----- Original Message -----From: kursk53704Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 9:38 PMSubject: [wiardgroup] for our pleasureThere are two people that I worship: Noam Chomsky and Brian Eno. I serve many: my
family and friends and my many students (I teach history in a Madison, Wisconsin HS). I'm
an avid reader, I worry for my kids, I love my wife, etc, etc. But I do have to say that, aside
from my loves and responsibilities, modular experimentation is . . . it fills an artistic/
spiritual desire that couldn't be filled my another means I suppose. In this regard Grant is
almost, for me, in the same category as Chomsky and Eno. There are some differences:
they are rich, Grant lives on the edge of poverty; I can generally understand Chomsky and
Eno's ideas, while I often have no fucking idea what Grant is talking about (too technical);
I've never met either Chomsky or Eno, while sometimes I drive down to Milwaukee to pick
up a module and have a chat with Grant. I always look forward to the occasion.
Last time I was there a few months ago to pick up the Borg 2, Grant described this new
instrument he wanted to design. A synth in a suitcase, like a Synthi. He didn't go into too
much detail (in which case I would have been lost in the details) but it basically would be
something like the following: his new oscillator, a beefed-up noise ring, envelooper,
boogie and a borg 2 (for filtering and lo pass gate applications), JAG and joystick, and
some other utilitarian circuits. It would have a touch capacitor keyboard and a
microprocessor for added sequencing/modulaion. All in a samsonite like briefcase and all
behind a single faceplate (which would serve to lower the overall cost). I don't remember if
it would have a pin matrix for patching. I'm not sure if I asked about this. In any case this
sounds awesome, especially for live and/or other portable possibilities. I hope Grant goes
through with this. The 300 series is a bit out of reach for many of us (both technically and
financially). Maybe this other design could fill a desire that could both satisfy those who
can't , or won't, acquire a 300, and provide a sort of commercially successful product for
Grant.
I liked Doc's comment on how Grant's business model is perhaps a protest against the
mainstream's distorted and consumption oriented freefall where demands and "needs" are
created in an endless orgy of materialism (maybe I'm exaggerating Doc's point). As always,
I wish Grant good health, success, and good luck as I patiently wait to see where he takes
Wiard next.
Bill
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