Just found this picture of PC and I somewhere in the US on tour many moons ago. Love the way even back in the 90’s the shop was saying “we STILL sell vinyl”, wonder if it’s still there?
The Motors ’Tenement Steps’ LP in custom-shaped sleeve, Virgin Records, 1980, bargain bin find.
Remember that Shok 1 painting in China that the authorities didn’t take to and were going to censor? Here’s the unfortunate result: instead of painting over it they’ve got someone to add kissing fish to it and turn the noose into hooks (!?)
I don’t get it, are they saying, “we love to catch fish”? Whatever the sentiment, the starkness of the original is immediately compromised by the new additions and the bastardisation of the original is a shame (also notice Shok’s tag painted out).
Shok says, “A friend sent me a photo of what the Chinese government actually did to my painting. They said they were going to paint it out. For me, this is far worse.”
As the promo machine grinds into gear for my EP and album releases there are various pieces of press appearing. A nice 4 page article in the December issue of Computer Music just got published as well as an interview on the Alt. Sounds website.
More incredible sculptures – this time by Stéphane Halleux – whose work I discovered when I was intrigued by a flyer for his current exhibition at Maison d’Ailleurs, Pl. Pestalozzi 14, Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland.
The boys and I had a little spacecraft build-off the other day – each person has to make a ship out of the parts contained in one tray of Lego.
No cheating and dibbing into other boxes for parts and it’s first come first served on who gets what, you go until you’ve finished your ship or all the parts are used up.
I came upon these amazing creations the other week via something else I don’t remember. These mechanical animals are the creation of Japanese artist and sculptor Michihiro Matsuoka and he has an exhibition on at the Artishox Gallery in Hasselt, Belgium until the end of November .
The Audio Janitor ’Composition 11 – audio roulette for three turntables’, triple vinyl and insert in plastic folder, Liquid Sky Music, 1999, record store find, London.
The set contains three copies of the same record, a compilation of sounds, beats, spoken word and atmospheres, to be played simultaneously with effects by dropping the needle anywhere on any side for 10-20 minutes. The Audio Janitor is a pseudonym of DJ Olive and this is no.3 of 333 copies.
Kraftwerk ‘The Robots’ / ‘Spacelab’, UK tri-fold paper cover 7″, Capitol Records, 1978, record shop find, London.
Last night I saw Kid Koala‘s new show ‘Space Cadet’ and it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen with a DJ at the helm before. Part gig, part story, part stand up comedy and a lot of audience participation, it was not your usual gig. I took my family and there was a moment when we thought the kids wouldn’t get in even though we went to the 7pm show but it was fine. Everyone sat down and there was no PA – only headphones for everyone.
Eric sat down for most of the show and chatted as much as he played, featuring musical excerpts from his new book and CD – ‘Space Cadet’, the forthcoming blues album on Ninja Tune, his Yo Gabba Gabba routine (where he donned his Koala suit) and the always awesome ‘Moon River’ routine. Members of the audience were invited to play bells, music boxes and Asteroids (destroying pre-photographed faces of themselves),whirl tubes to the music and thumb wrestle!
As well as this there was a collection of original art and a table full of 3D plants featured in the book, games, space echo and turntable recorder to play with and cookies to decorate. Go and ‘experience’ it if you can, you’ll not see anything like it for a long time again.
Nice package of art from Henry Flint for our joint exhibition at the Pure Evil Gallery next January. There will be original art from elements of the artwork for my album plus drawings from his book ‘Broadcast’ as well as limited full colour prints, photos, a sound installation and other treats I’m working on. I might break out some of my original comic art collection too…
Well this is a turn up, 10 vintage Plug tracks from 1997, rescued from the vaults of Luke Vibert aka Wagon Christ. For all those who loved the Plug EPs, the ‘Drum n Bass For Papa’ LP and the ‘Extreme Possibilities’ remix of 2 Player from back in the day – you won’t be disappointed. These are not just some so-so offcuts, best left in the cupboard, some of this is better than some of the material from the 90’s IMO. CD and vinyl in January on Ninja Tune.
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I’d missed these previously but there have been 6 different B-Music podcasts in the last 18 months floating on the Finders Keepers Soundcloud page. I can recommend the Andy Votel, Benjamin Hatton and Alfonso’s mixes plus you get preview tracks from recent Vannier and Bollywood releases.
Full preview of ‘Prey’, the track I did with JG Thirlwell aka Foetus / Steroid Maximus / Manorexia / Clint Ruin / Wiseblood etc. etc. on my new EP. To say I’m happy with this is an understatement, it was a huge honour to get JG’s contribution after being a fan of his for over two decades.
DJ Food – ‘Prey’ feat. J.G. Thirlwell by Ninja Tune
In 2002 I remixed his track ‘Suspect’ from the album ‘Flow’ (still one of his best) for the compilation ‘Blow’. Instead of payment I asked for either a remix or a guest vocal on a future project and it took nine years to call in the favour. JG came to the UK in March this year and we agreed to meet up at Matt Johnson‘s place as I had tracks for both of them. I spent a hugely enjoyable morning chatting with them over tea, talking about everything from the state of the music business to The Monkees.
This was one of those tracks that came together incredibly fast and, upon delivery of the vocal, I had to make very few changes to anything, just a slight rearrangement of a vocal here and there. An instrumental, retitled ‘Beast of Prey’, will be available as a bonus on the Japanese CD of ‘The Search Engine’ in December.
The incredible Augustine Kofie returns to the White Walls gallery in San Francisco this weekend for a new show of 30 works called ‘Circulatory System’. This guy has to be one of my favourite artists full stop. Nice to see some of the big bag of Letraset I gave him on his visit to London earlier this year getting some use too. 
These pictures mostly taken from the excellent Graffuturism blog
Last week we hid 5 different parts of ‘Magpie Music’, the track I did with 2econd Class Citizen, around the web on different sites and encouraged people to find them with their search engines.
Thanks to all the sites who took part – Clash music, Seeks music, ireallylovemusic and Future sequence and please have a look round them as they are all worthwhile places for new music. Here are those segments now, a few had trouble with Friday’s download but they got there in the end.
Part 1 “Finders Keepers”
Part 2 “They Turned Their Faces Down”
Part 3 “A Positive No”
Part 4 “Eye of the Needle”
Part 5 “No More Stars”
The third 12″ EP and download, are out today at the Ninja shop and all other good retailers. You get a 5 track EP, full colour inner sleeve and wrapround A2 sized poster with it (see above).
The album, ‘The Search Engine’ – as I’ve already posted, is also up for pre-order now at the Ninja shop in a multitude of formats, not least the limited version with art book and flexi disc for a cheap early price.
Lots of exciting news to announce soon too…
My good friend Steve Cook has been going through his drawers and cupboards (and believe me he has a lot) and finding loads of ephemera from his days working as a designer for 2000ad, Dr Who, Starburst and many more. I know for a fact that he’s got tons of other interesting bits and bobs in his collection so take a look if the miscellania of comic history is your bag. The Secret Oranges title is a play on the Secret Origins series’ so beloved by comics publishers.
The I Am Legion custom toy show featuring bastardised versions of 3A toys opened yesterday at the 1:AM gallery in San Francisco, It’s at 1000 Howard St. SF, ca 94103 and is open until Dec 4th. See some of the amazing customizations in the gallery below and my previous post. All photos grabbed from posters on the 3A forum, especially RmOS1.0. Love the Hellboy one
