Friday, December 26, 2008

I Cut People

I Cut People

I Cut People is California's Nicholas Smith. He has 4 records out on his own label, and several with a project called GITAR (with Ellipse Elkshow), including one on the way on the Seeland label, in 2009.

So far, I've only had a chance to play tracks off of his 2008 release, "Dumbed Downers," but the cut-ups there were dense and intense, revealing more and more each time you listen. His site features plenty of mp3s, so try them out for yourself, and take a look at the videos and visual collage while you're there. A sort of anti-drug video, titled "Todd Gamblin" was particularly amusing, I found. Check it out HERE.

Without further ado, here's the SAR Q&A with I Cut People...


*Name: I Cut People

*Are there any additional names used to describe this project: Nope.

*Do you use a pseudonym? Yes.

*Members: Nicholas Matthew Smith

*Founding Members: Me (Nicholas)

*Tape manipulations, digital deconstructions or turntable creations: If I had to pick one, I'd probably choose "digital deconstructions.”

*Another genre descriptor: “Finger pointing music”

*Why you use this descriptor: Woody Guthrie said it about his own music. Also, I usually describe my audio as being more of a literary experience than a musical one. That's how my girlfriend describes it.

*Location: Santa Rosa, CA

*Original Location: Evansville, IN

*What is your creative/artistic background: I started playing geetar and moved onto traditional classical music composition at the age of 19. I studied under David Wyatt in Indiana until I moved to San Francisco, CA to study at the S.F. conservatory of music. After hearing the last track of the Soft Pink Truth's album, “Do You Party,” I was intent on creating a whole album of nothing but cut up voice. I really didn't like all the rules that went along with traditional classical music. I'm not saying that all those rules that I learned went to waste. I still apply a lot of them to the audio I create today. One rule I still use is to never lose the audience's attention. Using this rule causes me to spend the time making sure each sentence cut is important and meaningful. Since moving on from traditional western music, my friend Todd Huber and I have started an artist collective called, buildings building themsel(VS) media machine, that focuses on recycling media. I am also in a group called, GITAR w/Ellipse Elkshow.

*History: I Cut People has been around for about 3 years.

*Born: I was born 7-10-80 in Evansville, IN

*Motivations: I’m motivated by our mental environment. It’s hard not to rearrange all the media that is constantly barking down our throats.

*Philosophy: Unlike a lot of artists who do what I do, I don't really focus too much on copyright. The audio is more about exposing liars.

*How would you like to be remembered: As someone who actually cared.

*Web address: icutpeople.com


www.some-assembly-required.net

Episode 222, Some Assembly Required

Episode 222, Some Assembly Required

01 Go Home Productions - “Kinky Madonna”
02 World's Worst Jukebox - “Say Something”
03 The Throw Up - “aug29b”
04 DJ Marvel - “Turntable Menace”
05 DJ Le Clown - “Sympathy for Sandman”
06 John Doe / 1200 Hobos - “A Knight's Tale (side B)”
07 Escape Mechanism - “Cycles”
08 I Cut People - “Patsy Credit Card Decline (With Ellipse Elkshow)”
09 Antediluvian Rocking Horse - “Long Sweet Dream”
10 Norwegian Recycling - “How Six Songs Collide”
11 Pop Chop - “Comp-elation”
12 DJ Earworm - “United State of Pop”
13 Splinter Test - “Untitled (Track 22, Electric Newspaper - Issue Four)”
14 People Like Us - “Millenium Dome”
15 Greater Than One - “The Ballet Of The 3 Feathered Sardines”


Use this address, for your pod software:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/some-assembly-required/JSpD

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Stunt Rock

Stunt Rock

Stunt Rock is an electronic musician and publisher with about ten releases and a zine to his credit. After spending some time reading through some of his Betamax blog, I can also say that in addition to making music, he's a talented and insightful writer as well.

Here's a quote from his myspace page, about himself, which may put his work (and response) into perspective:


My name is [Billy]. I am a musician/performer/f***ing joke. My stage name is/was Stunt Rock. For a while I was also a stand-up comic and prominent illustrator. Most of all though, I am a failure and a worthless human being. I put pointless creative endeavors ahead of familial and financial obligations and used these endeavors to make mockeries of my relationships. As a result I have totally f***ed my life up. There was a time when I believed in what I was doing, I thought that in the end it would all pay off because I would be able to prove to my loved ones (family and women) that I was worth something. Unfortunately, the creative endeavors I ventured on were childish acts of selfishness.

That's just a segment. Check out his myspace page to read more.

Most artists have probably had more than their fair share of dark days, and while most people just struggle privately, Stunt Rock has chosen to incorporate these feelings more directly into his art. Read on to learn more about how one artist is mastering the art of self righteous, self loathing...

By the way, his sound collages are pretty good too!


Without further ado, here's the SAR Q&A with the very talented... Stunt Rock...


*Name: Stunt Rock

*Are there any additional names used to describe this project: REGRET™ Instruction Manual, although that's not really a moniker or name, it's more of a parallel project I work on that sometimes seems to garner a little bit more of an audience. I'm almost thinking I should delete my reply here and move it to the question above. Technically, I guess I would call the whole project Stunt Rock and REGRET™ Instruction Manual. Perhaps I should move this reply to another section altogether. It seems to me the very nature of a fill-in-the-blank interview would pose problems for many people/artists, especially when your primary focus is less traditional forms of expression. I guess I'm losing focus. I make music under the Stunt Rock name. I also produce a very sporadic book called REGRET™ Instruction Manual, of which I am way more proud. Both of these projects are very near and dear to my heart and I'm not good at explaining them to people.

*Do you use a pseudonym? Sometimes I use my real name in the hopes someone would attempt to destroy my credit report, but so far this hasn't proven effective.

*Members: I more recently have begun working with a few friends, but "Stunt Rock" is me for the most part. And it's just me that does the book, except for my proofreader/editor who is also my guitarist when I need it… Hey, I get it! This is neat! It's like those emails my aunt sends around in which people answer by-the-numbers questions to tell you things you didn't know about them. Do you need to know my social security number, as well? That guy from that bank in Nigeria needed it and when I gave it back to him I never heard anything back. [Billy] is me, but I'm kind of in a predicament here because in the previous answer I clearly indicated I have some friends with whom I occasionally work, but I don't really want to list them and give them too much credit, you know?

*Founding Members: Getting back to me, it's seriously really just me. I'm starting to think maybe I should skip this question or delete it, but I don't know if there's some type of strict format I am supposed to be following. Like, does this go into a PHP style sheet, or is it just CSS? I'll assume I need to reply. I, [Billy], am the founding member, but I wouldn't say I really set out to start some type of band, or anything. Initially I wanted to embarrass my family and spurn people I didn't like. That's not really a "founding," though. Man, can I change the question a little to suit my answer better? I really wish I was more popular/mediocre so I could qualify for a telephone interview like DJ Spooky.

