Circuit Bending/Ad-hoc/New Band

While it may not be new to many, it is new to me, and it is certainly looks like tons of fun.

The basic premise is to mess around with the circuitry of a sound producing toy or appliance to make a new and interesting sound(s). Though sound is not the only thing that can be "bent" as the video below shows; video signals too can also be bent to produce some very interesting stuff.





Over the last few weeks i have been working on a few ad-hoc objects, making a lamp out of a kettle i found, a candle holder out of the kettle's element and so on, and now i've learnt of circuit bending, i guess i could call those works case bending or something to that effect, as i've not changed any circuitry (yet).

I suppose i enjoy the fact that making do with improvised items is a creative act that has the immediacy of practicality and purpose. At our new squat we have a kitchen sink make of a sink top and milk crates, a door as a bench top, another door as a coffee table and old planks and boards for floors and so on - all these things as well as being free have a wonderful aesthetic that i wouldn't trade for ikea furniture.

I really wish i did have a camera to get up some pictures of our squat as i didnt get many pictures of the last place up either, though we were robbed the other day and unfortunatly a housemates camera was stolen. I have been able to borrow some recording devices from Uni however to record a sound project i've been working on and you can listen to it here. There are some downloads too, coming soon however will be a downloadable .pdf that you can fold into a CD case.

Until next time.

Soulwax, Coldcut + Tv Sheriff

Soulwax - NY Excuse:


Coldcut vs. TV Sheriff - World Of Evil:


Oldies, but goodies.

What's the G20?

Dubya is supposed to have asked "Revin" Rudd. Although where others have called them "Some of the world’s most brutal warmongers and economic rationalists", it's hardly the response I think Rudd would've given.
The libs have demanded that a federal police investigation be launched into who leaked the details. Rudd claims it never even happened. The libs also demand Rudd apologises to Bush, and now Rudd demands that the libs apologise to Obama. Wow.
The wonderful photo of the two rulers (above) is stolen from the terrorgraph, which I've included because i find it bizarre to have someone photoshop an image of the two together when photos like these (below) already exist:



GHOUL - A MOUTHFUL OF GOLD
And in news that might actually mean something to people. Sydney band Ghoul have released their EP. In fact they released it a little while ago, and I've just been quite late with this post. In keeping with awesomeness they have made the EP freely available for download, from here.
As the band is happy to boast, they have been described as "a young band with no hooks" by a "dude from bluejuice", and "a fantastic lo-fi(ish) band from Sydney with a definite haunting element to their sound" According to Polaroids Of Androids.

Apart from getting the chance the hear some awesome music, other incentives to see ghoul include;
- Free Ep Give aways at their gigs at COFA on the 26th of November + Oxford Arts Factory on the 27th.

Yawning Man

Yawning Man formed in 1986, and to reinforce the stoner stereotype, didn't get around to releasing any official records until 2005 when they released Rock Formations (click to download).
The album is described as "a melancholic mix of acoustic space rock with elements of surf music, as well as middle eastern guitar style".
Yawning man were one of the original desert rock bands and remain very influential to bands of the Palm Desert.
Reminiscing of the desert rock scene and Yawning Man's involvement, Brant Bjork formerly of Kyuss said;

Yawning Man was the sickest desert band of all time. You’d just be up there in the desert, everybody’d just be hanging, partying. And they’d show up in their van and just, mellow, drag out their shit and set up right about the time the sun was goin’ down, set up the generators, sometimes they’d just go up there and drink beers and barbecue. Sometimes it would be a scene; sometimes it would be very intimate. It was very casual and loose and everybody would like, while they’re playing, everyone would just lounge around. They were kinda like a house band. It wasn’t militant like Black Flag. It was very drugged, very stone-y, it was very mystical. Everyone’s just tripping, and they’re just playing away, for hours. Oh, they’re the GREATEST band I’ve ever seen.

This is very much worth the download. Rapidly shared for your convenience.

And another Gem from the Palm Desert;

Locked out

So i arrived at the house i had set my heart upon this morning, armed with a broom and tape measure, only to find that some goons had been sent around to screw the door to the frame.
Basically there is no way into the house, even for the owner, without breaking in now. So you can only imagine the house has been secured so it can continue to rot away in peace.

Here's to waste!

Anyway, on a more beautiful note, here we have the music of Steve Reich, remixed by various artists. This is pretty old now, but listening to Reich recently reminded me of my HSC year when i had to analyse this piece, different trains. Please listen, it's worth it.
This is one of three movements, America - before the war, which is followed by Europe - During the War and then After the War, obviously.

Armed Party Poopers

"Riot squad police have shut down an illegal dance party in Sydney's inner suburbs sending home 1500 disgruntled party-goers." Reports Livenews.
The party was pretty awesome, with about 7 different area's set up throughout the factory, which had a really nice vibe. 3 floors, video installations, lights, lasers etc.

The cops, needless to say, over reacted to this, using unwarranted physical force on people who had just had their party needlessly shutdown.
Obviously upset they'd not been invited, they proceeded to invite all their friends including "Numerous additional police, including the Public Order and Riot Squad, the Dog Squad, Polair and Police Rescue"

From an email posted on a public forum; "To the party people - Your approach to modern life is an inspiration to part time anarchists, 8-ball sharks, lovers of cutting edge underground and all the other miscreants."

Some sounds

Tape from Stockholm.
This band plays largely ambient instrumental tracks very worth listening to. I'm not too familiar with them, though after listening for a short time i have decided they definatly warrant a mention on here.
They have a myspace located here where you can listen to and download some tracks. And a kind blogger at http://3and4.blogspot.com/ has provided a link to access the album in its entireity - here.
It comes highly reccomended. I mean check out this review; "Tape stir up such forgotten feelings, they restore fading pictures we don’t really want to share with anyone else. Or in some cases have forgotten they were ever there in the first place. The aching slowness of these melodies awaken reluctant nostalgia; a forced sentimentality. And they do so without the aid of words, only with the purest music; the electricity in the air that surrounds the captured moment." – Andres Lokko

Something else pretty interesting is a project called Little People. I've always wanted to be shrunk, so it amazes me. Here are some photo's, but be sure to check out more from the official blog.