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MORE INFORMATION ON Vernacten
The art of collaboration is very different than going solo. I worked Sean on Mastic Woods. I also worked with Mike Textbeak on The W(h)ole. Both presented me with the basis of the track, Each track they offered were tracks that I, on my own, would not have created. How could I? Sean and Mike both have unique individual ideas in music.
Music is like a journey. With Vernacten, we’re taking each other on journeys that are familiar to each of us, but also new to every one of us. And you, the lucky listener, get to experience the completed journey. Three unique visions coming together to create something different and engaging.
MORE INFORMATION ON MASTIC WOODS
Music is like a journey. I could see the journey that Sean was taking listeners on and complimented his analog track with multiple tracks of layering and panning electronics.
MORE INFORMATION ON THE W(H)OLE
When I started my contribution to The W(h)ole, I was unaware of the other contributors being involved. Armed with the basic recording that Textbeak created, I added layers and layers of processed and manipulated vocals based on lyrics that I wrote for the piece. Textbeak and John Fryer would later incorporate what I did into a much larger track including the other guest’s contributions. The vocals on the second part of the track are mine.
Each individual track or the release as a whole (pun intended) is worth checking out. If you orient yourself to one specific genre, get ready to be disoriented. Textbeak takes inspiration from Industrial, Goth, Witch House, EBM, Noise, Funk, PostEverything, and a whole lot more and blends them together to create something new.
For the fans of John Fryer, Mark Stewart, Peter Hope, Bestial Mouths, and the others on TEXTBEAKS’ release
this is where you really get to see them in a new environment, stretching their musical reach and transforming their sound into something new.
That, to me, is exciting. To see creativity pushed to new horizons. That is, in essence, what this release is. With talent like those on this release, that is something to look forward to.
MORE INFORMATION ON DAY OF ENDINGS
There will be a follow-up release to Day of Endings. It is said you can’t have an ending, without a new beginning. With respect to that, Day of Beginnings will be the follow-up. Day of Endings was very influenced by the ideology of OuBaPo. OuBaPo is a French comic book movement that makes comics under various creative constraints.
MORE INFORMATION ON ETERNAL SCREAM Trapped in a Grain of Sand
I recorded Eternal Scream Trapped in a Grain of Sand before Day of Endings. I was not aware of the constraint methodology of OuBaPo while compiling Specimen. All the same, I was working under the same ideas of creative constraints.
I started working on this piece before Floppy Kick invited me to curate Specimen. I more than happy to add to the compilation.
My first pro piece of equipment was the Korg DDS 1. An early sampler. A behemoth of a sampler. Big and heavy. I took a bus and walked quite a long way to get home. Lugging that the whole way back was incredibly difficult!
I love the real-time editing of the Moog and decided to use the” not so real-time”/ rather limited editing abilities of the Korg in real-time. I loaded a sampler, started messing with delay and other editing parameters, and locked into a groove that is captured on this track.
When I started it, I knew I was using a retro sampler. At the time, though, I did not realize it would be released on a retro medium when it was released on Specimen 🙂
MORE INFORMATION ON SPECIMEN
Cleveland is well regarded for many interesting things, including its experimental music scene. Many of the performers on Specimen are well-known experimentalists. When Floppy Kick invited me to curate Specimen, I was honored to include the Cleveland musicians that are featured on the release.
Floppy Kick is a Hungarian label that focuses on releasing music on floppy diskette.
The floppy diskette format is a lo-fidelity kind of format. It has limitations. Considerable limitations when you look at today’s technology. That created a challenge and I love challenges. Many of the performers participated in Decay in Response, the concert series that Mike Textbeak and I curated. And from that group of performers, I proceed to invite others into the mix.
I created the cover. At one point I wanted to be a scientist. While I do engage in citizen science activities, my life didn’t go down the path of being a scientist. The idea of taking a specimen of the Cleveland experimental scene interested me and the combination of science and music reminded me of the enthusiasm that my scientist friend, Carolyn Marks, has for both. With that inspiration, the cover was born.
It was this release that led to Silber Media inviting me to participate in their 5 in 5 series and creating Day of Endings.
Kai Nobukoi wrote a very comprehensive review of Specimen. Read it here.
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