The Beat Goes On
† Calendarium of Deceased Musicians 2012 †
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Foreword of the 2012 edition
Esteemed music lovers, treasured repeat customers, dear newborn lambs:
Welcome to the second (English) edition of our little (German) book, the Calendarium of Deceased Musicians for 2012. Indeed, the German language version is celebrating its fifth birthday this year, and what better time to acquaint you with our ragtag parallel universe?
But first we must take a side trip to Bautzen, a town of some 30,000 souls in the heart of Saxony, in formerly socialist East Germany, that has put up with a lot in its thousand year history, most recently the ravages of rampant westernization, and before that some 40 years of membership in the club of Soviet satellite nations. I mention the place because you'll see its name here over and over; we're assuming that it can put also up with the notoriety of being the birthplace of this book.
In the 8 years since the first belches that became the pages before you now, a lot has changed. The project's progenitors have moved to the big city and gotten tangled up in "adult" life: They are concerned with things like paying rent and making babies- there have been births and deaths, upheavals and drudgery; but still, somehow, an ever growing collection of passionate contributors has found time to engage in a by now sacred pastime, namely: imbibing heavily on a weekly basis as an excuse to argue about how to proceed in the making of the calendar. In fi ts and starts, we've developed a reputation and taken on the, ahem, ballast (?) of linguistic diversity; it slowly became clear to the core group that a strict adherence to German syntax wasn't going to accommodate the growing faction concerned with things on a global (even astronomical) scale. So, in lieu of an edition in Martian, English was chosen as an arena for expansion.
We understand that it's a bit of a stretch, but this is the challenge that we lay humbly at your feet: all over the world, folks are concerned with similar (if not identical) themes, important themes like life, death, and rock-n-roll. We'd like you to step outside of your comfort zones, and into ours. And see how nice it is over here, where we know all about life, death, and, oh you know. Of course we do. We make this book. C'mon in, the water's fine, little lamb...
Phil Freeborn / Edition Observatör (July 2011)
Press InfoWelcome to the second (English) edition of our little (German) book, the Calendarium of Deceased Musicians for 2012. Indeed, the German language version is celebrating its fifth birthday this year, and what better time to acquaint you with our ragtag parallel universe?
But first we must take a side trip to Bautzen, a town of some 30,000 souls in the heart of Saxony, in formerly socialist East Germany, that has put up with a lot in its thousand year history, most recently the ravages of rampant westernization, and before that some 40 years of membership in the club of Soviet satellite nations. I mention the place because you'll see its name here over and over; we're assuming that it can put also up with the notoriety of being the birthplace of this book.
In the 8 years since the first belches that became the pages before you now, a lot has changed. The project's progenitors have moved to the big city and gotten tangled up in "adult" life: They are concerned with things like paying rent and making babies- there have been births and deaths, upheavals and drudgery; but still, somehow, an ever growing collection of passionate contributors has found time to engage in a by now sacred pastime, namely: imbibing heavily on a weekly basis as an excuse to argue about how to proceed in the making of the calendar. In fi ts and starts, we've developed a reputation and taken on the, ahem, ballast (?) of linguistic diversity; it slowly became clear to the core group that a strict adherence to German syntax wasn't going to accommodate the growing faction concerned with things on a global (even astronomical) scale. So, in lieu of an edition in Martian, English was chosen as an arena for expansion.
We understand that it's a bit of a stretch, but this is the challenge that we lay humbly at your feet: all over the world, folks are concerned with similar (if not identical) themes, important themes like life, death, and rock-n-roll. We'd like you to step outside of your comfort zones, and into ours. And see how nice it is over here, where we know all about life, death, and, oh you know. Of course we do. We make this book. C'mon in, the water's fine, little lamb...
Phil Freeborn / Edition Observatör (July 2011)
Edition Observatör proudly presents:
The Beat Goes On - Calendarium of Deceased Musicians 2012.
It's not easy being a musician. Drugs, Protestant terrorist organizations, poorly grounded equipment, lack of proper training in the use of firearms, falsely calculated currents in the Mississippi River, jealous wives, rolling bales of hay, cocktail cherries and the limitations of the human liver can end a musical career more quickly than most people would think.
Thus, it's only right and natural that there's now a reference work in the form of a practical, pocket-sized calendar that pays tribute to some 1500 deceased musicians. The Beat Goes On tells you who died on which day and provides fascinating details about musicians' lives, works and often untimely deaths. Every time you jot down a dinner date, court appointment, wedding or upcoming concert, you'll be reminded of when a musician made his final journey up to rock'n'roll Olympus or down into the Hades of obscurity. In addition, our "Death of Week" feature pays extended homage to the musical greats and not-so-greats of yesteryear.
The calendar, designed in the form of a religious chapbook, can serve as a reminder of forgotten heroes, a source of inspiration or just an amusing way to pass the time on the bus. The tone is less somber than celebratory, and readers are invited to share a chuckle at the stupidity with which many a musical titan contributed to his or her own downfall. Many entries also include recommendations for further listening/reading/viewing from our ever helpful editorial staff. So take a trip down memory lane and revisit the favorite bands of your childhood or your parents' or grandparents. Grab a beer from the fridge, dust off your LP collection and tune up the guitar. 'Cause the beat is about to go on!
The Beat Goes On // Calendarium of Deceased Musicians 2012 // 480 pages
linen-engaged hard cover with gold embossing, rounded corners and ribbon
Price: EUR 14,90 // ISBN 978-3-940029-84-3
The Beat Goes On - Calendarium of Deceased Musicians 2012.
It's not easy being a musician. Drugs, Protestant terrorist organizations, poorly grounded equipment, lack of proper training in the use of firearms, falsely calculated currents in the Mississippi River, jealous wives, rolling bales of hay, cocktail cherries and the limitations of the human liver can end a musical career more quickly than most people would think.
Thus, it's only right and natural that there's now a reference work in the form of a practical, pocket-sized calendar that pays tribute to some 1500 deceased musicians. The Beat Goes On tells you who died on which day and provides fascinating details about musicians' lives, works and often untimely deaths. Every time you jot down a dinner date, court appointment, wedding or upcoming concert, you'll be reminded of when a musician made his final journey up to rock'n'roll Olympus or down into the Hades of obscurity. In addition, our "Death of Week" feature pays extended homage to the musical greats and not-so-greats of yesteryear.
The calendar, designed in the form of a religious chapbook, can serve as a reminder of forgotten heroes, a source of inspiration or just an amusing way to pass the time on the bus. The tone is less somber than celebratory, and readers are invited to share a chuckle at the stupidity with which many a musical titan contributed to his or her own downfall. Many entries also include recommendations for further listening/reading/viewing from our ever helpful editorial staff. So take a trip down memory lane and revisit the favorite bands of your childhood or your parents' or grandparents. Grab a beer from the fridge, dust off your LP collection and tune up the guitar. 'Cause the beat is about to go on!
The Beat Goes On // Calendarium of Deceased Musicians 2012 // 480 pages
linen-engaged hard cover with gold embossing, rounded corners and ribbon
Price: EUR 14,90 // ISBN 978-3-940029-84-3
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