We were all at THE Conference for Clair.  I had dinner with Marty Garcia the night before, and he was in a remincent mood—
telling me about how those Sony guys who LOVED Todd Rundgren... about how they gave him that first original Walkman and how he took it apart to mine  the drivers, how he basically built a revolution with a screwdriver and a vibe.

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The next night, all of us in-ear old-timers were down at Per Diem and everyone was buzzing. Talking shop, telling stories, drinking just enough to get honest but not enough to roll tape. And I said the thing out loud that no one was supposed to say:

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“All you guys…
You’re such chickens and hens.
Squabbling, clucking.
Always gossiping behind each other’s backs—but always so sweet upfront.”

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Everyone laughed—because they knew.
And I was joking… until I wasn’t.

When Marty chimed in, all innocent:

“What are you talking about? What do mean?
I never talk shit about anyone!”

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And I locked eyes with him.

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“Ohhh, you’re right Marty.
You never talk shit about anyone.
But everyone talks shit about you.”

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And that’s when it shifted.

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He got quiet. Maybe cried.
Definitely left the circle.

And that’s when Rick Renner—old school Shure guy—put his arm around me and whispered:

“OHHHHH.
Now I get it.
Whatever you need, Mike… even if I have to fund it myself…
Just keep making Marty cry like that.”

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