K o r o v a   M u l t i m e d i a   R e v i e w s

D.B. Spalding

Hi. Welcome to my section of Hyperreal. I guess you're wondering who I am, right?

To know me,... is to understand my rationale in life.

I call myself a multicareerist. This is an audacious coining to aggrandize the fact that I work several jobs and don't have much of a social life.

Music: Ambient and Beyond

As a writer, I focus on ambient music: space, electronic, gothic. A lot of this music is called "dark wave," or "sombient." I like Robert Rich's description: "psychoactive music." Whatever you call it, I think it's a form of aural fabrication that cuts through to the dreamtime, and invades your unconscious and hangs upon the architecture of remembrance. Spend as many hours up all night listening to this music as I have, and I think you'll agree that today's ambient musicians are exploring uncharted waters.

My reviews are distributed to a variety of media, specifically a few weekly newspapers, magazines, online forums and content providers ... and, now, selected World Wide Web sites. (Imagine that!)

As an adjunct to this, I serve as a sysop on CompuServe's Music and Performing Arts Forum. I also host a folder nestled in America Online's Music/New Age board.

Film & Video

I studied film for several years, culminating in two years spent at the doorsteps and coattails of the film school at the University of Southern California. Though accepted twice to the History & Criticism division, I held out for Film Production -- unsuccessfully. Instead, I crashed numerous courses, worked for the high-profile "466" class, viewed up to 3 films a day, contributed to several acclaimed festival series presented by the film school fraternity DKA (including retrospectives of Ozu and Peckinpah), and worked on the school journal, THE SPECTATOR. My disdain for Hollywood/Los Angeles (they're like Dorian Gray and his portrait) moved me to abandon my immediate plans and, ultimately, my intentions of working in the conventional film industry. I still review films and video, though -- my first love burns bright in the most enjoyable writing I know.

Consulting Services

As a computer consultant, I provide advice on systems and software purchases, and give lessons to clients on Windows and general computer use. Bringing my pen back into play, I write a regular column which covers issues, products, tips and prognostications in the field of personal and business computing. As an industry watcher, I'm always watching for that "killer prediction" of the next "killer app." Recently, I've written several local business profiles for the North Bay Multimedia Association's newsletter, Multimedia Reporter.

While I was living in Mobile, Alabama, I was closely associated with INIS, Inc. (800-239-2540), a direct-channel retailer of computer hardware, software and budget-priced systems. I evaluated and consulted on product offerings, designed the systems' configuration and helped implement an automated software installation routine. I also coached tech support efforts and production management.

The Harbinger Hour

From 1990 until mid-1994, I produced a public radio program at WHIL-FM (Mobile, Alabama), The Harbinger Hour ("Music for the Turn of the Century"). The show was a dark ambient exploration of contemporary music, like a cross of Stephen Hill's Music from the Hearts of Space and the more progressive gothic and trance genres. Each program was built around an impressionistic theme, and often featured an eclectic mix of music that introduced listeners to unfamiliar material. The program was quite successful, and I hope to do another one like it before the turn of the century. Until then, I do occasional research for other programs in these genres, including MFHOS.

For more information feel free to visit my own Web site, the Korova Multimedia Library . I feature a computer column and other miscellaneous tidbits for your browsing pleasure.

D.B. Spalding
Korova Multimedia
Dec 1995

dspalding@korova.com

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