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 Posted:   Jun 10, 2012 - 8:55 AM   
 By:   mikael488   (Member)

I've read somewhere that Mickey Hart's version of the "beam" was a rip-off of Francisco Lupica's instrument (the "Cosmic Beam"). I reckon the same could be said about Huxley's "blaster beam".

Mr. Hart sometimes refererred to his instrument as a phytagorean mono-chord.

Don Peake made good use of the Blaster beam (played by Huxley) on the soundtrack to
The Hills Have Eyes (1977):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTDgaVL5zxw

Creepy sounding stuff!

 
 
 Posted:   Jun 12, 2012 - 11:46 AM   
 By:   Ubik   (Member)

More research finds that Craig actually patented his design of the Blaster Beam in 1984. He filed for the patent in 1982.

I can only speculate that neither Lazelle or Lupica minded. Or that Lazelle was no longer alive, and Lupica didn't wish to pursue the issue. As the patent was granted, it now stands to reason how Craig came to be known as the inventor of the instrument.


______________________

Many years ago Craig (then Hundley) asked me to take a look at an instrument called The Cosmic Beam played by a fellow named Francisco Lupica - I attended an open-air concert Mr. Lupica gave "somewhere" in Southern California ( Venice, IIRC ) and from a few brief glances at the instrument I knew I could build one.

So, with funding provided by Mr Hundley, I did

That instrument became Craig's Blaster Beam
FWIW, I built and hand-wound the original pickup as well but apparently that part has been replaced

So, now you know a bit more of the story ...


Many thanks to Snowleopard and pj geerlings for this very interesting (to me, anyway!) information.

 
 Posted:   Jun 12, 2012 - 12:43 PM   
 By:   Charles Thaxton   (Member)

Just curious -- I just came across this clip from 1978's "Doctor Strange" TV movie (composed by Phil Chihara) and immediately was reminded of Star Trek:TMP.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFCL0eCjnsA

Is that an early appearance of the blaster beam??



yep, forgot about that one. That would make a great CD release. BTW-it's PAUL Chihara.

 
 
 Posted:   Jul 10, 2012 - 8:58 PM   
 By:   Timetravel_0   (Member)

Hi. I really, really wanted the Beam Blaster sound in my music. I tried allll kinds of different soft synths, and then I realized that the only real way to play this instrument is to really play this instrument. So, I built an 8 foot version that turns out to produce the typical Beam Blaster sounds while also functioning as an 8 foot long bass lap steel. Below are links to it's facebook page and the first set of audio samples on youtube.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Makers-Bass/260878810689691

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-FOyddOULE&feature=youtu.be

 
 Posted:   Jul 10, 2012 - 10:05 PM   
 By:   atrac   (Member)

Just curious -- I just came across this clip from 1978's "Doctor Strange" TV movie (composed by Phil Chihara) and immediately was reminded of Star Trek:TMP.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFCL0eCjnsA

Is that an early appearance of the blaster beam??



yep, forgot about that one. That would make a great CD release. BTW-it's PAUL Chihara.


D'oh, that's what happens when my co-worker Phil is IM'ing me while trying to post on here. smile

Indeed, "Paul" Chihara! smile

And yes, it would make a terrific CD release.

 
 
 Posted:   Jul 11, 2012 - 10:31 AM   
 By:   Thgil   (Member)

T3 score incorporated the Beam as well. although it was in pretty bad condition and several strings were missing, etc...

Where in the score was it used?

 
 Posted:   Jul 11, 2012 - 12:08 PM   
 By:   David Kessler   (Member)

No mentioning of Craig Huxleys own music composed to ALLIGATOR?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XtAkQJWXHU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOISHc5TEYY&feature=related

in this score, the beam is used rather frequent smile

 
 
 Posted:   May 27, 2016 - 5:21 AM   
 By:   ralara   (Member)

It's been a few months, but I thought I would dig up this thread.

I managed to procure plans from Stearns on how to build a Beam, and a friend of mine and I are planning on making it our spring/summer project when the weather improves. Conceptually it doesn't look that impossible, it's not like we're building an engine, but first getting all the parts, then getting it to work will be the task.

To reiterate in my post from over a year ago, by all indication it was indeed John Lazelle who invented the Beam, in about 1970, maybe before that. He apparently sold the design to Francisco Lupica, who built several out of iron, and played them in various shows in the 1970's. He had to have some contact with Huxley, as Lupica gets a credit in Star Trek.

Why Huxley is viewed as being the inventor of the Beam is unknown. I think perhaps he built his own, and from aluminum, as opposed to the iron that Lupica used.


Hi snowleopard

I'm trying to put together a beam myself in the UK - do you have any information on these plans? I'm available at commanderralara@gmail.com

Many thanks!

 
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