*Tape manipulations, digital deconstructions or turntable creations: Uh … something to do with me, my Betamax, my drinking problem(s), isolation. That's not really a term, though. You're looking for buzzwords, I can tell. This question is probably only here so you can try to coin new music terms before anyone else. Can I just go with "Betamax?" Sounds like: Betamax. I always thought the term "ear-rape" was funny, but I realize a majority of the people into obscure electronic music usually have some type of issue with rape, stemming from either guilt about being involved in some type of unmentioned sexual encounter with a questionably coherent partner, or as a victim of something similar at the hands of "that uncle I haven't seen since I was child." Regardless, I try to steer away from such things.

*Another genre descriptor: I was seriously just going to copy and paste replies from your website into each of these questions and see if you noticed. Get it? That would be like Plunderphonics! Instead of typing my own replies, I Mash-Up other artist replies! I f***ing hate my life. More than that I hate people trying to justify their s****y music with artistic words they make up.

*Why you use this descriptor: I really have never even tried to articulate what it is I am making. In fact, I can't even really stand when people try to do this, let alone have a four question section trying to get me to come up with something. I hate it even more, though, when people call it "art." I just thought of a new question idea: Ask people how they came up with their name. I don't have an interesting story about that, but I just thought of it and maybe it would be good. You don't even have to give me credit, which is a common thing amongst artists making obscure electronic music.

*Location: Zion, Illinois.

*Original Location: I'm from unfulfilled promises, disappoinment, and resentment.

*What is your creative/artistic background: Did not complete 2-year degree in art.

*History: Mother's basement to present, so, approximately 10 years, but I only lived in my mom's basement for half that time.

*Born: Late 1970s. Zion.

*Motivations: I drink alone a lot. I don't actually like many of my friends and my dislike of those with whom I surround myself motivates my music. Also, fear of dying, and fear of being suffocated by debt. I guess that's what motivates me to go to my real job. I have no motivation when I make art. I used the word "art!" Hypocrite! For five minutes in 1998 I thought I might get a blow job out of it, so that was very motivating, but I almost instantly realized that wouldn't be happening. Sometimes, once in a great while, I get motivated knowing something I create might make the vast majority of my music peers jealous because they don't have enough talent to do something themselves. Usually they just steal (sorry, Plunderfy™) the idea and dumb it down for audiences that live in Europe or on either coast of the US. Then they get a PR person and go on tour and act like what they are doing is really profound.

*Philosophy: I ensure I can create and recreate all my music while in an alcohol black-out. I wish I could make popular music that got reviewed on blogs, but it just isn't going to happen. I wish I was a spoiled trust fund kid from Rhode Island who makes "noise," and stupid s*** like that. Then I could act like every system sound my computer makes is something important. I once saw these "noise acts" from Rhode Island and it just sounded like they were running spell check in Microsoft Word, coupled with some lame-ass drone behind it. These guys make money! I wish I lived on either coast where the standards for entertainment are so f***ing low you could make drone music or mashups or some combination therein and be well-regarded, but unfortunately I live in the Midwest, where people require a little extra effort out of their music because they are f***ing stupid and like Staind. This has doomed me to obscurity. Also, I live on peanut butter sandwiches; I just don't f***ing care.

*How would you like to be remembered: LIVE FAST DIE. I totally just ran out of Scotch. What the f*** is my problem? And for christ's sake, it's a Tuesday.

*Web address: Please tell people to buy my new album here: http://www.dowiepartners.com/regret
and also make sure they visit my Betamax blog here:
http://www.dowiepartners.com/betablog


www.some-assembly-required.net

Episode 134, Some Assembly Required

Episode 134, Some Assembly Required

01 DJ Broken Window – “This synth here”
02 Buttfinger – “Walking Bible”
03 Steve Fisk – “Government Figures”
04 Stunt Rock – “Someday you are going to have a party, and I will make a point to come poop all over it so you can know how it feels”
05 Lecture On Nothing – “The Heimlich Maneuver”
06 Tom Recchion – “A Complex Shape In The Sky”
07 The Tape-beatles – “Grave Implications”
08 T.D. – “Feelin' James”
09 Unknown – “Shame on you Mr. Bush”
10 Idiom Creak – “Obviously Trippy Ego”
11 Doormouse – “Swimming with the fishes”
12 RX Music – “KGBtv”
13 Jeff Sconce - “Lonely people”
14 The Tape-beatles – “Beautiful State”
15 CCC – “Go go go”


Use this address, for your pod software:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/some-assembly-required/JSpD

Sunday, December 14, 2008

notv

notv

New Zealand's James Robinson has been working as notv since the late 1980's. He's worked with groups such as The Aesthetics, The Iceman's Equipment, Kerosene, Mig-21 and The Strap-ons. Lately he's been focused on work in the studio, creating music and video.

His website is a bit short on information, or it might have just been down when I went to look at it (he mentioned it's been under construction), so this Q&A might be the best source of information about notv, currently. I'm sure that will change, over time! Without further ado, here's the SAR Q&A with notv...


*Name: notv

*Are there any additional names used to describe this project: No additional names

*Do you use a pseudonym? I have in the past used different spellings of my forename; Jaemz, J-mz, Jmz.

*Members: James Edward Robinson

*Founding Members: Me.

*Tape manipulations, digital deconstructions or turntable creations: If anything of the three it would be digital deconstructions as everything I do these days is mainly created within the confines of a PC. The occasional external sound is used here and there, but on the whole it is made from samples found on the net, sampled from streaming radio, or sound fx cds. These are combined with freeware drum machines and other freeware noise generators. They then go through the stretching, delaying, distorting, reverbing process. Then layered with other sounds. Then tweaked, moved in relation to the others, tweaked some more, a copy of a sound might be made, this might be stretched, maybe condensed, then put back into the piece. Then put aside for some time, while other pieces are begun. Then, it might be brought out again, listened to, tweaked, put aside. Finally I will say; this is enough.

*Another genre descriptor: I tend to like Noise Generator. I guess I like it because I have never learnt how to play any instrument properly, except maybe the kazoo, and so don't think of myself as in the same league as musicians. - Although it has been pointed out to me recently that, of course, noise is non-deterministic...

*Is there a story behind your name? The name notv came about as an acronym of a sign I used to see on trucks when I was cycling round Shepparton, Australia; No Overtaking Turning Vehicle.

*Location: I'm from Christchurch, New Zealand.

*Original Location: Before coming back to New Zealand I lived in Australia for eleven years - just over the eighties.

