V01I10 - 10111998
Legendary Pink Dots touch down in North America this week - starting off in Burlington Vermont and working their way across the USA, Canada and Mexico. Something NOT to be missed - especially with some surprise solo sets from Edward Ka-Spel, himself...
Meat Beat Manifesto have also announced the first dates of their North American tour. There are more to come and we're the only place to see the official dates FIRST. This is an exciting tour because not only will Mark Pistel, formerly of Consolidated be performing as part of Meat Beat, but Banksy the dancer will also be dancing on stage for the band. Many surprises also in store for some new stuff and some new takes on older favorites.
SONG OF THE WEEK
The Coil site features the second edition of the Song of the Week. Check the site for more details.
IN BRIEF
Nurse With Wound have recently issued "Second Pirate Session", a limited release featuring the entire "Rock'n Roll Station" sessions. This is a two-disc set with about 80 more minutes on it than the original release. It's hypnotic, pulsating, and provides a wonderful ambiance to any type of listening activities. Quite a departure from NWW's sound to begin with, this is a "complete picture" of the entire session. Well worth its price.
- Jon Whitney
SUETSU & UNDERWOOD
With the RIAA cracking down on the misappropriation and abuse of samples,
projects such as "Find The Hits (And Then Use Them)" become essential,
last-ditch efforts at the vindication of sampling as a valid and vital
artform. Suetsu & Underwood are careful not to step on any toes with this
low-key set. After gathering field-recordings from international
environments and spaces both expansive and claustrophobic, the S&E
collective burned forty 2CD sets (an initial pressing of 30 and a follow-up
run of 10) - including a disk of the source recordings (surprisingly
engrossing even without processing) and a disk of "stitchings," S&E's
assembled versions of their source material. Even with the beautiful
packaging - pastel baby 'jammies sewn into two pouches and backed with a
third cardboard pouch (for liner notes), it is this second disk which makes
_Find The Hits_ so memorable. The splicings are ingenious, remarkable
arrangements which recall the work of no less than the most exacting and
celebrated of musical neo-Dadists (Steven Stapleton, Christoph Heemann,
Hafler Trio, Jim O'Rourke). Where many tape artists rely on a funky beat as
a crutch, Suetsu & Underwood's work is entirely beatless, succeeding on the
strength of its juxtapositions and forged atmospheres. An astonishing CD.
Run - don't slither - and bug S&E (c/o Lucky Kitchen) to burn a copy for
you, or you'll risk missing out on some of the most important sound art
being made today. (luckykitchen@earthlink.net or home.earthlink.net/~luckykitchen) - Gil Gershman, guest contributor and professional reviewer
AN UNLIKELY COMBO
Louge lizards from the New England, Combustible Edison, have teamed up with Sonic Terrorist from London, Scanner for the new Combustible Edison disc, "The Impossible World". While this whole 'Swing' trend must die and die quickly, Combustible Edison have been doing the 'lounge' sound for years before it was trendy again. This time around, with Scanner producing, the result is somewhere between the 1960s and the 1960s' own low-fi sci-fi visions of today. Not necessarily a masterpiece, but it's sure fun to listen to.
- Jon Whitney
As always, check out the latest update of NEW RELEASES brought to you by Greg and Feedback Monitor.
REVIEWED
I saw "Modulations" last month here in Los Angeles.
I was pretty disappointed that there no mention of Cabaret Voltaire, or of the influence of electronic instrumentation in Industrial music. There was a small bit with Can and Genesis, however, he spoke more of his dabblings in Acid House. Also no mention of the early electronic/progressive rock such as Tangerine Dream, Jarre, Tomita, etc, or the classical angle of electronic music with artists as Philip Glass and Robert Rich. Also no mention of the influential Industrial/EBM bands of the 80's such as Front 242, Front Line Assembly, Ministry, Skinny Puppy. Very little mention of the evolution of the early electronic instruments such as Theremin, Hammond Organ, Buchla, etc. The movie is only about 70-90 minutes long, so they focused on Techno/Dance music, which had a lot of ground to cover as well.
The movie was well done with many short interviews, with a definite slant towards Techno/Rave/Dance/House music, with a limited mention of some early pioneers such as Cage, and Stockhausen. Kraftwerk, Bambaatta, and Moroder were prominently featured as pioneers in dance music. Also lots of DJ's interviewed, with almost the whole Detroit Techno Movement crew on hand (Carl Cox, Derrick May, Juan Atkins, etc.) There was some mention of the Jungle Drum & Bass and German Hardcore Techno movements and East Coast (U.S.) Techno pioneers. Very little mention of West Coast (U.S.) influences, though.
