When Marshall McLuhan proposed his idea to create an audio companion piece to the landmark 1967 book (co-created by graphic designer Quentin Fiore & coordinated by Jerome Agel); The Medium is the Massage, no one quite knew what to expect. The book itself brilliantly captured McLuhan's theories on media and technology, arguing that the medium by which information is transferred to people was more important then the actual content being relayed. He hoped that an audio recording would help give greater depth to his theories, and in the late 1960s, McLuhan along with Jerome Agel and producer John Simon went to work on a record of the same name. Using audio clips of McLuhan speaking, often interrupted by discordant sounds and other voices interjecting, they created a thought-provoking, sometimes whimsical patchwork of sounds and ideas that illustrated the complex relationship between people, media and technology. Over 40 years since its release, The Medium is the Massage continue! s to challenge listeners to think about media and communications in new ways. Included in the gatefold paste-on package is a 40 page booklet featuring original essays by DJ Spooky and Michael Vasquez, original artwork by Winston Smith, testimonials by Jello Biafra, John Sinclair, DJ Food, Don Joyce from Negativland, Dick Cavett, Woody Allen and others, as well as a collection of previously unpublished photos from the original recording sessions. ... the medium is the massage? File Under: Electronic
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