*What is your creative/artistic background: I guess I've always liked making stuff, and I've always like weird noises, so this is a good combination. Musically it all began back in the late eighties when, in a bedroom in a flat in Shepparton, where, drinking gin and listening Emerson, Lake and Palmer, we went to a local cafe and did a noisy gig as Brain Salad Surgery. Then, with another friend, the name notv was first used, I programmed loops into a z-80-based computer's speech synthesizer, he played guitar – a cover of PWEI's Can You Dig It. A couple of years later, in Christchurch, I met some people and played bass in a Goth covers-band, but it wasn't until Peter Wright, Richard Calder and I formed TMA-1 that I really got into playing with sounds. Peter had a Fostex four-track and TMA-1 recordings were full of samples and experiments and this is where I had the opportunity to start recording as notv. Also live music experimentation, especially with TMA-1, where we would go all out with feedback, sample loops, analogue synthesizer, drum-machine. During this period I played my synthesizer, a Roland Juno 60, for a band called C.O.D., synthesizer and guitar for Spastic Crunch, Bass in Placenta Cookbook, and in punk-industrial covers band, Brainlego. Also in this time the krkrkrk label was formed, to release material for most of these bands, and others. Moving to Dunedin for a year mid-nineties, I was involved with many projects; The Aesthetics, The Iceman's Equipment, Kerosene, etc. That was where I had my, first, successful, notv live performance. I 'perfected' a process where I would spend the time leading up to a gig programming my drum machine, writing lyrics, working out the various noises I could get out of guitars, keyboards, tape based samples, kazoo, etc. The day of the gig I would determine which sounds, which drum programs and which lyrics were to go together to form the songs. Back in Christchurch I was involved with krkrkrk 'super-group', Mig-21 and was a member of the ever revolving line up of The Strap-ons. Since about 2001 I have moved away from being in bands, playing live gigs and have just concentrated on notv; creating music and video-clips for the music, in my PC.

*History: I've been creating work as a recording, and sometimes live, group for about seventeen years now.

*Born: I was born in Dunedin, New Zealand. 23/06/1969.

*Motivations: I do it because I like making stuff; I like throwing sounds together and seeing what I get.

*Philosophy: My philosophy has always been; look, I can do it, you can do it too...
Link
*How would you like to be remembered: "He made some alright stuff there..."

*Web address: My rather in-construction address is:
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~jaenz/



www.some-assembly-required.net

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Episode 221, Some Assembly Required

Episode 221, Some Assembly Required
(Featuring an interview with DJ Qbert)

01 DJ Broken Window - “Hair, nails, percolator”
02 notv - “And Who Are You”
03 Evolution Control Committee - “Ritalin Ruckus (Track 13)”
04 DJ Qbert - “Scroll Of The Wrist Beam”
05 DJ Qbert - “Track Fourteen (Demolition Pumpkin Squeeze Musik)”
06 DJ Qbert - “Track Three (Demolition Pumpkin Squeeze Musik)”
07 DJ Qbert - “Movement 1: Quadraphonic Element Download”
08 DJ Qbert - “Movement 2: 6 Fingered Fury”
09 DJ Qbert - “Movement 3: Inside-Out Body Warp”
10 Christian Marclay - “One Thousand Cycles”
11 DJ Qbert - “Untitled (live)”
12 Invisibl Skratch Piklz - " Invisibl Skratch Piklz vs. Da Klamz Uv Deth"


Use this address, for your pod software:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/some-assembly-required/JSpD

Sunday, December 07, 2008

DJ Riko

DJ Riko

DJ Riko is a Californian mashup artist, with more than just a healthy interest in Christmas, which I only mention as it's December and I don't have a Christmas mix planned for this year. DJ Riko, on the other hand, has at least a couple at his website HERE.

He's known for his single, "Whistler's Delight," which has enjoyed not one, but two re-pressings in the UK, not to mention a host of placement on radio playlists worldwide, including here at Some Assembly Required. You can download that and many more of his mashups at his official website, along with longer mixes composed for The Bootie To Go Podcast, Solid Steel Radio, and XFM (both The Remix and The Rinse). Check it out!

Without further ado, here's the SAR Q&A with DJ Riko...


*Name: DJ Riko

*Are there any additional names used to describe this project: Not really.

*Do you use a pseudonym? Yes. About 12 years ago, some friends were organizing a show with a bunch of bands and asked if I'd DJ between bands. They wanted me to give a DJ name for the flier and I didn't have one. I'd just left a gig writing for an alternative weekly to take a corporate job that paid a lot more, so I thought it would be funny to embrace my being a sellout and use "rico" which is Spanish for "rich." But I spelled it with a "k" because my real name is Erik. If I'd known the name would be used more than once, I might have tried to come up with something better.

*Members: It's just me, though I have worked with a few vocalists, including Gerald A., Marcie, and Katie Enlow.

*Founding Members: Just me.

*Tape manipulations, digital deconstructions or turntable creations: Digital deconstructions would be closest, as I make mashups using software. I do a little bit of turntable work as well, but almost all of the productions available on my Web site were made with software.

*Another genre descriptor: Bootlegs, mashups, cutups, re-edits, whistledelia and mishaps.

*Why you use this descriptor: Whistledelia is what I called the genre for "Whistler's Delight," which features samples from dozens of songs that feature whistling in them. It was released on vinyl in the U.K. and played on the BBC among other radio stations.

*Location: I live in San Diego.

*Original Location: Columbus, Ohio.

*What is your creative/artistic background: My father is a professional musician and bandleader, so there was always a lot of music around the house as well as a lot of instruments to fool around with.

*History: When I was in junior high I had a tape deck with a very precise pause button. I used that to make re-edits of songs like Asia's "Heat of the Moment." The first production I ever shared with a larger audience was "No One Can Match Me," which sampled Mike Tyson's comments about wanting to eat Lennox Lewis's children. I made that about 10 years ago using a Roland SP808 Groovesampler and it took forever.

*Born: I was born in Columbus, Ohio.

*Motivations: I started out making sample-based collages strictly for my own amusement. It's fun to put things together that don't make sense on paper but end up working pretty well. Like combining Malcolm McLaren with Simon & Garfunkel. When I put some of my mixes on the Internet and got very nice feedback from people around the world, that motivated me to do more.

*Philosophy: I try to make things that are clever, unusual, offbeat and/or fun, and sometimes you can dance to them.

*How would you like to be remembered: Vaguely

*Web address: www.djriko.com


www.some-assembly-required.net

Episode 133, Some Assembly Required

Episode 133, Some Assembly Required

01 DJ Riko – “Buffalo Cecilia 2005”
02 People Like Us – “Yodel Bomber”
03 Lecture On Nothing – “Grab And Pull”
04 DJ Godfather – “On Da Flex”
05 Jabberwocky – “Unlisted”
06 Laso Halo – “Sleepy Time Jazz”
07 DJ Cal – “Seven Nation Es Foutu”
08 The Tape-beatles – “Really fine yoke of bondage”
09 Kid Koala – “Space Cadet 2”
10 Silica Gel – “Master Of The Game”
11 Otis Fodder – “My valentine (with Lee Edwards)”
12 Tim Maloney – “Thunderclock”
13 Sucking Chest Wound – “Mary Dear”
14 Pheugoo – “50 cent popcorn”


Use this address, for your pod software:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/some-assembly-required/JSpD

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Grateful for the Dead

Grateful For The Dead

Grateful for the Dead is St. Paul artist and performer, Michael Donahue. His project is unique in that he is paying homage to artists who are no longer with us, exclusively, by sampling recordings of their musical output, and adding them to samples of recordings of other artists who have also shuffled off this mortal coil. Special attention is paid to partnering those artists who might not have thought to work together, while living.

