We Are Apple…Everybody Sing!

On By Lorraine Devon WilkeIn Latest Thoughts

Just when you think certain creative exercises of your youth have slipped by unnoticed, they keep pulling you back in! In this world of YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and StumbleUpon, it remains pointless to deny your public past, futile to try to out-run those artistic moments you’ve evolved so far from since then. They’re there. Always there. Forever to haunt:

We Are Apple (Leading the Way) (click here for the additional pleasure of YouTube comments!)

As of this past weekend, I was forced to embrace my big hair-’80s-era-session-singing persona by way of this apparently ubiquitous YouTube video. It seems it’s been posted for years but only recently grabbed the attention of the tech magazines that have enjoyed having it as fodder for some good old fun-poking at Apple’s steve_sharp_shot_1_001rexpense! Though it depicts an in-house industrial rather than a 1983 version of an Apple commercial, it remains a hilariously dated snapshot of another, seemingly very distant, era in computer history.

And, yeah, that’s my slightly hysterical, very enthusiastic vocal on the “What a Feeling” rip-off that soundtracked the piece. Can it really be that those behemoth computers you see pictured in the oh-so-vintage quick-cut video were considered cutting edge?? Hard to believe that any of us alive were around for those clunky, unwieldy versions of the slick, efficient, elegant Apples of today!

But it’s a fun, historical snapshot that brings a smile so I felt it was RPM-worthy. Originally produced by Geoff Levin and Chris Many of Levin/Many Productions who worked out of the fabulous Juniper Studios in Burbank, CA at the time (the company has since disbanded), it was engineered by nimble-fingered Steve Sharp, currently the “Evil Overlord” (his words) of MediaPDX in Portland, Oregon, and sung by yours truly.

(The picture below is not of the Apple sessions but rather my first solo artist sessions at the original Juniper Studios. That is, however, Steve Sharp on the left doin’ that thing he did, and that’s my child-self leaning against bass player John Selk; uber-producer Brian Cadd is at the console.)

steveme

I promise you my vocals since then have been much calmer. Really. I swear. Go check.

Photographs courtesy of Lorraine Devon Wilke
LDW w glasses

Visit www.lorrainedevonwilke.com for details and links to LDW’s books, music, photography, and articles.

18 thoughts on “We Are Apple…Everybody Sing!”

  1. Whoa! Not only do I get the hit of your child-self picture, AND the sound of you channeling your inner Aretha/Whitney Houston on the Flashdance ripoff, but then, THEN you confront me with pictures of…my VERY FIRST computer (Apple ][+ for those who care) being lovingly cradled by the Brady Bunch! Too much! I better sit down!!
    Totally fun…especially now that, after a long sojourn in the world of Windows-only PCs,s I am typing this on my new/old MacBook (running WindowsXP, though 😉 )

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    1. LDW

      Omigod, Brian, you actually had one of those dinosaurs? (Didn’t we all??!) Hard to believe how quickly hardware changed much less software! I started in the MAC world, then slid over to PC for a bit, but ultimately found my way home. 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed the vintage display (on so many levels!). LDW

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    1. LDW

      Thanks, Tina…it was a LONG time ago, which is probably why you don’t remember. You are not required to remember all the events of my life…I don’t! 🙂

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  4. I really enjoyed the site and this glimpse into Apple history. It is always nice when you read something that is not only informative but entertaining. Great!

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    1. LDW

      Thanks! It is pretty fun to see the beginnings of something that is now so ubiquitous! Thanks for reading! LDW

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  5. rena m

    Wow. Just wow. Computers were that big? Advertising was that retro? I could see this being useful years and years from now, when people want to see what the early years of the computer revolution looked like! Great fun and you sang a great anthem! Thanks.

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  6. Jonah Vail

    This is so great that I had to comment. I’m usually just a lurker, taking in knowledge and nodding my head in quiet approval at the good stuff…..this required written props. You rock, literally…thanks.

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    1. LDW

      That’s so funny! Can’t say I’ve got a Pat Benatar uniform…I think I was more of a Cyndi Lauper! Thanks for the comment…brought a smile! LDW

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  8. Allen Trinidad

    It’s in point of fact that sometimes we just need a nice and fun piece of info. Thanks for sharing the Apple!

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  9. nate

    What a riot! This video is so old-school it’s new! I really loved the post so I used my Digg account to digg it. Added : )

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