Listening with our hands

March 23, 2021 5:02 PM

A short film about music write Art Dudley, who passed in 2020, and a deaf audiophile who bought his speakers Bob Lichtenberg is a deaf audiophile who has found a unique way to listen and enjoy music even though he is completely deaf. This short film follows the Altec Lansing Flaminco loudspeakers of Stereophile Art Dudley and his speakers that were acquired from his estate by a deaf audiophile fan of his writing. Stereophile has a blog post with more details.
posted by ShakeyJake (4 comments total)

Classic Altec gear is incredible. I am lucky enough to own a pair of mint-condition Altec-Lansing 604E's that were made in 1968. Listening to them is an absolutely revelatory experience, and it's helped me cope with not being able to see live music during the pandemic.
posted by TrialByMedia at 5:40 PM on March 23, 2021 [1 favorite]

I worked at a club that had a powerful sound system, especially in the bass range. We had a surprising number of deaf customers. Some told me (mostly with notes scribbled on a bar napkin) that they liked being able to dance like everyone else simply by following the vibrations...
posted by jim in austin at 5:53 PM on March 23, 2021 [1 favorite]

When building out Teasers night-club, there in North Houston, which in a few years became Willie Nelsons Club "Nightlife" I hired two hands that were completely deaf. Ted and Jimmie. They were absolutely top hands, nothing they couldn't do, they'd partnered for years and lucky was anyone who had them on their crew. (To get their attention, they had no problem with me throwing small screws at them, and Jimmie, while he could not speak, he damn sure made noise when he needed me to turn my head to them.)

ANYWAYS, Jimmie was Mr. Family Man, wife and kids, a basic car. Ted, on the other hand, he was a player, a Lance Romance sort of guy, a good looking man, the devils own smile that reached up into his eyes, he loved to go out and drink and dance and carouse and chase women etc and etc. This was in 1983, and Ted spent as much money as needed to get a car that rumbled bass lines, um, no, actually it *thundered* bass lines. I don't recall what flavor music but I'd bet disco if I had to, it was all about feeling the beat.

I haven't thought of those two in years. I hope that they are happy. I really doubt they are still in commercial carpentry, a young mans game, esp as the (almost inevitable) injuries stack up. Maybe Ted is selling high dollar stereo gear -- that'd be cool.
posted by dancestoblue at 11:05 PM on March 23, 2021 [3 favorites]

I went to see Marilyn Manson and Slayer together live many years ago. Outdoor amphitheater. We sat in the first row of seats about four feet above above the pit, with a few folding chairs set up in front of us. Two younger guys in Slayer t-shirts showed up and sat in the chairs, beers in hand, and didn’t say anything. Then two nicely-dressed, older women came and stood in the pit in front of them. They looked like they could be our aunts. Wearing, like, floral-print dresses. My spouse and I were mightily confused.

You can guess where this story’s going, right?

When Slayer came out, the floor started rumbling. The guys put down their beers and started signing to each other. Then the floral-print dress women started ROCKING OUT, interpreting lyrics. So much synchronized “6! 6! 6!” And the guys looked like they were having the time of their lives.

That was probably the coolest thing I ever saw at a show.
posted by liet at 10:52 AM on March 24, 2021 [4 favorites]