heartbreaking news
Moderator: TapeOpCraig
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heartbreaking news
Each year at the Tape Op conference, Electrical Audio hosts a free poker tournament. The winner of the tournament gets a free day in the studio including tape and other necessities. This year, another studio also donated a day, making the prize worth several thousand dollars. Naturally, a free chance to have a couple of sessions in nice studios attracted a lot of attention from the attendees, all of whom love a bargain. The early favorite and eventual winner of this year's tournament was a fellow named Samuel Zawada, who accumulated an enormous chip lead over the course of the weekend. In addition to attending the conference, he and his fianc?e Valerie McGregor were busy getting ready to travel back to Colorado for their upcoming wedding.
On July 3, while driving back to Colorado, the pickup the couple were riding in rolled over in New Mexico, killing both of them. On Saturday, July 8, the date of their planned wedding, the couple's families gathered at the church in Lafayette, Colorado, for a memorial service instead.
I am grateful that I had the pleasure of meeting Samuel, and that we spent many fine hours playing cards and talking about our common interests, music and recording. In particular, he was a fan of Zao, a band whose most recent album I had worked on, and he was happy to learn that they were all swell fellows. Samuel impressed me immediately as a smart and enthusiastic guy, a good poker player and a pleasure to be around. I had been looking forward to his session at our studio and getting to know him better, and news of his death came as a shock. I did not get to meet Valerie, but Sam spoke fondly of her, and I'm sure she was as terrific as he said.
Everyone at Electrical Audio would like to extend our sympathy to the families of Samuel and Valerie, in the grip of such a terrible tragedy. Our hearts break for them.
On July 3, while driving back to Colorado, the pickup the couple were riding in rolled over in New Mexico, killing both of them. On Saturday, July 8, the date of their planned wedding, the couple's families gathered at the church in Lafayette, Colorado, for a memorial service instead.
I am grateful that I had the pleasure of meeting Samuel, and that we spent many fine hours playing cards and talking about our common interests, music and recording. In particular, he was a fan of Zao, a band whose most recent album I had worked on, and he was happy to learn that they were all swell fellows. Samuel impressed me immediately as a smart and enthusiastic guy, a good poker player and a pleasure to be around. I had been looking forward to his session at our studio and getting to know him better, and news of his death came as a shock. I did not get to meet Valerie, but Sam spoke fondly of her, and I'm sure she was as terrific as he said.
Everyone at Electrical Audio would like to extend our sympathy to the families of Samuel and Valerie, in the grip of such a terrible tragedy. Our hearts break for them.
Best,
-steve albini
Electrical Audio
sa at electrical dot com
www dot electrical dot com
-steve albini
Electrical Audio
sa at electrical dot com
www dot electrical dot com
- hauser gabone
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I sat next to Samuel at "Larry's Late Show" during this year's TapeOpCon. I had never met him before, and it was quite a coincidence to discover that we were both from Denver. We exchanged email addresses and planned to talk more in the future.
I never did get the chance to know Samuel very well, but even in the short time I talked to him, he spoke lovingly of his fiance and his future plans with her. He also mentioned that he was cleaning up at the poker table, and was very much enjoying the opportunity to play poker with Steve.
We have a local music site here called the Denver Message Board that also had a short thread dedicated to Samuel and his fiance. Click here.
I never did get the chance to know Samuel very well, but even in the short time I talked to him, he spoke lovingly of his fiance and his future plans with her. He also mentioned that he was cleaning up at the poker table, and was very much enjoying the opportunity to play poker with Steve.
We have a local music site here called the Denver Message Board that also had a short thread dedicated to Samuel and his fiance. Click here.
- Russian Recording
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- wayne kerr
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I'm super sad to hear of this. Thanks Steve for posting and your kind words. Tape Op Mag and TapeOpCon send their condolences to the family and friends.
Larry Crane, Editor/Founder Tape Op Magazine
please visit www.tapeop.com for contact information
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www.larry-crane.com
please visit www.tapeop.com for contact information
(do not send private messages via this board!)
www.larry-crane.com
but what a way to go! no doubt they were enjoying themselves for weeks on end. music... AZ/NM... poker with peers and heroes... tape op fun... i am saddened by our loss for what could have been, it seems they would have had great times ahead, too.
what could we do with that studio time to honor them?
what could we do with that studio time to honor them?
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Maybe donate it to a local music school for kids or something? Or save it all up and double the prize for next year's poker game and make it a tribute game.
Larry Crane, Editor/Founder Tape Op Magazine
please visit www.tapeop.com for contact information
(do not send private messages via this board!)
www.larry-crane.com
please visit www.tapeop.com for contact information
(do not send private messages via this board!)
www.larry-crane.com
- Mark Alan Miller
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Oh my. Truely tragic.
Beautiful words, Steve...
Beautiful words, Steve...
he took a duck in the face at two and hundred fifty knots.
http://www.radio-valkyrie.com/ao/aoindex.htm - download the new record (free is an option!) or get it on CD.
http://www.radio-valkyrie.com/ao/aoindex.htm - download the new record (free is an option!) or get it on CD.
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- zen recordist
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Name the game after him. Every year it should be the memorial poker game.TapeOpLarry wrote:Maybe donate it to a local music school for kids or something? Or save it all up and double the prize for next year's poker game and make it a tribute game.
That is incredibly sad. I am about to get married, and putting myself in that situation is absolutely heartbreaking,....
Sincerely,
-Joel
- JGriffin
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There's a good idea.joel hamilton wrote:
Name the game after him. Every year it should be the memorial poker game.
My condolences to the families.
"Jeweller, you've failed. Jeweller."
"Lots of people are nostalgic for analog. I suspect they're people who never had to work with it." ? Brian Eno
All the DWLB music is at http://dwlb.bandcamp.com/
"Lots of people are nostalgic for analog. I suspect they're people who never had to work with it." ? Brian Eno
All the DWLB music is at http://dwlb.bandcamp.com/
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