Discord Aggregate Presents…
BULLETIN #W&lla9-
Welcome to the latest in
innovative bulletin experiences. In
this edition you can get caught up on DISCORD AGGREGATE's new projects and
catch a rare glimpse of our individual forays into the art jungle.
For those of you wondering how we came up with the
amazing responses to the questions sent in by our mailing list gods and
goddesses, details follow…
Take 3 people in 3 separate rooms on 3 different computers (you can, of course, take 7 different people and a large iguana in 4 separate rooms on 14 different computers and a refrigerator. This scenario, however, is out of scope for this particular bulletin.). Flash a question from a pre-set list on each computer. Give each person 30 seconds to answer the question before it disappears and shows up on a different computer. Answers are therefore cumulative, as each artist frantically tries to add their ideas in a limited amount of time. The program that had DISCORD AGGREGATE sweating out these hard-earned answers was written by A. Molotkov.
So please, chew on the questions and feel free to add salt.
QUESTION 1. Clearly,
all opinions are subjective. If so,
what makes you believe so firmly that your art is of an immense value? Is this conviction grounded internally, or
without?
It is an internal conviction, one that is essential to any artist. Without this sureness, there is not enough
reason to go on. What proof does any
artist have that the chimera in their brain has value? Only an internal one. It may be based on a more or less educated
evaluation of one's place in art comparatively to other contemporary and
non-contemporary artists. Yet, truly
"contemporary" art is unattainable: it is just as unknown as DISCORD
AGGREGATE's. So, we must go on working
on the unexisting and believing that without our work the entire planet is
doomed.
Pamela Zero
In the planning stages for the musical CD “The Texture of the Sky” (based on the novel by A. Molotkov & S. B. Reda), much was said about pushing musical limits and exploring new techniques. In order to utilize all of the myriad ideas presented, the decision was reached to have 3 composers each create a full 24 minutes of music. Each of the 3 sections would then be diced, tumbled, mixed, kneaded and tossed into a veritable auditory frenzy that would result in “The Texture of the Sky”. But such an approach has its own drawbacks. As one of the 3 composers, how could I possibly hope to match the tone and timbre of the other 2? How would I be able to create seamless transitions and build, build, build into the brilliant climax of the CD?
After much internal debate and even more soul searching, I decided not to even try.
Instead, I chose to go the other way, foregoing all instrumentation (a shock for those who know my work) and choosing one of the more dramatic of dreams from “The Texture of the Sky” as the core of my first piece. Contrast! Contrast, I muttered, pouring more fizzy stuff into the cauldron. Bubble bubble and whatnot. With spoken words woven into textures and major chords only as a last resort, I set about creating the most clear musical version of “The Beach” as I could muster.
Written by S.B. Reda and featuring a rare and precious appearance by the now legendary Zabda Rect, “The Beach” is the story of a hapless bunch o’guys that land on an island. Bad, bad things happen to them. The musical representation is in three sections and shows the Landing, The Carnage, and The Redemption. (At the risk of blowing the dream’s plot, The Redemption section is pretty short.) Lasting roughly 12-15 minutes, the whole piece revolves around 4 musical designs and 6 spoken word patterns. These multiply out to the number 24, which means absolutely nothing. Though there will be some effects added in the mixing process, at this point most of the construction of the piece will be in the actual recording. The performers (A. Molotkov, S.B. Reda, and myself) are currently undergoing a rigorous training program to enable them to withstand the pressures of recording the piece. At this point, their main vocal exercises consist of howling and a lot of arm swinging. Very impressive.
For those of you who are no doubt panicking at the thought of the piece being chopped up to live only as a collection of random snippets occurring occasionally in at least one-third of the CD, fear not. Plans are underway, are being discussed, are hinted at and dropped at parties. We may release each of the composer’s works as whole pieces and let them live. Who knows. We are fully immersed in accurately reflecting “The Texture of the Sky” and such a decision would require an element of mercy.
“The Texture of the Sky” is not a merciful thing.
QUESTION 2. What message would you like to convey, if you
could, to all artists of the world, both past, present, and future?
Wake up! It's time to be courageous and adventurous!
And if you don't think so, then you are obviously not artists! And love one another. Really.
Love one another. And if you cannot love one another, be sure to love
yourself! It's not too late, but it is
almost too late.
