Martin Back Music

2009-04-09T22:54:00.000-07:00

Last week I volunteered for the Society of Composers, Inc. national conference here in Santa Fe. I was put off by the attitudes and posturing, in general, of the various 'composers' I came into contact with...and, in specific, by the music that was presented. It was, for the most part, a lousy day full of lousy music. The saving grace was to be able to hang out with my teacher and mentor, David Dunn.
The atmosphere was such that I became, then and there, committed to remaining resolutely and beautifully obscure....firmly in the underground....
The music, for the most part, that was presented was a dead music....much like the most banal of pop musics...recycling the same licks/riffs/trends over and over....an exercise in the lamination of thought. I experienced it as a thesis of what is musically correct and what is musically incorrect....an argument I have no interest in. I have only the interest in engaging music as a complex human phenomenon...one that is either alive or dead. Furthermore I became convinced that a budding thought in my mind...a proposition (that is not new, by any means) that states that music, like any other public human endeavor is rightfully about the freedom of use. I believe in a music that has, at its fundamental core, the belief that all sounds may be used in the composition of a music, regardless of its social or artistic function. I believe this to be true of so-called public space (whether government buildings, streetlights, streets, parks, etc.) as well. If we as a society are not able to determine, for our own pleasures, in what manner a public space is to be used....then it is not a truly public space. If music, as a macrocosmic public endeavor, continues to be governed by a set of near-fascist rules about useage (ie, what notes follow what notes etc. etc.) then it cannot truly be a music. It cannot live. It only exists in the area of the university or academic archive, which is to say, it is neither dead, nor alive....but behaves and is behaved upon as a cryogenic specimen.

New Music Old Music Non Musical Music

2009-03-29T20:57:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-29T09:42:00.000-07:00

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.

Buy my stuff so I can eat.

2009-03-22T09:25:00.000-07:00

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.

Histamine evaporation skull

2009-03-13T22:10:00.000-07:00

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.

Performance Updates +++++

2008-10-14T16:08:00.000-07:00

I have three gigs coming up. The first is October 18th, dueting with Phil Mantione at the Santa Fe Complex to open their show 'Occam's Razor.'
http://sfcomplex.org/wordpress/
I am also performing the percussion part to James Brody's 'Background Count' on Saturday, October 25, at CCA in Santa Fe.
In December I'll be headlining an experimental music program at the ARTSLab at UNM in Albuquerque, which is coordinated and curated by William Fowler Collins.
http://artslabmusic.blogspot.com/

I am currently working (always) on several graphic scores and some new variations on feedback circuitry utilizing photocells.

The Ancestral Groan Liberation Orchestra met on Saturday Oct. 11th. We performed Phil Mantione's 'Random Textures,' Christian Wolff's 'Edges,' and continued learning John Zorn's 'Cobra.' It was a great day and some great and interesting/beautiful moments happened, followed by a great conversation over Modelo Especial beer had by Phil, Myself, Sam Cobean, and David Hevener.

I have also begun 'mastering' the Ancestral Groan performance of my sonic-map score 'TrafficCricket/LaundryMoth' for future release.

Enrich Thyself!

Errant Velocities

2008-09-12T10:34:00.000-07:00

Not even the stress of my job can keep me down!
Sunday Sept. 14 AGLO meets to begin learning Cobra.
-I have continued work on 'Variations on a Forest Floor' (music for rocks, sticks, twigs, leaves, dirt, wind, animal skins, insects, bones, vessels or bodies of water, resonant objects, and human beings) in the form of having created a symbolic representation for each 'instrument.'
-Creating a new 'collage' piece called 'Snake Dream' that primarily uses samples of my voice.
-Creating collages of recordings of the 'Cobra' workshop directed by Raven Chacon and recordings of 'Untitled--------' from the first AGLO meeting.
Tonight I hang out at the new Railyard. Maybe I'll bring my drumsticks and play a recital on available surfaces. Bring a banjo, or solar powered theremin, or rainstick and join me.

First meeting

2008-09-01T20:11:00.000-07:00

The first meeting of the Ancestral Groan Liberation Orchestra commenced yesterday (Aug. 31 2008). Those present were James Bixler, Martin Back, Phil Mantione, Christian Pincock, Walter Menetrey, and David Hevener. We performed two scores, 'Untitled________' and 'TrafficCricket/LaundryMoth.' Recordings were made of both. 'TrafficCricket' was the most successful endeavor and will be archived for release. I was quite pleased to discover that my desire for great, conversational insight was achieved. Christian gave us a quick introduction to SoundPainting, which will make a great addition to the sonic arsenal of the ensemble. Our next meeting will be Sept. 14th at 1pm at CCA to experiment with John Zorn's 'Cobra.'

I have several compositions in the works: 'Circuit Repetoire No. 1,' 'Variations on a Forest Floor,' and an as of yet untitled acousmatic collage using recordings from Raven Chacon's workshop at CCA from July 21st.

Ancestral Groan pt. 2

2008-08-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

Ancestral Groan Liberation Orchestra membership roster as of August 17, 2008
Julie West
David Hevener
Sam Cobean
Phil Mantione
James Bixler
Frank Rolla
Al Faaet
Walter Menetrey
Christian Pincock
Martin Back

2008-08-17T10:50:00.000-07:00

I have several graphic and text scores in progress. See images
--Including--
'3 Duets: Meat Wheel of the Concubine'
'Untitled or ----------------'
'K-L-A-T-A Voice'
'TrafficCricket/LaundryMoth'

Also...various circuit-sculptures, hacked electronics and sound transmission/public interference devices in the works.

Ancestral Groan Liberation Orchestra

2008-08-17T10:44:00.000-07:00

As of August 5th 2008 I have officially formed the Ancestral Groan Liberation Orchestra to perform, record and produce (under the directorship of Martin Back) graphic and text scores of a historical nature, scores originating from the director and of the individual members of the collective. The Orchestra will also gather together to 'rehearse' and perform John Zorn's 'Cobra.' We will also perform music of an invocational nature....sonic yelps from a genetic memory otherworld.