News and Press from 2000

October 13, 2000
Sandpoint, ID - The Recordist was allowed full access to the "Quad" ski lift at Schweitzer Mountain ski resort. On this cold and extremely foggy day we recorded the sound of the cable passing over the tower pulley wheels, the gigantic electric motor that moves the cable, chairs dettaching and reattaching to the cable, complete lift shut-down and restart and an 800,000 watt Detroit Diesel generator. By the end of the session the temperature was down to 37 degrees and it was time to pack it in. Snow was on the way!

July 12 , 2000
Gig Harbor, WA - In the quest for more electric motor sounds, We were allowed access to airplanes at the Tacoma Narrows Airport. We recorded wing flap hydraulic servo motors and a "tug" which is the electric vehicle that moves planes around the tarmac. We had the entire tarmac avaiable to drive the tug around at super high speeds and crazy circular patterns.

July 4, 2000
Sandpoint, ID - Rarely does a fireworks display company let anyone near the location of setting off the explosives. Well, The Recordist was fortunate enough to get close, real close. Check out the demo mp3 [351K] on the downloads page.

April 14, 2000
Seattle, WA - The Recordist went on a loud and dusty journey through the Shuffleton Steam Power Plant. The plant is now shut down and scheduled for demolition. Electricity still flows through the plant, there was nothing built in to disconnect it from the modern power grid, so some of the turbines and pumps were still working. A man named "Monster" gave a wonderful tour of the facility then recording commenced. This is a huge building, 14 stories tall with huge windows meant to blow out in case of an "accident"

See more photos and info on the project.

We were able to throw large pieces of wood through thewindows and hurl metal beams off the balcony.

What was recorded: Water pumps, Turbine pumps, Large electric circuit breakers, Chain hoists, Electric hoists Overhead cranes, Power transformers, Huge metal doors, Freight elevators, Metal crashes and Glass crashes.