Another old recording dredged up today thanks to the cassette to digital converter. I was having a discussion with Mr Key, proprietor of Hooting Yard, regarding Soviet era radio stations and recordings thereof. I used many such recordings in performance and collage in the distant (80s) past. And I was looking for some of those old recordings to share with Frank, with whom I share an interest in such political arcana. I was particularly looking for recordings from Radio Tirana out of Albania as these were especially doctrinaire, remind us of Cornelius Cardew and for some weird reason seemed to be delivered with an Australian accent.
Well no such luck but I did trawl my cassette archive/dusty cardboard box and find a sound collage from sometime in the 1980s entitled Camouflage which features, amongst many many other sources, a recording from Radio Prague. It is made up of 4 tracks of tape collage, guitar improvisation and 'electronics'.
My memory is a feeble thing these days but I do have the vague idea that the whole thing might have been 'engineered' by my old mate Outaspaceman.
A 1940's wire recorder
Not quite the technology we used to assemble Camouflage but it feels close when seen from a 21st century perspective.
Oh yes and my Cthulu 'fish' decal arrived and as soon as the torrenial rain stops I will go out and apply it to the Banishedmobile.
I think this ought to be broadcast on ResonanceFM. I'll get my people to talk to their people. Watch this space.
ReplyDeleteThats very kind Mr Key but their people might see some copyright issues. First off Id ask Phil Minton I know theres snatches A Doughnut In Both Hands and then theres the Mahagonny. Thats the Lotte Lenya recording. I can't recall the orchestra right now but I think it's the recording that Recommended used to carry as part of 'Our Cultural Heritage'. Its in a big orange box from CBS I beleive.
ReplyDeleteStill fun though isnt it? I'm hoping OSM will chip in and confirm if he engineered this thing back in Harrogate. He remembers everything or has excellent records. I have neither.
I certainly remember the Big Bill Burroughs bit.
ReplyDeleteI think it may have been constructed around the time TG played the 'F' Club in Leeds.
Does this help?
OSM
Well it shouldn't be hard to place the TG as that was the Heathen Earth tour with Monte Cazazza. I think this piece might have been a little later. The stuff we did for TG was rather less sophisticated than this. Well mine certainly was. This is closer to the stuff I did for Certain Ants performances, start with something like radio noise and then start to zoom back and forth on the tape dropping new stuff in at random always hoping for the happy accident. But this utilises your multitrack capabilities and allows for more 'constructed' sections like the closing multitracked calliope section.
ReplyDeleteThe TG F club gig appears to have been February 24th 1980.