Whole Lotta Theremin
I love History Detectives on PBS for many reasons, particularly because it piques my curiosity. In the theremin episode they talked about the instrument’s usage in popular music of the 60′s. Off I went to Google, Wikipedia and eventually to YouTube.
A theremin is a musical instrument you play with out touching! It was one of the first electronic instruments and a major influence on Robert Moog, the inventor of the Moog Synthesizer. It was often use to add creepy music to films like Spellbound, The Lost Weekend and in 50′s era sci-fi movies.
In seeking out its usage in popular music I was transported back to a summer in the early 70′s; Whole Lotta Love blasting from the speakers at Ashfield Lake, my Aunt complaining “what is this noise?” Turns out the iconic sound in the so called “orgasm section” is Jimmy Page playing the theremin. Here is a video of Jimmy demonstrating the theremin to the Edge. The guy is a genius!
Date: July 9, 2010
Categories: observations