Yet when I drive MY ox-cart into cities, it's "Animal cruelty!" this and "Where'd you even get an oxcart, dude?" that and "Sir, please stop it! It's not sanitary to be driving that inside the hospital." blah blah.
Yes, and the Gordian Knot is also a criticism of those who say we have to “do something!” In response to every challenge. Sometimes the best thing to do is watch and wait, and sometimes the best thing to do is nothing at all.
Wow! I hadn't heard that phrase in, literally, 50 years! In 1974, I was in my first year at N. Texas State U. (one of two colleges I've attended who's changed their names since I was there...they're gonna have to do better than that to erase the memory of my attendance! They're now U. of N. Texas) in Denton, TX (just north of D-FW area). I had just finished about 3 years as lead singer of Brimstone, a 6-pc rock band based at my Houston high school, Bellaire. Your readers can search for "I Was a Teenage Lead Singer" (or "Brimstone") on my site, if interested in reading my account of those amazing years!
I got a call in my dorm room one day from a friend who, himself, had just started a new band back home. He asked me if I could come up with a suitable name for his new group. After a day or two (and some research into I can't recall where....maybe Andrew's article from 2024!!!), I came up with the unimpressive-for-a-rock-band name of Gordian Knot. He hated it, understandably, and I haven't heard from him (or them) since! I love how patient you are with me, Andrew!😉
Great question, Andrew, and how I wish I did! Keep in mind, we're talking 1971-'73 or so. Somebody (I guess it was one of my fellow band members) recorded at least one of our shows, I remember. What's happened to that tape is anyone's guess!
My favorite show was our gig at Galveston Moody Civic Center (which I think still stands), but it was a proper music venue that had hard rock trio, Trapeze (which featured future Deep Purple vocalist Glenn Hughes...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trapeze_(band), play just before we got there! A local high school (Ball High School.....kids then: "Do you go to Ball?" "No, to study!") had rented it out for a party of some kind, and hired us (we played rock covers) to play.
I'd better have included this in my Brimstone article, but we drove back to our motel post-gig to find a couple dozen teenagers in one of our rooms, with no idea how they got in! But, that's rock'n'roll!
OK, thanks for that, Andrew! I must say, though, it's behind a paywall, and to be fair to my paid subscribers, it has to remain there....it was originally only an exclusive bonus for my paid subscribers a few months ago, and I usually don't have those exclusive e-mail articles "live" on the website, but I decided to have it live there, but behind a paywall. Ordinarily, I'd otherwise be happy to remove it for easy access: https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/1i-was-a-teenage-lead-singer-the
It may have a preview/page break, I don't know. As you know, it wouldn't show up on my end, as I'm the one who (may have) put it there! I hope there's a preview, though!
While the gordian knot has not claimed a jot of my thinking time, it seems that all of the acclamations about Alexander's boldness are a bit off track. After alll, we could just drop one of our 5,244 nuclear bombs on each of those pesky, troublesome spots on the planet and go forth and conquer the world. Hmmmm ... there might be an issue with that particular solution. You always provide thinking fodder.
Well, doing that would certainly “cut through” a lot of current “knotty” problems but doing so would, as with Alexander, significantly shorten our collective lives.
I see the story as a fable about how complex problems often do require innovative solutions. Unfortunately, it is also a cautionary tale of the dangers in rushing forward? But if Alexander hadn't rushed forward to cut the knot, he wouldn't be the legend he is today.
There is a second account of the knot, described by Arian, in which alexander pulls the linchpin out, reveals the two rope ends, and is able to untie it. Not quite as dramatic... easy to see why hacking at it with a sword has proved the more enduring tale.
Pffft!
Yet when I drive MY ox-cart into cities, it's "Animal cruelty!" this and "Where'd you even get an oxcart, dude?" that and "Sir, please stop it! It's not sanitary to be driving that inside the hospital." blah blah.
Yes, and the Gordian Knot is also a criticism of those who say we have to “do something!” In response to every challenge. Sometimes the best thing to do is watch and wait, and sometimes the best thing to do is nothing at all.
One of my favorite sayings: "don't just do something! Sit there!"