S.B. Reda
“The Center” is a
twelve minute interpretation of the main Center theme (dreams one and two) in
the novel “The Texture of The Sky”. The musical piece is designed to reflect your mood as you navigate through “the two dreams within a dream” – a dark,
otherworldly place where the dead levitate and are sucked through air vents,
where loyal sherpas are daisy-chained together via plasma filled tubes, where
your eyes and brain stem rest on a platter, and you are tortured by a floating
dot!
The piece is
fractionalized into three sections, the third of which combines the essential
ingredients from the previous two.
The first section is
based upon four drum patterns which are played over and over (accompanied by
two bass lines that follow two of the patterns). With the addition of the bass,
all four patterns stack up against each other, seemingly searching for space
within the groove. Drumbeats throw themselves at the bass, hoping to stick to
the paste of one line over the other. The result is two separate tunes that
travel along the same path – “two dreams within a dream”. Added to this are
excerpts from the text that will be spoken in a variety of styles and then
processed to synch up with any of the four drum patterns.
The second section
depicts your more lucid moments within the dream (“Once in the room”). Warped
spoken word and percussion serve as the platform for a demented duet between
voice and the keyboard. Each voice is in charge of a range within the chord
being played, while similarly free to explore the other ranges. Periodically,
the voices return to their home range, thus allowing all of the voices to pass
through each other momentarily. In the background of this section will be
theremin and guitar.
QUESTION 3. What is the relationship between your artist-self
and your audience-self?
It is the same image transposed over its self. What standards I hold
for myself as an artist are equal to that which I hold for art in general. It
should be apparent that any gap between an artist and himself is doom for the
artist. Most artists create what is
lacking and what they need to see/hear/experience in the world. Ultimately, one looks for an audience of
oneselves and holds its reaction as the most important unit of
measurement. In a different sense,
one's artist self is making the audience-self less of a self. Other artists' art can only be viewed as
improvable, and this is a sad loss of innocence.
A. Molotkov
“The Carrier of Time” (10-15 minutes) is planned as an ironic extension of the minimalist tradition. Based upon one of the more abstract and stylistically extravagant excerpts from the novel “The Texture of the Sky”, the piece will employ a host of spoken voices, and a set of note patterns used in different configurations (alternating between voice, keyboard, guitar, or any combinations of the above, and played in varying tempi). The only notes to be used in the piece are A, C, and E.
Unlike with a multi-track recording made to be mixed later, most components of this composition will be recorded separately, and put together in the mixing, using cut-and-paste techniques. The main “force” of the piece, the spoken voices will be recorded in a variety of moods, styles, tempi and pitches. Later, these will be mixed in different configurations to serve as building blocks for the final piece. Differently pitched units of spoken voice will be used to imitate drum beat through part of the music.
The piece will attempt to create an impression of losing one’s self in the ceaseless stream of voices reinforced by meditative, yet dynamic note patterns (both coming at you from all angles). The three note limitation will provide the ability to juxtapose sonic harmony and rhythmic complexity, adding up to the overall puzzle of the composition.
Anticipatedly of a similar length, “The Custom”, based on Pamela Zero’s “guest-dream” from the novel, will feature her rendition of the text which will traverse through a number of stylized Middle-Eastern traditions. This approach will then be turned “against itself” by seemingly incompatible instrumentation. Played on this piece (generally in a manner inconsistent with that normally employed) will be a variety of instruments, including violin, sitar, theremin, tabla, and others. Segments of spoken voices will be added to accentuate the progress of the composition. A. Molotkov will provide an insane back non-vocal to confuse you all the more.
Although to a lesser extent than “The Carrier of Time”, “The Custom” will rely heavily on an imaginative mix, and will try to convey an impression of utter confusion in time-space perception (this referring to the general quality of the music, as well as specifically to time signatures and panning).
QUESTION 4. When will
we be able to see Discord Aggregate films on broadcast television?
As soon as we finish our takeover of the major television broadcasting
stations (i.e., anything on TV.). We will transmit the signal of past, present,
and future work to the masses, until we can fully implement our goal of total
mind control. The rest will be easy. Once influenced by the subtle layers of
meaning within our films, all viewers of different age categories will be
internally forced to name all of their children after members of DISCORD
AGGREGATE. But you already know this!
Pamela Zero
As I am currently in the midst of recording my next CD, “Living Backwards”, my thoughts are filled with the implications of time, the machinations of invitations, the sequels found in the past and the distortions of physics. Hence the title of this latest rambling written tour of my brain.
