15.2.11

Record sleeves


Some selected scans from the Record Sleeves series of drawings, prints and collage onto found paper 45 sleeves.

The first is a laser-jet print of a transcript from two tape recordings of journeys. Typed onto a till roll as part of a 2008 project of recording random journeys and later typing from the tapes, the text is a mix of describing what I heard on the tape and the memory of what I heard, saw and did on the journey. At the time I was only vaguely aware of Situationism and the similarities in my work. It has since become a valuable reference point.

The second is another re-used image from a previous stage in my work- part of the Mechanical Drawings  series from 2007-2009- is laser printed onto the top corner of the paper sleeve. The old sticky-tape, number 37 and signature of the previous owner become part of the new composition and of course the hole which has removed a large part of the original drawing.







These two circular drawings are made by fixing drawing media- a black marker pen and graphite stick to the arm of a record player and letting the turntable do the drawing. The graphite was so light that the record player had to be left running for some time before the pattern became clear. The writing crossed out in blue felt-pen was already on the sleeve when found.

1.2.11

Electronic Organica IX 28/01

Electronic Organica IX at the Briton's Protection, Manchester
28/01/2011


The piece went well. Even though a the tape recorder didn't work the sound of the buttons being pushed was good. Starting out with a clean cymbal and then gradually introducing delays and loops. Made a nice collage of textures with scratching, scraping, tapping sounds along with more metallic sounds from cymbal and a reverb spring (removed from a guitar amp and mounted in a cigar box) with some sounds building up and some dropping in and out. Made a loop between the radio ariel touching the cymbal with both going through the mixer then touching the cymbal with a skewer linking myself to the ariel. Moving the skewer around the cymbal changed the tone of the static. A bit of experimenting during the performance is always fun. Built up  loop of loud rumbling clattering cymbal and that electronic whipping sound from the reverb then dropped everything to reveal the textured sound of the brush bristling and scratching on the cymbal.


^ Phone pic by Ian Simpson.

     Notes for the composition.>


Objects / insrtuments used: Cymbal with contact mic, skewer, book with contact mic, pocket radio, reverb spring, Buddha Machine, tape recorder, workshop brush, 'beater' (a rubber ball on a knitting needle), digital loops and delays.