:: GussetBLOG ::

:: Thursday, January 21, 2010 ::

GOTO 10

/mode +v noise, the ever expanding ASCII based music platform

I saw the /mode +v noise installation by GOTO10 at the Arnolfini earlier today and loved it. Use the IRC link (remember that?) to listen in real time and influence the generative score.

It was made using Puredyne



Puredyne is aimed at creative people, looking for tools outside the standard. It provides the best experimental creative applications alongside a solid set of graphic, audio and video tools in a fast, minimal package. For everything from sound art to innovative filmmaking.

Puredyne is optimised for use in realtime audio and video processing. It distinguishes itself by offering a low latency kernel and the high responsiveness needed by artists working in this field.

Puredyne is based on Ubuntu and Debian Live. All packages provided by Puredyne can be used if you are running this flavour of GNU/Linux. Use, share, copy, modify, join the development team or fork :)

Software highlights

audio

puredata, supercollider, csound, chuck, ladspa plugins, ardour, audacity, ecasound, …

graphics

gimp, inkscape, fluxus, freej, processing + extras, imagemagick, gthumb, gphoto2, …

multimedia

mplayer, vlc, avidemux, kino, mencoder, transcode, luvcview, xawtv, recordmydesktop, …

streaming

icecast2, ices2, ffmpeg2theora, oggfwd, darkice, darksnow, gstreamer, dvswitch, …

network

firefox, links2, network-manager, wireless-tools, ssh, telnet, gftp, irssi, nfs, …

devel

gcc, make, patchutils, subversion, mercurial, bzr, emacs-goodies-el, java jdk, python, …

…and much more.

Labels: Art, Electronic Music, FOSS, Music

:: Dan 21.1.10 [Arc] [1 comments] ::
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My nephew is staying with us at the moment and is keen to sign the 12 Days of Christmas, up the the appropriate day, to us each morning. In an effort to remember all of the lyrics, as my BBC micro singing version obviously didn't burn it in adequately during my childhood, I looked it up.

The first google hit, which I will not link to as I don't want to increase it's page ranking, was a Christian carols page that claimed religious symbolism to each of the days:

1 True Love refers to God
2 Turtle Doves refers to the Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens refers to Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds refers to the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings refers to the first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese A-laying refers to the six days of creation
7 Swans A-swimming refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking refers to the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing refers to the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping refers to the ten commandments
11 Pipers Piping refers to the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming refers to the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed

This all sounds slightly dubious to me. A few hits down the ratings we find the wikipedia page. No more reliable a source but it does include the following text:

"The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes indicates there are suggestions that "the gifts have significance, as representing the food or sport for each month of the year. Importance [certainly has] long been attached to the Twelve Days, when, for instance, the weather on each day was carefully observed to see what it would be in the corresponding month of the coming year. Nevertheless, whatever the ultimate origin of the chant, it seems probable [that] the lines that survive today both in England and France are merely an irreligious travesty."^[2]

"A bit of modern folklore claims that the song's lyrics were written as a "catechism song" to help young Catholics learn their faith, at a time when practicing Catholicism was discouraged in England (1558 until 1829). There is no substantive primary evidence supporting this claim, and no evidence that the claim is historical, or "anything but a fanciful modern day speculation."^[1]

"In fact, variations in lyrics provide evidence against the "catechism song" origin. For example, the four Gospels often are described as the "four calling birds," when in fact the phrase "calling birds" is a modern (probably 20th century) phonetic misunderstanding of "colly birds" (blackbirds).^{[original research?]}"

So, the song is probably irreverent but it's not entirely clear. I'd definitely take any religious claims with a large pinch of salt.

For a more surreal take on it the brilliant 12 Days themed Why Bother? interviews between Peter Cook and Chris Morris, which is a gem of improvised comedy. [It's available on CD and in text form.]

The Christ sketch is a great example:

Labels: History, Humour, Music

:: Dan 30.12.09 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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Some readers may remember I did a stand-up routine a few years ago about Brian Eno being "The One" (like Neo in The Matrix).