The film also mentioned Miles Davis and his work with Teo Macero on "Bitches Brew", which surprised me a little bit because it seemed out of context with the rest of the film. Macero spoke of the cut-up technique that he and Davis used for that seminal jazz album. With mention of "cut-up technique", I was hoping for a segue into some mention of Cabaret Voltaire, but it never happened. Oh well.
I would not consider "Modulations" a comprehensive overview of electronic music, but I would recommend it for a quick summary of electronic music from the perspective of a present-day fan of Techno/Dance music. - Seanster, guest contributor
LOLITA
We waited years for this? I was not impressed, the Nabakov book is still a timeless masterpiece, but to see this on the screen the way they did it was disappointing. Jeremy Irons plays a French guy with an English accent. How did this happen? We feel no sympathy for him, I mean, he is a dirty old pervert, but we should be made to feel something for him, but he pulls it off like a pathetic pussy-whipped fool. Dominique Swain's performance of Dolores (Lolita) was excellent. Frank Langella overacted the role of the dirty porn-peddler, we also didn't need to see his penis. Melanie Griffith is such an awful actress and this role isn't anything she shines in either - it's a damned good thing she dies early on. Don't waste your money in the theater, see it on Showtime.
- Jon Whitney
Subject: Yo! I need a t-shirt!!
How can I get a shirt? Let me know please!
Danke!
Tim
sold out
Subject: just checked out brainwashed..
hello,
I just surfed on in to brainwashed from scour.net.
Nice site...
I was looking for wav. files loops and stuff to use in sonic foundry's acid software.
anyway, just say hello and phaaaaaatt site you guy's have.
smile,
beethoven
Someone once said 'While it's too late to sit by and watch Beethoven composing, we still have the ability to witness Beethoven decomposing." I think I got the words wrong, but you get the jist.
Subject: Hello,
Hello Nurse With Wound,
I'm from Brazil, and I write for a Brazialian music magazine. I would like to listen your sound. If possible, send us a CD that you think that can show your band here in Brazil.
Okay, for the last time brainwashed is not a record company - we don't have promos, we don't send anything out aside from information, we can't get you free tickets. Contact bands and record companies if you want free stuff.
What's wrong with the following note?:
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 12:11:34 -0400 From: "Terhune, Charles" To: "Whitney, Jon (of Brainwashed.Com)" Subject: Clusterfuck and Joy Today My car wouldn't start and wee need it to go to Maine. I It may be the distributor which will probably cost $600 to replace... I got in and found I'd sad a document was due Monday when in fact I was due TODAY and the guy who needed it was fucking pissed. it's okay. He's just a major economist. I think I'll kill myself now.. On a bright note, the guy who runs Brianwahsed.com offered to marry me last night in exchange for the extra ticket to the Autechre show. This is the guy who runs the Thrill jockey web site among others. Who may be able to pass a tape along to Thrill Jockey. Touch my peep-pee, please... Things may be worse or better than they seem, so sayeth the Buddha...Give up?
- Check your addresses
- Don't talk about me w/o knowing my sense of humor
- Check above if you don't know what brainwashed is - ie: we have really no more influence over a record company as anybody else sending something in would.
- Don't do #1 combined with #2 or I will display your folly publically like this example.
OF THE
WEEK
Free yourself from the oppressive name you bear that the white man enslaved upon you. Check out the Louis Farrakhan African Name Generator for your new name and instructions on how to legally change it.
YOUR CD
PLAYER?
Doc Watson and David Grisman - "Doc and Dawg" (home CD player)
The Wedding Present - "Seamonsters" (car tape player)
The Kinks - "Authur" (car tape player)
Bill Evans Trio - "How My Heart Sings" (home CD player)
Come - "Near Life Experience" (car tape player)
John Coltrane/Cannonball Adderley - "Coltrane and Cannonball" (home CD player)
- Bubba Kedane, former Bedhead member
TRANSMISSION FROM MIDDLE AMERICA
Legendary Pink Dots "Nemesis Online"
Meat Beat Manifesto "Actual Sounds + Voices"
Coil "Amethyst Deceivers" cds and 7"
Henry Rollins "Think Tank"
Pink Floyd "Animals"
Boards of Canada "Music has the Right to Children"
Public Image Ltd. "Second Edition"
Phil Western "The Escapist"
Neu! "Neu! '75"
The Descendents "Everything Sucks"
- Mark Weddle, Kansan and guest contributor
Brainwashed Fine China
PO Box 7
Arlington MA 02476
USA