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Book Nook provides readers with insights into the world of books. Vick Mickunas takes you into the center of the publishing world with the latest book buzz, book reviews, and exclusive chats with authors..Home > Blogs > Book Nook > Archives > 2011 > June > 09 > Entry
Come on and feel the noise…
Over the years I have interviewed many authors over the telephone. Back when I used to do a live radio show on weekday afternoons I had minimal control over the quality of the phone connections I was making with the authors. They could be noisy connections. Very noisy. You took what you got.
I started interviewing authors in 1994. Cell phone sound quality has improved quite a lot since then. There were many interviews done via cell phone. One author was driving her car through Beverly Hills. Her voice kept fading in and out. Another author was on a moving train passing through New Jersey. You could hear the station announcements and his fellow passengers in the background.
Buzz Aldrin called in on his cell phone from the train station in Philadelphia. That was noisy. Garrison Keillor called in from a pay phone at the Dayton airport. You could hear the flight announcements: “final call for United Airlines Flight 3727 to Benghazi at Gate 22b….”
Even when cell phones are not involved you can have lots of background noise. Dogs barking. Sirens. Air conditioning units. Horns honking. One author sounded like he was inside a closet with his dog.
Recently I taped an interview with Tom Franklin. Now that we tape my interviews in advance I have the luxury of being able to clean up bad sound. But that de-noising can only go so far. My interview with Tom Franklin was noisy. We were talking about his latest novel, “Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter” and he was at home in Mississippi.
Now I understand that Tom Franklin has several young children. That could explain his decision to take his portable phone outside for the interview. He lives in a busy neighborhood. We were able to edit out a lot of the background noise. But not all of it.
If you listen to the interview this Sunday morning at 11 on WYSO (91.3fm) you’ll hear what I’m talking about. Birds are singing. Planes are flying overhead. Big trucks are passing by. His phone is creating static. You can hear him smoking a cigar. We edited out the coughing. Come on, feel the noise.
And you can follow me now on Twitter: @BookNookVick
(And no, I was not inspired to get on Twitter by the hijinks of a certain Congressman Weiner.:)
Vick Mickunas
Permalink | Comments (8) | Post your comment | Categories: confessions of a galley slave
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By vick
June 11, 2011 1:48 PM | Link to this
Good one, Raoul….
By Raoul
June 11, 2011 11:36 AM | Link to this
I saw Spinal Tap during their “Smell the Glove” tour and I heard that all of their amps were turned up to “11”, which is one more than most amps.
By Sonicjeem
June 10, 2011 1:02 PM | Link to this
Say what? Black Oak Arkansas, James Gang, Johnny Winter, Ziggy Marley — all painfully loud. Why?
By truth in advertising
June 10, 2011 12:55 PM | Link to this
I remember hearing about a grateful dead concert where the bass speaker was 54”. Apparently at that size the low hertz induces involuntary intestinal responses…
By Mark from St Paul
June 10, 2011 12:30 PM | Link to this
Loudest show I ever saw was David Byrne in Des Moines. Before the show started a roadie came out and tapped his finger on the center mic and my pant leg moved.
By vick
June 10, 2011 12:19 PM | Link to this
Ah yes, I too have fond memories of the permanent hearing damage I got from standing in close proximity to the speakers at rock concerts; KISS, Ted Nugent, AC/DC, The Who, etc….
By Audiologist
June 10, 2011 11:37 AM | Link to this
I felt the noise at a KISS concert once. 4 eight foot speakers blaring. My jeans were actually moving.
By lmj
June 9, 2011 7:55 PM | Link to this
Vick, I’ve become unretired and taken a job at a call center. Most amazing to me (other than people’s lack of phone etiquette - yelling at kids, eating, etc.) is that I have talked to people from Great Britain, Canada, France, Italy, Brazil and Norway and can hear and understand them as clearly as if I were standing next to them.