Seems someone else thinks he may actually be VALIS (from the Philip K Dick book of the same name, although Radio Free Ablemuth is a much better book on the same subject).

Before scanning that from the Sunday Time Style magazine I searched for an online version. I didn't find one but did find this from last April:

What pop music tells us about JG Ballard
"Author JG Ballard, who has died aged 78, cast a huge influence over the literary world. But for those who have never picked up one of his novels there's another forum for learning about his work - pop music."

Labels: Art, Humour, Literature, Music, Sci-Fi

:: Dan 4.10.09 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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First Chas and Dave split up, and now there are no original Sugababes left. What's the world coming to?

Sugababes Timeline here

Labels: Music, RIP

:: Dan 23.9.09 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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Things I didn't find time to write about this week:

Flow-based organizations can grow an archive with microblogging

Blasphemy laws in the 21st century

Plan to use jumping lice in battle against Japanese knotweed

The H-Word
Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Word "Hipster"
by Chas Bowie
[via null device]

Pigeons in aerial photography

Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore: The definitive view of British nightlife
"the best days of your lives will be wiped away by a change in fashion"

Fine Waters: Comprehensive Resource of Bottled Water of the World
Etiquette for Drinking Temperature:
"Serving all waters at the same temperature, let’s say 55 degrees Fahrenheit, will nicely show their differences. A slight increase in temperature will have a calming effect on waters with larger, louder bubbles. In general, the colder the water, the more focused it will be.Water can be served at almost any temperature, but knowing how to manipulate temperature will allow you to better pair the waters with food and establish a true epicurean dialogue."
Or you could serve it ice cold and some people like to serve it at 100 degrees C with an infusion of leaves.
[thanks Jules]

Labels: Ecology, Environment, Fashion, Music, Photography, Religion, Water, Wildlife

:: Dan 8.8.09 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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Spinning in the Grave: The three biggest reasons music magazines are dying
By Jonah Weiner

And form a link in that article...

Music As Torture: War Is Loud
"UPDATED: At Guantanamo Bay, the military is attempting to break down Muslim prisoners by bombarding them with ear-splitting rap and metal, leading human rights activists to ask: When does an interrogation tactic become pure torture?"
By David Peisner

See also Jon Ronson's The Men Who Stare at Goats, which, bizarrely, is now being made into a film with Ewan McGregor, George Clooney, Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges!

There's an interview with Ronson about it here:


Clip from the Channel 4 doc:

Labels: Amnesty, Humour, journalism, Music

:: Dan 29.7.09 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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Heya! It's been some time. I know I may have thrown you the odd scrap of music now and again but that old spark, it just hasn't been there lately has it. I know you have other places to hang out. I hope you understand what a death in the family has done here. But it's great to meet up again, have a drink, chew that fat, catch up on what we would have been chatting shit about if other events hadn't conspired against us.

Did I tell you I attended the BLDGBLOG book launch last week?

[v.o.g.: You mentioned you were going]

Ah, well, I did. And not only did I get a great book out of it, not only did I meet with and chat with Geoff Manaugh, whose a really inspiring guy, not only is there a photo floating around flickr of me sat at the same table as Warren Ellis (I didn't realise that at the time, I was distracted by the woman with him), but I've also come away with some blog based inspiration.

In the introduction to the book Geoff explains that when he started BLDGBLOG he decided that he wasn't going to pour concerns and negativity into it, it would just be for stuff that interested him. Things that made him think, gave him ideas, starting points for flights of fancy. I like that philosophy. I may try to take it on to some degree.


[source here via here]

So what else has caught my fancy?


Shots taken on Czechoslovakia - East border of the eastern German state security (Stasi)
[via www.ustrcr.cz]
Found in the Vice Magazine photography special, which is out now.

Its good to know that The American President is an Ass Man, Apparently

"But seriously, is this not one of the best presidential photographs of all-time? Even Sarkozy looks like he's sneaking a peek, though he's French, so we expect him to do it. However, in Obama's defense, that is a great ass!"

