New Stuff or Classics?

When I decided to get more serious with my magic, I made a conscious decision: I wanted to avoid all the flashy DVDs with finger-breaking cuts and flourishes, and concentrate on learning solid classic magic - effects that have withstood the test of time.

When I was entering this more serious phase, I was an attendee at a convention where Gazzo lectured. He uttered a phrase that has stuck with me ever since: "A classic is a classic for a reason."

Don't get me wrong; the flashy DVDs do have things to contribute. With so many of these DVDs coming out constantly, all the folks seem to want are the "newest" things. Whenever folks ask me what's new, I usually tell them "If you haven't seen it, it's new to you."

Case in point: At a recent convention, I found myself sessioning with a 14-year-old card magic enthusiast. He could do all the fancy cuts and moves - stuff I can't do. When I showed him Marlo's Estimation Aces routine, he was floored! That day, I sold him on buying a copy of Revolutionary Card Technique and on the power of the "old" classic texts. He promised me he'd put down the DVD remote and pick up the books.

Because a magic trick or book has been published for years and years, doesn't mean that it's old and stale - it means it's old but powerful. For the beginning magician wanting to impress his friends or the guys at the club, reading the "old" books and learning the "old" tricks is what will set you apart and open more opportunities for you in the magic world.