Live lecture online, radios, cds, destruction, new address and a free audio perfume in self-defense against muzak!
Mixed news from recent months in swedish and english.
I have a new address
since the 1st of May, 2011:
Johannes Bergmark
Skarpnäcks allé 21, 2 tr
SE - 128 35 Skarpnäck
sweden
The rest is still the same, except that there's only one phone number left where I respond: the mobile phone at +46 73 789 1402.
Short lecture (in english) and concert at TedX Botkyrka online
A 10 minutes lecture and PowerPoint-presentation with a camera on my forehead, trying to summarize my works as an instrument builder and my attitudes towards being a musician and a surrealist + a very short concert on the Platforms and the Brillolin.
To be seen online here, or embedded to the left:
Some of the spoken text and charts from the presentation can also be read here.
Destruction 2011! – surrealist exhibition with international contributions, and related events, ongoing in Istanbul, turkey.
(I performed with Tippi Tillvind and Mattias Forshage, among others, on the events 12-15 May, participated in the forum, in the film screening with Fish Soup and helped setting up the exhibition section of the Surrealist Group in Stockholm; pictures on the Destruction blog as well as on the Facebook event, more probably coming.)
12 May- 28 May 2011
Daily: 1: 00 - 7:00 p.m.
Closed on Monday
Opening: 12 May- 6.30 p.m.
Opening Performance: Tolga Tüzün, in front of the Destruction venue, on Akarsu street, 6 p.m.
After Party: 10 p.m. at Peyote
Supplementary Activities
Film-Video Screening: Destruction Frames at Ye?ilçam Sinemas
14 May 2011- 12:00 p.m.
Panel on International Living Surrealism at Depo
14 May 2011- 4.30 p.m.
Performance night: 15 May 2011 at Gram Kadköy
Forum: Destruction is being discussed- Frat Arapo?lu, Emre Zeytino?lu, Murat Germen, Burçak Konukman, Rafet Arslan / Depo 28 May 2011, 6: 30 p.m.
The rest is surprises, performances, street and life!
Facebook-event.
Downloadable/streamable celebration album of suRRism Phonoethics: Peak the Source - 'Volume 1-3' / sPE_0100
I have a piece there called Beware of Aesthetic Ethics with a Micro Moog drone which is influenced by sounds from my Platforms of amplified objects, recorded at SAMI studio in Stockholm 2009. Duration: 7'59. No editing. Listen to it directly here.
CONTRIBUTORS: (ALL APPEARANCES HAVE BEEN SHUFFLED into 3 Volumes) _blank, (D)(B)(H), 10Konekt, Ama, Andrew Howes, Anton Mobin, Apocalyptic Frequency Experience, Ben Presto, Berger Rond, Big Brother on Acid, Bonequi, Bryan Lewis Saunders, Carlos Ramirez, Catalyst Fantasy, Crank Sturgeon, Dada AG, Daniel Jeczalik, Darius Greene, DMAH, Dpress Hill, Dysmal Abyss, Earth Incubator, Ergo Phizmiz, Erick Diego, GoatCuntCult, God Pussy, GX Jupitter-Larsen, Hal McGee, Herr Penschuck, Hopek Quirin, Hyaena Fierling Reich, i AM esper, Ian Linter, Ideosynchronic, Imago Meccano, Inconnu Ictu, ION, Isak Anderssen, J Karl Bogartte & Jaan Patterson, Jack Hertz, Jared Balogh, Jean Montag, Jeff Gburek, Jeremy Gluck & Dave Fuglewicz, Johannes Bergmark, John 3:16, Jonas Ruchenhever, José Carlos Alonso Vazquez, Juan Antonio Nieto, John Clifford Rhody, Justin Lee Brown, K.O.B, Kalendar, Kommissar Hjuler, Kommissar Hjuler & Frau mit Jaan Patterson, Koobaatoo