"Solicitors for the National Portrait Gallery are apparently threatening legal action against a US Wikipedia user for downloading 3,300 digital photographs of paintings in the UK museum's collection, and then uploading them to Wikipedia."
[via clayton cubitt]

Cauty - Julie Andrews tip in the Nude magazine sale


Codex Sinaiticus - Home The ‘Draft for Comment’ version of the Bible

Rumours of a Dr Who film

There, I Fixed It

6 Intriguingly Shaped Communities As Seen On Google Maps

My Pinhole camera experiments


"Patti Smith is one of the most anticipated gigs of the week, and the audience the most vocal. … joined by SMZ leader Efrim Menuck on drums and Portishead’s Adrian Utley, who attacks a guitar with a paintbrush to spooky effect."
Festival review: Ornette Coleman’s Meltdown, Southbank Centre, London SE1 | Music | The Observer
I mentioned this to Leafcutter John, wondering if he was aware Ade was at the Polar Bear gig where John had used the same paintbrush trick a few months back. His response was a spirited "Ah, but did he do it better?"

Stylophone Beatbox

Pre-order here

Open Source TIC - ePetition response | Number10.gov.uk
"The Government supports the principle that, where new software is being developed by the Timely Information to Citizens pilots, this should wherever possible be released under open source licence and available for use by other local authorities. ... Where the pilots will result in new software tools, ownership and intellectual property rights will usually remain with the individual local authorities"
Is this not a contradiction?

‘Ghost village’ to be demolished

"A village built in Argyll to meet the demands of the UK oil boom of the 1970s but abandoned without ever being occupied is set for a new role." [video link]

Stuff you've missed on the tumblr
* a whole bunch of new photographers discoveries
* shoes by architects
* a bunch of LEGO stuff inc jewellery, USB sticks and giant Star Wars models
* London Underground Map print dress
* Geek guide to shoe lacing
* The Battleships drinking game

I've also just discovered that Blogger is limited to 20 tags per post.

So what have you been up to? How are things?

Labels: Art, blogs, Copyright, Electronic Music, Flickr, FOSS, History, Instruments, IP, Law, Literature, Maps, Music, Petitions, Photography, Politics, Privacy, Religion, Sci-Fi, Wiki

:: Dan 14.7.09 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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It has never been easy to value art, in any sense. The value it represents in terms of artistic merit will be different to the value it holds to a community (and between communities) and will be different from its financial value, which is of course what someone is willing to pay for it.

This was highlighted recently by the vandalism of Banksy's Mild Wild West piece in Stokes Croft. Someone called Appropriate Media claimed responsibility for this and posted a manifesto on the gentrification of the area and the meaning of art on The Cube website. This ill thought through manifestos (complete with un-credited anti-Banksy sentiment stolen from a 2006 Charlie Brooker column) has since been removed from the website and replaced with the response emails it elicited. The work itself has been cleaned up by the Peoples Republic of Stokes Croft although now shows blood red battle scars in the mortar between the bricks, so it isn’t returned to its former glory but can now show off its war wounds with pride.

This Hijack thread documents the unfolding public outrage at this attack on a work that the community has embraced, voting it the top Alternative Landmark for Bristol in a BBC pole last year. However, the 10 pages of vitriol it produced should be read with great care as it quickly turns into a vigilante mob chasing the wrong suspects. Quite how highly valued this piece is by the community I think has come as a shock to those who sought to deface it in the name of art (and self-publicity). They couldn't have picked a worse target what with Banksy's unusual standing in Bristol where his works are protected by the city council whilst all other graffiti in the city is, hypocritically, still persecuted as vandalism.

This community ascribed value to usually transient street art lies in sharp contract to the financial value ascribed to most other art. The value here is dictated by what someone is willing to pay for it, in some cases as a cynical investment into something they believe will increase in financial value in the future. I am as guilty as many of buying limited editions of music releases or prints because, if I like it and I'm going to buy it anyway, I'll always choose the fancier presentation and perceived exclusiveness over the mass produced version.

