Roedelius "Wasser im Wind" 1982

Hamburg, Germany based label Bureau B have been working very closely with one of the pioneers of electronic, ambient and experimental music: Hans-Joachim Roedelius. As one of the founding members of Kluster and what would more commonly be known as Cluster, Roedelius rose out of the legendary Krautrock scene during the shifting era of the late 60′s into the 70′s. Nureau B has been releasing many of the solo records of Roedelius that were put out in the 70′s and 80′s from the famous German label Sky Records. I recently got my hands on one of their reissues, Wasser im Wind and after over a dozen listens later, I am now heavily archiving many of the Roedelius related transgression of mainstream ideologies through album form that I never knew existed. His total output and quality over the last 40 years is prolific, stunning and jaw dropping to say the least.

It’s hard to believe that by the time Wasser im Wind came out in 1982, Roedelius had already completed over 10 records with Kluster/Cluster, 9 solo records along with various other projects that came about with the likes of Brian Eno and others. Mind you, this was all in the period of a year or two beyond a decade. Roedelius was already embedded into the fabric and pulse of electronic music by the tim 1982 rolled around. There has never been a phase in electronic music that didn’t include him since his debut record with Kluster. In the purest and most honest way to approach music, Roedelius has continued the evolution of his Cluster project in recent years. With a third break up under the Cluster name, the Bureau B label and Roedelius have embarked on a new series of releases under the name of Qluster with Onnen Bock joining Roedeleius. Since May of this year, two LP’s have already been released: Fragren and Rufen.

New synthesizer technology was becoming more accessible to the youth at the turn of the 60′s and Germany utilized this collectively like no other region of the world. Very rarely does a genre have more definition in the idea of individuality and evolution of sound with acoustics and electronics among colleagues in one country than it does with musical scales and theory. This rarity occurred with Roedelius and the movement known as Krautrock. Roedleius was releasing all of his solo records with Sky Records, a Hamburg, Germany based label run by former Brain Records associate Günter Körber. Günter Körber had left Brain to start his own label and his relationships with the bands from Brain afforded him a healthy cast of a whose who list of Krautrock pioneers to join him. The label was only 3 years old when Roedelius released his first record Durch die Wüste (1978) with them. Only 5 years after the debut outing of Durch die Wüste, Roedelius was releasing his 10th solo record on the label with Wasser im Wind.

For anyone into the works of Cluster, you will be familiar with the dense, murky avant-garde sonic work outs found all over their catalog. Experimental music of the 70′s went clear across the board and Cluster still holds ranks as one of the most influential in Europe and one of the most outward bands. In the mid 70′s, the members of Cluster had formed a very close working relationship with fellow electronic pioneer of their time, Brian Eno. In 1977 Brian Eno, Hans-Joachim Roedelius and ever present Dieter Moebius constructed an album with the help of Can bassist Holger Czukay and Germany avant-garde composer Asmus Tietchens on synthesizer called Cluster & Eno. Also released on Sky Records, this album propelled Roedelius into a world where solo releases around his main projects was possible.

Cluster & Eno 1977

The releases from Roedelius after Cluster and Eno would come at the world in a rapid and intense manner and Roedelius would further explore other sounds outside of the avante-garde. By the earlyy 80′s, Cluster had begun what would prove to be a very long hiatus. This hiatus gave Roedelius further room to expand his solo career. Wasser im Wind culminates all of his projects in a way that reflects this hiatus and resting period of an electronic band who went 10+ years strong. Brian Eno had a huge influence as well and his voice comes through loud and clear with Wasser im Wind.

What makes Wasser im Wind so unique is the inclusion of guitarist, bassist and engineer Eric Spitzer-Marlyn along with saxophone player Alexander Czjzek. Both would work extensively with Roedelius in the future and this was the beginning of that relationship. Czjzek plays on 3 of the 9 songs and is not as present but his instrument brings a very different relationship to the music of Roedelius. This is the kind of record that is easy to enjoy on many levels, with the headphone experience providing the most intense feeling.

The voice of Cluster had gone away from Roedelius in his late 70′s and early 80′s solo releases. Wasser im Wind brings back the voice of Cluster on many of the songs back for one last auditory celebration. With long wave like synthesizer sheets that oscillate around the mix, there is an ongoing imaginative and ancient like tone that springs forth in all of the songs. The vocal addition from Roedelius in the song ‘Zwei Sind Eins’ creates a very omnipresent feeling that would work perfectly in a scene of Dune or Blade Runner. The pulsating and loop of synthesizer keeps the song grounded in the era it was created in with the vocals and layering of further synth creates a very mystical presence.

There is a lot of pulse like synthesizer parts with the songs without saxophone, while the songs that do have saxophone bubble and rise out of the depths of something deeper and more foggy. ‘Immergrun’ shows a marvelous display of natural piano with saxophonist Czjzek soaring around all over the elegant sound. Classical, contemplative and experimental, it’s a completely natural sounding piece and shifts the tonality of the album drastically. Talk about dynamics. On the piece ‘Auf Des Tigers Spur’, guitarist Eric Spitzer-Marlyn lets loose and shows his presence in  a way more commonly used by a guitarist. The first time I heard this LP I didn’t even realize guitar was being used until this moment came. Then further listens revealed how tricky and clever his guitar masks itself with the usage of effects and how that models the synthesizer in place.

‘Wasser im Wind’, the title track of the album is my favorite number. Long and stretched out swirls of synthesizer wash over gently like crashes of waves that overlap each other. There is a sound that permeates in the background, almost a sign of distress. Rhe saxophone is drenched in delay with a very eerie slow bubbling series of note configurations. There is something waiting to burst out and the use of restraint and tonality is superb and surreal. A little over 5 minutes, it reflects the ancient tones found in a lot of the Cluster records where the use of electronics modifies itself to include a voice and soul. The inclusion of a sample from the beach with a sea gull is faintly interjected faster than it can be grabbed by the common listen. This album is full of that type of surprise and non obvious depth.

Hans-Joachim Roedelius. Photo from rateyourmusic.com

With Wasser im Wind, the post production of the album and the panning and positioning of the sounds is just as important as gear and conceptual elements of harmony present. The Drummer One rhythm machine is boldly brought back into the mix, a feature of many of the old Cluster albums. The post production elements mentioned before bring out distinct tonal qualities in each song that reflect how much detail was put into the minimalistic and subtle nuances from song to song. When I first heard Wasser im Wind, it didn’t hit me as strong as when I put on headphones and dialed myself in right. By the time I got to the end on my dozen listen or so, there was a cerebral calming that occurred over me, a reflection of my own musical past and what I valued in sound. Music that can at times peaceful and serene and others dark and mischievous is a reflection of the compassion and vision the German arts community had in the 70′s in the world of electronics. Listening to this album liberates me from the trappings of not connecting beauty when thinking of Germany from the obvious history the country is most commonly known for.