He's been performing since 1984 with a variety of projects such as Primadonahue and Repulsar. He's also collaborated with a number of artists, and has worked on multiple projects with the Twin Cities' Bedlam Theater.

Without further ado, here's the SAR Q&A with Grateful for The Dead...


*Name: Grateful for the Dead

*Are there any additional names used to describe this project: Michael Donahue

*Do you use a pseudonym? DJ Squid Viscous. I also have a one man band called Primadonahue performing experimental Electronica.

*Members: Michael Donahue

*Founding Members: Me… but all samples are from dead famous musicians, so you can get the sample credits at www.myspace.com/gratefulforthedead

*Tape manipulations, digital deconstructions or turntable creations: Digital deconstructions (or “reconstructions”).

*Another genre descriptor: If you got a good name for it I’m all ears!

*Location: St. Paul, MN

*Original Location: Same

*What is your creative/artistic background: Visual Arts, Graphic Design, Theater Arts, Rock and Roll bands (Art Rock/Punk/New Wave/Punk Jazz/Electronica).

*History: I’ve been performing for less than a year in this project but have been publicly performing since 1984.

*Born: 1963, Minneapolis, MN

*Motivations: This was inspired by the idea of “Rock and Roll heaven.” If all the dead rock stars are jamming somewhere, what does it sound like?

*Philosophy: Using electronic sound shaping tools, I am producing audio collages that are comprised exclusively of sampled material from dead musicians. Any appearance from a living musician is purely incidental. I want to pay tribute to great musicians who have passed. I like the idea of combining the work of musicians who would have never worked together as living musicians.

*How would you like to be remembered: Frank Zappa once said that being remembered isn’t important. I would agree.

*Web address:
www.primadonahue.com
www.myspace.com/gratefulforthedead



www.some-assembly-required.net

Episode 220, Some Assembly Required

Episode 220, Some Assembly Required

01 The Illuminoids - “Lugosi's Mongoloid Loser”
02 Peanut Butter Wolf & DJ Design - “Phonies”
03 Donna Summer - “Heels Over Head”
04 Wax Audio - “Whole Lotta Sabbath"
05 John Oswald - “2 Net”
06 Think Tank - “Homefront”
07 Splinter Test - “Untitled (Track 45, Electric Newspaper - Issue Four)”
08 Go Home Productions - “Strung Out King”
09 Negativland - “Happy Hero: The Remedia Megamix”
10 Carl Stone - “Boo-dop”
11 Grateful For The Dead - “Just Believe”
12 The Tape-beatles - “Grave Implications”
13 Steinski - “Number Three On Flight Eleven”
14 I Cut People - “So Wrong/What”
15 team9 - “It's A Sweet Ghost Party”


Use this address, for your pod software:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/some-assembly-required/JSpD

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Cast of Thousands

Cast of Thousands

Cast of Thousands is a band I put together in 1999, to perform live during the 2nd hour of Some Assembly Required (back when there was a second hour). Over the course of a couple of years, there were four or five members who showed up regularly to set up all the gear and warm up, while I played records by my favorite sound collage artists, and then we all worked together to create a live mix of sound collage to close out the 2nd half of the show.

Even after Some Assembly Required went to a one-hour program, we'd occasionally still get together, when invited out to play at art and music venues around Minneapolis. By this point, the roster had boiled down to just myself, Gregg Boullosa and Corey Hanssen (pictured: Hanssen, Nelson, Boullosa). I asked Gregg to fill out the Q&A this week, speaking for Cast of Thousands.

Our last performance as Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism was in 2001, at the Oak Street Cinema, but Gregg and Corey have continued to work together. I'm looking forward to hearing what they've been up to! Click HERE for more information about the history of Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism.

Without further ado, here's the SAR Q&A with Gregg Boullosa of Cast of Thousands...


*Name: Cast of Thousands

*Are there any additional names used to describe this project: Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism

*Do you use a pseudonym? Cutterhead / Sick Fat Retarded

*Members: Currently there are two of us (Corey Hannsen / Gregg Boullosa).

*Founding Members: Jon Nelson / Amirali Raissnia / Gregg Boullosa

*Tape manipulations, digital deconstructions or turntable creations: All of the above.

*Another genre descriptor: insterstudioishin or insterstudioteknition

*Why you use this descriptor: The approach of using the whole of one’s studio as a single instrument.

*Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota

*Original Location: Upstate New York

*What is your creative/artistic background: Curiosity

*History: Since 1999

*Born:
Gregg: 1971, Onondaga
Corey: Minneapolis


*Motivations: Create or suffer the consequences.

*Philosophy:
If you can’t please yourself, you can’t please your soul.

*How would you like to be remembered: Phonically

*Web address:
Gregg Boullosa: www.myspace.com/sickfatretarded
Cast of Thousands: http://www.escape-mechanism.com/about/cast_thousands.html


www.some-assembly-required.net

Episode 132, Some Assembly Required

Episode 132, Some Assembly Required

01 Party Ben – “Radio Hollaback”
02 Brain Science – “Public Radio”
03 Tim Maloney – “Video Killed The Radio Star”
04 The Avalanches – “Radio”
05 Workeshoppe Radio Phonik – “Big Time Shopping”
06 Emergency Broadcast Network – “Station Identification”
07 Go Home Productions – “Radio Houston”
08 Laso Halo – “These high-frequency signals are then beamed out...”
09 Radio Jargon – “Radiobup”
10 The Tape-beatles – “Listen to the radio”
11 Cast Of Thousands with Escape Mechanism – “Radio Star”
12 The Button – “Broadcast service provided”
13 People Like Us – “Dead Radio”
14 Realistic – “Radio Document”


Use this address, for your pod software:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/some-assembly-required/JSpD

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Cassetteboy

Cassetteboy

Cassetteboy are the UK's Michael Bollen and Steve Warlin. They've got three full length cut-up releases and a couple of singles, to date. I'm assuming the rest is like "The Parker Tapes," anyway (tape cut ups), because that's all I've got. Now that the truth is out, I guess I'll have to go and find some more... I really like the album I have, so I'd look forward to hearing more.

For the longest time, this was a group so underground that although their work has been well received, noone knew who the heck these guys actually were. That is to say, their online presence has been shrouded in mystery and misinformation. They've recently started giving out their real names, but alas, we have yet to see a proper photo. I like this one though (above). Perhaps it is a fair approximation of how they would actually appear in person. I just don't know.

Bollen is an author, as well. You can find out more about his satirical novel, Earth Inc. HERE. His brother (?), Warlin, is a musician and theatrical composer. Find out more at their Myspace page.

