For The Love of the 808

 I was doing some research on one of my favorite instruments, the Roland TR-808 or 808 for short, and of course it took me down an electronic/hip hop rabbit hole of gold. I also learned that the 808 had very humble beginnings...People thought it had a weird sound...Well, it showed everyone in the end by becoming one of the most iconic instruments in electronic/hip hop music history.

"By the time it hit the shelves, the early machine was in direct competition with Roger Linn’s far superior LM-1 Drum Computer, a drum machine which actually sounded pretty comparable to real drums. Roland’s TR-808 sounded thin and electronic by comparison, and at this time there simply wasn’t an appreciation for electronic music in the wider mainstream.

While Roland’s box was reasonably priced (a modest $1,195 to the LM-1’s spendy $4,495), the machine was discontinued in 1983 thanks to poor sales and a reputation for sounding, well, weird. And it did sound weird – the collection of sounds were full analogue, made up of synth tones and white noise, and sounded more akin to bursts coming from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop than they did a proper rhythm section, a point that slowly managed to help the machine achieve cult status.

While there were a few smart early adopters, it took the machine’s supposed uselessness to give it a new lease of life. By the time it was discontinued the unloved Roland Rhythm Composer was a regular fixture in junk shops and pawn shops, and was easy to pick up for under $100. This made it rather attractive to a new wave of producers who had no interest in making their drums sound realistic or slick, and the machine had suddenly found itself at the center of a new wave of electronic music." —Factmag.com

So, if you ever feel rejected, dejected, overlooked...remember the 808! And hey, if you love it as much as me, perhaps you'd like a small painting of it? Check out my latest video where I showcase some of my artwork, including a painting of the 808!

So, on this journey I began listening to some new tunes, and one of them caught me off guard when they said my name (Pebble) in the song! Naturally, I had to share it on my music blog. Listen closely and see if you catch it...and those iconic 808 sounds.

Boogie Down Productions: "South Bronx"

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You have to check out this man-made robotic 808. This is the coolest thing! Please support this musical genius, he doesn't have nearly enough subscribers:

MR-808 Robotic Drum Machine - Sonic Robots