Wasser im Wind is an incredible nod to the past and a hint of the future in electronic pioneering. There is a perfect balance of conventional and unconventional ideologies of  sound present. Electronic derivatives of sound since the 70′s such as trance, jungle, dubstep, beat music, and so much more all have origins in the forging of electronic culture by the Krautrokc pioneers Cluster and its core members. Roedelius gave breath and energy to this movement and it’s beautiful to see him still doing his thing in the world of electronics 40 years later. He will be a permanent landing point for anyone who ventures into the legacy of electronic music and this reissue is just as important to that legacy as any of the pivotal albums from Cluster. Wasser im Wind is a very important and long awaited reissue.

- Erik Otis

Roedelius
Wasser im Wind
Sky Records 1982
Reissued with Bureau B 2011

Track Listing

1. Der Ruf der Ferne
2. Am Stadtrand
3. Zwei sind eins
4. Auf des Tigers Spur
5. Immergruen
6. Wasser im Wind
7. Kundmachung
8. Heilsamer Brunnen
9. lFenster im Schnee

bureau-b.com

Sound Colour Vibration photographer and head of our film department Erick R. Wilczynski documented a recent Roedelius performance in Los Angeles at the Echo. Curated by Dublab and held on Ocober 27th, the event showcased Roedelius doing what he does best: a crash course, live guide book and amalgamation of the modern electronic music his colleagues and himself pioneered and branded for the world to share. Check out a small sample of the full photo set we will be posting soon.

All photography by Oliver Walker

Last month, the mood was ecstatic at the weekly Low End Theory beat night in a way unlike many other nights held at the prestigious event. 5 years after the birth of not only a club event but a distinct movement in current music, Low End Theory was celebrating its birthday under the falling sky of Southern California in a beautiful time of year to be here. All the residents were in house: Gaslamp Killer, Daddy Kev, Nocando, Nobody and D-Styles. The evenings smooth transitions of residents and guests were a strong indication of the bond the Low End family has created over the last 5 years of constantly holding it down in the LA area. Within these five years, residencies have expanded into Japan, New York and now San Francisco.

Low End Theory’s 5th year of existence was a landmark statement to the community of LA and experimental electronic music at large. Nocando, D-Styles, and Daddy Kev got things started with Nocando reminding the audience that Low End was one of the very few all-ages venues, which the crowd cheered by raising either hands holding cans of pabst or empty ones emblazoned with X’s. Nosaj Thing took to the stage with a rare turntable performance playing a sort of tribute mix to Low End residents and frequent performers, ending with Birthday Music by Gaslamp Killer.

The climax of the evening was with no doubt the surprise guest appearance of Mix Master Mike (fucking unreal) gracing the Low End stage. The level of energy was high upon Mike’s visual contact with the audience. At various parts of the night the age of the building was shown by the feeling of the floor shaking to the beat. Though Mike’s computer was still present, it was awesome to see the level of turntabalism that Mike aka The Serial Wax Killer continues. Mix Master Mike is and will always be one of the king’s of the decks. Experience a really raw audience capture of what Mix Master Mike brought that evening here. DJ Nobody got onto the stage to take over shortly after Mike’s set, after which Daddy Kev, D-Styles and Nocando took turns to close out the night. 5 years in the making and Japan, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco are deeply embedded with the presence of Low End Theory and the circles of those who create with them. What’s next?

- Oliver Walker and Erik Otis

lowendtheoryclub.com

Nocando

Low End Theory audience.

Daddy Kev

Daddy Kev and Nocando

Daddy Kev

Nocando and Daddy Kev

Nocando

D-Styles

Nosaj Thing

Nosaj Thing

Nosaj Thing

Gaslamp Killer

Gaslamp Killer and Nosaj Thing

Nosaj Thing and Gaslamp Killer

Gaslamp Killer

Nosaj Thing and Gaslamp Killer

Gaslamp Killer

Gaslamp Killer

Gaslamp Killer

Low End Theory audience and Gaslamp Killer

Gaslamp Killer

Gaslamp Killer and Nocando

Nocando

Gaslamp Killer

Mix Master Mike

Mix Master Mike

Mix Master Mike

Mix Master Mike

Nobody and Mix Master Mike

Nobody

Nobody

Daddy Kev

Daddy Kev

D-Styles

Nocando

Lisa Papineau, Cedric Bixler (drums), Juan Alderete

Big Sir was founded in the late 90′s and early 2000′s. The group features two musicians that are well known in the Sargent House universe: Lisa Papineau (Pet, ME&LP, Jun Miyake) and Juan Alderete (Vato Negro, Mars Volta, and Racer X).

Juan is a seasoned bassist whose abilities shine in both finger picking and fret board work as they do in the department of effects pedals and unique tones. When you see his pedal board display in any live setting, it can be a little daunting for anyone who plays music and dreams of owning even a third of the stuff this guy carries from gig to gig. Big Sir is no exception to this rule and the creamy tones Juan gets from his vintage and modern collection of bass guitars flow out of his bass rig and pa selflessly. Juans tones really absorb the low end inside of a venue, especially a smaller spot like the Bootleg Theater in Los Angeles. Add the marvelous vocal and keyboard talents of Lisa to this mix and you are ready for something very special to happen. Lisa is a true professional, able to withstand any movement on stage and retain the fullest and richest range of vocals and find enough time to add sheets of synth.

Jonathan Hischke

Big Sir have released three albums since 2000. Being a functional and creative group with so many other demanding projects for nearly a decade has proven to be a balancing act that has not been on their side until recent. With 3 albums under their belt in the course of 10 years or so they had yet to embark on a full tour. This brings us to a brisk Friday night in Silverlake, just east of downtown Los Angeles, at the Bootleg Theater (also common ground for Sargent House). Big Sir completed their 2011 West Coast tour with the drumming contribution of Cedric Bixler-Zavala (De Facto, The Mars Volta, At The Drive-In, and Los Dregtones), a very warming welcome to all those in attendance. Anticipation was high and the 70′s kit Cedric Bixler-Zavala had for this gig was a beautiful touch. Brushes and minimalism was his approach for the evening and he played really well as a supporting member of this incredible group. It was a pleasant surprise to see Jonathan Hischke (Hella, Dot Hacker, Le Butcherettes, and many more) take stage with the trio. Hischke stayed on stage for the entire show and added some great synth bass to the eclectic mix. If you are into people who are approaching electronics and the bass guitar with new ideas and new visions, Jonathan’s works should surely be at the top of that interest.

