Friday, March 21, 2008

33 1/3: 20 Jazz Funk Greats

Drew Daniel
Continuum
$10.95

Not only is Drew Daniel 1/2 of the sometimes San Francisco/sometimes Baltimore-based subversive and experimental electronic duo Matmos, he teaches in the English department at Johns Hopkins University. So by default he is literally the most qualified person on the planet to pen an insightful and intelligent review of one of the most aesthetically perplexing and compelling entries into the annals of early industrial music: Throbbing Gristle’s 1979 album, 20 Jazz funk Greats.

From Daniel’s research and personal editorials that reveal the subtle but profound secrets and dark ironies hiding in the album's cover art, a track-by-track vivisection and journalistic conversations with the group, this book is an easily digestible review of TG’s multi-layered M.O. Daniel’s workaday tone falls on TG’s spirit with the same superficial ambivalence and secretly fanatical tone with which Throbbing Gristle portrayed the grim aspects of the culture that compelled the original wreckers of civilization to churn out such a powerful album.

Shock value was a matter of interpretation and often times a side effect of TG’s societal and musical meditations and assaults.

Following Daniel’s narrative journey through angst-ridden teenage obsession into an adult and very intellectual examination of TG’s aesthetics is a fascinating examination in and of itself.

--Chad Radford

Monday, March 17, 2008

STN@SXSW windup

A big, sloppy "thank you" to everyone who performed at, attended, or in one way or another participated in our debut showcase at SXSW. It was a gas. I was bemused when I looked at the program and saw Jandek, our headlining act, listed as "cowtown/blues" ... but that's exactly what it was. A heavy set of country blues music, stretched out and twisted in all the right places. Christina Carter's set with an unfortunately very ill Shawn McMillan was full of ethereal beauty. The wonderfully face-painted Space City Gamelan cleansed the palate with their ancient chime-and-gong percussion and earned the evening's only standing-O. The Nameless Sound Collection blew some minds with a trombone and trumpet + double drum, double bass, double guitar lineup. The Weird Weeds wrapped things up with their pretty-ful, slightly skewed out-pop songs. As you can imagine, a beautiful night of music. Special thanks to Jason Gross for hatching the whole plan in the first place, and to SXSW's Craig Stewart, our stage manager Lori, and the Central Presbyterian Church volunteers for being so helpful and accommodating.

Some photos for your viewing pleasure ...

The venue (photo by grrrrshon):



Jandek, Ralph White & Susan Alcorn:
(photos by Robert Loerzel):




Christina Carter (photo by Robert Loerzel):


Space City Gamelan (photo by B.C. Walker):



Nameless Sound Collection (photo by grrrrshon):



Weird Weeds (to follow) . . .

Would love to hear your reviews & comments if y'all were there!!
Free Web Counters
Free Counter