Without further ado, here's the SAR Q&A with Cassetteboy...


*Name:
Cassetteboy

*Do you use a pseudonym? We used to be completely anonymous, for fear of being sued. With the release of our latest album we've revealed our real identities. This is mainly because one of us (Michael Bollen) (me) (hello) has written a novel, and I wanted Cassetteboy fans to know that it was by me. There's no way I was going to publish the novel under a pseudonym, it took too bloody long to let some made up name take the credit.

*Members: Michael Bollen and Steve Warlin

*Founding Members: Michael Bollen and Steve Warlin. It's always just been the two of us. Although sometimes other people join us on stage for gigs. Or fill in for one or the other of us. We did one gig once where neither of us was there - we were in Australia, and there was a Cassetteboy gig in London that was done by one of our mates and some bloke we've never met.

*Tape manipulations, digital deconstructions or turntable creations: None of the above. We started off with tapes, using old hi-fis and 'ghettoblasters' (anything with two manual pause buttons). That's how we did our first single Di and Dodi Do Die, and a bit of tape stuff made it onto The Parker Tapes, our first album. Since then it's been computers all the way, specifically Sound Forge, Acid and Vegas.

*Another genre descriptor: We used to use "Parker" but no one understood us.

* Is there a story behind your name? Unfortunately we can't remember. Cassetteboy evolved from Steve and myself making compilation tapes for our friends with tiny snippets of comedy or TV soundtracks between the music. These were known as 'Parker Tapes', each tape would be labelled with the word Parker and then a different number on each side. I think Steve's first one was Parker 81 and 91, mine was Parker 41 and 51. The first one we did together was Parker 211 and 221. I have no idea why the tapes were labelled in this way. Sorry, what a dull story.

*Location: Chelmsford, Essex, UK

*Original Location: Chelmsford, Essex, UK

*What is your creative/artistic background: Michael Bollen writes comedy. He's been spectacularly unsuccessful with a few sitcom pilots and sketches and the like, but has recently published his first novel, Earth Inc., which will hopefully make him mega rich. Steve Warlin is a musician. He has recently composed the songs for a stage musical about the board game Monopoly, called 'Free Parking!'. This combination of music and comedy creates Cassetteboy, although we both do a bit of both sides when writing our albums.

*History: The compilation tape Parker 211 and 221 was completed in the summer of 1995 I think. We've worked together ever since.

*Born: Chelmsford, Essex, UK, 1970s

*Motivations: Good question. It certainly isn't to make money - every album has sold worse than the previous one, despite a fanbase that is blatantly growing (curse you, internet). Cassetteboy grew naturally out of compilation tapes made to make our friends laugh, and I don't think much has changed. Also, because Cassetteboy evolved more or less by accident, I think we're quite interested to see what it will become if we just keep doing it. We only do it occasionally though, you'd go mad cutting stuff up like that full time.

*Philosophy: Making funny jokes is the main thing. And good music. With each album we try to change the way we work, in order to move on. The first album (The Parker Tapes) we didn't know what the hell we were doing, we never thought we'd do another album and so we chucked everything we could think of in there. The second, Dead Horse, is our more polished, immediate, pop album. And the most recent, Carry On Breathing, is our sprawling, slightly self indulgent concept album. We both think it's our best work though, it may take a few listens, but hopefully people will be playing that one for years to come.

*How would you like to be remembered: Hopefully not as those guys who got sued by pretty much every musician, TV channel and record label ever.

*Web address:
www. myspace. com/bloodycassetteboy
www. myspace. com/earthincbook



www.some-assembly-required.net

Episode 219, Some Assembly Required

Episode 219, Some Assembly Required

01 Coldcut - “Last Night A Cliché Saved My Life (feat. DJ Food, Grandmaster Flash)”
02 stAllio! - “Introducing the new style”
03 Cassetteboy - “If That's Yer Attitude”
04 DJ Zebra - “Break Through Love”
05 Escape Mechanism - “Change”
06 Buchanan & Goodman - “The Banana Boat Story”
07 Apollo Zero - “Imagine A Dream Stronger Than Pride”
08 Beatrix*Jar - “Afternoon Wedding Vow”
09 C.Marclay, G.Muller - “Je Ne Vous Oublierai Jamais”
10 Jeffrey Sconce - “Stars on high”
11 DJ T-Rock - “Forward Back Back”
12 McSleazy - “(Public Enemy vs Rockford Files)”
13 Lecture On Nothing - “The Custom Apocalypse”
14 People Like Us - “Kitten”
15 notv - “Brass Band Track”
16 Negativland - “Freedom's Waiting”
17 DJ Earworm - “Together As One”


Use this address, for your pod software:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/some-assembly-required/JSpD

Saturday, November 08, 2008

November 9, 2008

November 9, 2008

Check out Episode 08, featuring the Some Assembly Required interview with Negativland's Don Joyce, HERE.

I thought I'd kick off the last quarter of our tenth year with one of the very first interviews I ever recorded for Some Assembly Required. It originally aired in Minneapolis, in July of 2001; but if memory serves, this was actually recorded in 2000 (or even a year earlier), and played in its entirety, back when the show was netcast live from the broadcast studios at KUOM. So, that makes this interview anywhere from 7 to 9 years old...

So what has Negativland been up to since then? Well, there have been a few new records actually (and some re-releases), along with a couple of live tours and a traveling art show, to just scratch the surface. Check out the Negativland website HERE, for more info, and for more of our own coverage of the band, check out the following links:
  • Check out Episode 90, featuring the Some Assembly Required interview with Negativland's Mark Hosler HERE.
  • You can also read our profile of the band (masquerading as a Q&A) HERE.
  • Some Assembly Required was proud to sponsor Negativland's Art show at Creative Electric ("Negativlandland"), in 2006. Mark Hosler was in town to help install the exhibit, and joined us live on Some Assembly Required (at KUOM in Minneapolis) to talk a bit about various projects. I recorded the live show and decided to post it as a podcast the following week. An interesting decision, but sure to be of interest to die-hard Negativland fans. Check it out HERE.

Thanks for listening!
Jon Nelson


www.some-assembly-required.net

Episode 08, Some Assembly Required

Episode 08, Some Assembly Required
(Featuring our 2001 interview with Negativland's Don Joyce)

01 Negativland - “Time zones”
02 Negativland - “Yellow, black and rectangular”
03 Don Joyce - “We’ll be right back”
04 Over The Edge - “Mertz, A force of nature, hard
and soft thinking, the good life, cars”








Use this address, for your pod software:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/some-assembly-required/JSpD

Sunday, November 02, 2008

Thomas Dimuzio

Thomas Dimuzio

Thomas Dimuzio is a composer, sound designer, experimental electronic musician and recording studio owner living in San Francisco, California. He's collaborated with a huge number of artists, including Wobbly, DJ Qbert, Negativland, Chris Cutler and Big City Orchestra. He has over a dozen solo releases on a variety of different labels. Check out his website HERE.

