Fuller Sound

05/31/2026

Roger Miller was like Roy Clark, a multitalented genius who came across as an “aw shucks” kinda guy 💪🏼

A Reason To Smile

04/13/2026

Before algorithms… there was him.

You walked in thinking you knew what you wanted… and one look from the clerk made you second guess everything.

No playlists. No “recommended for you.”

Just gatekeeping, judgment… and the occasional nod that meant you picked right.

And somehow… that made it better.

03/17/2026

Vinyl sales still increase 💪🏼🎶🤘🏼

Taylor Swift helped lead U.S. vinyl sales past $1 billion for the first time since 1983 as recorded-music reached a record $11.5 billion in 2025.

03/10/2026

“…Aaron Rupar of Public Notice commented: “Trump is completely flailing. He didn’t anticipate the economic blowback and now he’s trying to undo the past 10 days and contain the damage.”

“As part of its apparent war on what the administration calls “narco-terrorists” in Latin America, U.S. Southern Command announced yesterday that it has struck another small vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing another six men.”

-Heather Cox Richardson, from the essay

It has become clear that Trump had no plan in Iran other than to strike it, knock out the leaders he didn’t like, and hope the Iranian people would rise up and put in place new leaders he could deal with.

03/04/2026

💪🏼

The Guess Who have announced U.S. tour dates in the effort to "rebuild" what they claim to Billboard the "fake band broke down."

03/03/2026

"We'll treat you with courtesy, respect, and understanding.
But don't worry, you'll get used to it."

That's a line from an old insurance ad I read as a kid, probably in the household Reader's Digest magazine. The little twist stuck with me. I used a version of it later in my own ad for an early business, Absolute Sound, in South Charleston. In the current age of a new civic vibe, I share this article because it well describes a philosophy of "knock your socks off" customer service practices.

As a premium services provider, Fuller Sound gets behind these ideas. They are no longer common, which makes them more important than ever.

1) Every customer deserves a warm greeting
2) Anticipate needs before being asked
3) Prompt service shows respect for time
4) Courtesy is non-negotiable
5) Attention means eye contact
6) Knows the product or service by heart
7) Employee personal convos stay private
8) Complaints handled calmly
9) Regular customers are remembered
10) Cleanliness is elegance

Is the customer always right? These 11 golden rules of customer service are slowly dying, and it’s sad Image: Frankie Cordoba Before apps, chatbots, and self-checkout lanes, American customer service followed a quiet code. These unwritten rules shaped how stores, diners, hotels, and service counte...

02/07/2026

When the King speaks, his subjects listen

01/10/2026

Paul McGowan of PS Audio posts every day something about high end audio. I usually read (and usually agree with) what he has to say because he has comprehensive experience. Here he perfectly summarizes the art of listening, a skill almost everyone can use!

“The art of listening”

“Truly discerning what a system is doing takes time, practice, and intention.

“The first time someone sits down in front of a high-end system, the reaction is often visceral—they are in shock.

“For the first time in their lives they experience depth, separation, and an actual soundstage in the room. But that kind of jaw-dropping reaction is only the beginning—and for some tire kickers, often the end.

“The real skill of listening—of evaluating, identifying, and articulating what a system is doing—comes later, and only through repeated exposure.

“Learning to listen critically is much like learning a language. At first, everything feels overwhelming. Over time, the brain begins to organize what it hears. One starts to pick out details: a recessed vocal, a slightly bright upper midrange, an exaggerated soundstage. These aren’t qualities you can measure with a yardstick—they emerge from focused, deliberate attention.

“This skill doesn’t come overnight. Most experienced listeners I know took years to get there. I certainly spent those years honing my skills.

“It's not just about “golden ears.” It’s about knowing what to listen for and building a reference library in your head. That might mean comparing recordings, swapping components, or just revisiting familiar albums until you can identify when something’s changed—and what changed.

“Once you start hearing individual characteristics—tone, texture, placement, decay—listening transforms. Music becomes more than an emotional experience; it becomes a study in spatial, tonal, and dynamic precision. But that doesn’t make it less enjoyable. In fact, the deeper your awareness, the more compelling each performance becomes.

“This level of listening doesn’t require special hearing. It requires attention, memory, and time. But once your ears are trained, the system starts revealing everything it has to offer.”

-Paul McGowan

12/23/2025

Honoring an icon

Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti was posthumously honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award last week, becoming the first African musician to receive the prestigious accolade. “Fela Kuti’s music was a fearless voice of Africa — its rhythms carried truth, resistance, and freedom, inspiring generations of African musicians to speak boldly through sound,” said Senegalese singer Youssou N’ Dour.

11/15/2025

New Australian world record for bagpiping en masse

Hundreds of bagpipers broke a world record this week when they assembled in Australia to perform AC/DC's 'It's a Long Way to the Top.'