PRI's The World » Hal and the big 5

Tech Updates on Iran and China, the Codex Sinaiticus, and Hal and the Big 5

Clark Boyd — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:01:25 +0000

As promised, this week’s Technology Podcast is devoid of any news, or non-news as the case may be, related to Michael Jackson. Instead, WTP 250 has a heavenly host of stories we hope you’ll find intriguing. At right is a picture of a page from one of the oldest Christian bibles in the world. It’s called the Codex Sinaiticus, and it was written in the 4th century AD. After it was found in a monestary in the Sinai, it’s various pages and fragments were scattered to collections across the world. Now, those fragments and pages have been reunited online. We’ll hear an interview with the British Library’s Head of Collection Care, Helen Shenton. The British Library is one of the partner institutions involved in putting the Codex online. We’ll also have updates on two stories we’ve been following closely in recent weeks. First, the violence in post-election Iran continues, and technology continues to play a critical role. Reporter Cyrus Farivar will update us on the global geeks who are trying to keep the information flowing into and out of the country. We follow that with a look at the violence that has flared in western China, and assess the ways and means that the Chinese government is using to control the way that violence is portrayed. We speak with Xiao Qiang, founder and co-editor of the China Digitial Times. And then we end the podcast with a lovely little story of musical collaboration. The members of Hal and the Big 5 have never actually jammed together. Instead, they’ve traded music tracks in cyberspace, and then mixed it all together. Too cool.

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Hal and the Big 5

Michael Rass — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:04:23 +0000

If members of the band “Hal and the Big 5″ passed each other on the street, they might not recognize each other. That’s because they’re based all over the globe — and didn’t meet in one place to make music together. Instead, the musicians recorded in their own homes — on their own time — and exchanged music files back and forth on the Internet.

The result is a CD called “Umoya.” The CD is just a first step. Band members are hoping at some point to put their music on-line and let anyone re-mix it.

More on that in a few minutes. First, Duncan Lomax is guitarist for “Hal and the Big 5.” From his home in York, England, he helped bring the group’s various musical elements together.

Listen to the interview

That’s all for us today.

From the Nan and Bill Harris studios at WGBH, I’m Lisa Mullins.

Thanks for listening.

Global Hit: Hal and the Big 5

The World — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:30:13 +0000

The group Hal and the Big 5 aren’t the type of band that jams together well into the night. Instead, each member records into their computer then share the files over the internet. In fact, some band members haven’t even met each other. Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks with Duncan Lomax of the group. He lives in York, England.
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