His website features a plethora of mp3s, including concert archives and entire albums, free for the taking. Check out Episode 131 for his creative reinterpretation of the classic track, "Stairway to Heaven." His version is titled "Yawriats Ot Nevaeh," and the title is a clue to what you might expect to hear. Trust me, it will really grow on you.

Without further ado, here's the SAR Q&A with Thomas Dimuzio...


*Name: Thomas Dimuzio

*Are there any additional names used to describe this project: I've worked in projects with artists such as Dan Burke/Illusion Of Safety, Joseph Hammer/Dimmer, Chris Cutler, Nick Didkovsky/Arte Saxophone Quartett, Negativland, Fred Frith, Chris Fitzpatrick/Poptastic, Wobbly, Matmos, Elliott Sharp, 5uu's, Due Process, ISIS, Scot Jenerik, as well as many others.

*Do you use a pseudonym? No, not usually, but Gench could apply.

*Members: Solo to whomever I may be collaborating with at the time. There have been many artists and groups that I have worked and performed with throughout the years. If I could provide a comprehensive and alphabetized list it would read something like: 5uu's, 99 cents, ...and Friends, Scott Arford, Art Bears, Arte Saxophone Quartett, Pippin Barnett, Emil Beaulieu, Big City Orchestra, Don Bolles, Bob Boster/Mr. Meridies, Bran(...)pos, Mitchell Brown, Dan Burke, Coma Virus, Peter Conheim, Tom Cora, Count Zero, Anla Courtis, Beth Custer, Andre Custodio, Chris Cutler, Leslie Dalaba, Dimmer, Due Process, Marcos Fernandes, Hans Fjellstad, Fred Frith, F-Space, Vance Galloway, Lance Grabmiller, Joseph Hammer, Mickey Hart, Paul Haslinger, Ed Hermann, Anna Homler, Mark Hosler, IBU600, Illusion Of Safety, Industrial Park, Instagon, ISIS, Michael Thomas Jackson, Catherine Jauniaux, Scot Jenerik, Don Joyce, Bevin Kelly/Blevin Blectum, Kiku Day, Jai Young Kim, Komoto Trio, Kreamy 'Lectric Santa, Kadet Kuhne, Jon Leidecker, Ron Lessard, TW Li, Matmos, Metalpause, Moe!kestra, Maria Moran, Chris Musgrave, David Lee Myers, Negativland, Brandon Nickell/Aemae, Michael Nine, Konoko Nishi, Yasuhiro Otani, Patronized Humoplasms, Tim Perkis, Poo Poo Shoe, Poptastic, Rick Potts, Garth Powell, David Prescott, Psychic TV/PTV3, DJ Q-bert, Radiosonde, Will Ragano, Don Ritter, Gino Robair, Sean Rooney, Rova Saxophone Quartet, Hahn Rowe, Saifir, Semiconductor, Elliott Sharp, Skeleton Crew, Solid Eye, Moe! Staiano, Sunny Cuba Ensemble, Atau Tanaka, Lon Mitchell Teller, The Chopping Channel, The Jet Black Hair People, The Resonance, David Therrien/Comfort Control Systems, Larry Thrasher, C.W. Vrtacek, Jon Wiggins, Wobbly, Xome, and Zipperspy.

*Founding Members: My parents.

*Tape manipulations, digital deconstructions or turntable creations: Digital tape manipulations & deconstructions.

*Another genre descriptor: Live sampling and digital musique concrete both come to mind, although I could probably use a better catch phrase. How about a sonic conduit? Except that what goes in doesn't necessarily come back out, but that could be construed as sonic constipation. So let's go with "Live Sampler.”

*Why you use this descriptor: I've been pioneering live sampling and looping for more than a decade and have evolved a real-time environment/musical instrument designed to bring the techniques of musique concrete and live composition to the stage. I find it liberating to have such a vast palette and powerful instrument to draw upon for live performance.

*Location: I live in San Francisco.

*Original Location: I was living in Boston when my first release came out on Generations Unlimited in 1987. I relocated to San Francisco in 1996.

*What is your creative/artistic background: I'm a composer, musician, and improviser working with sound, noise, and music. I'm primarily self-taught as a musician and technologist. I am also a mastering engineer at my own Gench Studios.

*History: I started writing music and creating works at an early age and was in various rock, comedy, prog, sound art, thrash, and industrial projects from 1979 through 1985. My first formal solo release was in 1987, so it's been more than 20 years for me now as a solo artist.

*Born: I was born in Pittsburgh, PA in 1965.

*Motivations: Playing live and tapping into the power of the music is one of the greatest experiences that I know. Composing in the studio can be as equally rewarding, but just as gut-wrenching at the same time. Working with sound and noise in a musical context is what I enjoy best and the music itself is the driving force behind my work.

*Philosophy: To create compelling listening experiences (sonic excursions, visceral vibrations, aural contortions, macrophonics/microphonics, nether realms, disparate juxtapositions, ambient immersions, the almighty drone, systems damage). Tapping into the power of the sound.

*How would you like to be remembered: Good music is timeless, but the digital medium is fragile and fleeting. Will the music even outlive the medium? With that said, I'd be happy with just a Wikipedia entry.

*Web address:
Thomas Dimuzio - http://www.thomasdimuzio.com
Gench Music - http://www.gench.com

Link

www.some-assembly-required.net

Episode 131, Some Assembly Required

Episode 131, Some Assembly Required

01 CCC – “Tom's investigations”
02 Realistic – “I am what?”
03 DJ Shadow – “...Meets His Maker"
04 DJ Danger Mouse – “December 4th”
05 Twink – “Hammer”
06 Osymyso – “Hannah (The Most Beautiful Person I Ever Met)”
07 Del Nileppez/Thomas Dimuzio – “Yawriats Ot Nevaeh”
08 Splice of Life Faculty – “Spliceway to heaven”
09 DJ Earworm – “Stairway to Bootleg Heaven”
10 The Bran Flakes – “Go Go Up!”
11 Kumquat – “Everyone Is Afraid Of Clowns”
12 Evolution Control Committee – “Rebel without a pause”
13 Nubile G and the Spurious whiz – “Your jolly giant”


Use this address, for your pod software:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/some-assembly-required/JSpD

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Savage Ohms

Savage Ohms

Georgia's Loren Hall has been recording as Savage Ohms for two decades. He's a trained visual artist with a very spiritual, or at the very least improvisational, approach to making music and art. He has four EPs and a full length album and has performed with bands such as anAMloopantenna and Nemesis. You can find out more information at his Myspace page HERE.

He describes his work as sounding like "a sentient cricket society in a tuft of grass, as heard from above. A dream remembered." You can hear some examples for yourself HERE, or tune in to Episode 218 (download it HERE).

Without further ado, here's the SAR Q&A with Savage Ohms...


*Name: Savage Ohms

*Are there any additional names used to describe this project: It's only ever gone by Savage Ωhms.

*Do you use a pseudonym? I usually go by just my first name.