“Living Backwards” is a completely a’ cappella CD- yep, no instruments. With 11-12 tracks of wildly different cuts, the CD is a return to my kinder, gentler, (dare I say) chord driven pieces. Written over the last 4 years, each piece has been buffed and polished to an elegant shine. As I am asked (often) “what in the world made you write THAT?”, I’ve decided the clearest way to start exposing you to my latest obsession is to clue you in to the reasons, origins, evolutions and contortions of some of the tracks. There’s only room for so many here, so stay tuned to future bulletins for additional, glowing details.
“Living Backwards”: Title track- triggered by “A Brief History of Time” by Stephen Hawkings. Read it if you haven’t so you’ll have a great way to argue with anyone who says you’re late. LB is the charming story of a woman approached by a man that she will meet in a year or two. He’s become impatient and has flitted back in time to meet her so they can spend more time together. How romantic. With a downright perky beat and happy melody, the piece is only warped slightly by the distorted background (and sometimes foreground) vocals and constant back-masking. One of the “accessible” pieces on the CD.
“Mercy”: Not so accessible. Feedback on the rough recording of this has ranged from tears to complaints of an upset stomach. No, it’s not graphic or gory, but does deal with death and is probably the most accurate confessional I’ve created to date. Sparse vocals, breath, and enough harmony to lead you on and give you a sense of the fallible, frail, beautiful creatures that we seem to be. This was the hardest to write and the easiest to record. It’s difficult to detail how the song came about- actually still too personal- but I remember staring clear eyed out over the rooftops near my house and calmly screaming out possible versions of lyrics.
QUESTION 5. How does
Discord Aggregate decide what project to work on next?
First we don our transcendental crystals and hats of firm choice. Then we roll up our sleeves and attempt to
list the 7 thousand or so ideas that are whirling around in the stratosphere
above us and screaming to be realized. Then all of us bring whatever equipment
we have, put it in one pile, and scrutinize it until we realize what we are
doing. Then we do a little dance.
Finally, we spread our notes on the floor and let the cat loose. Whatever idea
has the most unshredded paperwork left after 2 hours, we work on next.
“Velvet”: A blues piece that originated after hearing an unseen man’s voice in a crowded movie theater. I still have no idea what he was actually saying, but the timbre of his voice was truly amazing and led to an entire song based on 6 seconds of overheard conversation. The arrangement was triggered by the vertical blinds in the living room. Don’t ask- you really don’t want to know.
“Physics”: This song started after I offended some friends by walking right by them without acknowledging either their existence or the fact that I was late to meet them. When confronted with my apparent callousness, my response was, “It’s not my fault- the future was here and it was loud”. Needless to say, I had been working on a piece in my head and had literally not seen them. The line stuck in my mind though, and of course set off a whole avalanche of physics related truths that seem to impact our lives without anyone even batting an eye. Though I’ve used voice to chord out the background on the CD, “Physics” is one of the few pieces I’ve written and arranged off of a keyboard. Most of the time it’s just me and my trusty pitch pipe…
But enough! I’ve told far too much already and who knows when the annoyed muses will slap my brain in mock discipline. Please check future bulletins for additional snippets of song origins, and fret not. “Living Backwards” will be released later this year and you can feel superior about your inside knowledge. I suggest that you avoid telling the “Velvet” vertical drape detail though, as I doubt anyone will believe you.
QUESTION 6. Why
doesn't my local record store stock "The Attack of the Absolute
Zeros"?
Quite simply - they have not heard of us yet! Help out! Tell them about
the CD! We are not going to get magically famous overnight! In fact, it is best
to purchase art directly from the artist, since it eliminates those sharklike
no-goods who make their profits off some gullible, "sign away 80%"
fool! So just send us a check or money
order and dry those non-opera-less tears!
You can get the CD from us!
(Credit card purchase available by the end of Summer, if the Prophet was
right!) Thank you to those of you who
have already purchased this marvel of non-opera history! God Bless you! Allelujah!
Currently, S.B. Reda
is working on a novel based upon his observations of people, places, events,
and whatever else he can extract over the course of his life. Stylistically,
the novel will parody the cheap sort of writing typically found in a biography
of a celebrity; except in this case, the author faithfully digs deep to get the
real dirt on himself! This is “no holds barred” journalism at its finest!
