IDM Mailing Archive

At the Anchorage last night I saw a pretty interesting show. First Jim O'Rourke played a repetitive distortion guitar thing. Next was some guy from Circuit Bible, who was really incredible. Does anyone know anything more about him/them? Do they always do that kind of percussive stuff, not quite jungle, but still fast and frantic? Next was a guy from EBN, who was pretty good, but sort of repetitive. the best part was the video stuff that accompanied it (drumming guy went with the drums, bass player with the bass line, etc.) Does anyone who was at the show remember the voice sample that went with the newscast lady, something about lsd, etc.? Ben Neill went on next, which was decent at points, but mostly boring. Is he actually a good trumpet player when he's playing for real? DJ Spooky closed. I had never seen him before, and frankly I was disappointed, if not very surprised after all the shit people have talked about him. Really boring, didn't go anywhere. The most interesting thing he did was further deconstruct Hendrix's national anthem, but really, what's the point? So here are my questions-did I see him on a bad night? Is he always like this? For those of you who were there, what did you thing of his set? Is his music something that grows on you if you hear him spin a few times? A guy from EBN did visuals the whole way through, except for Jim O'Rourke. Pretty cool, especially for Circuit Bible and EBN. Thanks much Sam

quoted 8 lines Ben Neill went on next, which was decent at points, but mostly boring. Is

> Ben Neill went on next, which was decent at points, but mostly boring. Is > he actually a good trumpet player when he's playing for real? > DJ Spooky closed. I had never seen him before, and frankly I was > disappointed, if not very surprised after all the shit people have talked > about him. Really boring, didn't go anywhere. The most interesting thing he > did was further deconstruct Hendrix's national anthem, but really, what's the > point? So here are my questions-did I see him on a bad night? Is he always > like this? For those of you who were there, what did you thing of his set?

Yes, DJ Spooky constantly sucks. A friend of mine said best about him, "You have to actually build something before you can deconstruct it." I didn't make it there. But I really try hard to avoid Soundlab events, and have heard Spooky one too many times.

quoted 1 line Is his music something that grows on you if you hear him spin a few times?

> Is his music something that grows on you if you hear him spin a few times?

It gets worse each time. freshie Paranoia: The choice of a Tech Generation http://silly.com/~tang

KaisrSolze@aol.com wrote:

quoted 4 lines Next was a guy from EBN, who was pretty

> Next was a guy from EBN, who was pretty > good, but sort of repetitive. the best part was the video stuff that > accompanied it (drumming guy went with the drums, bass player with the bass > line, etc.)

The reason why everything was perfectly in synch was (if you had read my earlier review of EBN's show a few days ago) because all the guy was doing was PLAYING A FUCKING VIDEOTAPE. ITS A TOTAL SHAM!

quoted 6 lines DJ Spooky closed. I had never seen him before, and frankly I was

> DJ Spooky closed. I had never seen him before, and frankly I was > disappointed, if not very surprised after all the shit people have talked > about him. > So here are my questions-did I see him on a bad night? Is he always > like this? For those of you who were there, what did you thing of his set? > Is his music something that grows on you if you hear him spin a few times?

His shows vary from show to show. He certainly has the skills to rock a house if he wants, but most often he does not want to. BTW, Did anyone see the "Apology" for DJ Spooky in the Village Voice a few weeks ago? It said that people don't give him respect because he's black. Then the guy went and called him the "Basquiat of the turntables"! Oh, I see, he's the Basquiat of the turntables simply because he's a black guy with dreads in NY? Gimme a break. The guy missed the point. I don't know anyone who doesn't respect Spooky except for two reasons: 1)They don't like his music or 2) They find his pretentious rants intolerably and inexcusably nonsensical. I know a lot of people who find Spooky tiresome and none of them are racists. -CF

quoted 5 lines From: KaisrSolze@aol.com[SMTP:KAISRSOLZE@AOL.COM]

> From: KaisrSolze@aol.com[SMTP:KAISRSOLZE@AOL.COM] > > I guess I'd disagree, for a few reasons. First, it wsn't as if EBN just > had a video machijne. they had like 2 computers and two keyboards w/ EBN > stickers on them, whichg weren't up on stage, but in the sound booth.

Doesn't prove anything. I still think they're faking.

quoted 2 lines Second, they did visuals throughout, not just during their set, and all the

> Second, they did visuals throughout, not just during their set, and all the > visuals were pretty synchronized, meaning they did some stuff on the fly.

I honestly think they were controlling much less stuff than you think. How often did you see the performers make some motion with some part of their body which resulted in a change in the images or sounds in the space? As a general guideline, if the performer doesn't noticable manipulate something at least 20 times a minute or so then they are being a bit lazy. I'm not looking for no fast-lick guitar godz or anything, just a little work. EBN didn't look like they were quite up to the bar when I saw them.

quoted 4 lines Third, I came in during sound check, and they were testing out the drummer,

> Third, I came in during sound check, and they were testing out the drummer, > etc. visuals. My guess is that they hooked up a given sound to the beginning > of a given tape loop thru their computer, and then went from there. I really > doubt it was prerecorded.

Okay, so the guy had to remember that "Song 1 goes with videotape #48, Song 2 goes with videotape #16, etc..." I've seen some kick-ass VJ's out there who make EBN look like couch potatoes or even like luddites. My freind VJ Lo$$ Vega$$ (who's in the Whitney Biennial!) has done some beautiful shows using two VHS tape decks and a primitive effects deck for doing wipes and simple video effects. And a sack full of videotapes, half of which are her own productions (computer animation, performance art, films) and half of which are from TV or movies or something. (The tools she uses are just like a hot shit DJ's equipment: two turntables, a mixer, a little effect or two, some 12"s and some custom dubplates.) Anyway, she works in conjuction with a real DJ or a live act. And she's doing beautiful stuff projected on multiple screens. Freestyle effects patterns and real time intercutting. What I saw at EBN on the Frying Pan last week was pathetic in comparison. Maybe they did more at the Anchorage, but if it was just the one guy (with the blonde hair) I don't see why he wouldn't have done it for me but he would for you. Maybe he liked you more. I sometimes suspect they are just a bunch of people who were asked to convert their pretty interesting 80's video art into a live show and realized that they weren't as hot shit as everyone thought they were. So they fake it to get gigs. Virtuosity it's not. -CF

In a message dated 97-06-24 01:12:22 EDT, you write: << Subj: Re: (idm) circuit bible/dj spooky, etc. Date: 97-06-24 01:12:22 EDT From: fafol@appleby.com (freshie) Sender: idm-owner@hyperreal.com Reply-to: fafol@appleby.com To: KaisrSolze@aol.com, idm@hyperreal.com > Ben Neill went on next, which was decent at points, but mostly boring. Is > he actually a good trumpet player when he's playing for real? > DJ Spooky closed. I had never seen him before, and frankly I was > disappointed, if not very surprised after all the shit people have talked > about him. Really boring, didn't go anywhere. The most interesting thing he > did was further deconstruct Hendrix's national anthem, but really, what's the > point? So here are my questions-did I see him on a bad night? Is he always > like this? For those of you who were there, what did you thing of his set? Yes, DJ Spooky constantly sucks. A friend of mine said best about him, "You have to actually build something before you can deconstruct it." I didn't make it there. But I really try hard to avoid Soundlab events, and have heard Spooky one too many times. > Is his music something that grows on you if you hear him spin a few times? It gets worse each time. >> I don't really like most DJ Spooky myself but his late album "Viral Sonata" is pretty good ambient as far as ambient goes. I'm not dissing ambient, I love it,... but I know it's not for everyone. -AnalogSquare