And indeed you wouldn't, but not because the phonograph predates the evolution of the human brain's anti-credulity lobe. The reason old-timey people couldn't tell the difference between a phonograph and a live performance was that before the phonograph, *every live performance had a performer*.
November 3, 2026 at 2:32 PM
And indeed you wouldn't, but not because the phonograph predates the evolution of the human brain's anti-credulity lobe. The reason old-timey people couldn't tell the difference between a phonograph and a live performance was that before the phonograph, *every live performance had a performer*.
Now, if you've ever heard an Edison phonograph, this might seem like yet another tale in which old-timey people are revealed to be credulous yokels. *You* would never mistake one of those scratchy, hissing recordings for a live performance:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=96gI...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=96gI...
Watch a 1915 Edison A150 Diamond Disc Phonograph Play!!
YouTube video by The Phonograph Stop
www.youtube.com
November 3, 2026 at 2:32 PM
Now, if you've ever heard an Edison phonograph, this might seem like yet another tale in which old-timey people are revealed to be credulous yokels. *You* would never mistake one of those scratchy, hissing recordings for a live performance:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=96gI...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=96gI...
Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby
1943 Decca (8659) on my 1920 Sonora phonograph
1943 Decca (8659) on my 1920 Sonora phonograph
November 2, 2026 at 12:31 AM
Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby
1943 Decca (8659) on my 1920 Sonora phonograph
1943 Decca (8659) on my 1920 Sonora phonograph
The chatbots haven't gotten worse at impersonating humans, we've just gotten better at spotting the difference between a human and a bot, just as we got better at hearing the difference between a phonograph and a pianist.
November 3, 2026 at 2:32 PM
The chatbots haven't gotten worse at impersonating humans, we've just gotten better at spotting the difference between a human and a bot, just as we got better at hearing the difference between a phonograph and a pianist.
Edison set live performers and an Edison phonograph playing behind closed curtains that would be periodically pulled aside to reveal that the music the audience had taken to be live performance was actually a record player:
www.tomedison.org/blog/edisons...
www.tomedison.org/blog/edisons...
Edison’s Tone Tests: Discover the Magic at Edison Birthplace Museum
Discover the fascinating history of Edison’s Tone Tests at our historical site. Learn how Edison’s Tone Tests amazed audiences with phonograph magic!
www.tomedison.org
November 3, 2026 at 2:32 PM
Edison set live performers and an Edison phonograph playing behind closed curtains that would be periodically pulled aside to reveal that the music the audience had taken to be live performance was actually a record player:
www.tomedison.org/blog/edisons...
www.tomedison.org/blog/edisons...
Song of the (Halloween) day: ThouShaltNot, “The Haunted Phonograph”
@salexanderreed.bsky.social
#thoushaltnot
#darkcabaret
thoushaltnot.bandcamp.com/track/the-ha...
@salexanderreed.bsky.social
#thoushaltnot
#darkcabaret
thoushaltnot.bandcamp.com/track/the-ha...
The Haunted Phonograph, by ThouShaltNot
from the album RARE / IMPOSSIBLE 2005-2012
thoushaltnot.bandcamp.com
November 1, 2026 at 2:22 AM
Song of the (Halloween) day: ThouShaltNot, “The Haunted Phonograph”
@salexanderreed.bsky.social
#thoushaltnot
#darkcabaret
thoushaltnot.bandcamp.com/track/the-ha...
@salexanderreed.bsky.social
#thoushaltnot
#darkcabaret
thoushaltnot.bandcamp.com/track/the-ha...
Philomena Cunk on Phonograph
ALT: Philomena Cunk on Phonograph
static.klipy.com
November 2, 2026 at 7:53 PM
A KLH model eleven portable phonograph at Avondale Markets. These were quite high-end kit in 1965. I wonder how many made it here from the US?
November 1, 2026 at 12:25 AM
A KLH model eleven portable phonograph at Avondale Markets. These were quite high-end kit in 1965. I wonder how many made it here from the US?
Long before the Turing Test, there was the touring Edison Test: from 1915 to 1925, the scoundrel Thomas Edison put on a traveling show for his phonograph machine, touring venues around the USA.
