In 1976 Don Spanner & I were students
in the Creative Electronics program
Fanshawe College, London Ontario
that April it became M.I.A.
Music Industry Arts
It was a special time
blindfold weekends - 3 hour classes
listening to whales, Walter/Wendy Carlos, John Cage & Tomita
in the dark - experimental listening
the earliest days of M.I.A. there
a liberal arts recording studio/program
in a community college
in southwestern ontario
dedicated to sound
psycho-acoustics
way cool
later at home
Pink Floyd, Supertramp, 10cc, Jethro Tull
and an endless mix of amazing music
happening then
He was a year ahead of me
3rd year when I was in 2nd and we never really connected
Don was the quiet little guy
who always carried his special/expensive acoustic guitar w/him
inseparable
A folky. I was a rock guy so ya
A quiet smile in the hallway or hearing him play it
in the lounge by himself, later on
strumming & singing
that voice - unique
from a distance
Always thinking ... 'what's really going on there?'
These 3rd year guys
are mysterious
A month later, I was down in the dark crevices of the studio
I caught this being played the day after it was mixed
The first verse blasting on the studio speakers
just 3 of us there
peeking in
I was always snooping around
wondering what the 3rd year guys were doing
curious
Journey Song's mastermind
Mike Jackson (about to graduate)
welcomed me in to listen
in the back, in the dark
my jaw slowly dropping
as it played loud
he wanted my honest opinion
who does that anymore?
It changed my life
I was ready to leave Fanshawe after that 2nd year
(just a few months away)
A lot of unrest in the program/changes
most did leave
After hearing this
I walked out of that studio knowing
I had to finish this program
finish my final year
and graduate
This was the magic I came here for
I'm so glad I did that
Connecting w/Don recently
via Facebook
45 years later - a fond remembrance
of a timeless classic