Lisa P

Juan

Cedric, Juan

Lisa

Jonathan, Juan

Jonathan staring into the void of the lense

Lisa, Jonathan, Juan

Lisa

Lisa Papineau, Matt Embree

The final guest of the evening was Matt Embree (The Sound of Animals Fighting, RX Bandits) who sang along with Lisa on a couple of songs.  It may as well be noted that Cedric also lent his backup abilities at times. All of this has been orchestrated to promote the release of a new Big Sir album and to present a small preview for the new phase of accelerated activity of Big Sirs future. The live performance was a promising illustration of what the bass and vocal-driven band have in store for the audience with their new release due out early next year on Sargent House.

Lisa, Matt

me&LP

Papineau and Alderete carried the audience through the whimsical night. Papineau’s vocals defied a singular structure and her dance moves were the perfect visual accompaniment to the music. Alderete’s bass was augmented in a higher tone while Hischke’s synth bass played on the deep end. The pair accompanied one another beautifully.

Jonathan, Juan

Lisa, Jonathan

Lisa, Jonathan, Juan

Jonathan, Juan

Lisa, Cedric, Jonathan

One of the most free form parts of the evening was the encore performance. Lisa Papineau assured everyone it was mostly “improv” and the crowd was stunned largely in part from this ending section by the evenings conclusion.

Jonathan, Cedric

Big Sir are a staple in the study of the bass guitar and how it marries perfectly with the angelic vocal tones of a beautiful singer such as Lisa Papineau. God Bless Juan and Lisa, and their undying love for the vision of Big Sir.

- Erick R. Wilczynsky

Juan Alderete

All photography by Erick R. Wilczynsky

dub verb \ˈdəb\ – 1: to alter the soundtrack of (an old recording, film, etc)
2: a. music a style of record production associated with reggae, involving the removal or exaggeration of instrumental parts, extensive use of echo, etc b. (as modifier): a dub mix
3: : to trim or remove the comb and wattles of
noun
4: the new sounds added to a film or tape.

lab noun \ˈlab\ – a place equipped for experimental study in a science or for testing and analysis; broadly: a place providing opportunity for experimentation, observation, or practice in a field of study.

dub·lab – a non profit public music internet radio station and live collective of electronic and analog oratory and ocular artists.

12-year – The ripe age for a great fermentation of qualities and flavors.

Dublab 12-year – A celebration of artists, their live experimental history, and their nonprofit outlet to their fan base. A Culmination of modern history in experimentalism and multidisciplinary arts with emphasis in electronics.

Teebs

The Dublab 12-year anniversary went down this year and was held at ATX: Atwater Crossing Arts & Innovation Complex. The event was spread out between three stages in the complex. After entering the venue, you are greeted by really nice people who are trying to give you free things: stickers, cds, and other jazz. I queried whether or not that table of iphone4 cases is up for grabs and to my surprise they were. Naturally one case per person; after receiving a classy free iphone 4 case from one of the sponsors I was into the thick of one of  Dublab’s most impressive events.

Feeling slightly flattered and slightly more elated,  became saturated immeidately into the world of the 12yr-anniversary for the prestigious Dublab organization. The first stage, the courtyard, is your introduction to whatever absurdities the night may hold. There is an inexorable rotation of DJ’s throughout the entire night, you can always count on this area to have sounds constantly cycling, waiting to reach those passing or stopping by. The schedule is hard to follow because artists off the formal schedule keep chiming in for a bit and spinning records for what seems to be random amounts of time. This stage seems to be the feel-good stage where artists can step out of their immediate styles and play whatever they damn-well please. As a member of the amoebic like audience, you have the same liberty of staying, going or just passing through on your way to another area offered for this event.

Daedelus

Waltzing through the corridors takes you to the next stage, the AT1. This serves as the main event stage and was site for some of the best sets I have seen in a long time. The room was enormous as was the size of the stage set up. In the far back were tables, chairs and, naturally, a bar. An adjoining wall was adorned with couches for the less vivacious and the more exhausted patrons present that evening. With the amount of stimulation occurring, exhaustion was inevitable by ends night.

Jaunting further down the rabbit hole brought me outdoors where, initially, I was greeted by the Hit+Run t-shirt screen-printing station (for those less familiar with the scene you can choose your logos and print your own shirt.) Jumping off the low ledge upon which Hit+Run was perched brings you to LA’s infamous taco trucks. Five to be general, and no tacos to be precise; these trucks wafted your parched mind and stomach with delicious aromas that either made you full and happy, desirous and empty, or damning yourself for eating before you came.

Again you traverse the electronic circus grounds and jump over an even smaller wall, skip through the parking lot, enter the glass door -making sure to keep quiet, in accordance with the sign, as not to disrupt the angry seeming Shakespearean actors troop- and flow effortlessly into the final effort of the Dublab spectacle. This is where you find yourself in perpetual motion falling down the rabbit hole. This is…The Goldilocks room. There are no words that can do such a place justice, especially with a bias to one trivial opinion or another. The room is a gritty warehouse with large opaque-glass windows –which were hit with pretty and vibrant orange spills of light from outside with visuals encompassing all interior walls. This is of course the visual installment/experiment and a staple of the modern electronic beat scene. The 60′s psychedelic scene isn’t so far away from what was going down here and the visual presentation had a lot to do with this connection. There were projectors on numerous walls, a dj in the front, and a man generating analog visual occurrences on a large projector in the front of the room.

Take and Gaslamp Killer

The performers, dj’s and producers of the evening served the night well, placing an emphasis on the constantly shifting pulse of modern electronic music and particularly th0se who have been associated with Dublab’s rich legacy for these past 12 frutful years of their existence. Teebs, The Gaslamp Killer, Daedelus and Take aka Sweatson Klank brought the crowd to a very comfortable and relaxed mood by the end of the night. All of the main performers blended a very unique type of energy in their sets that was unlike any others from their colleagues. Collectively speaking, the selection of these artists really made this a special evening to be a part of and the presentation of it left many of the people with us speechless at the end. It was easily one of the most cohesive branching of bills I have experienced in the many shows I have seen for the artists who frequent Dublab and Low End Theory.

This evening was all about the state of modern west coast electronics from the last 10 years and everyone displayed this rich culture the entire evening. Teebs has a very relaxed, spiritual and glossy feel to his creations, you become transfixed and hooked to his collage work and sheets of sound. His movements on stage seem so flawless and in control while on the other side of the coin Gaslamp Killer really shows you what it is like to go nuts and love every moment of it. This type of duality occurred in many instances and for all sets. The photography captured from the Sound Colour Vibration at this years 12 year anniversary Dublab event depicts the rich color and vibrancy that this night blossomed into and the overall aesthetic Dublab has been giving the world for 12 years.

