The New York Times 1995 GRAHAM NASH Sound Bytes / Charles Bermant A Technology to Teach the Children Well In the information age, powerful technology without compelling
content is an empty experience indeed. This realization by the
singer Graham Nash led to his partnership with Silicon Graphics
Inc, the maker of powerful graphical work stations based in Mountain
View, California. With the backing of the company, Mr Nash has
created Lifesighs, which he describes as "a one-man historical,
musical, informative, empowering stage show," which he intends
to take on the road this summer to college campuses and small
theatres. Lifesighs, developed in conjunction with Rand Weatherwax, a producer
and software programmer, uses multimedia technology to present
Mr Nash's life and times in story, video and song - from his birth
in wartime England, through his childhood in Manchester, his musical
career with the Hollies and then Crosby, Stills and Nash, and
then as a solo artist and social activist. He now lives in Encino
California. During a Lifesighs performance, Mr Nash intends to take the stage
live, to assume the role of host and teacher for this digitally
driven, personal examination of modern history. Flourishes will
include 25 foot high computer generated images of historical figures
like Churchill, Stalin and Hitler, who, with the aid of actors
speaking off stage, will appear to answer questions from the audience.
Question: Where did the idea for Lifesighs originate? Answer: It came from a series of college lectures I did several
years ago. The kids had a lot of questions, about Watergate, Woodstock,
and everything in between. I wanted to find a way that I could
make them visualize what I was talking about. I set about to create
a data base of all the information, one that I could manipulate
in real time. So I can talk about a subject for 10 minutes one
night, and give it one minute the next. Question: That is a typical Lifesighs encounter? Answer: I talk about Manchester, and how World War II affected
me on a personal level. So I bring up world leaders of the time
- Stalin, Hitler, Roosevelt, and Churchill - and interact with
them. Question: What technical obstacles have you faced? Answer: We had to figure out what the data base and interface
should look like. We had to make it clear that I was reacting
to this information in real time, rather than responding to information
on a tape or a videodisk. And we wanted to do something unique.
People have used digital video, huge screens and three dimensional
objects, but never simultaneously and in a live stage show. Question: How do college students react to you and your music? Answer: They are most curious about the 1960's. It was the last
time the youth of this country felt that they had any control
over their own destiny. Kids want to know about that time and
how they can retain that power. I will provide them with information
about how to take action, giving them the ammunition to become
involved with projects in this country without giving them some
tools to deal with them Question: What are the benefit's of today's technology? Answer: It's making the world more accessible. The world is shrinking,
and technology brings you closer to other people. This decreases
the propensity to kick the hell out of them and kill them. The
internet gives you a better sense of community as well as your
fellow human beings.
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