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How To Wreck A Nice Beach – The Vocoder From World War II To Hip Hop – The Machine Speaks (expanded paperback with bonus 45)

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The story of the vocoder – presented in the coolest way possible! The book is way more than just a study of the famous voice-transforming technology – as it's put together with lots and lots of vintage photos, color images, and other illuminating features – all of which make the book as much of a visual delight as it is a fascinating history of the vocoder! The book traces the machine's early use by the military, checks its progress through the middle of the 20th Century, then focuses strongly on its importance in pop music from the 60s onward – all written in a way that mixes deep research and keen insight with some playful perspective that really keeps things interesting. Author Dave Tompkins has done some great stuff for Wax Poetics – and the book is the first full effort from Stop Smiling's new press – and in a way, the aesthetic here is kind of the best of both of those worlds! Paperback contains a new Rammellzee appreciation, 16 new pages, and is in full-color with loads of amazing pictures – even better presentation than the hardcover version! Plus, you also get a bonus 45 – a totally great little single – very limited, and issued as a co-production between Stop Smiling and PPU, in support of Dave Tompkins' great book on the vocoder! The set brings together some of the excellent rare electro club tracks that PPU is always great at digging up – in a cool pic sleeve cover, pressed on green vinyl too! The set features special edits just for the package – "You're A Peachtree Freak On Peachtree Street (Tom Noble edit)", "Brainwash (Army of Shadows Edit)", and "Biter's Dub (all you have is your teeth edit)"  © 1996-2013, Dusty Groove, Inc.