- Erick R. Wilczynksi and Erik Otis

Check out our favorite pictures from the hundreds taken by the following members of the California chapter for SCV’s photography team: Oliver Walker, Erick R. Wilczynski and David Acampora.

Read more…

Jill Furmanosvky. Photo by Nick Mason 1974 ©JillFurmanovsky

Jill Furmanovsky might be one of the luckiest photographers in this day and age. How she connected herself into the resident staff at one of London’s top venues of the 70′s is a story you have to read. London’s modern music scene of the 70′s was exploding with new frontiers of sound and the historic Rainbow Theater was a melting pot for the worlds top acts to bring their live presentation to the fans in the UK. Jill Furmanovsky was at the center of all of this excitement, taking pictures of the best in the creative world of the arts.

We contacted Jill in the hopes to interview her about her rich legacy and more importantly the contributions she made to the recent Pink Floyd Immersion box sets. We could not have been happier that she agreed. Enjoy this interview with Jill Furmanovsky, we feel her works are a very important time capsule for future generations of influence and can be used as vital tools for personal research to any photographers or historians of music. We can only be so lucky to have talent like hers in this world.

Charlie Watts 1991 ©JillFurmanovsky

Jill Furmanovsky exclusive interview with Sound Colour Vibration
Conducted by Erik Otis
Fall 2011

jillfurmanovsky.com

*All Photos ©JillFurmanovsky/ not for reproduction without permission

Before we dive into the rich contents of this new Pink Floyd Immersion set for Dark Side of the Moon, I wanted to talk a little bit about your start at London’s historical Rainbow Theater in the 70′s. You had the opportunity of studying at the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and soon there after got a gig as a resident photographer with the Rainbow Theatre. How did you get linked in so quickly with just arriving at this college?

In those days, early 70’s, photography was not considered an art, it was a service department within the art school. All degree students (I was studying Textile design) were put on a two week course so that they could photograph their work or use photography as part of their design work. However, despite its lowly status, it was a terrific department staffed by professionals. There was a huge darkroom with helpful technicians and a studio. During my 2-week course I went to the Rainbow one night to see the band ‘Yes’. I took the college camera and a roll of b&w film. Somehow I managed to join a bunch of professional photographers who were shooting in the pit area. At the end of the show two of them asked me if I was professional. I lied and said yes so they offered to let me take over from them as official Rainbow photographer – they were off to make a film somewhere. I remember going back to college the next day and saying to the tutors ‘teach me everything quickly – I’ve got a job! Well it was an unpaid job but it was my passport to the rock world and professional photography.

Bob Marley 1978, photo by ©JillFurmanovsky

Were you nervous for your first shoot at the Rainbow Theater and what was the first concert there that really blew you away and made you love the process you were involved in?

I was hooked on photography from day one, roll one. I knew in my soul that me and the camera were going to be an item – it seemed destiny. So it didn’t seem at all strange to get a job and to be shooting for real after a two-week course, even at the Rainbow. However, my first lot of pictures were not great! Pink Floyd were my favorite band at the time, and being at one of their rehearsals as well as their shows in the night blew me away.

What was the most bizarre or memorable experience you had during your photography residency at the Rainbow Theater?

Some good moments, some bad, some damn strange and some funny. Van Morrison and the Caladonian Soul Orchestra over several nights – superb. Lisa Manelli’s breast falling out of her costume during a dance move – with Peter Sellars giggling in the wings, Chuck Berry walking through the packed auditorium to collect his money in cash from the box office, having the film ripped out of my camera at a David Bowie concert by one of his manager’s henchmen, Bill Withers alone onstage with an acoustic guitar, the balcony bouncing with Slade fans going wild, James Brown lit by red light singing It’s a Man’s World, the first performance of Tommy by The Who with Sandy Denny and Merry Clayton Bell and Rod Stewart etc. Eric Clapton playing Layla for the first time, seeing Robert Plant and Roy Harper hanging out backstage, The Clash fans trashing the first two rows of seats….

What types of cameras and lenses were you using in this period and do you miss the analog era of photography?

Pentax Spotmatics at first and then Nikon FE’s. I don’t miss them as such, but I am amazed at how sharp a lot of the pictures are considering the lighting conditions, slow-ish films and hand focusing of a moving object. Don’t think I could do that now…

Who were some of your favorite photographers to work with during that period and what was the funniest shoot you did during the 70′s?

I loved Barrie Wentzell because he made me laugh – he used to stay in the bar for the show but turn up for the encores. Invariably he got the best shots. Mike Putland told me how to process up-rated film during a long drum solo – “Microphen, nine and a half minutes, 70 degrees” he shouted. And of course Pennie Smith was there, my only female colleague, with her little suitcase, which I think she still uses. We both had a laugh when Todd Rundgren came on stage with a bulge in his glitter suit described by ‘Sounds’ as ‘a sack of potatoes.’

On April 11, 1973, Pink Floyd played two concerts at the Rainbow Theatre to promote Dark Side of the Moon. Can you describe in as much detail as possible, the atmosphere that was present during this period of Pink Floyd and particularly these shows. We are very fascinated into the window that you had being around this scene and being able to judge it from the vast experiences you hold to the region while completing your studies.

As I said, I was a massive Pink Floyd fan, so being at the rehearsals and shows at the Rainbow was extraordinary. I remember being swamped by dry ice and poking my head over it to take shots, I remember Gilmour playing those divine solos and focusing on his arms, which are really beautiful and thinking as I studied his face with a telephoto lens, this is the best job in the world. I remember buying a raffle ticket from Nick Mason at one of the rehearsals. It was for a street party in Camden Town where he lived and I won one of the prizes – a crate of booze. I don’t really drink but being rung up and collecting the prize from him was a thrill. A year later I went on the road with the band and took a lot of the pictures that appear in these Immersion sets.

Pink Floyd Wembley 1973 ©JillFurmanovsky

Now we would love to dive into the new Immersion Pink Floyd box sets you are involved with. Dark Side of the Moon has been released and is a marvelous collection. I love hearing the Alan Parsons mixes that were done in 1972 and all the video along with the beautiful linear notes and photos presented in those. You had a heavy hand with the photography present. How did they select you for this task and what exactly did they ask of you?

