I’m sure many visitors will already have heard of the sad passing of Dr Robert Moog, inventor of the MiniMoog synth. As with so many great innovators, there’s a Beefheart connection to be made.
In a 1980 interview with John Piccarella Don Van Vliet was asked about the process of teaching his music to his band and he replied:
You can do it on the piano… you can do it on guitar some times.. Sometimes on the Mellotron.. Sometimes on the Moog. I like MiniMoog, I think that’s a real sensitive instrument.
Also in 1980, this time to Lester Bangs, Don said he recorded his music to tape from:
… a piano or a Moog synthesiser. Then I can shape it to be exactly the way I want it, after I get it down there. It’s almost like sculpture; that’s actually what I’m doing, I think. ‘Cause I sure as hell can’t afford marble, as if there was any.
See the moogmusic website for a tribute and biography. You can leave your own tribute to the man who changed music forever for everyone at the Bob Moog blog.
Definitely one of the great innovators of modern popular instrumentation. He will be missed by all that knew him and revered him.
I used to live near Dr. Mood in Asheville, NC. A real cool guy. I will never forget him.