Xenon

March 22, 2007

Xenon is the world’s first female talking pinball. It has a whole history of the voice and the electronic sounds behind it. Suzanne Ciani was an electronic music composer in the 70’s just like yours truly (check out Robomaster) and rather than go into it I will just point you to her website ( http://www.sevwave.com/early_ciani/ciani_xenon.html )as it is a good story and she is an amazing woman.
Just as the sound was unique, so was the Artwork by Paul Faris. It utilized an expensive double glass panel with silvering on both and an infinity illusion of sequencing lights. And if you’re hot for android chicks with big brea.... I mean eyes, it doesn’t get any better than this. I remember thinking they had gone “too far” with this machine back in 1980 and I didn’t like playing it because I thought it was nasty. The ooohs and aahhhs made me uncomfortable and I also thought it had stolen some from one of my early films, “Robomaster’s Electro-Sex Training Film #52738” …but that again is another story…
This beautiful example of Xenon is on generous loan from John Galleni, who did a great job getting it going and hanging in there while it needed some expert fixing by Chris Kuntz of T Minus One in Concord, CA.
One more interesting note, Paul Faris’s son Brad, happens to live in the Bay Area and I happened to meet him when we were both on Faculty at the Crucible in Oakland. He told me he worked at Bally and was somewhat responsible for the idea of the clear tube on the playfield. Small world. The Ju Ju seems to attract all sorts of strange and interesting connections. Without magnets!

Produced by Bally, 1980. 4 players. 8.7 out of 10 on the Play-O-Meter

High Score 666 by JC on March 24, 2007

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