*Members: Just one. Loren G. Hall.

*Founding Members: I founded the band myself, and I have always been the only permanent member. At times I have had various guest musicians, but none have ever joined permanently. By the way, I got the name 'Savage Ohms' from the animated film 'Fantastic Planet'.

*Tape manipulations, digital deconstructions or turntable creations: My first set of recordings was 100% sampled tape manipulations, using a broken tape deck that behaved erratically. I never knew exactly what it was going to do when I hit 'play' (or 'rewind', for that matter), and it was my oracle for about a year until it finally stopped working altogether. Later on my music became much more digitally deconstructed, but I still used a lot of tricks that I had learned from my tape days. I've never used a turntable in my work.

*Another genre descriptor: The only term I've ever been able to come up with that describes the process of aligning two patterns together to illuminate a hidden third pattern (such as in my music) is 'techronicity'. It's similar to the Dalinian concept of a work of art being more than the sum of its parts, only the catalyst is electronic, rather than painted."

*Why you use this descriptor: It's simply a cross between the words 'techno' and 'synchronicity'.

*Location: The band was started in Rome, Ga.

*Original Location:

*What is your creative/artistic background: I attended Memphis College of Art in the late 80's, but wound up getting a BFA in painting from the University of Georgia. From the age of about 5 to the age of about 15, I saw only visual art in my future. I've always had a deep love of music, and from a very young age I drummed on EVERYTHING constantly, but it wasn't until I had heard bands like Skinny Puppy, Coil, and Cabaret Voltaire in the mid 80's that I became interested in making music seriously. By 1990 I had completed my first demo LP entitled 'EKE', and by 2002 I had completed 4 EP's ('Where is Love', 'I Hear the Tree', 'Near-Life Experience', and 'Abandonment Issue') and 1 full album ('Lifelike'). I had one song on the ACIDSOXX comp. entitled 'F-DISK: Encrypted Transmissions' in 2002, and played at the Savannah Fringe Fest in February of the same year.

*History: I started recording as Savage Ohms in 1988, after borrowing a friend's 4-track tape recorder. I had formed a lot of ideas before that date, but I hadn't yet recorded anything. I've also been in an Atlanta-based band called anAMloopantenna, and a side project called Nemesis, with a friend from Canada.

*Born: I'm 37, and I'm from Rome, Georgia, which is about an hour NW of Atlanta. I've also lived in Seattle, Memphis, and Athens, Ga.

*Motivations: To put it simply, I create art and music to keep from going completely insane.

*Philosophy: Strangely enough, the philosophy behind my musical creation is virtually identical to my visual creation. In both cases I've found that I have the best luck when I don't have any preconceived ideas in mind, but rather vague concepts or moods. Some people say that they have a higher power governing their actions, which is ultimately responsible for what they create. In my own case I feel that it's more of a 2-way relationship. I may have vague notions to begin with, and I definitely look for patterns in the chaos and work to bring them out, but ultimately the final result is almost always a complete surprise to me, and I love that aspect of creation. In short, my philosophy is to work WITH the music, to help it make itself.

*How would you like to be remembered: As someone who could laugh at himself, and cry for anyone.

*Web address:
music - http://www.myspace.com/savageohms
art - http://www.wooloo.org/loren


Link
www.some-assembly-required.net

Episode 218, Some Assembly Required

Episode 218, Some Assembly Required

01 Live Human Live – “Elephant Remix Remix”
02 David Morneau – “Dreams Are This”
03 DJ LeClown - “Sweet Lobster”
04 stAllio! - “On the shoulders of giants”
05 DJ Marz – “City Of Fork Yuen”
06 Savage Ohms – “A spirit”
07 DJ BootOX – “Rockin Maedchen Drive me Crazy”
08 The Tape-beatles – “Mind Problems”
09 DJ Lobsterdust – “Epic Black Rock”
10 Lecture on Nothing – “Memories”
12 Escape Mechanism - “What's Happening”
13 Pheugoo – “Clock a Minute"
14 The Evolution Control Committee – “I Want A Cookie”


Use this address, for your pod software:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/some-assembly-required/JSpD

Sunday, October 19, 2008

October 19, 2008

Feeling a little guilty about the lack of brand new Q&A's the past few weeks, I've decided to post a new one with Gel-Sol, retro-actively. Check it out HERE.


The SAR Q&A with Gel-Sol...


and here's my original post 10/19/08:
This has to be the driest few weeks, to date, with regards to the SAR Q&A. There are two reasons for this and yes, of course, one of them is that I've just released a new record and have had less time to work quite as hard on the show... This will change next quarter, I promise. The other reason, is that there's just no way to guarantee I'll always be able to find a willing interviewee. In retrospect, the fact that we've had a new one nearly every week for over two years has been something just short of a miracle.

New Q&A's depend on a lot of things which are out of my control. First, I have to find an active email address for an artist being featured, any given week. Then my invitation has to avoid the artist's spam filters and actually get read. All this before the challenge of a response is even considered. Then there's the possibility that my spam folder will be the ultimate destination. I usually skim through there about every seven days, for that reason. You'd be surprised what I find in there - not to mention the occasional email which really should have found a home in my in-box...

Anyway, for now enjoy last week's Q&A with DJ Lobsterdust and check out my brand new album HERE. It's my first new studio album of sound collage, since 1998... and what I've been spending all my free time on lately. Next week? Our Q&A with Savage Ohms... Stay tuned.

Thanks for listening,
Jon Nelson


www.some-assembly-required.net

Episode 130, Some Assembly Required

Episode 130, Some Assembly Required

01 Think Tank – “Unrealpolitik”
02 NOWMASH – “Fu-Gee-La-Way”
03 Cut Chemist – “Lesson 6: the lecure”
04 Twink – “Three Wishes”
05 DJ Bombjack Featuring Ben Grim – “The Brothers Grim Sideshow”
06 Conway – “Lisa's got hives”
07 Steev Hise – “Retrofuturist Trip-Swing (Gender Politics Mix)”
08 Escape Mechanism – “Today”
09 DJ Earworm – “Noone takes your freedom”
10 People Like Us – “Whistle Song”
11 Osymyso – “Fiver to bigwig”


Use this address, for your pod software:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/some-assembly-required/JSpD

Saturday, October 11, 2008

DJ Lobsterdust

DJ Lobsterdust

New York's DJ Lobsterdust has been producing mashups since 2006, so he's relatively new, but making big waves. He's becoming a regular around here and has been a featured DJ at the Bootie Club, sticking generally to mashups featuring some serious rock and roll. There are well over fifty different DJ Lobsterdust mashups available at his website. Check it out HERE.

Without further ado, here's the SAR Q&A with DJ Lobsterdust...


*Name: DJ Lobsterdust

*Are there any additional names used to describe this project: Lobsterdust also works.

*Members: Just me.

*Tape manipulations, digital deconstructions or turntable creations: "Digital deconstructions+reconstructions"

*Another genre descriptor: The popular term is "mashups" (or "bootlegs" in the UK).

