Like Found Magazine for sound

November 30, 2004 12:53 AM

I just found my new outgoing answering machine message at Tape Findings. {first link is mp3. via News Today}
posted by dobbs (27 comments total)

I'm partial to the vaudville greeting myself.

Great link! I'm looking forward to more weird findings on that site!
posted by Down10 at 3:10 AM on November 30, 2004

that's hilarious!
posted by laura4 at 4:58 AM on November 30, 2004

Werd.

Warning: Link to lyrics site.
posted by Evstar at 5:08 AM on November 30, 2004

Oh yeah, the Vaudeville one is great. Now how do I get that onto my cellphone?
posted by CunningLinguist at 5:14 AM on November 30, 2004

Sweet analog find! Oh joyous days! My friends callers are going to love tolerate this!
posted by cavalier at 5:15 AM on November 30, 2004

I used to have loads of fun making tape recordings either alone or with friends when I was a kid. Before I started experimenting with music, it tended to be skits, sketches and adlibs, as well as random recordings of other people. I wonder if they're knocking about somewhere.

I miss the immediacy of the tape medium. Maybe for that reason I'm more drawn to the week two and week four material.

Also: WTF? Bizarre website of Kenneth Gorsky linked two from week four.
posted by nthdegx at 5:22 AM on November 30, 2004

dobbs, your outgoing message might just suck. It sounds (to me) like the voice is just about the same level as the music, making the words hard to decipher. That's going to sound even worse when it goes over a phone, I fear.

I could be wrong, though. See if you get any complaints specifically on the intelligibility rather than on duration, etc.
posted by bugmuncher at 6:29 AM on November 30, 2004

It sounds (to me) like the voice is just about the same level as the music, making the words hard to decipher.

Surely this will be easier to interpret than the outgoing messages my friend used to have which usually consisted of a heavily distorted guitar solo, or (my personal fave) the left-channel of "Good Day Sunshine" with the bass turned all the way up. =)
posted by idontlikewords at 6:40 AM on November 30, 2004

I've got a friend . . . Joey Joe Jones . . Junior . . Shabbadoo? And anyway he's been looking for the "Beethoven's 5th" answering machine message from way back.

Nobody's hooooooooooome
Nobody's hooooooooooome

Anyone?
posted by petebest at 7:16 AM on November 30, 2004

Thanks for the link. That jamhandy website that it links to is also a find, although I'm not sure of what sort.
posted by OmieWise at 7:51 AM on November 30, 2004

Great find!
posted by Robot Johnny at 7:57 AM on November 30, 2004

petebest, I strongly prefer:

You gotta leave your name/
You gotta leave your number/
Waaaaiiiit for the beep.
posted by yerfatma at 8:30 AM on November 30, 2004

After several years of making often lengthy ansaphone messages, my roommate and I simply gave up. We realized that everyone knew what to do with an ansaphone, so our message now simply says "This is an answering machine." I've suggested that before the year is out this be changed to "Answering machine."
posted by Captaintripps at 9:12 AM on November 30, 2004

When I reach one of those typical overly-instructive greetings I make sure I leave an equally long, stupid introduction to my own message: "Hi, I'm sorry you missed my call, and since you can't get to the phone right now, I'm leaving a message. I hope you'll call me back as soon as possible. My name, number, and a detailed message follow..."
Seems only fair.

Woe to those who use cutesy sing-song greetings.
posted by Tubes at 11:23 AM on November 30, 2004

Believe it or not, George is not home.
posted by Bonzai at 11:30 AM on November 30, 2004

I must be out, or I'd pick up the phone.
Where could I beeee?
posted by DakotaPaul at 1:10 PM on November 30, 2004

The vaudeville is now on residence on my phone, where it will remain until everyone I know hates me.
posted by 235w103 at 1:31 PM on November 30, 2004

As with I, 235w103, as with I.
Unfortunatly, my roommate loves it.
posted by genevieve at 2:29 PM on November 30, 2004

I will be calling/having peoplecall my house constantly/My fiance is going to kill me.
posted by onkelchrispy at 2:32 PM on November 30, 2004

Heh, in retrospect - screw answering machines. If someone wants to get in touch, they should just send an e-mail. Everyone else is a telemarketer, a politico, a nonprofit, or a debt collector.
posted by bugmuncher at 9:31 PM on November 30, 2004

Anyone else think the second voice - apparently that of Teddy Ruxpin's pal Scrubbie - in this one sounds like Harry Shearer?
posted by gompa at 9:47 PM on November 30, 2004

Anyone find it strange that I want to put a few of those on my iPod?
posted by cpchester at 4:48 PM on December 1, 2004

cpchester, no, it's not strange. I find that putting audio files from video games and websites into my iPod triggers nostalgia for things I liked.
posted by bugmuncher at 8:40 PM on December 1, 2004

Well I did, and it was very odd when the "Jamacian" style answer came on after a rousing chorus of Bohemian Rhapsody. But how sweet it was...
posted by cpchester at 2:50 AM on December 2, 2004

Well I did, and it was very odd when the "Jamaican" style answer came on after a rousing chorus of Bohemian Rhapsody. But how sweet it was...
posted by cpchester at 2:51 AM on December 2, 2004

Sorry for the double post. Think of it as a game to "spot the ignorant and culturally offensive spelling error, for the user clearly ignored the spell check option which is so conveniently located at the bottom of the post area."
posted by cpchester at 2:54 AM on December 2, 2004

For a while in college, I just used a 5-second recording of the busy signal as my answering machine message. Fooled too many people, though.
posted by Vidiot at 3:17 AM on December 2, 2004