a bit of sad news to wake up to this morning. When it comes to Electronic Music, I place Bob Moog one step directly above Kraftwerk.
Musician Robert Moog diagnosed with brain tumor By Paul Clark Asheville Citizen-Times STAFF WRITER published: August 18, 2005 6:00 am ASHEVILLE Robert Moog, whose Moog synthesizers charted a new course for music in the late 1960s, has a brain tumor that may be inoperable, according to a Web site that keeps friends and fans abreast of his treatment. Moog, 71, felt the first symptoms in his arm in late March, his wife, Ileana Grams, professor of philosophy emeritus at UNC Asheville, wrote on CaringBridge.com. By the end of a lovely trip to Alaska, it was bad enough to check in with his doctor. The MRI showed the tumor on April 28, she said. Bob went for a second opinion at Duke on May 10 and was told that it was inoperable because of the location. On May 16, he had a biopsy at Duke. He started to lose leg function a few days later. By May 27, he could no longer use his left leg. Grams wrote that Moogs tumor is a glioblastoma multiforme, which the Web site emedicine.com states is a malignant tumor for which no significant advances in treatment have developed in the last 25 years. Most therapies lessen suffering, and patients with the best of care can expect to live about a year after diagnosis, the Web site states. Moog has settled on a course of conventional and nutritional therapy, according to the family messages on the Web site. The Citizen-Times was unable to contact the family Wednesday. Its as you would expect, an extremely difficult time for them, said Han Fjellestad, who directed the documentary Moog, shown at the Asheville Film Festival last November. Fjellestad receives e-mails from Grams every couple of weeks updating Moogs condition. This summers pretty much all about his treatment and the various therapies that theyve decided on, Fjellestad said from his home in San Diego. Its a shock, obviously. Bob has a lot more to offer to the world of music and even outside the world of music. I really hope hes able to continue his work. In 1954 at 19, Moog began building early forms of electronic instruments. Ten years later, he introduced the synthesizer. Moog synthesizers were used on the Beatles Abbey Road, by George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic and by fusion jazz artists Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock. Moog, who lives in Asheville, received a Technical Grammy in 2002. Michael Adams, president of Moog Music, said its premature to say what Moogs condition might mean for the Riverside Drive company, where the instruments are made. We are all here working hard to honor the 50 years that he put into this business, Adams said. We are just staying focused on what were doing in the hopes that he recovers and that his genius is felt again. Contact Clark at 232-5854 or [EMAIL PROTECTED] ON THE NET: To follow family updates on Robert Moogs condition, go to www.caringbridge.com. To learn more about Robert Moogs inventions, go to www.moogmusic.com. http://www.drumtopia.com/news/04_09/Moog_Movie_Music.html