I was chosen by Hipgnosis to go on the road with the band in 1974 on their UK tour. I was 21 and had just finished college so it was a gift of a job. I had been to see Storm and Po in the early 70’s while a student hoping for some work. I thought they were brilliant. They didn’t need me to shoot their covers, and anyway I wasn’t technically proficient in that area, but when it came to documentary work it wasn’t their bag so they offered the tour to me. The images were for a possible book project they were working on with a writer called Nick Sedgewick, a friend of Roger Waters. I had to shoot the sound-checks, the roadies, the band playing all their various sports, the travel on trains, backstage stuff, hotel scenes, and of course live pictures. It was an exhausting but exhilarating experience. Sadly the book never materialized as it probably gave too much away or upset people, I don’t know exactly what happened to the text, but the pix remain.

Pink Floyd Dark Side of The Moon Immersion Box Set from pinkfloyd.com

How long did the process take for all the steps involved with the box and what was the most rewarding parts of your time working on this Immersion release?

It has taken the best part of a year to do the picture research for DSOTM, Wish You Were Here and possibly The Wall too. Scanning images that have not been seen before has been fascinating. I was picture editing Hipgnosis images as well as mine, and as a fan I was intrigued to find unseen images. I love that the band gave such little attention to their clothes or stage appearance – it was always more about the music, the lights and the effects. So refreshing after all the posturing of other bands of that period.

What was the most stressful part?

Being a nubile young girl on the road with a load of blokes, not being particularly experienced or well-trained as a photographer, working for Storm is not easy (!) and on top of it all I was anxious to prove I was worthy of the job – taken as a whole it was stress personified but I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

When you look at this new box set and you realize what it means in the context of modern culture, where do you place it in your collection of works you have been involved with?

I am very proud to have been involved with the whole project. DSOTM is a classic plain and simple but seeing the band revealed while they work is interesting now. It was Paul Loasby & Andy Murray from David Gilmour’s management who suggested including books of photos in these Immersion sets. I think fans will appreciate the intimate portrait of probably the most private band (of that stature) to emerge in the 70’s. Also Storm has surpassed himself on the packaging of these Immersion sets. Those painterly versions of the famous prism/rainbow cover are true works of art.

How many photos of Pink Floyd do you have in your archives that are unreleased?

Quite a few. Hard to say in numbers but I could probably do a book on the band and still find some unseen gems now.

They also included the quadrophonic mix Alan Parsons prepared for Dark Side on the dvd audio only disc, did you ever partake in the quadraphonic listening experience for this record?

I did love their quad sound when it was live, but haven’t heard the recorded quad version yet.

Pink Floyd recording Wish You Were Here 1975. Photo by ©JillFurmanovsky

What can long time fans of Pink Floyd expect on the Wish You Were Here Immersion set?

Another book of photos and more amazing Storm graphics. There is probably more but I haven’t seen it yet.

Was the process easier or harder for the Wish You Were Here Immersion set in the work you contributed towards it?

There is only one set of photos from the recording of Wish You Were Here. We have included quite a few in the package. I wish I had taken more!

Have you heard anything new on what EMI plans to release in the next round of major releases after the Immersion box sets are out?

Sorry, don’t know.

Having seen extensive amounts of box sets released over the years for scores of artists, what do you feel separates the Immersion set for Dark Side of the Moon from any other box set ever released?

Can’t really answer that either.

Pink Floyd The Wall 1980. Photo by ©JillFurmanovsky

What is your favorite audio or visual moment out of all the discs present from the Dark Side of the Moon Immersion set?

Storm’s artwork with the paint colours running into each other is superb. Haven’t got around to listening to all the CD or DVD’s yet.

How about the Wish You Were Here Immersion box, what is your favorite moment on that set?

Wish You Were Here is my favourite Pink Floyd album – every moment is great.

How receptive was the Pink Floyd towards you when you were shooting inside of the studio for Wish You Were Here?

The band accepted me being there and, for the most part, forgot about it, which is what you want when you are working as a photo-journalist. The recording process can be boring so there were moments when I spoke a little, mainly to Nick Mason as he wasn’t recording that day. The rest of the time it was observation and a discreet presence on my part.

One little aside for you: I was so thrilled to be in Abbey Road studios, having been a massive Beatles fan who dreamt of going inside when I was a teenager, that I don’t know which was more thrilling being inside this sacred building or shooting Pink Floyd recording!

Thanks for your time, we really appreciate it.

Pink Floyd 1972. Photo by ©JillFurmanovsky

Pink Floyd Dark Side of The Moon Live 1973. Photo by ©JillFurmanovsky

Gilmour, Wright and Storm 1974. Photo by ©JillFurmanovsky

Pink Floyd recording Wish You Were Here at Abbey Road Studios 1975. Photo by ©JillFurmanovsky

Pink Floyd recording Wish You Were Here at Abbey Road Studios 1975. Photo by ©JillFurmanovsky

Pink Floyd recording Wish You Were Here 1975. Photo by ©JillFurmanovsky

Pink Floyd recording Wish You Were Here at Abbey Road Studios 1975. Photo by ©JillFurmanovsky

jillfurmanovsky.com
rockarchive.com
pinkfloyd.com

FYF Photo Set from September 3, 2011
All photography by Oliver Walker

Welp, there goes my festival expectations for the year. FYF was amazing this year.

Sidebar: I went last year like a regular lad (bought a ticket, got frisked, and wandered around the festival and saw bands) and I had a great time. I had one bottle of water (which brought my total spendings to $19 I think?) and got to be front and center for Man Man, got real dusty to sleep, and got to see Panda Bear play stuff that ended up on Tomboy. I guess I just didn’t have any problems and ended up having a wonderful time.

2011 had bigger bands, better logistics, and cost a little more out of pocket. Below are my top ten photos from the day, and if you click read more you can see my 400+ photos from the day. Lets do this. – Oliver Walker

10. THE DESCENDENTS

9. GUIDED BY VOICES

8. GLASS CANDY

7. EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY

6. NO AGE

5. JAPANDROIDS and the wonderful attendees.

4. DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979. To much power in this picture for the blur to bother me.

3. GIRLS

2. DAN DEACON

1. KID DYNAMITE

An amazing day. Three bonus Polaroid’s

TY SEGALL

This is OFF! fan Matt Maust taking a picture of No Age fan Keith Morris.

Big thanks to FYF shaker Sean Carlson!

Check out the entire set of 400+ photos from this years Fuck Yeah Festival!!!!

The following list comprises the artists we have covered for this years FYF.

Twin Sister • Fools Gold • Touche Amore • Tijuana Panthers • Mister Heavenly • Title Fight • Purity Ring • The Head and The Heart • Ty Segall • Pink Mountaintops • Smith Westerns • OFF! • Future Islands • Japandroids • Cults • Strange Boys • Emo Phillips • Cold War Kids • No Age • Kid Dynamite • Broken Social Scene • Girls • Yacht • Guided by Voices • Nosaj Thing • Glass Candy • The Descendents • Dan Deacon • Simian Mobile Disco • Explosions In The Sky • Death From Above 1979

Read more…

All photography by Erick R Wilczynski

Hold Up Art (hUPa)* is a contemporary art gallery in downtown Los Angeles that features the creativity of local artists. It is a very hip organization that holds free exhibitions and brings art and exposure to artists and patrons alike.

