Currently I am reading the Albert Glinsky biography of Bob Moog ‘Switched on’. This is a fabulous read and fascinating book about the life and works of Bob Moog. I own ‘Analog Days’ (Trocco & Pinch) and read it several times to find it a great insight in the developments of synthesizers – but this book adds a lot of information and especially backgrounds on the family, the growing up, the ideas, products and companies created by Bob (R.A.) Moog. So – yes – I will get back on serveral theme’s and issues in this book – also because there are so many references to developments and people that time, that needs more attention or investigation for our ‘synth’ lovers.
The pronounciation of Bob Moog’s name
First of all – when I just got the book and started to read- some people asked if the book covers the way the name of Bob Moog should be pronounced. I know there is quite some documentation on that subject available. But I’d thought to share this particular theme with you, because it is clearly explained in ‘Switched on‘.
Transistor man and the Crusaders
After the funny parts about the coming of age of Bob, and his marriage with Shirley, there is this part on page 46 about the names. Shirley was getting angry over the way Bob’s mother (also Shirley!) still tried to influence his life and his marriage by sending him shirts, ties, jackets etc. So Bob’s wife Shirley choose to change her firstname to Shirleigh – to distance her identity from Bob’s mother. So she became Shirleigh Moog.
Cite – “Another change to her name – and the future of the Moog brand itself, came about after an incident at the two-room schoolhouse (you should know she was a teacher at that time) . The farm-children in her classroom got out of hand one day in a free-for-all chorus of cow mooing. …. Mrs Mooooooog! Mrs Moooooog! She appealed to Bob ‘There’s got to be a way out of this’. And Bob said ‘Well, half ot the family says Mogue, and Shirleigh said ‘Oh really?’ and that’s when it became Mogue . For Bob’s parents it would remain Mooooog, but for Bob – it would be ‘Mogue‘ from then on.”