*Is there a story behind your name? Totally random. When I was studying graphic design we had to create an album cover for a fictitious band, and that's what I came up with at the top of my head. I liked the cover so I kept the name. In general I don't like "cool" sounding DJ names, and this is an un-cool as it gets. Also, the obscure nature of it helps when doing google search ;)

*Location: New York City

*Original Location: Born and raised in Israel.

*What is your creative/artistic background: Played in a highschool band, art school, a bit of recording studio work, graphic design, photography. I spread out over alot of areas.

*History: Been making mashups since 2006.

*Born: 1972

*Motivations: I've always enjoyed deconstruction+reconstruction of music. Cut & paste, sampling, turntablism, remixing, bootlegging. Mashups are a bit of all of these things, plus I can answer questions like "what would Bob Marley sound like if he sang with Iron Maiden?"

*Philosophy: The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, or, mashups are not a crime.

*How would you like to be remembered: That guy who made good bootlegs. If I'm still on people's ipods 10 years from now that's good enough for me.

*Web address: http://djlobsterdust.com


www.some-assembly-required.net

Episode 217, Some Assembly Required

Episode 217, Some Assembly Required

01 DJ Schmolli - “Roadhouse Metal”
02 Joe Frawley - “The White Gloves”
03 Kid Ginseng – “The Haunting of Andy Warhol”
04 Coldcut – “More Beats & Pieces (Daddy Rips It Up Mix)”
05 Oh Astro – “Everything Is Go!”
06 Emergency Broadcast Network - “We will rock you (bipartisan mix)”
07 X-ecutioners - “Mad Flava”
08 DJ Lobsterdust – “Missin Kittin”
09 The Evolution Control Committee – “I Don't Care”
10 Laso Halo – “Stanley”
11 Escape Mechanism - “Digital Occasion”
12 John Oswald – “Black”
13 Osymyso – “Girls And Boys”
14 Divide & Kreate – “Punked up”


Use this address, for your pod software:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/some-assembly-required/JSpD

Sunday, October 05, 2008

Gel-Sol

Gel-Sol

Gel-Sol is Seattle based producer/musician, Andrew Reichel. He's not always strictly a sample-based artist, but he does occasionally include aspects of Plunderphonics in his more musical work, and has plans to do so more in the future. We've played his "Free Speech For Sale" track, "Soopershammy," on the program. It was written specifically for that compilation, with its theme of tracks composed of nothing but samples from commercials.

He's worked in a lot of different styles, including ambient soundscape and electronica, but his main interest would seem to be improvisation. He's released three albums, the latest of which was released in April, 2008. Titled "IZ," it is available as a co-release from Psychonavigation and Upstairs Recordings. Check it out HERE.

Without further ado, here's the SAR Q&A with Gel-Sol...


*Name:
Gel-Sol

*Are there any additional names used to describe this project: Gel-Sol, but I also have a project called Kids For Tomorrow.

*Do you use a pseudonym? Yes, Gel-Sol.

*Members: I am the only member of Gel-Sol. Kids for Tomorrow includes myself and William Mempa.

*Founding Members: Andrew Reichel

*Tape manipulations, digital deconstructions or turntable creations: Digital deconstructions. Plunderphonics is only one aspect of my music. Most of it is music created by myself, but I integrate sampling with it too.

*Is there a story behind your name? I found the term Gel-Sol in Robert Anton Wilson’s “Prometheus Rising” book. Here’s the actual quote: “The brain appears to be made up of matter in electro-colloidal suspension (protoplasm). Colloids are pulled together, toward a condition of gel, by their surface tensions. This is because surface tensions pull all glue-like substances together. Colloids are also, conversely, pushed apart, toward a condition of sol, by their electrical charges. This is because their electrical charges are similar, and similar electrical charges always repel each other. In the equilibrium between gel and sol, the colloidal suspension maintains its continuity and life continues. Move the suspension too far toward gel, or too far toward sol, and life ends. Any chemical that gets into the brain, changes the gel-sol balance, and "consciousness" is accordingly influenced. Thus, potatoes are, like LSD, "psychedelic" - in a milder way.” Gel-Sol also deals with a dichotomy between solid (GELatin) and liquid (SOLution), and I like to implement this dichotomy in my music. See my philosophies for more info.

*Location: Seattle, WA

*Original Location: Washington, D.C.

*What is your creative/artistic background: Went to college for Graphic Design and Music, and I work as a graphic artist.

*History: I have made music as Gel-Sol since 1998.

*Born: I was born in 1973 in Freehold, NJ

*Motivations: I don’t know, really. I guess I don’t know what else I would do. I write music for myself, and if anyone likes it, that’s cool.

*Philosophy: Gel-Sol represents a dichotomy between liquid and solid. One goal of mine is to transfer this idea to the music. Swirling ambience (liquid) integrated with structured beats (solid), as well as other dichotomies, like heavy vs. soft, minor vs. major, serious vs. funny. I believe there should be a balance in these dichotomies, and this allows Gel-Sol to experiment with any style of music, and not limit myself to a specific genre.

Link *How would you like to be remembered: As a badass. And as someone who stuck to their guns.

*Web address: www.gel-sol.com


www.some-assembly-required.net

October 5, 2008

October 5, 2008

Be sure to check out our August, 2008 Q&A with Hugo Keesing, whose Chartsweep composition is featured in this week's episode (#78). We played Part One in Episode 74, so if you want to hear how it starts, now you know where to go. For Part Two, tune in to Episode 78!

Thanks for listening,
Jon Nelson


www.some-assembly-required.net

Episode 78, Some Assembly Required

Episode 78, Some Assembly Required

01 People Like Us - "Bitter dregs"
02 Wolfram - "Ten little fingers"
03 Realistic - "Magnetic home poetry"
04 Alien Heat - "Click launch, launch click"
05 Gel-Sol - "Sooper shammy (return of the hammer)"
06 Antediluvian Rocking Horse - "Long sweet dream"
07 Hugo Keesing - "Chartsweep (part 2)"
08 Realistic - "Trademark blipvert"


Use this address, for your pod software:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/some-assembly-required/JSpD

Sunday, September 28, 2008

September 28, 2008

No new Q&A this week, for one simple reason: This week's episode features my phone interview with Go Home Production's Mark Vidler, and we featured his Q&A back in January. Check out the Q&A HERE, for a little background information, then download this week's episode (#216) to hear nine tracks by one of the word's most recognized mashup artists, Go Home Productions, along with our phone interview with the artist.

Check out Episode 216 HERE.

While I've got your ear, I have to mention the fact that my new CD, Escape Mechanism's (Emphasis Added), will be officially available TOMORROW (9/29/08). It's my first new studio album in nearly ten years, and it's 100% recycled, of course. Check out the Escape Mechanism website HERE, for more information...

Thanks for listening!
Jon Nelson


www.some-assembly-required.net