SOURCE CUT OUT

While writing up my notes for Yassmin Fosters lecture I remembered this passage from the book ‘Love Saves the Day’ by Tim Lawrence. Relating to sound system culture, this passage describes the constant innovation for ‘perfect sound’. I’m interested in the way different cultures and people attempt to reach this sonic excellence and there backstory;

Unable to turn his sonic fantasy into reality, Mancuso turned to sound system specialist Alex Rosner, who had developed an unbreakable bond with music ever since a joint performance with his father at Auschwitz had saved his life. ‘The commandant recognised the two of us from the concert, and he winked at my father as he pulled all the other kids away,’ says Rosner, who played the accordion alongside his fathers violin. ‘All the other children were killed.’ Once in America, Rosner studied electrical engineering, but a sideline in installing hi-fis became so successful that he ended up building the stereophonic discotheques at the Canada A-Go-Go and the Carnival-A-Go-Go stands at the Worlds Fair 1964-65.

Pretty mad…Rosner would also go on to invent the first cueable DJ mixer.