Manafonistas

John Tilbury / Keith Rowe / Kjell Bjørgeengen: Worstward Ho, based on a text by Samuel Beckett (text recorded by Aleks Kolkowski) – **** (hard core minimalism, lacking some dynamics, but compensating this with gritty „Beckettism“, some people snorling, some enlightened in the dark – good trance induction!)

Streifenjunko + Sheriffs of Nothingness – **** (a wonderful exploration of instrumental possibilities, never academic, always with a beating heart, one  minor quibble: they seemed a bit afraid of melodies:)) 

Håkon Stene: Lush Laments for Lazy Mammal with Sigbjørn Apeland, Ellen Ugelvik and Tanja Orning – ****  (the spirit of Laurence Crane, Gavin Bryars and Eno’s Obscure records brought to life, one kind advice: no dry, shy announcements of the single pieces, better doing it all as one big piece) 

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PUNKT SEMINAR (1)

Michael Engelbrecht: Storytelling for burning songs (Or: how to make radio magic) – **** (I was good:)) 

Jana Winderen / Mike Harding: From Punk to Punkt – **** (entertaing mix of the story of the british label Touch and Jana’s field recording adventures)

A meeting with Laurie Anderson – **** (very personal, the person Laurie replacing the persona, the dog episode heartfelt, even the technical problems added to the authenticity) 

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Spacemonkey (Morten Qvenild / Gard Nilssen) – **** (a living beast, better than the Hubro record) 

Live Remix: Eivind Aarset / Samuel Rohrer / Jan Bang – *** 1/2 (this one grew from uncertainty to thrill!) 

Erik Honoré: Heliographs release concert w/Ingar Zach / Eivind Aarset / Jeffrey Bruinsma / Arve Henriksen – **** (a good introduction to Erik’s  brilliant solo debut „Heliographs“) 

Live Remix: Erik Honoré / Raffaele Casarano – ** (sorry, this was too much kitsch, sugar shock zone!) 

Fennesz: Bécs – *** (not coming close to the album’s subtleties, but nevertheless an immersive experience) 

Live Remix: Zapp 4 / Jan Bang / Erik Honoré – ****  (Sophisticated) 

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PUNKT SEMINAR (2)

Seducing the seducer: A conversational navaid to Bangsonics. Henning Bolte in conversation with Jan Bang – **** (informative and entertaining) 

Morten Qvenild: The HyPer(sonal) Piano – **** (informative and entertaining, too – a look into Morten’s laboratory, not without self-irony)

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Zapp 4 / Jan Bang – **** (very sophisticated, the seed of  a probably great studio recording) 

Maria Laurette Friis / Kresten Osgood / Dodebum – * (free improv boredom desaster) 

Live Remix: Nils Petter Molvaer / Hamid Drake / Eivind Aarset / Jan Bang – **** (the right medicine after the Danish exercise in going nowhere and never finding the exit:  Hamid Drake was the vital heart of this group’s fire!) 

An Evening with Laurie Anderson, Arve Henriksen and Fennesz – ** 1/2 (the big disappointment, Laurie Anderson  was much too reluctant, nearly no stories, no songs, a lot was left to Arve and Christian who could not create the suspense expected from a Laurie Anderson performance. And the music was much too loud in parts. A wasted opportunity. And Laurie should have followed her own advice of the lecture the day before: never trust punchlines! The end of the concert was exactly that: a series of punchlines!) 

Eivind Aarset – Dream Logic

 
Eivind Aarset, Gitarre, Elektronik
Audun Erlien, Bass
Jan Bang, Live-Elektronik, Sampling
Erland Dahlen und Wetle Holte, Schlagzeug, Perkussion

 
Aufnahme vom 6.9.13 beim Punktfestival in Kristiansand
Live im Studio: Michael Engelbrecht

In 1980, Genesis P-Orridge and Peter Sleazy Christopherson (then of Throbbing Gristle renown) travelled to New York City to meet up at the fortified apartment, known as The Bunker, of famed beat writer and cultural pioneer William S. Burroughs and his executor James Grauerholz to starting the daunting task to compile the experimental sounds works of Burroughs, which, up until that point, had never been heard. During those visits, Burroughs would play back his tape recorder experiments featuring his spoken word ‚cut-ups‘, collaged field recordings from his travels and his flirtations with EVP recording techniques, pioneered by Latvian intellectual Konstantins Raudive. Throughout the next year, P-Orridge, Christopherson and Grauerholz would spent countless hours compiling various edits, each collection showcasing Burroughs sensitive ear and keen experimental prowess for audio anomaly within technical limitations. By the time 1981 came through, Burroughs had relocated to Lawrence, KS in which to escape the violence and mania of New York City life. It is in Lawrence that P-Orridge and Christopherson put the finishing touches on the record that would be known as ‚Nothing Here Now but the Recordings‘. The album would come out in the Spring of 1981 as the final release for the shuttering Industrial Records, brought about by the dissolution of Throbbing Gristle. The album remained out of print for a long time.