November 3, 2026 at 2:32 PM
Long before the Turing Test, there was the touring Edison Test: from 1915 to 1925, the scoundrel Thomas Edison put on a traveling show for his phonograph machine, touring venues around the USA.
Yes.
And this is precisely what a paper does if they have a RWng bias but they benefit from denying that bias. After all, their audience is mostly libs. If they admitted they were RWng, what wd happen to their business?
Tho they may believe they're lib biased bc RWngers have told them so repeatedly.
And this is precisely what a paper does if they have a RWng bias but they benefit from denying that bias. After all, their audience is mostly libs. If they admitted they were RWng, what wd happen to their business?
Tho they may believe they're lib biased bc RWngers have told them so repeatedly.
November 2, 2026 at 5:21 AM
Yes.
And this is precisely what a paper does if they have a RWng bias but they benefit from denying that bias. After all, their audience is mostly libs. If they admitted they were RWng, what wd happen to their business?
Tho they may believe they're lib biased bc RWngers have told them so repeatedly.
And this is precisely what a paper does if they have a RWng bias but they benefit from denying that bias. After all, their audience is mostly libs. If they admitted they were RWng, what wd happen to their business?
Tho they may believe they're lib biased bc RWngers have told them so repeatedly.
Sich in der Mittagspause den Faust von Graf Moltke vorlesen zu lassen, hittet nochmal anders
November 2, 2026 at 12:06 PM
Sich in der Mittagspause den Faust von Graf Moltke vorlesen zu lassen, hittet nochmal anders
November 1, 2026 at 4:39 PM
Nabi here: look familiar? Photo from wikipedia.
November 3, 2026 at 9:37 AM
Nabi here: look familiar? Photo from wikipedia.
November 2, 2026 at 9:16 PM
Próximamente en Netflix 'El cine según Philomena Cunk' 😍
Philomena Cunk on Phonograph
ALT: Philomena Cunk on Phonograph
static.klipy.com
October 31, 2026 at 2:36 PM
Próximamente en Netflix 'El cine según Philomena Cunk' 😍
Philomena Cunk on Phonograph
ALT: Philomena Cunk on Phonograph
static.klipy.com
October 30, 2026 at 1:58 PM
Behind a wooden door, the voice of Thomas Alva
Recites a poem on a phonograph
Recites a poem on a phonograph
November 3, 2026 at 12:06 AM
Behind a wooden door, the voice of Thomas Alva
Recites a poem on a phonograph
Recites a poem on a phonograph
Currently spinning on the Edison Patent Phonograph.
A bit of nostalgia.
A bit of nostalgia.
November 1, 2026 at 12:13 PM
Currently spinning on the Edison Patent Phonograph.
A bit of nostalgia.
A bit of nostalgia.
im going to play a loud ass sound in that phonograph and watch his ears fly off
November 3, 2026 at 5:08 AM
im going to play a loud ass sound in that phonograph and watch his ears fly off
Early programmers hated assemblers, assembly programmers hated compilers, musicians hated the phonograph, movie studios hated the VCR etc etc etc.
October 28, 2026 at 10:47 PM
Early programmers hated assemblers, assembly programmers hated compilers, musicians hated the phonograph, movie studios hated the VCR etc etc etc.
My big sister played this on her phonograph, early memory
m.youtube.com/watch?v=GKQJ...
m.youtube.com/watch?v=GKQJ...
Elvis Presley - Return to Sender (1962) - HD
YouTube video by the rockabillie
m.youtube.com
November 2, 2026 at 11:18 PM
My big sister played this on her phonograph, early memory
m.youtube.com/watch?v=GKQJ...
m.youtube.com/watch?v=GKQJ...
October 31, 2026 at 3:33 PM
Name a performer you are always happy to see in a film or tv series
October 30, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Name a performer you are always happy to see in a film or tv series
Good grief. It’s been almost a decade since we last did the podcast.
www.hauntedphonograph.com/consequential/
www.hauntedphonograph.com/consequential/
ConSequential — Haunted Phonograph
www.hauntedphonograph.com
November 2, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Good grief. It’s been almost a decade since we last did the podcast.
www.hauntedphonograph.com/consequential/
www.hauntedphonograph.com/consequential/