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The CD, in memoriam

The dust of progress is collecting on the compact disc.
Mr Tickle - Wachoo Wachoo Tribe Congressman
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The dust of progress is collecting on the compact disc.

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kplu/local-kplu-948388.mp3

It's a sign of the times for the lowly CD: Sony closes a huge CD manufacturing plant, and the same week the band Cake sells a dismal 44,000 copies, the lowest ever for a number one album.

Downloads and file sharing are undeniably edging out the Compact Disc. So, in memoriam, we offer a retrospective of the short but flashy career of the venerable CD.

  • Why is a CD 74 minutes?
    Because it was decided that Beethoven's 9th Symphony should fit on one disc. 
  • The very first CD ever released in the US?
    Billy Joel's 52nd Street. 

Episode #102 of Record Bin Roulettefeatures guest appearances from Def Leppard, Michael Jackson and The Eagles.  

R.I.P.

John has worked as a professional bassist for 20 years, including a 15 year stint as Musical Director of the Mountain Stage radio program. John has been at KNKX since 1999 where he hosts “All Blues”, is producer of the BirdNote radio program, and co-hosts “Record Bin Roulette”. John is also the recording engineer for KNKX “In-Studio Performances”. Not surprisingly, John's main musical interests are jazz and blues, and he is still performing around Seattle.
John Maynard started working in radio in the seventies as a DJ at Seattle’s KJR AM which at the time was the dominant AM station in the Seattle market. After a brief stint as a restaurateur and night club owner, Maynard returned to radio with Robin Erickson, creating the hugely popular “Robin and Maynard Show.” In the more than 20 years under that marquee, Maynard flew with the Blue Angels, piloted the Goodyear Blimp, sang with Donny Osmond and hung out in a Universal Studios bar with Kojak (Telly Savalas).