Starting from birth,
the author (and one of his many personas) provides clear and concise
hyper-commentary for the reader, hoping to clear up long held misunderstandings
and misinterpretations about S.B. Reda (even revealing secrets and deeply held
convictions!).
Unfortunately, the
author often falls short of this goal, as the reader can never be quite sure
whether it is S.B. Reda or one of his personas that is telling the story. One
may come to find that one persona has a clear bias toward a certain perception
or belief, while another persona despises a particular way of ranking
things. Perhaps as a method of
interviewing, one persona may find the practice of injecting Super Glue into a
person’s ear effective in getting certain questions answered.
QUESTION 7. If a
priest, a sanitation worker, and a dry goods salesman knew they would be
stranded on an island, what piece of Discord Aggregate art would each of them
bring and why?
Of course the priest would bring his copy of "The Gospel According
to the Christ Brothers" so that he could quickly switch his allegiance to
be certain that he is always in line with the most accepted beliefs! A
sanitation worker would want to have the "Virtual Bathroom", so that
he could get a sense of self in a time of deep introspection. The dry goods salesman, more than likely
parched, will want "Burning Hot Water Over Iron" - a must-see instructional
video for anyone in the trade. DISCORD AGGREGATE has something for any walk of
life!
Stories will be
contradicted. Stories about stories will be contradicted twice again! This will
most assuredly leave the reader in such a state of confusion, that by the end
of the novel, one cannot even be sure if S.B. Reda was ever born!
It is important to
note that the information written about S.B. Reda is entirely true – people
that are mentioned or interviewed, places that are recalled or visited do in
fact exist – and forever remain in the thoughts of the author and all of his
personas.
QUESTION 8. Someone
who is not familiar with the artwork produced by Discord Aggregate spends a few
months going over their entire body of work - what words and thoughts come to
this person's mind?
After several years of therapy and shock treatment, they will be able
to articulate their lack of words and put text into the lack of phrases. Their
ultimate goal will be to spend their entire lives going over a single art
project created by DISCORD AGGREGATE and to attempt the creation of a whole new
language in which the power of DISCORD AGGREGATE may be conveyed.
(poetry for a small choir)
A. Molotkov
For the purposes of this book, any group of people, or any single person, is considered a choir. The poetry is positioned in an unusual manner. The goal is to provide the choir with material that can be easily interpreted and understood. Generally, distinct voices are positioned vertically, although many poems lend themselves to horizontal interpretation as well.
It is up to the conductor/performers to establish the exact timing. The technique of time shift (or delayed delivery of lines positioned on the same horizontal level) is highly recommended. This can be taken one step further through differentiating the tempos of voices.
Instrumentation is also suggested, as long as strict principles of mandatory innovation are observed.
QUESTION 9. If
"The Attack of the Absolute Zeros" were the first thing an alien
heard when it arrived on the planet Earth, what impression would be made on
this far-out tourist?
The first impression would be made on its head. The second - on its solar plexus. The non-opera is a visceral thing. There's no way to experience it without
completely tearing out one's soul, stitch by stitch, and then replacing it with
a new and improved version. The brain
goes too! It's of no value anyway! Just
plugging in to the cool sounds of the non-opera takes one to the next galaxy
and beyond. Any alien would love it - so much so, it comes back to earth and
brings all its friends so they can chew on some fresh soul de "The Attack
of the Absolute Zeros".
Trendsetters come in cool galactic colors too!
The final, and the most advanced, interpretation of the poetry is based on the concept of non-simultaneous choir. The name is self-descriptive, as well as it is self-sufficient.
Events perceived at the same moment (or within a short time) are often considered related, and are registered in memory as such. This view does not extend to a series of events, unless a so-called clear causative relationship is established between these events. The notion of non-simultaneous choir defies this attitude. Any number of events may be interrelated, even in different times. Conversely, an asserted closeness in time or space does not guarantee a connection. Everything is just as related as it is independent.
Non-simultaneous choir is one that is dispersed throughout time-space. Its sound is as distinct here as it is beyond the edge of the universe. It has existed since before the beginning of time. It will continue until after the end of the world.
It may only be heard through different ears.
CONSIDER THIS BULLETIN
INTERACTIVE.
Please submit your
questions, comments, ferrets, and falderals.
http://www.discord-aggregate.com
amolotkov@discord-aggregate.com