Recently Hold Up Art held an opening for the artist Mexican graphics artist Kraken. The exhibit is called Fantasmas (which loosly translates to “ghosts” in English),

Kraken’s artwork is gothic in origin but has a commercial appeal. There is clearly a comic book inspiration in his art. He has done work for commercial artwork for alcohol companies and brands such as: FedEx, Reebok, and Toyota. His art has been shown around the world but this marks LA’s first gallery exhibition for him. Much of his artwork features feminine characters and birds. The women seem depraved and downtrodden, while the birds feel fierce and energetic.

He has created live posters for Adrián Terrazas-González’s El Regimen Collective. The posters are reminiscent of the psychedelic rock posters that are known for the 60’s era.

Adrián Terrazas-González has a new jazz quintet called Jazztec, who played two sets at the Fantasmas opening. The quintet features Terrazas on flute/tenor sax/ bass clarinet, José Gurria-Cardenas on drums/percussion, Javier Vergara on tenor sax/flute, Artyom Manukyan on cello, and Eddika Édule Organista Moctezuma on vocals/ acoustic guitar. As in all of his live groups that play around LA, Adrián’s Jazztec puts on a lively technically skilled performance. Bringing everyone’s attention to the masters of their instruments and bringing awe and excitement to the jaws that fill the room.

To top off the event Hold Up Art provided free wine and beer to the attendees.

In all the only thing that was missing from a great gallery opening were cheeses to sample with the wine. – Erick R. Wilczynski

All photography by Oliver Walker

Arrived in time to catch Boombaptist. The name makes some sense of this gruesome duo, one half plays the hype-man while another lays down the bass. They come from texas and are prepared to take the left coast by sword.

Natasha Kmeto is a beat-maker and vocalist heralding from Portland, Oregon, her sound produced from a bewitching brew of computer clicks and tribal influences. When she sings (and boy can she) the personal and enchanting addition of live vocals lathers up her wet and crunchy sound with a coat pure flavor, tasting great until it is drowned out by a symphony of tribal drum clicks. Some well timed head-banging got the crowd involved with some of the bigger sounding beats of the evening.

FREE THE ROBOTS is the stage name of Chris Alfaro. This incendary fellow took to the stage, releasing chunky lethargy with a baptismal of bass on top. Harmonies of psych jazz blend with the digital and analog to create flowing electronic jazz compositions. Running bass, breakbeats, and free-form piano titillate the ear before the crunchy electronics really hit. Oliver Walker

BOOMBAPTIST

NATASHA KMETO

SALVA

FREE THE ROBOTS

FREE THE ROBOTS, GASLAMP KILLER, and NOCANDO

DADDY KEV and NOCANDO

Explosions in the Sky / Twin Sister
09.02.2011
Soma, San Diego, CA

All photography by Sound Colour Vibration family member Erick R. Wilczynski. The full set of 60+ photos can be viewed at our official Facebook page.

Full Show review by Shawn McGee

The last entry in my notes reads: “My heart is in my throat.” My other organs followed suit and migrated north with each bass vibration. After many close calls and missed chances, I stood, grinning like an idiot, in front of Explosions in the Sky in concert.

–

I was impressed with Soma’s size right away, and even more so that it was half full before the opening act, Twin Sister, took the stage. Long Island-based and lacking a full release (debut album In Heaven drops September 27th), Twin Sister had their work cut out for them on the West Coast. The five-piece started the set with slow, but solid tracks, gradually picking up the energy while employing a variety of instruments and sounds. A few detractors in the crowd poked fun at frontwoman Andrea Estella’s need to hold her hands together at her collarbone while she sang (to which she awkwardly obliged by placing her hand straight at her sides for a single verse, before immediately going back to her chest), but by the fourth or fifth song, most of the crowd had been converted. I noted at this point that song seemed “plodding & unfocused,” but the tone shift to ambient was enough to get EITS’s followers fully behind them.

With the bait in place, Twin Sister revealed her true form and busted out the sugar-pop track “Daniel”, finally getting the crowd moving. Mission Success. A wah/phaser-heavy track featured a gang chorus from the male members backing up Andrea as they all sang “I want it bad”, something I’m sure they envision the crowd joining in on once the album is released this month. The set was tightly performed and well arranged, with a depth of sound that you usually don’t see from a band on the road until its third album or so. With a gun to my head, I’d call them Twee by way of Portishead, but regardless of your musical leanings, if you know a good time when you hear one, I’d suggest giving Twin Sister a listen.

++++

++++

I knew of EITS’s penchant for blowing amps and eardrums long before I saw them live, but it seems the audience wasn’t as well informed. It is hard to sympathize though- the first word on the posters is EXPLOSIONS. Did you expect them to play softly? Considering how many people I saw standing with a finger in their ear and jaw on the floor, the volume didn’t seem to detract from the event. In fact, the enormous wall of sound that Texas-based Explosions in the Sky beat out of their instruments is part of the experience in and of itself. Quiet swells seem all the more tender when preceded by soul-shaking crescendos.

Whether smoothly intertwining three guitar licks into one harmonic wash of notes or literally beating the sounds out of the pickups, Explosions in the Sky promise to pour more emotion out on stage without saying a word into the microphone. In fact, apart from guitarist Munaf Rayani thanking some fans for wishing him a happy birthday (saying “it’s everyone’s birthday tonight” just before opening the set), the microphone sat unused at the side of the stage as the group flowed from song to song seamlessly.

Explosions used the 75-min set to play old tracks (“Greet Death”, “Your Hand in Mine”) as well as the highlights of the new material. My only qualm with the set was the closer, both for the show and the latest album, “Let Me Back In”. The transition from the previous song had left quite a lot of reverb and looped noise in the speakers, and the guitars had trouble finding their footing until the track quieted after the first peak. Apart from my minor critique (admittedly, of my favorite track of the new record), the group’s sound was as impeccable as their reputation. That is as much of a tip of that hat to the venue as the band; Soma was on point with both lights and sound despite the ticket being quite a departure from the usual genres of music the venue hosts. – Shawn McGee

The full set of 60+ photos can be viewed at our official Facebook page.

