Voices of TEDxSMU

TEDxSMU speaker Greg Harris talks rock 'n' roll and changing the world

In an industry that prides itself on being anti-establishment, Greg Harris is the man. And as the CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Harris has his own unique set of challenges.

“Everybody is passionate about the bands that they care about the most, and the challenge is being relevant to all rock and roll fans when there is such a wide range of musical tastes,” Harris says.

The 49-year-old Cleveland, Ohio resident will take the stage at TEDxSMU on November 1 for a talk titled “Our Soundtrack.” CultureMap recently chatted with the rock and roll exec about his upcoming trip to Dallas, his favorite bands and what he loves about his job.

CultureMap: Can you give us a teaser of your TED talk?

Greg Harris: I’ll be sharing stories about the songs themselves and playing some music. I believe when you look at anything, not just a song, you have to look at it beyond its own existence. You need to look at it in the cultural context of when it was created to get the full picture.

“Rock and roll is this great unifying feature in our culture. It cuts across all spectrums,” Harris says.

Rock and roll is this great unifying feature in our culture. It cuts across all spectrums. We say it is the most powerful art form ever created. It is the music that changed the world.

It helped us think differently and has really been a change agent. At the same time, it is something that brings us together and unites us. When you can hum a few bars of a song and the whole audience chimes in, it’s pretty remarkable.

CM: Your talk is called “Our Soundtrack.” What songs would be on your soundtrack?

GH: It would have to include some early rock and roll and roots music. I personally like music that has a little extra edge and grit to it. That includes old blues, old country, rockabilly, garage bands, punk rock as well as what we are calling today Americana. I’m a huge fan of people like Doug Sahm.

CM: What are the challenges of being the establishment end of an anti-establishment industry?

GH: Rock and roll is always pushing the envelope. And one of the challenges for us is to stay relevant. The music that was pushing the envelope a few years ago is pretty standard now. We have to continue to move and evolve as music evolves. Rock and roll has never just been four guys with long hair and guitars. Rock and roll has always been diverse type of music.

You could have Bridge Over Troubled Water and Purple Haze and The Supremes, and that’s all rock and roll.

CM: What’s your favorite band at the moment?

GH: I’m glad you said “at the moment,” because it changes regularly. I always seem to go back to the Rolling Stones, and right now I am really enjoying the Everly Brothers. We are honoring them with a tribute concert in Cleveland on October 25.

CM: Who was your first concert?

GH: My first big concert was a huge Southern rock show with the Allman brothers, The Outlaws, Charlie Daniels and Molly Hatchet.

CM: What’s the best part about your job?

GH: The best part is the way the music connects and inspires people. Everybody has a favorite song or a favorite band; when visitors walk through our front door, that’s inside them. If we can connect with that, we can inspire them in ways that few can.

CM: What’s something people would be surprised to learn about you?

GH: They might be surprised to know that I can’t sing to save my life.

CM: What do you want readers to take away from this interview?

GH: Anybody who has grown up with this music has got to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. We have been open for about 20 years and had 10 million visitors. Anyone who grew up with this music has got to make the pilgrimage to Cleveland.

TEDxSMU takes place November 1, 9 am-6 pm, at Dallas City Performance Hall. Tickets cost $150 and include breakfast, lunch and access to the after-party. Buy them while supplies last.

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You're Grounded

American and Southwest airlines ban humanoid robots as passengers

Photo courtesy of Elite Event Robotics/Instagram

Bebop the robot, owned by Dallas-based Elite Event Robotics, flew in May on a Southwest Airlines flight from Oakland, California, to San Diego.

Dallas-Fort Worth's two major hometown airlines are drawing a hard line between human and humanoid: American Airlines and Southwest Airlines won’t permit human-like or animal-like robots to board flights as passengers.

Fort Worth-based American and Dallas-based Southwest recently adopted bans on robotic passengers after two incidents in which human-like robots joined flesh-and-blood passengers on Southwest flights.

In May, Aaron Mehdizadeh, owner of The Robot Studio rental company in Dallas, was heading from Las Vegas to Dallas Love Field with 3.5-foot-tall Stewie, according to CBS News Texas. Rather than shipping Stewie as cargo, Mehdizadeh bought the robot its own seat using a type of ticket often purchased for fragile items such as wedding dresses and equipment.

But because Stewie was technically a carry-on item, the robot wasn’t supposed to occupy a seat, according to eWeek. Crew members wound up disconnecting Stewie’s battery and relocating the robot to a window seat before takeoff.

Mehdizadeh pushed back on Southwest’s stance regarding the battery, telling CBS News Texas that Stewie’s power supply is a standard battery that’s similar to one for a laptop.

Stewie isn’t the only robot making mischief in the skies. In May, a 70-pound, human-like robot named Bebop caused a stir on a Southwest flight from Oakland, California, to San Diego.

The robot prompted a nearly one-hour flight delay after crew members realized it violated restrictions on large carry-ons and raised concerns about the battery, San Francisco TV station KGO reported. Dallas-based Elite Event Robotics owns Bebop.

Southwest seized Bebop’s lithium-ion battery, but the airline did let Bebop take the San Diego-bound flight.

Southwest’s new robot policy prohibits human-like or animal-like robots from riding in an airplane cabin or as checked baggage, no matter their size or purpose. All other robots, including toys, must fit in a carry-on size bag and comply with battery restrictions, the airline says.

In a statement sent to CultureMap, a Southwest spokeswoman says the airline “has taken a strong stance on this issue and has led the U.S. airline industry with our battery policy.”

“The robot policy is a further evolution of a [safety] journey we have been on for several months. This move was not in response to any single incident,” the spokeswoman adds. “To eliminate confusion, the policy applies to all similar devices, regardless of size.”

Lithium-ion batteries can overheat, catch on fire, or explode on airplanes.

American’s new robot policy, which took effect Monday, August 17, is similar to Southwest’s. The policy prohibits human-like and animal-like robots from sitting in a purchased seat, being stored in an overhead bin or traveling as checked baggage. The ban applies to U.S., international, and regional flights.

“While there have been no known events involving this type of robot on any American flight, this policy was developed following a comprehensive review of safety risks associated with these devices, including the large lithium-ion batteries that power them,” the airline said in an internal memo obtained by the View From the Wing travel blog.

American gate agents have been told not to allow a passenger accompanied by a robot to board a plane or to let a robot travel as a checked item, the memo says.

If a robot is discovered after check-in, American employees are supposed to follow the Federal Aviation Administration’s “undeclared dangerous goods” procedures. These procedures cover hazardous shipments like lithium-ion batteries, explosives, flammable liquids, and compressed gases that lack required warning labels or shipping documents.

southwest airlines american airlines robots technology airlines

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TEDxSMU speaker Greg Harris talks rock 'n' roll and changing the world

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You're Grounded

American and Southwest airlines ban humanoid robots as passengers