SHIGEICHI NEGISHI, INVENTOR OF THE FIRST EVER KARAOKE MACHINE, DIES AT AGE 100
I don’t like karaoke. Like, at all. I’ve never been tempted to participate in singing along to a popular, well-known song in front of (usually) drunk enthusiastic people. But I have, of course, been to karaoke, gotten drunk watching others variously hit notes at the right times, and been grateful when it was over. But that’s me. For many, many others, karaoke is a regular way of celebrating life. They simply can’t get enough. So it’s more than notable to recognize the death of Shigeichi Negishi, the inventor of the first karaoke machine you could buy in a store, at the age of 100.
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NEGISHI INVENTED KARAOKE MACHINE AFTER A CO-WORKER MADE FUN OF HIS SINGING
Negishi died of natural cuases, which seems understandable considering he lived an entire century. It’s been nearly 60 years since he ran an electronics business and was singing on the job when co-worker made fun of him. This was in 1967. Negishi responded by building the “Sparko Box,” which was literally a karaoke machine filled with eight-tracks filled with instrumental music. Well, and a book of lyrics, too. As rejoinders to someone busting your chops, I find this his to be pretty comprehensive. Just consider how popular karaoke is today, and has been for a now insane number of years. Gonna make fun of my singing? Well, I’ll fill the world with it!
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“REAL” PERFORMERS WERE THREATENED BY KARAOKE, THOUGHT THEY’D LOSE WORK
But not everyone liked the idea of his idea. “Real” performers were threatened by the idea of a karaoke machine that made everyone a performer. They thought it was a threat to their livelihoods! And, in an odd way, it was a prescient example of the much larger issue with AI we are surrounded with today. But Negishi never patented his little, world-changing invention, and closed his business just 8 years after its invention. But change the world he did! I’m not sure I’m a fan of pervasive off-key singing. But I am a fan of communities that exist because of happy celebration.
Kanpai!
