As you’ve likely heard by now, today is Nigel Tufnel day. Tufnel, who revolutionized the music world in the early-80s with the introduction of volume knobs that go to 11 (rather than a mere 10), is being honored worldwide because of today’s date: 11/11/11.
It’s a nice gesture, but Tufnel’s current employer, Google, apparently isn’t giving him the day off: he just sent me an email invite to a special event that’s being held next week in Los Angeles. Thankfully Google’s at least let him inject some personality into the invite: the top of the invite fittingly says “These Go To Eleven” at the top, though it gives little indication as to what to expect.
The event will be held November 16,and will be livestreamed at YouTube.com/Android — which, presumably, means that it’s going to be Android related.
My hunch? I think we’re going to see some of the fruits of Google’s @Home project, which was announced at Google I/O this year. @Home is the Android platform for connecting ‘real-world’ devices, like speakers, lights, and all sorts of other things up with Android — sort of like Apple’s AirPlay, but for all kinds of applications beyond audio and video.
Or, as the comments point out, it probably would make more sense for this to be related to Google Music, which is rumored to be getting new features over the current version, including the ability to actually buy songs. I still want my Android speakers, though.
Here’s a video embed of a documentary covering Tufnel and his band, Spinal Tap, in which he explains the origins of his 11-digit knobs: