"But Yeah, You Do Better Than Anybody" - Tony Slydini to Bill Wisch
- Bill Wisch
- 7 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Published by Bill Wisch
September 1, 2026
Today, September 1, 2026, would have been Slydini’s 126th birthday. Tony was my mentor, my teacher, and a wonderful friend. I miss him dearly.
On September 1, 2022, I celebrated Tony’s birthday by revealing the complete index of the 38 hours of audio lessons I had cataloged and digitized. (I have embedded that video below for those who haven't seen it.) Four years later, my son Kevin and I are hard at work finalizing The Slydini Tapes, Volume 1.
The Slydini Tapes, Volume 1 contains a little over two hours of audio pulled directly from my private lessons with Tony. These recordings capture instruction, correction, teaching, reminiscing, and laughing, (oh, the laughter!) between the two of us across the table.
Today, on Tony’s birthday, I thought it only fitting to share a short moment from those tapes.
On April 18, 1974, Tony and I were working on Paper Balls to the Box. I knew I wasn't going to do everything right. Tony knew that, too.
“Of course, there’s going to be something amiss…
But, yeah, you do better than anybody.” - Tony Slydini to Bill Wisch
That exchange is just one of many candid moments preserved in these recordings. I hope you enjoy hearing Tony’s voice again as much as I have enjoyed listening to these recordings again with my son.
If you haven't already, please consider signing up for my mailing list on the homepage of my website. We will have much more to share as we get closer to releasing The Slydini Tapes, Volume 1.
Until then, Happy Birthday, Tony.
- Bill
Complete performance of Paper Balls in the Box
From a detailed instructional lesson I filmed recently: "Bill Wisch's Definitive Lesson on Slydini's Paper Balls in the Box."The full video lesson breaks down every subtle timing detail, lap-work movement, and misdirection cue required for the routine. Both this full video lesson and 2 hours of my original 1974 private lesson audio recordings with Tony are included in The Slydini Tapes, Volume 1.
The Slydini Tapes Index, Published September 1, 2022