But why? I know full well that this is often an equally cynical attempt by the artist (or their publisher) to limit supply to increase value. Sometime I wonder who this benefits as the original artist sees no increased income from future resale value. Shifting larger numbers at smaller profit may earn you more but loses you artistic credibility.

From personal experience I know that even tiny production numbers do not automatically make something more desirable. Gusset's first two self-released EPs were hand crafted by our good selves and produced in numbered limited editions of 40 of each. Even so it took us three years to sale the bastards. And we now have 600 remaining copies of the 1,000 disk run of Ask Dr Kim collecting dust. Now obviously this isn't a great example as I'm a nobody peddling substandard wares to a tiny and increasing saturated underground minority.

Music is one of the most difficult art forms to attempt to make money out of as it is so easily copied and distributed and is almost impossible to intentionally limit quantities of without attaching it to another more physical form of artwork, the packaging.

Due to either misguided artistic integrity or innate stupidity on my part my other chosen field of expression is photography. Arguably one of the most personal of all art forms with low barriers to entry in terms of skill and equipment (compared to music). Why buy someone's photo of x when you could take one yourself? OK, so yours may not to be to the same standard, but it is yours. You created it. You were there. You can talk about it if you hang it on your wall. The alternative, "Yeah, I got that in Ikeal. You have it too you say?"



With this in mind I was intrigued to see Dark Daze selling this frankly stunning Sally F**cking Reynolds motel print in a blind auction in a limited edition of just 10. The nine highest blind bidders get copies with one presumably reserved themselves. (They are a couple incidentally.)

But what's to stop him deciding to print more copies at some point in the future? Just his promise? Or will all other copies be destroyed like Jarre's Music for Supermarkets?

I'm intrigued what sort of prices are going to be offered for these prints. It's clearly an amazing photo that I would happily pay for, although the hinted started bid of a hundred quid (the price of his non-limited prints of the same size go for) already puts it beyond my budget.

Dark Daze, if you read this, I'd love to know what figures you get in the end. Would you be prepared to publish either the highest bid, 9th highest bid, or perhaps the nearest miss?

Labels: Art, Finance, Music, Photography

:: Dan 9.4.09 [Arc] [2 comments] ::
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Nooooooooo!!!
RIP Music Thing

Labels: blogs, Music, RIP

:: Dan 8.1.09 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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From the Guitar Heroes at the BBC series. The Pentagle is cool but it's the second track, Paco Peña's* Cantantes por Bulerias (1972), that really does it for me. Note to self: clap more.

* Tony Blair's guitar teacher!

Labels: Guitar, Music, Spain

:: Dan 21.12.08 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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The Rambler: Against music as torture


Rage Against the Machine protesting against Guantanamo Bay at the Reading festival. Photograph: Chiaki Nozu/Filmmagic.com/Getty Images

"zero dB campaigns against the use of music as torture at Guantánamo Bay. The Guardian has two articles on the subject this week:
Musicians tell UN to ban using songs as torture
Musicians condemn use of their songs as instruments of war"

Binyam Mohamed, the British resident held in Guantánamo Bay, who was tortured by having his penis slit with a razor blade while detained in a secret jail in Morocco, said that the constant loud music made him feel that he was losing his sanity. He told his lawyer and director of legal charity, Reprieve, Clive Stafford Smith, that while being hung up and deprived of sleep "there was loud music. [Eminem's] Slim Shady and Dr Dre for 20 days ... plenty lost their minds. I could hear people knocking their heads against the walls and the doors, screaming their heads off."

See Jon Ronson's The Men Who Stare At Goats for more first hand accounts.

Labels: Amnesty, Music

:: Dan 12.12.08 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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An update on the Live Music Treat.
There is a petition against it here.
Signed.

