99% Invisible The Day the Music Stopped
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Feb 8, 2023 In this discussion, Josh Levine, host of the storied podcast One Year, and senior producer Evan Chung delve into the striking silence of August 1942 when American musicians protested recording technologies that threatened their livelihoods. They explore the leadership of James Cesar Petrillo and the formation of the musicians' union, as well as how this pivotal strike ignited an underground revolution in jazz with icons like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. The conversation captures the essence of labor rights within a transformative period in American music history.
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Sound Recording's Impact
- Early sound recording technology like the phonautograph, invented in 1860, changed music consumption.
- Recorded music challenged the traditional concept of music as a live, ephemeral performance.
Petrillo's Early Battles
- James Petrillo, a Chicago trumpeter, became the president of the musicians' union local.
- He fought against the displacement of musicians by "talkies" in movie theaters.
Technology vs. Musicians
- The rise of jukeboxes and recorded radio broadcasts worsened musicians' unemployment.
- These technologies allowed music to be played repeatedly without further compensation for musicians.