++++

SCV visits the infamous Low End Theory

Mux Mool, Mike Eagle, dirtRAID + All Residents
(DJ Nobody, Gaslamp Killer, D-Styles, Nocando and Daddy Kev)
Visuals by Major Gape
August 3, 2011
All photos by Oliver Walker
Check out the full set at our FB page HERE

DJ Nobody and Gaslamp Killer got the speakers buzzing Wednesday night. Gaslamp Killer’s taste in music is definitely free-range. A strange mix of Beatles and spaghetti western bass, 808 thump and B-movies, Ozzie classics and xXx. Not to mention world music from Istanbul and ‘No Quarter’ from Tool and a little brand new Hudson Mohawke. “This is Low End Theory,” he announces to a screaming house.

Daddy Kev then rocked out some new Jonwayne before D-Styles took to the stage. D-Styles is incredible and smooth with quick mixes. I do believe I heard a little ‘Trouble On My Mind’ and some Bassnectar.

dirtRAID came on and got real raw. Straight from the monitor, crunchy filth personified. It must take some talent to make such objects sound so good.

DJ Nobody’s set was preceded by an announcement from Nocando that someone was about to get pregnant. The cuts were slick, the breaks were head-bangable. I heard a little Weeknd and a little Drake so the pregnancy rumors were perhaps true; that’s real baby-making music right there.

Mike Eagle definitely makes you think with his lyrics (“I bend the same laws that put a monkey on the moon”) but he also has some treats for the common man striving for success (“High IQ but no credit score”). The ‘Party People Get a Chorus’ and ‘Pop Culture’ is represented with an Aqua-Teen Hunger Force reference. I like his music because I have to listen to it again and again, it’s crafted that well to demand it.

Then Daddy Kev came at us again, select cuts and precise slices dazzling the ear. I think he got the biggest rise of the night from the crowd with his signature slinging of digital aggregate. Summoning sounds out of an iPad, he rocked back and forth like I imagine Hendrix would with a guitar. He even brought a little classic rock sound to the party when he cut into The Entrance Bands ‘Grim Reaper Blues‘ for a little bit, which was a personal highlight for me. The Entrance Band + Daddy Kev = Madness.

Mux Mool should make movie soundtracks as his pacing is incredible. His set was a performance as opposed to fitting as many fist raising anthems into his time slot as possible. But when he is ready for it to hit, he lets it hit hard.

After that, Gaslamp Killer came back with more of his eclectic selections, but we shouldn’t have been surprised because he warned us via twitter earlier in the day. Gaslamp Killer was still up there destroying it with NoCanDo when I had to jet out. Select clips from Alejandro Jodorowsky’s ”Holy Mountain” played on the projector screen as as my sweat solidified in the cool Los Angeles air. – Oliver Walker

Check out the full set at our official FB page HERE

DJ NOBODY

NOCANDO and GASLAMP KILLER

GASLAMP KILLER

NOCANDO

D-STYLES

DIRTRAID

DJ NOBODY

DJ NOBODY and NOCANDO

NOCANDO

MIKE EAGLE + FRIENDS

MUX MOOL

DADDY KEV

SCV links up with artist and musician, Deantoni Parks

The Mars Volta @ UIC Pavilion
July 16, 2011
Photos and interview by Pouya G. Asadi

Deantoni Parks is a Brooklyn, NY based drummer, director, song-writer and producer; as well as being the latest addition to The Mars Volta. From historical groundbreaking shows in the early 2000′s with his electronic group KUDU to projects with John Cale, Me’shell Ndegeocello and Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group, Deantoni has been active in almost every creative way possible. Colorful, precise and tasteful: his drumming is a world of sound within itself. With a brief stint with The Mars Volta in 2006, Deantoni toured with the band for a very short time of a month or so. His time with the band was short lived due to other commitments and now he is rolling with the group full time. With work completed at Stanford Jazz Workshop, The Drummer’s Collective NYC and Berklee College of Music since the late 90′s, Deantoni has led a life of constant artistic growth and expansion since he first started playing percussion at the age of 2.

The Mars Volta agreed to take part in an opening stint for Soundgarden to usher in the new arrival of their latest drummer, Deantoni Parks. With shows in Australia and China scheduled, the group will see a new full length album release next year. SCV co-owner Pouya G. Asadi was on site for the Mars Volta’s opening set of Soundgarden in Chicago at UIC Pavilion July 16, 2011. He took  stills with his Canon 600D and interviewed Deantoni shortly backstage after the Volta’s set. Deantoni Parks is easily one of our favorite drummers in contemporary music and it is an honor to present this interview at Sound Colour Vibration. -Erik Otis

Check out our entire photo set for The Mars Volta in Chicago July of 2011 at our official FB page HERE

What consisted of your typical schedule for rehearsals before you guys started this year’s touring?

Deantoni Parks: Nothin’ too out of the ordinary, 3-4 hours a day with the group. The rehearsals are just as hoppin’ as the live show man, there is no difference when we all play together regardless of the stage or the space we’re in. I’m 33 now, so it’s almost like I got to surround myself with the people that are on the same thought process as me. People like Omar understand where I’m coming from because everything we do is for the same cause.

What type of drum sound are you bringing to the new Mars Volta record and what kit or kits did you record on?

Deantoni Parks: As far as sound goes, I’m trying to bring something as simple as possible. These dudes have been around for a long time now and they’ve heard everything. So I’m tryin’ to switch it up and simplify things in a real nice manner. As for the kits, honestly, whatever was there in the studio. I’d like to think of myself as a chameleon when I’m playing with all these different artists. Give me anything and I’ll adapt to it. That’s why I’m so comfortable playing with dudes like Omar, because like he says, in the end it’s all part of the same vision. I like surrounding myself with people that have the same mentality towards art as I do, because we keep surprising each other with our abilities every single day. Like I said, it’s nice to be around people that are on the same thought process as me when it comes to creating art and at the same time marrying it with spirituality. Because at the end of the day if it’s not speaking to me on a spiritual level then it’s not really of much use to me.

How have the shows been so far with the band?

Deantoni Parks: They’ve been fun, in a sense, I get all my aggression out on the kit at these shows. I live in America, you know, so you’ve always got to have a way to take your anger out in healthy circumstances. Like the other night in Moscow when they announced the Casey Anthony verdict I just remember thinking to myself, ‘Damn I feel so bad for that little 2 year old girl.’ And I beat the hell out of my drums that night just thinking and aiming those thoughts towards my hands and sticks.

We feel like you are really changing the sound of drums with the merging of the acoustic and electronic worlds. Which drummers before you and now do you see yourself following in their foot steps?

