IDM Mailing Archive

Here's a press release I just got about the new Herbert album: Dear All, You are about to be given the opportunity for assisting Matthew Herbert with his latest album – due for release next year. You are also about to being the opportunity to feature on it! Below, enclosed are the instructions. Follow carefully and then call the number to leave Matthew his message. DEADLINE: 29.11.05 All the Best and Good Luck !K7 Records Matthew Herbert and his Answering Machine: Matthew Herbert; renowned Jazz Musician, electro-acoustic legend, big band conductor, 90’s house warrior, soundtrack scorer extraordinaire, author of the highly influential ‘Personal Contract for the Composition of Music’, speaker for the anti-globalisation movement and the man responsible for the highly popular ‘Bodily Functions’ and ‘Plat du Jour’ albums is at it again….. Matthew has a new album in the pipeline. Similar to his previous offerings Matthew does not intend to steer away from his dominating, God-like use of the sampler, and the rule to which his music is created; ‘the use of sounds that already exist is not allowed’. A rule, which has lead to his music being created through the sounds of food preparation and household appliances, for example, instead of the monotonous, processed, synthetic beats of standard drum machines. Thus manifesting itself into an entirely original amalgamation of music and sounds. His latest release, the critically acclaimed, ‘Plat du Jour’ was created over a period of 18 months, and consisted of 30,000 chickens, 3,255 people biting on an apple, and a cheiftan mk 10 battle tank – to list just a few of the ingredients making up this epic release. So what has Matthew in store for us now….? To be honest I don’t think anyone will know until his new record is released, but for one of the up and coming tracks on this yet, untitled album, he requires your assistance. Yes. You! At the !K7 office we have installed a separate phone line, the ‘Herbert Hotline’, if you will. Unfortunately there’s no-one at the other end to pick it up, just an answering machine. Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to call this number and leave a message consisting of a single sound. It could be organic, vocal, mechanical, natural – even bodily. Remember you’re dealing with a man who has created music from the recording of coffee cups and sewer systems, so the more original the better. These sounds will be collected on the answering machine and past on to the grand, musical conductor himself, who will fuse the sounds together to create a grand musical cacophony that only he knows will sound like. To add extra intrigue to this task you must under no circumstances state, or give any indication as to what the sound is. Should you believe that your contribution is worthy enough of credit and acknowledgement then you should email us (dan@k7.com), and your musical contribution will be duly noted. So go on, give the ‘Herbert Hotline’ a ring….. +49 (0) 32 22 1918 394 -- McIntosh Cooey - Twelve Hundred Group LLC - http://www.1200group.com/ --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

quoted 3 lines Your task, should you choose to accept it,

> Your task, should you choose to accept it, > is to call this number and leave a message > consisting of a single sound.

Now don't everyone call up and fart into the phone all at once. I've really enjoyed Herbert's work in the past, but again I find myself asking, "does everything have to be so goddamned gimmicky with this guy?" -- V, ~Rick Strom Glowdot Productions On Glowfoto: http://users.glowfoto.com/Strom ============================ Photo: http://www.glowfoto.com Music: http://www.glowdot.com Strom: http://www.rick-strom.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

Yip; I can't help but agree with you totally!!! I * On 15 Nov 2005 at 19:17, Rick Strom wrote:

quoted 2 lines I've really enjoyed Herbert's work in the past, but again I find myself

> I've really enjoyed Herbert's work in the past, but again I find myself > asking, "does everything have to be so goddamned gimmicky with this guy?"

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how else is he going to get the media to pay attention to electronic music? On 11/15/05, Rick Strom <rick@glowdot.com> wrote:

quoted 1 line asking, "does everything have to be so goddamned gimmicky with this guy?"

> asking, "does everything have to be so goddamned gimmicky with this guy?"

-- pete lastname meatsock@gmail.com www.grep-fu.net --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

why does it have to be that he's gimmicky and not that he's just doing something interesting, different, creative and fun with his music? joshua. ....... all time. http://ropeswingcities.com http://ropeswingcities.com/josh23 http://spacepiratemusic.com http://acre-c.com

quoted 24 lines Your task, should you choose to accept it,

>> Your task, should you choose to accept it, >> is to call this number and leave a message >> consisting of a single sound. > > Now don't everyone call up and fart into the phone all at once. > > I've really enjoyed Herbert's work in the past, but again I find myself > asking, "does everything have to be so goddamned gimmicky with this guy?" > > -- > V, > ~Rick Strom > Glowdot Productions > On Glowfoto: http://users.glowfoto.com/Strom > ============================ > Photo: http://www.glowfoto.com > Music: http://www.glowdot.com > Strom: http://www.rick-strom.com > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org > For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org >

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quoted 2 lines why does it have to be that he's gimmicky and not that he's just doing

> why does it have to be that he's gimmicky and not that he's just doing > something interesting, different, creative and fun with his music?

