Sunday, March 29, 2009

New Music Old Music Non Musical Music

I am quite intrigued at this moment in my life with regards to the nature of music. Not of how music sounds or how music is or how music is played or how music is presented (by way of virtuosity or non-virtuosity: classically trained tubists vs. Jandek) but with the nature of nature of music as a phenomenon. And music as a phenomenon seems to me to be able to be learned and unlearned. This is not merely the unlearning or learning of habits by musicians but also by listeners. Today I tuned into the local public radio spring fund drive. The DJ's, in between their aspirations toward cash as received from the listeners were quite keen on the explication of the modulation of a particular Rachmaninov orchestra composition. The piece began to play. And I couldn't understand it at all. Not because of any unfamiliarity with Rachmaninov, but because I have subjected my listener-skills to a whole other set of practices. The music seemed foreign and strange....almost ugly.

Low Brow Composers

Last night I performed at the Peace and Justice Center in Albuquerque. Also on the bill were Lorin Edwin Parker and the Adam Overton Ensemble. I presented a version of a new piece called 'Cromlech' for bowed, microtunally tuned 'guitar' and premiered 'Die Analphase' in which I rub a contact microphone over my semi nude body and then insert it into my rectum. It was a great show...lots of laughs, lots of great music. Thanks to everyone who came out.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Buy my stuff so I can eat.

I will be creating a series of limited, handmade, 3" cd-r releases of some of my works. These will be available at my performance Saturday March 28. Each cd is just 3 bucks. A dollar per inch.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Histamine evaporation skull

It's been a while since I last updated this. I write now after suffering a day long bout with allergies and the general fatigue and malaise it brings with it. However, my next solo performance will take place on Mar. 28 2009 at the Peace and Justice Center along with Adam Overton and Lorin Parker.
I've been uploading new scores to a great site: www.uploaddownloadperform.net which is a fantastic endeavor constructed by Adam Overton in L.A.
The Ancestral Groan Liberation Orchestra will be regrouping soon, so Santa Feans, look out for some freaky graphic score and improv music pouring right into your skull holes soon.
I've sent off an application to the Frog Peak Composer's Collective. Keep your fingers crossed that I'm accepted.
On Feb. 21st I performed at the Santa Fe Complex with David Dunn and William Fowler Collins. We had a nice turnout and the show was enthusiastically received. My personal highlights were getting to do some improv with Collins (he on guitar and myself on drums) and listening to the magic of David Dunn's chaotic oscillators.