OK, so one of my favorite all-time composers is Laurie Anderson. She writes music that people like, she has a fabulous sense of humor, and she has a wonderful sense of style (musical, hair, clothes, visual, you name it). She's just plain cool.
When I'm not working at Atala these days, I also serve as the President of the Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States (SEAMUS). Each year this organization votes for one person who exemplifies what music technology means over the course of a lifetime. This year, I had the awesome fortune of Laurie Anderson winning that award. I had the even better fortune of her attending the conference, sitting at the head table, and shaking my hand. The cool factor was so high I can't begin to describe it. 250 nerds and geeks (and I count myself among them) attended this conference (that Colby and I hosted) who so admire this woman and what she's accomplished. What a fantastic, once-in-a-lifetime event.
Funny story #1: Laurie Anderson calls me on my cell (so now I have her personal cell number!) and tells me she was preparing for a short performance at the SEAMUS Conference banquet. In preparing for the performance, somehow she managed to glue her tongue to the top of her mouth. She calls me on my cell to tell me the bad news. But she's been to the pharmacy and is still coming to the banquet. Who glues their tongue to the roof to the roof of their mouth? Funny, in a painful way.
Funny story #2: My friend and (former FIU) colleague Paula is also a big Laurie Anderson fan. She was so very excited when I invited her to sit at the head table with Laurie. OK, so I'm taking Laurie to the women's restroom when she arrives because she has her tongue glued to the top of her mouth, and in walks Paula need to use the bathroom. Paula walks in, sees Laurie Anderson standing there, and turns right around and walks out. I had to go out to the hall and drag Paula back in assuring her that using the restroom would no way bother Laurie Anderson. Definitely my favorite happenstance of the conference.
Spread your wings!
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