Are you serious? While yes, there is a gray area between interesting, creative art that breaks the rules and gimmick, Herbert not only crosses the line, he colors it pink, ties it into a pretty bow in his hair and prances down the boulevard with it. I doubt even he would disagree with that. A lot of good music has come from it. As I said, I've really enjoyed his work, especially over the past few years. But he's a guy who makes his work more about the gimmick than the music. I'd understand that if he was a talentless twit, but he isn't. I don't think his talent excuses his addiction to having "ooh look what Matthew is sampling now!" articles written about him ad nauseum. Guys like Cage at least mixed it up. Imagine if the rest of his (Cage's) work amounted to 4'38", 4'52", 5'23", etc. Or to put it another way, why must the process be more important than the result? Why are you (likely) more familiar with the samples he used on Bodily Functions than you are any of the music on it? -- V, ~Rick Strom Glowdot Productions On Glowfoto: http://users.glowfoto.com/Strom ============================ Photo: http://www.glowfoto.com Music: http://www.glowdot.com Strom: http://www.rick-strom.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

On 11/16/05, Rick Strom <rick@glowdot.com> wrote:

quoted 2 lines But he's a guy who makes his

> But he's a guy who makes his > work more about the gimmick than the music.

Perhaps this is true, but I find it refreshing that he concentrates on the process alot. I find alot of the elements of P.C.C.O.M are worthwhile, especially in regards to sampling and the use of real instruments. Too many artists take the "easy way out" and overuse samples, in my opinion, and to have someone state that they won't use external samples should be applauded. Neil --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

referencing any particular 2 second sample out of any part of recorded history is taking the easy way out? yeah, and using scales and chords is probably taking the easy way out compared to writing your own tonalities. On 11/16/05, Neil Walsh <walsh.neil@gmail.com> wrote:

quoted 18 lines On 11/16/05, Rick Strom <rick@glowdot.com> wrote:

> On 11/16/05, Rick Strom <rick@glowdot.com> wrote: > > But he's a guy who makes his > > work more about the gimmick than the music. > > Perhaps this is true, but I find it refreshing that he concentrates on > the process alot. I find alot of the elements of P.C.C.O.M are > worthwhile, especially in regards to sampling and the use of real > instruments. Too many artists take the "easy way out" and overuse > samples, in my opinion, and to have someone state that they won't use > external samples should be applauded. > > Neil > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org > For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org > >

-- pete lastname meatsock@gmail.com www.grep-fu.net --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

Rick Strom wrote:

quoted 5 lines Or to put it another way, why must the process be more important than the

>Or to put it another way, why must the process be more important than the >result? Why are you (likely) more familiar with the samples he used on >Bodily Functions than you are any of the music on it? > >

thats where you lost me, herb definitely gets caught up in his gimmick, but this album is very musical and memorable beyond what samples he used. in fact, thinking about the tracks the melodies and rhythms jump much more readily to my mind that the sounds of his samples (exect the apple eating track obviously ;). -- ________________________________________________________________ tasty electronic music vittles -- bluevitriol.com the only music blog you need -- playtherecords.com you are the dj. interactive music -- improbableorchestra.com random observations of the bizarre -- vitriolix.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

On 11/15/2005 10:33 PM, Rick Strom wrote::

quoted 2 lines But he's a guy who makes his work more about the gimmick than the music.

> But he's a guy who makes his work more about the gimmick than the music. > I'd understand that if he was a talentless twit, but he isn't.

Ahh, but isn't the whole process thing part of his appeal? I mean, can you ever think of a time when his music DIDN'T involve that element? The first review I ever read of a Matthew Herbert show was on this very list, around 94 or 95 I believe, and it was of an artist called Wishmountain, who played a DAT and then took a piece of paper and a pair of scissors and cut the paper up in time to the music on the DAT. At the end of the track, he unfolded the paper and it was cut into the name of the party (I think). Instead of demanding that he strip his music down to what we think is appropriate, maybe we could meet him halfway and say, hey I dig the music, and I'll *also* listen to what you have to say about process and take a look at the rest of the package you're presenting (complete with pink bow) as something that's more than just another CD or record.

quoted 3 lines I don't think his talent excuses his

> I don't think his talent excuses his > addiction to having "ooh look what Matthew is sampling now!" articles > written about him ad nauseum.

He has an addiction to those articles? Or maybe those articles are just noticing something he wants noticed -- that the process is just as important as the music. It's his art, he does have a right to ask that we at least examine it on the terms he wants to present it to us with.

quoted 2 lines Or to put it another way, why must the process be more important than the

> Or to put it another way, why must the process be more important than the > result?

I dunno, something about the path being more important than the destination maybe?

quoted 2 lines Why are you (likely) more familiar with the samples he used on

> Why are you (likely) more familiar with the samples he used on > Bodily Functions than you are any of the music on it?

For the most part, I'm not. cheers w -- wallace winfrey wally@booyaka.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org