Thursday, June 17, 2010

Theme Thursday - Camera

"I am a camera with its shutter open, quite passive, recording, not thinking." - Christopher Isherwood, Goodbye to Berlin, 1939







Music videos this week: In 1979 and 1980 Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes wrote and were in the process of recording a song called "I Am a Camera", which was included in their second and last album in 1981 as The Buggles, Adventures in Modern Recording. A nice synth-pop tune that's a lot of fun to listen to:


But in between the the recording and the release in 1980 Horn and Downes became members of the current iteration of Yes, Horn replacing Jon Anderson on vocals and Downes sitting amidst the sea of keyboards made famous by Tony Kaye and Rick Wakeman. They released one album - Drama - and went on tour. After the tour Yes split up yet again (they keep doing that, and Wakeman keeps coming back, and in one reiteration in the '90s Wakeman and Kaye appeared together in the line-up). "I Am a Camera" underwent a Yes transformation and was included on Drama (and as a single) with a new name - "Into the Lens". This version is far more dramatic, very much in the Yes progressive rock mode. I like this version a lot better, but then I've been a total Yes freak since their first album, so I may be biased.


The camera will quit recording now so you can go look at the other Theme Thursday participants.

Photos & text © 2009 & 2010 by A. Roy Hilbinger

12 comments:

  1. these are some brilliant shots roy...i love b&w...the graves shot is just amazing...and the guiter shot is my second fav...happy tt!

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  2. gorgeous photos, as always, Roy! This theme was just perfect for you, wasn't it!?

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  3. I love these photos. Just love them!

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  4. Wonderful pictures. The graveyard shot is terrific, filled with drama. You and I posted the same song this week. I too am a camera!

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  5. I,too,loved your photos. Your Isherwood "I am a Camera" quote really popped with me, since one of his short stories became "Cabaret", a show I love and have seen many times. Ahh...memories. Your response to my TT piece tells me that you have a lot of expertise in the camera arena. It's a really fun place to adventure; I go there on occasion...but in a very beginner,learning way.

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  6. Oooh, you don't often show us the b&w shots. I like!

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  7. GAH! I totally forgot about the Yes remake! For shame, me...

    Awesome winter scene of the cemetary :)

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  8. I guess Brian Miller & I are on the same wavelength in terms of faves--but they're all great. Of course, you could guess I'd like the guitar shot! What guitar is that? It's sure been a long time since I heard Yes--great post.

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  9. Thanks everybody!

    John - That's an Epiphone Les Paul Special; pretty basic but still a Les Paul at a price I could afford.

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  10. I haven't yet dabbled in black and white but love the drama of it. Your snowy graveyard is awesome. Used to love Rick Wakeman,saw him a couple of times years ago. Fabulous hair darlink

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  11. The guitar body is one of the best things you've ever done. But beautiful.

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  12. I thought it looked Les Paul-like; hey, nothing wrong with an Epiphone Les Paul. I play a Regal & a Gold Tone resonator, not Nationals!

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