Various Things...
From the original Analog Industries archive. Some links and images from that era no longer resolve.
First up, if you didn’t get the memo, there’s a new set from Standard Beat Company, Boiler Room Beats. Single hits, some loops, plus Poison. It’s like if Bell Biv DeVoe was produced by Adrian Utley. (I’m aiming for a pull quote Wade can use in his marketing. NAILED IT!)
Next up, I’m 97.3% certain that RoughRider Re will be included in the initial offerings for the Reason 6.5 Rack Extension store. It will be $29/25€. They use tier pricing like Apple, so the price will vary somewhat depending on where you are. Sorry, people that take advantage of exchange rate differentials. In any event, it has passed all tests from the Props folks, and has been accepted, so as far as I know, we’re good to go.
Next, it is my birthday next week. In honor of this lofty event, I have purchased a MIG welder, because nobody I know would think to get me one. I shall weld things. The first thing I shall weld is an Anti-Tank Guitar. Because I’m of the firm opinion that there’s a good buck to be made starting a Lab Report cover band and trying to get a gig at the Gila River Indian Casino. I’ll let you know how that goes.
Finally, in the interests of continuing our discussion from the previous post, during my research I came across this video. When I saw the Make logo I thought it would either be an optical theremin (gag) or something crafty but ultimately useless. (Cute for a minute, but ultimately gag.) Turns out, not at all. Worth a watch if you’re intrigued about this sort of thing, but it takes a while to get to the good stuff. Here is the dude’s website. His name is Tim Kaiser.
12 comments
Did you have to bring up Lab Report? I still have a headache dating back to a show they opened for Pig Face in '92.
There's a running joke between my wife and I that has its origins in the first (and I think only?) time she saw Lab Report live. Eric and Matt had a girl on stage who did some sort of vocal chanting, and Elle's take-away from this was an "AYAWAAAAAAAA" thing, which she has since (for nigh on 15 years now) used as a benchmark for an artist's ability to perform live. (As in "well, they're no Lab Report. AYAWAAAAAAA!")
For those of you not in the know, Lab Report was the only "true" industrial (in the Throbbing Gristle sense of the word) band in the Chicago industrial scene of the early 90s. Live, they were very loud, and the Anti-Tank Guitar was the centerpiece of their performances.
-CR
now that i read the wiki, i think i remember "A.T.G." in Pigface sleeve credits and didn't know wtf that meant.
Pigface:
http://youtu.be/bymJ-pWPNak
Lab Report
http://youtu.be/Mwz_9zq5Wjw
^ actually i dont see the ATG in that Pigface vid, so ignore me. :/
I seem to remember the ATG on stage from the Pigface Fook Christmas show in Toronto in '92
While I've always found Throbbing Gristle relaxing, that first Lab Report album freaked me out a bit...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti_Tank_Guitar
Looks like some of Glenn Branca's instruments, expect he tended to use 2x4s, which would limit what kind of string/wire you could put on there.
It also reminds me of the "blaster beam" or just "The Beam," which was used by Mickey Hart and other hippies on the Apocalypse Now soundtrack:
http://musicthing.blogspot.com/2004/12/star-trek-female-orgasms-and.html
OK some video of more builders of instruments i know to check out
Tom Nunn
The Crustacean
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYFLiE1DSQI
Skatchbox (the piezo mic is the most expensive part)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElrJisnhtSU
Sonoglyph
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyGBhmZPtWc
Mark Deutsch - The Bazantar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crSi9IxPfYA
Ela Lamblin - Stamenphone
http://vimeo.com/41333672
Walter Kitundu - Phonoharps
http://vimeo.com/9864907
OK - i'll stop now.
"Yeah spot a man of freedom for a fact aah-aah uh-hum." So this isn't an inside joke -
http://www.standardbeatcompany.com/blogs/news/6129234-that-girl-is-poison-a-boiler-room-screencast
I'm really happy you're getting into welding. Just seems like some great stuff is going to come out of that. ; )
Really enjoyed the video and found it inspiring in that incomparable Diego Stocco, Skot Wiedmann way - thanks!
Woah! Those Scratchboxes are excellent. I totally have to build some!
Thanks for the videos metaphysician, those are tops.
While I understand gagging at optical theremins, they sound really cool through one of those hardtune pedals to keep them in key. My theremin is now my jam buddy http://bassling.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/current-set-up.html
Nicolas Collins: Handmade Electronic Music...
http://www.nicolascollins.com/handmade.htm
I like to use amps so I do a fair amount of micing and re-amping so as to not having to worry about electrocuting myself!
I record into a battery powered recorder (zoom r24) then I load the sounds into a sampler or two (I use an Octatrack and MPC) after some light processing and chopping. I find Melodyne is pretty handy for adding a bit of "conventional" musicality to the sounds if I feel like I need it, but it's nice to start off unburdened.
I'm sure you could substitute Live or Maschine or whatever you happen to be comfortable with as your "sampler". I just find it really helpful to separate the recording and experimentation with electro-acoustic sounds from the composition process. Also I don't do well with having the "unlimited" sample space of a computer as it tends to lead to tons of digital clutter and boring un-creative file management.
I feel like you really only need one or two "modern" powerful and fast production tools in the creative chain to reap the benefits and adding too many actually slows me down with an overabundance of options.
PS. Heating and cooling metal is great to use contact mics on! :)
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