Gestern Nacht. Baden-Baden. Hotel. Als Absacker eine Folge „Inas Nacht“. Wiederholung? Zu Gast: eine Tagesschausprecherin mit forciert ausgestelltem Migrationshintergrund, die einen auf dicke Hose macht. Mädelsabend! Seit wann qualifiziert eigentlich das Verlesen von Nachrichten unter Zuhilfenahme technischer Geräte sich nach Mitternacht im Geronto-TV als Popstar zu gerieren? Diese Frage geht auch an dich, Judith Rakers. Beste Frage aus dem Publikum, gestern: Was muss man eigentlich können, um Nachrichtensprecherin zu werden? Gilt natürlich auch für Nachrichtensprecher, Jens!

Gestern Abend, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden. Nils Landgren und Michael Wollny haben sich ein paar Gäste eingeladen: Eva Kruse und Wolfgang Haffner, dazu als „special guest“: Katja Riemann. „ACT“-Business as usual? Nö. Landgren eröffnet den Abend mit Lennons „Imagine“, später im Programm „Fragile“ von Sting, zum Finale dann aus gegebenem Anlass der „Kanonensong“ von Brecht / Weill, der trotzdem nicht so recht passend erscheint. Kitsch? Zu billig? Ich mag keinen der Songs, aber mir gefällt an diesem Abend das konsequente Insistieren von Landgren, der sich nicht zu schade ist, hier ein „Trotz alledem“ seiner Kunst zu formulieren, das recht authentisch rüberkommt. Er bringt die passende Saite zum Klingen, tatsächlich. Er rührt. Um das Mindeste zu sagen. Zwischenzeitlich liefern die fünf Musiker brillantes Jazz-Entertainment auf hohem Niveau ab, inklusive einer feinen Version von James Taylors „Don´t let me be lonely tonite“.

1) Underworld: Dark And Long

2) Underworld: Mmm Skyscraper I Love You

3) Brian Eno: Fractal Zoom

(from: dubnobasswithmyheadman)
(from: Nerve Net)

Ich habe vor einer Woche im  wunderbaren Samoa-Seepferdchen-Restaurant 7 Plätze (einen grossen Tisch) reserviert, für den 16. Mai, 17.30 Uhr bis 20.30 Uhr. 

Es kommen:

Lajla, Martina, Wolfram, Gregor, Fredrik, Jochen, Michael. 

P.S.: Ich arbeite noch daran, Streifenjunko für ein Konzert am Strand einzuladen. Und das ist kein Witz. 

For example, a series of sessions on a train going from Oslo to Istanbul. No multi-tracking, everything is mixed as it is played. Editing only to clean up false starts and possibly to reinvent the purpose of dreaming. The passengers are occasionally joining in the performance as dancers or train conductors. As we are travelling towards Istanbul there are several artists painting the train green inside as well as sculptors changing the landscape we pass through. The sun transforms itself into a fish and the horizon is turned vertical. Instead of windows to look out of there is silence to look inside. The audience is applauded for listening deeply and for focusing the sounds that would otherwise be lost. Finally as the train comes to Istanbul it bursts into flames and everyone leaves by the secret exit. Except you. How would it sound? Imagine.

I must admit that I rarely pass by a book store without having a look inside what’s on sale. There’s usually always something on the shelf to inspire and to set on a inner „To Buy List“.  While on my lunch break today I found Werner Herzog – A Guide for the Perplexed: Conversations with Paul Cronin in my favourite book shop and as I have already bought too much books this year already I passed on leaving the shop without that particular book today. But, intrigued by the list Werner Herzog made for the dust cover I hastily scribbled the items down to pass on here:

1. Always take the initiative.
2. There is nothing wrong with spending a night in jail if it means getting the shot you need.
3. Send out all your dogs and one might return with prey.
4. Never wallow in your troubles; despair must be kept private and brief.
5. Learn to live with your mistakes.
6. Expand your knowledge and understanding of music and literature, old and modern.
7. That roll of unexposed celluloid you have in your hand might be the last in existence, so do something impressive with it.
8. There is never an excuse not to finish a film.
9. Carry bolt cutters everywhere.
10. Thwart institutional cowardice.
11. Ask for forgiveness, not permission.
12. Take your fate into your own hands.
13. Learn to read the inner essence of a landscape.
14. Ignite the fire within and explore unknown territory.
15. Walk straight ahead, never detour.
16. Manoeuvre and mislead, but always deliver.
17. Don’t be fearful of rejection.
18. Develop your own voice.
19. Day one is the point of no return.
20. A badge of honor is to fail a film theory class.
21. Chance is the lifeblood of cinema.
22. Guerrilla tactics are best.
23. Take revenge if need be.
24. Get used to the bear behind you.