wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Soundcheck

Tuesday, March 09, 2004
  • German cabaret star Hans-Eckardt Wenzel
    German cabaret star Hans-Eckardt Wenzel

    From iPods to Dust Bowl Ballads

    Songwriting legend Woody Guthrie left behind more than 3,000 songs when he died in 1967. His daughter Nora Guthrie maintains an archive of this material, and every so often, she handpicks a musician to set his lyrics to music. The most recent (and unlikely) selection for an anointed performer is the German cabaret star Hans-Eckardt Wenzel. Both Guthrie and Wenzel join us for a live performance. Also on the show: you've seen them walking like ghosts along the sidewalks, oblivious of pedestrians, and having regular near misses with taxis and cyclists. Yes, we're talking about iPod users. These enormously popular devices (and the various other MP3 player brethren) have overtaken New York this year. Today, we look at their popularity with New York Times writer Warren St. John and Village Voice contributor Izzy Grinspan.

The Ill Effects of Urban Noise

Soundcheck

Soundcheck received an overwhelming response to our segment on the effects of urban noise. So much so that Arline Bronzaft decided to address the feedback. Listen to the original segment and read Bronzaft's response.