative 29 April | 21:07

Oh, I'd heard of him (and heard him) back in the mid '80s. If you really need to delve into early synth stuff from that era, I'd recommend staying away from Tomita and heading for YMO or Tangerine Dream.

And no, a lot of Vangelis music is not what I would call sappy. Some of it is pretty far out into experimental territory (Mask, Soil Festivities and Invisible Connections come to mind). But whatever you do, stay AWAY from his collaborations with Jon Anderson. I believe I read that when Noriega was holed up in the Vatican chancellry in 1989, he withstood the US military blaring Metallica and AC/DC at him, but the Jon/Vangelis recording of "State of Independence" finally convinced him to surrender.

posted by deadcowdan 29 April | 21:28

"stay AWAY from his collaborations with Jon Anderson"

Vangelis is all over the map musically. I have liked, but not loved, pretty much everything he did except for Chariots of Fire. The Jon Anderson collaborations are definitely in the "acquired taste" territory.

Overall, though, yeah, 70s and early 80s Tangerine Dream is definitely the way to go.

posted by Ardiril 29 April | 22:16

Who's Tomita?

posted by dg 30 April | 06:24

Conveniently enough, there's a post about Vangelis up on the blue right now. Guess I can't avoid checking it out.

70s and early 80s Tangerine Dream is definitely the way to go

Now you're talking.

posted by DarkForest 30 April | 07:14

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