Bureau of Lost Culture The Sonic Explorer of the Psychedelic Frontier
May 25, 2025
Doug McKechnie, an unsung pioneer of electronic music, shares his groundbreaking journey through San Francisco's counterculture scene of the 1960s. He recounts his early experimentation with the Moog synthesizer, turning it into a portal for transforming consciousness. Doug's marathon performances were immersive experiences rather than mere shows, often filled with voltage explorations alongside legends like The Grateful Dead. The conversation also touches on the resurgence of lost musical treasures and the lasting impact of experimental sound on modern music.
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First Encounter with Moog Synthesizer
- Doug McKechnie received one of the first Moog synthesizers through his friend Bruce Hatch, who purchased it for $8,000.
- Bruce assembled the machine and introduced Doug to its operation, sparking Doug's deep fascination with electronic sound exploration.
Moog as Human Voice Analogy
- Doug described the Moog as a vocal cord, mouth, and tongue analog, allowing him to articulate and shape novel sounds with voltage controls.
- He relished the unpredictability of the instrument, improvising stories with a beginning, middle, and end, rejecting traditional melody playing.
Altamont Festival Moog Incident
- At Altamont Festival 1969, Doug played the Moog synthesizer at sunrise, starting a siren from subsonic frequencies upward.
- The sound operator, possibly influenced by acid, shut his sound off unaware the needles' movements were subsonic and silent to the audience.