Labels: Music, Politics

:: Dan 8.12.08 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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"Live music is now a threat to the prevention of terrorism" = The prevention of terrorism is now a threat to live music

'A dozen London boroughs have implemented a "risk assessment" policy for live music that permits the police to ban any live music if they fail to receive personal details from the performers 14 days in advance. The demand explicitly singles out performances and musical styles favoured by the black community: garage and R&B, and MCs and DJs.'

Labels: Music, Politics

:: Dan 11.11.08 [Arc] [1 comments] ::
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I kindly offered to buy Mrs P burlesque dance lessons for her birthday but the offer was turned down on account of being more of a present for myself than for her. (I know it worked for Popcorn so it was worth a try.) Not long later I find an article in the Metro, of all places, about Japanese Rope Bondage. Something I've often marvelled at but didn't realise you could get lessons on it in the UK! The geek in my is as fascinated with the knotting as I am with its erotic nature.



"Due to demand, I now offer 2 hour evening classes on Tuesdays at 8pm. Hopefully, this will suit those who cannot make the Saturday courses. As I will be rotating the evening courses every six weeks or so, there will be an opportunity to catch up if you miss a class. The 'term' will comprise 4 lessons, which will equate to the one-day course. The next term starts on Tuesday, 21 October. There's an article in Metro by Lisa Scott, who attended one of the classes. Most courses have been selling out recently, so make sure you book early." esinem.com

However, I do still have other priorities as far as learnings of the mystic East are concerned and I am still trying to find a Kodo/Taiko drumming courses in the UK. So far the only class I have found is in Lanark, Scotland. Which is a bit far. Maybe one day.



Or maybe I should just go to Japan and do it all at once.

Labels: Fetish, Music

:: Dan 19.10.08 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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"due to recent resurgence in popularity tripel records have decided to press ultra limited quantities (5 of each) of bespoke pete um / ascoltare clocks.

once sold this limited edition art object of tripel lp 004 will never be pressed again!

we have advertised this item at a buy-it-now price of £1000 (this is the value of the item which we believe to be true), however we are open to the gaeoudjiparl bartering system!

that is to say you are welcome to offer us a price you think is a true reflection of such an artifact.

good hunting and rah to those who choose to ignore the current economic crisis!"

Labels: Music, Vinyl

:: Dan 6.10.08 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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I visited the Arnolfini today to see the On Purpose: Design Concepts show. The stuff that caught my attention the most was Yuri Suzuki work. Check out the Prepared Turntable 2008, Sound Chaser and Sound Jewellery, which were on display but annoyingly not working. (Staff jumped in to stop you switching this on as they were "only prototypes.") Bizarrely I'd suggest just watching these videos and having a look around the site rather than actually going to the gallery. Go internet!

Labels: Art, Music

:: Dan 23.9.08 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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The Rambler links to Cage/Knowles: Notations and Will Redman’s Book [both as PDFs], for those who would like to examine the graphic beauty of avant-garde musical scores.

Labels: Art, Music

:: Dan 29.8.08 [Arc] [2 comments] ::
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No proper MP3 Friday this week, but here are some videos.



Great new video from Cyriak for My Territory by Grand Popo Football Club (Pschent Music) [the song isn't anything special btw]



BoingBoing TV: David Byrne interviewed by Xeni Jardin
Battery Maritime Building, 2008
[more]

Labels: Fetish, Humour, Music, Video

:: Dan 22.8.08 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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Mixxx | Free Digital DJ Software

Just checking out some free DJ software as we're doing the old wedding DJ thing on Saturday. It's a first: Dan P b2b Mrs P. Good luck to Vil and Rach! We'll try not to mess up your big day.

Labels: DJ, FOSS, Music

:: Dan 20.8.08 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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Hilarious video:


Jaded muppet:
Bouncy techno meets terrible rapping? Welcome to Donk

Dr. Bizzle:
Donkter Bastardonkdonkstyle [2.7MB MP3 on mediafire]

Shitmat's Donk alias:
Dr Donk and The DonkMesisters

For the musicians:
Donk VST

Labels: Humour, Music

:: Dan 10.8.08 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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