A Walkman Busting, iPod Jacking spree in the vast open spaces of Philadelphia’s 30th Street train station, the day after Christmas. Roaming among the crowds of holiday travelers, each tuned to their own holiday music, I tapped into the personal soundtracks of Trevor Keal and David Montañez. Both Trevor and David are Philadelphia natives; their [...]
I’m a designer with ESI Design, where I have been since 1995 and my official title is VP of Strategy and Communications. Much of my work is in design integration – orchestrating the various design disciplines we work in at ESI – physical, media, systems, graphic and content – into holistic experiences. We see the [...]
LOCATION: Union Square, New York City In this episode, we encounter a 19 year old fashionista tuned into C.E.X. (pronounced “sex”) and Bobbie Gentry’s “Chickasaw County Child” on the mix CD he dubs “Flux;” an 80 year old former jazz trombonist and musician’s union cardholder tuned to the US Airforce Big Band – aka, “The [...]
LOCATION: UNION SQUARE, NEW YORK CITY In this special all-iPod episode of “Walkman Busting,” we listen in with: 1) RENE, a Cuban immigrant who loves Cher because she always changes, hates Cuban music “because it always stays the same.” 2) LIZ, a radical student listening to underground hiphop artist and political activist Saul Williams. 3) [...]
LOCATION: Union Square, New York City These busts include a teenager and his skateboard crew who are in shock and awe that the interviewer has not heard of “Sublime;” a man who lets us listen with him as he “faces” a CD that he hasn’t been able to listen to for five years; and a [...]
LOCATION: Union Square, New York City These busts include some goth-rave kids still out on the town from the night before, clad in party gear. Morgana interprets the tough and bleak lyrics of R&B singer Jo, while the ever-upbeat “Seven” regales us with some underground music that hasn’t “surfaced” yet. Fifty feet away from this [...]
LOCATION: Union Square, New York City In this episode, we first encounter a young woman listening to the one-stringed berimbao of capoeira music. She is an avid practitioner of the Brazilian martial art dance. Fifty feet away, we meet a couple of rocker girls in high-school who complain about the “weird cult-like music” of the [...]
LOCATION: Metro North Hudson River commuter train Busts on the train include Sister with her nephew and niece, who were returning from Sing-Sing prison where they visited Sister’s son in jail. She is listening to Jaheim’s “Keep Your H-E-A-D-U-P.” Also, Elijah, a college radio DJ listening to “emo” punk, who tells tales of the mosh [...]
LOCATION: Union Square, New York City These busts include a man deeply involved in his “Disney’s Greatest Hits” compilations who is especially adept at interpreting the lyrics from “The Little Mermaid.” Another self-described “dinosaur” listens to the likes of Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters. He calls Rosemary Clooney’s “Mambo Italiano” rock and roll. Lastly, [...]