Deantoni Parks: Of course the favorites such as Elvin Jones and the like. But honestly let me tell you a story. When I was growing up back in Georgia I would always be chillin’ and out of nowhere I’d hear this woodpecker go off on a random tree or pole. It would be everyday. Those rhythms from that bird truly inspired me to play how I do to this day. So wherever you are woodpecker, thank you! [laughs]

We heard you are recording for Cedric on his first solo record. What type of sound would you call the material you worked on?

Deantoni Parks: Man that dude Cedric, he is so informed on so many levels when it comes to music; so when he approached me to play for the record, I knew it would be truly wild material that I’d have to deliver. And that’s exactly what that record is, I brought everything to it, hip hop vibes, anything, you name it. I will also be releasing my solo album later this year that I’m very excited about.

You play drums on 5 tracks from the new Laïka Fatien album Nebula. The drumming is so colorful and tasteful and falls into a heavy jazz foundation. What does this type of playing demand from you?

Deantoni Parks: I was on this album because Meshell Ndegeocello was producing it, and she had me play on 4 or 5 tracks. It was a really relaxing environment, they were confident in me and I went in there and did my thing. You know this whole drumming thing, I got to eat, so even though I’ve been doing it since I was 2 years old I still got my other mediums. I have recently done some work with Gray Basquiat’s Industrial Art Noise Band, it’s a group featuring myself and Vincent Gallo. I have also made a short film that I worked alongside my art director Jakob Dwight called “Nirvana’s Forever”. It’s a 35 minute film/concert and something that I’m really proud of and I really think you and other people will dig it.

Damn, so you were behind/handling the camera for this film as well?

Deantoni Parks: No no, I’m a director but I don’t like to think of myself as that controlling. You see I live a very serendipitous life. And this is what I believe in, expressing myself through all mediums of art. In fact I would love to come back here to Chicago and screen that film. My vision is to have it screen in a planetarium, something that people aren’t too used to, and would make them all come out and enjoy the experience. I don’t want to premiere this in NYC, or LA. I wanna bring this film straight to Chi Town man, I love it here.

Really?

Deantoni Parks: Fuck yea!

What type of kit did you use for Nebula?

Deantoni Parks: Honestly, again, whatever was there in the studio. Since Meshell Ndegeocello was producing this album, I really knew what the expectations were in this scenario. I’ve worked with her in the past on several of her albums and tours. You see with Meshell, she is an artist and musician that never wants to repeat herself. She is constantly searching for something new and something she hasn’t heard before. So I always keep that in mind when I work with her on the various projects that we collaborate on.

With your ability to play in the most quiet settings along with the most loud, what setting do you feel most comfortable in?

Deantoni Parks: Anything. I mean it, usually I’m playing on rented equipment so as long as the basic elements are there in front of me I am comfortable to work on any setting on any level. You see the biggest competition I have is within myself. It’s me versus me versus me, everyday. When I wake up in the morning, it’s always what can I do different today. What connections will I form today whether it’s with objects, people or even elements of a spiritual manner. Like I said before, I truly believe that if my actions aren’t provoking spirituality then they are not complete. I’d like to think the people that I make art with will agree on that as well. Even with my other project Dark Angels, we thought to ourselves what is a “remix?” What is the true definition of a remix? I don’t think a true remix is mash-up or whatever the latest fad is, I think it’s a true redefining of a song. From one dude’s perspective to another. That’s why Nicci (Kasper) and I have been forming this new sideproject and working on our definition of remixes.

I’ve heard the Dark Angels remix albums on Bandcamp that shit is sick, what’s up with KUDU?

Deantoni Parks: There’s always been my group KUDU that I play with. That’s the shit right there you know, that’s like MY Mars Volta. We’ve been playing for years and I’m actually really glad we haven’t blown up yet. All in due time, as they say, I have a lot of focus and energy that’s always been with KUDU.

Do you still plan on going back to teach in the classroom in the future?

Deantoni Parks: You know I keep up with all those people and institutions. I communicate frequently with all the cats from Stanford and you know, Berklee. In the past, I gave all my students my number and my email and told them to hit me up whenever. It was a really close relationship that we all had together. I truly believe in not only being a mentor, but having a mentor. Because there is really nothing stronger than being in the middle of that spectrum, it gets really heavy at that point.

Deantoni Parks: Now actually I’ve got a question for you Pouya, why did you single me out of all the Mars Volta dudes and want to do an interview?

Well dude, to be honest, when we saw you back in 2006 playing with them at Vegoose, we thought to ourselves “who is this dude? where did he come from? Goddamn!” I was so hyped when you came back on-board last year with Omar’s other tours and it was really just a dream come true to see you back in the Volta. Every single time I see you perform live it’s been different material played. Even back in April when you all were supposed to perform the Volta songs but ended up doing a Vato Negro set. The crowd and I were completely blown away. I mean honestly even just tonight in the VIP section, when you all walked off stage, this tall older dude turned around and said “who the hell was that on the drums?” Turned out he was an executive over at Shure microphones, so you see what I mean? You get people’s attention with everything you do behind the kit. So it’s a real trip to see that you are an artist first, and drummer second. Thanks for your time, D.

====

Check out this video of The Mars Volta performing a song from their new album scheduled to release with Warner Brothers next year. The song is called Trinkets Pale of Moon and was captured live @ The Circus, Helsinki, Finland on July 3, 2011. This footage is unprofessional but is of the highest quality for the state it is.

Adran Robb Alvarez is our newest photographer at Sound Colour Vibration. As a long time associate of the organization, it is an honor to have him include his works in our goal of covering the landscape of music, art and film from past and present. Adran Robb Alvarez will be covering many events for us in the Inland Empire region. I love his style of photography and am really excited to present this collection of photos from him for May’s Riverside Arts Walk. ~ Erik Otis

All photos by Adran Robb Alvarez

The sun was setting on amiable California evening when the show began at UCR’s Culver Center of the Arts. Two humans & The Cosmos is a collaboration of mind and musical exceptionality consisting of composer Luca Forucci and cellist Michael Kott. The duo’s unique tones filled the Center of the Arts building during Riverside’s May Arts Walk. The set began with Michael slowly building tones with the bow meeting the cello’s strings. Luca soon appeared with an apparatus strapped to his forehead, a musical instrument that operated with mind waves, a technology referred to as EEG.

By employing his thoughts and sculpting his face to different expressions Luca was able to produce different sounds. The emotions and stimuli created by his mind were emitted and combined with Michaels cello, which either plucked or strummed during the show. The duo exchanged daring glances towards one another throughout the performance, as if challenging
the other to answer the musical demand presented with their respective instrument. Those glances brought a unique aspect to the hour and a half long show, which was a combination of improvisation and rehearsed material, all tones being perfectly integrated into this amazing performance.

~ Adran Robb Alvarez