Wow! I hadn't heard that phrase in, literally, 50 years! In 1974, I was in my first year at N. Texas State U. (one of two colleges I've attended who's changed their names since I was there...they're gonna have to do better than that to erase the memory of my attendance! They're now U. of N. Texas) in Denton, TX (just north of D-FW area). I had just finished about 3 years as lead singer of Brimstone, a 6-pc rock band based at my Houston high school, Bellaire. Your readers can search for "I Was a Teenage Lead Singer" (or "Brimstone") on my site, if interested in reading my account of those amazing years!
I got a call in my dorm room one day from a friend who, himself, had just started a new band back home. He asked me if I could come up with a suitable name for his new group. After a day or two (and some research into I can't recall where....maybe Andrew's article from 2024!!!), I came up with the unimpressive-for-a-rock-band name of Gordian Knot. He hated it, understandably, and I haven't heard from him (or them) since! I love how patient you are with me, Andrew!😉
I knew you'd come around eventually, Brad! I told you it was a good name back then :)
Longshot here, but do you happen to have any of your old music recorded?
Great question, Andrew, and how I wish I did! Keep in mind, we're talking 1971-'73 or so. Somebody (I guess it was one of my fellow band members) recorded at least one of our shows, I remember. What's happened to that tape is anyone's guess!
My favorite show was our gig at Galveston Moody Civic Center (which I think still stands), but it was a proper music venue that had hard rock trio, Trapeze (which featured future Deep Purple vocalist Glenn Hughes...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trapeze_(band), play just before we got there! A local high school (Ball High School.....kids then: "Do you go to Ball?" "No, to study!") had rented it out for a party of some kind, and hired us (we played rock covers) to play.
I'd better have included this in my Brimstone article, but we drove back to our motel post-gig to find a couple dozen teenagers in one of our rooms, with no idea how they got in! But, that's rock'n'roll!
Do me a favor, Brad- go ahead and dig that article up for me and paste it here? I want to make sure folks can find it quickly if they're curious!
OK, thanks for that, Andrew! I must say, though, it's behind a paywall, and to be fair to my paid subscribers, it has to remain there....it was originally only an exclusive bonus for my paid subscribers a few months ago, and I usually don't have those exclusive e-mail articles "live" on the website, but I decided to have it live there, but behind a paywall. Ordinarily, I'd otherwise be happy to remove it for easy access: https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/1i-was-a-teenage-lead-singer-the
Perfect, thanks!
It may have a preview/page break, I don't know. As you know, it wouldn't show up on my end, as I'm the one who (may have) put it there! I hope there's a preview, though!
While the gordian knot has not claimed a jot of my thinking time, it seems that all of the acclamations about Alexander's boldness are a bit off track. After alll, we could just drop one of our 5,244 nuclear bombs on each of those pesky, troublesome spots on the planet and go forth and conquer the world. Hmmmm ... there might be an issue with that particular solution. You always provide thinking fodder.
Well, doing that would certainly “cut through” a lot of current “knotty” problems but doing so would, as with Alexander, significantly shorten our collective lives.
There is that.
Yeah, and I think it's fair to say that this is an excellent example of the cautionary aspect I was attempting to weave.
I see the story as a fable about how complex problems often do require innovative solutions. Unfortunately, it is also a cautionary tale of the dangers in rushing forward? But if Alexander hadn't rushed forward to cut the knot, he wouldn't be the legend he is today.
Was Alexander a force for good? It's a really interesting question to ponder for the rest of the day.
In the words of Wally from Dilbert, "Mesure once, cut twice."
All I know is that I gave up learning music theory after being introduced to the Phrygian scale. I am triggered!
The Phyrgians knew two things: complicated knots and impossible scales.
Maybe the lesson is a combination of think outside the box and think carefully before taking any destructive action.
I like it!
Strangely, cutting the knot was the solution that I thought of first, too. I may have heard the story before a long time ago and sort of forgotten it?
Also, maybe a possibility is that the tale was created to describe Alexander? I don't know the history, but it seems possible.
Yes, this is certainly a strong possibility. "Apocryphal" is a decent way to describe this event, I'd wager.
There is a second account of the knot, described by Arian, in which alexander pulls the linchpin out, reveals the two rope ends, and is able to untie it. Not quite as dramatic... easy to see why hacking at it with a sword has proved the more enduring tale.