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Obituary: RIP Bebe Barron

Just learned (via Simon Reynolds’ blissblog) of the passing of electronic music pioneer Bebe Barron of Forbidden Planet fame at the age of 82.

Here’s a clip from Forbidden Planet in which the music of Bebe and Louis Barron’s music (and their innovative, homemade circuits) figures especially prominently….

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Reciprocation

Apparently, it’s a two-way street. I love Turkish psych and it loves me… if this 1968 song by Bariş Manço is to be believed.

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NMR Interview: Stephen Vitiello

Sound artist Stephen Vitiello’s Listening to Donald Judd (Sub Rosa), made using recordings of Judd’s sculptures as well as field recordings from his compound in Marfa, TX, was one of my favorite records of 2007 (somehow it didn’t make it on my 2007 year-end list — a major omission). Here’s the first half of an interview with Vitiello from the Networked Music Review, which touches on various sound works, including his famous World Trade Center Recordings, as well as the origins of his interest in environmental sound. The second half of the interview will be posted on NMR on March 29.

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Van Wissem Interview

In recent weeks I’ve been playing a number of pieces from the mesmerizing new Brethren of the Free Spirit album on AudioMER. Named for a group of medieval Christian heretics, Brethren is the duo of lutenist Jozef van Wissem and guitaristJames Blackshaw. This is a video that I came upon while doing a bit of research for an upcoming piece on van Wissem and Blackshaw that will appear in Dusted in a week or so. The clip features an interview with Van Wissem along with concert footage. Should be of interest to all the avant-lute groupies out there in RF-land.

 

Red Horse mp3

Last week local drum ‘n’ drones duo, Red Horse, played their first show in almost a year as part of an Intransitive night at the Middle East Upstairs and it was an absolute scorcher of a set! (Truly.) Steve and Eli are planning to release both a CD and a DVD in the coming year, which is exciting news indeed. They’ve also posted an mp3 of a track called “Tilt” (their first recording as a duo) on the new, barebones Red Horse website (click on the “mp3” link), so those of you who can’t experience them in all their live glory can at the very least get a hint of what they’re about.

 

Dutty Artz TV

Soot label head and DJ extraordinaire, Jace Clayton (aka DJ /Rupture) and NY dubstep producer Matt Shadetek have launched a new label/multimedia enterprise called Dutty Artz. They’ve got a trio of 12”s from Cauto, Shadetek, and Ghislain Poirer coming out in early February and have started producing some webcasts as well. This is the first program, featuring footage from a recent Dubwar in NYC, which, as luck would have it, just started podcasting.

 

Passing By

I found this was the perfect daydream aid/procrastination tool. I could stare out other people’s windows, travel while sitting sitting still, and listen to the sounds of far-off journeys. I was stung by a sense of déjà vu during the rail ride past Vesuvius.

www.passingby.net

 

Rylan / Cardone Clip

About a month ago, I saw a performance by local synth-designer and noise musician, Jessica Rylan, and dancer, Alissa Cardone, at a loft party in downtown Boston. It was an absolutely explosive mix of electronics and movement. Recently, I stumbled upon this clip of the two performing in Philadelphia in June 2007, which hints at the power of their collaboration.

 

Balinese Gamelan

As I was writing my RF column for the Phoenix on Boston’s Gamelan Galak Tika, I watched a bunch of wonderful gamelan videos. Not surprisingly, I suppose, there is some great footage out there. In addition to this video, I’m rather fond of this clip of a neighborhood gamelan in rehearsal.

 

Excavated Shellac

I’m a lazy fan of 78s. I love much of the music, but am not inclined to unearth these brittle treasures myself. Thankfully, there are some generous collectors out there who are willing to share the fruits of their labors. In late November, the Dust to Digital label will release Black Mirror, a wonderful collection of global music from 1918-55 curated by Ian Nagoski. For those who need an immediate and regular fix, I heartily recommend the weekly Excavated Shellac mp3 blog. It features a wonderful selection of “folkloric and vernacular music from around the world.” Past offerings have included music from Azerbaijan, Turkey, Armenia, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, South Africa, Congo, Sierra Leone, Ireland, France, Andalusia, Argentina, and more. There are some real gems out there.

Here’s the link: Excavated Shellac

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