| Author |
Topic: uwall.tv wall of rock |
chas smith R.I.P.
From:
Encino, CA, USA
|
|
|
 |
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
|
Posted 18 Feb 2011 1:00 pm |
|
Man, that is really cool.
Chas, what was the name of that band you turned me on to a year ago--that band with the most magnificently heavy sustained guitar chords? If I recall correctly, the band members were wearing monastic robes. There were some live clips of them that you posted.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
|
|
|
chas smith R.I.P.
From:
Encino, CA, USA
|
Posted 18 Feb 2011 6:10 pm
|
|
Mike, that would have been SUNN O))):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a0Z2yndlOs&feature=related
One of the interesting things about this performance was it was shortly after the churches were burned and there were fears that these guys were part of that scene, which they're not. I saw them live at the El Rey, here in Los Angeles, and they had 2 basses, 2 guitars, an analog synth that kept it minimal and a guy on extended vocals. One of the bass cabinets had eight 15" speakers. Between their amps and the reinforcement, they were the loudest band I've ever heard, it was unbelievable. The played for around 2 hours and there were extended periods where the air in that room was unlike any you have ever experienced.
If you're going to buy a cd, they're on Southern Lord Records and Black One is a good starter.
While we're at it, if you want to see an unexpected steel guitar cameo, there's one during the solos, around 2:54, of this Ministry song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXCh9OhDiCI&feature=fvw
And more while we're at it, this is Earth, and playing on this cut is our own Dan Tyack:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD-J8O2fLf4&feature=related |
|
|
|
Daniel Morris
From:
Westlake, Ohio, USA
|
Posted 19 Feb 2011 4:11 pm
|
|
Wow, I hadn't seen the clip with MINISTRY!
Is it the lead guitarist on pedal steel, or just some slide riffs? Quite effective, nonetheless!
SUNN 0)))- yea, I've heard of them, and a thousand other sludgey/droning examples. Good in doses, but the pretentious posturing....
I have some EARTH recordings, one a rather lavish LP set. Nice. Bill Frisell is on some tracks, as well as Dan Tyack. While I like some of this stuff, it suffers from lack of real development, just like so much ambient/drone stuff.
One thing I really like about your music, Chas, is that it does evolve. It's just getting too commonplace to drone, or create "ambient textures", and go nowhere; creating cinematic background music can certainly be artful, but it's as if nearly anyone with a guitar (or not) and a board full of stompboxes is considered to be artisitic. Thankfully, good examples are out there. |
|
|
|
chas smith R.I.P.
From:
Encino, CA, USA
|
Posted 20 Feb 2011 3:36 pm
|
|
Daniel, the thing about ambient music, going back to Eno's Music For Airports, is originally, the music was supposed to perform an architectural function, in that it would help shape a space in the same way that light, color and objects shape a space. Now, anything that doesn't have a recognizable beat gets called ambient. I've heard myself referred to as hard core ambient, what ever that is, which doesn't make any sense to me because I think what I do has a narrative.
| Quote: |
| but the pretentious posturing.... |
The curse of playing live, to an audience expecting some visuals, which I see as going back to the "politics of the proscenium". The original idea of the monk's robes was to take away each player's individual identity, which of course creates another identity.
| Quote: |
| and a thousand other sludgey/droning examples. |
What you hear on a cd, or on a "field recording" and what is actually happening in the air, at the concert, isn't even close. You can't recreate the force, intensity and complexity of what is going on in the air with a couple of speakers. Back in the early 80's, I went to a concert by Glenn Branca that was in a room with a hard floor, walls and ceilings. He had something like 11, very loud, electric guitar players playing detuned guitars and the sound in that room was a jaw-dropper. It very definitely got my attention and I've been a fan of his ever since. |
|
|
|
Daniel Morris
From:
Westlake, Ohio, USA
|
Posted 20 Feb 2011 7:07 pm
|
|
Thanks for chiming back in, Chas.
Somehow Eno's original ambient take got twisted. Takes a really deft touch, which too many musicians don't have.
Yes, it's quite true, two speakers can't replicate live very well. I remember buying a Rhys Chatham record, numerous guitars, and thinking it sounded good, but what was all the fuss about. Probably needed to hear it live, just like LaMonte Young's WELL TUNED PIANO, I'd wager. Chatham and Branca seemed to be pushing the boundaries, and they were composers of a sort, so I can accept them better than the endless stream of people producing "underground" drone/noise/psych recordings these days.
I like early Zoviet France, and what they originally planned was to completely hide their identities so there could be no "celebrities". I don't know that they played live much, but still they preferred anonymity. Which is fine; just seems to be a lot of guys who turn their very anonymity into another type of celebrity/identity. Just my tuppence, of course... |
|
|
|