Asparagus, Kristus Kut, Krupnik, Kuuleminen Asiat, LARA a' Cappella, Lauris, Leif Elggren, Lezet, Ludo Mich, Luther Blissett, Lux P0g0, M.Mnomized, Macu, Matthew Sforcina, Mikhail Lezin, Mulinex, Murmurists, Mutant Beatniks, Mutate, Noise Research, noizeDemon, Nutrients, Olelé Brut, Ophir Ilzetzki, Otras Carpeta, Otto von Rhinau, Owl Brain Atlas, Pacific 231, PAS, Patrizia Oliva, Philippe Petit, Qkcofse, Radio Klebnikov, Rafal Iwanski, Ralf Rabendorn, Raymond Dijkstra, Reve Steich, Richard Lainhart, .RR, Runar Magnusson, Rune Martinsen, Sebastian Sighell, Seiei Jack, Sinus Buds, Spidey Agutter, Stalaktos, suRRism, Temple Music, Thamyris Jones & Jaan Patterson, The Curio Sideshow, The Distortion Mirrors, The Hare and The Moon, The Implicit Order, The Importance of Birds, The Noisettes, The Nothing Machine, The Panjandrum Of Quondam, Thee Virginal Brides, Thierry Tillier, Tobias Herzz Hallbauer, ToBo, Travis Johnson, Treillarmee, undRess Béton, Violence and the Sacred, Vladimír Hirsch, Wehwalt, Where Everything Falls Out, William Davison, Ymmv, Yoshihiro Kikuchi, Zacarias Malden, Zilmrah Zreen Toyz.
Cd: Sixty Interpretations of Sixty Seconds, by Sixty Solo Improvisors, Apprise Records.
A collection of solo improvisations sewn together back-to-back by sixty innovative, forward thinking musicians from all over the World. The compilation is made by David Sait in Brampton, ON, canada, with the concept "To hear how sixty different improvising musicians would interpret sixty seconds. Execution: I pose the question... How would you interpret sixty seconds through an improvisation? Your Answer would come in the version of a sixty second improvised recording on your instrument."
My piece is recorded at EMS. I play a Platform (a single one, although I usually have two) with objects. No overdubs, no cuts, no treatments except slight compression.
Other contributors: Linsey Pollak - rubber glove bagpipes (AUTRALIA), Chas Smith - copper box (USA), Rachel Arnold - cello (USA), Fatima Miranda - voice/field recordings (SPAIN), Yuichi Onoue - kaisatsu (JAPAN), Todd Taylor - banjo (USA), Yurko Rafaliuk - tsymbaly (UKRAINE), Jeff Albert - trombone (USA), Laure Chailloux - accordion diatonique (FRANCE), Leon Gruenbaum - samchillian (USA), Leanid Narushevich - electric guitar (REPUBLIC OF BELARUS), Araz Salek - tar (CANADA), John Oswald - alto sax (CANADA), Christine Sehnaoui - alto sax (FRANCE), Susan Alcorn - pedal steel (USA), David Sait - guzheng (CANADA), Pekko Käppi - jouhikko (FINLAND), Andrea Centazzo - gong (USA), Misha Marks -prepared guitar (MEXICO), Joana Sá - piano (PORTUGAL), Martin Grütter - piano (GERMANY), Paul Dunmall - soprano sax (UK), Joe Sorbara - drums/percussion (CANADA), Kyle Bruckmann - oboe (USA), Damon Smith - field recordings/7 string double bass/laptop (USA), Lawrence Casserley - monoharp/breath/signal processor (UK), John Butcher - saxophone controlled feedback & piano resonator (UK), Tom Boram - analog modular synth (USA), Ignatz - guitar/voice/drum (BELGIUM), Helena Espvall - cello/effects (USA), Tim Hodgkinson - clarinet (UK), Beatrix Ward-Fernandez - theramin (UK), Christian Munthe - acoustic guitar (SWEDEN) , Mia Zabelka - violin/effects (AUSTRIA), Rayna Gellert - fiddle (USA), Tobias Tinker - harpsichord (GERMANY), Periklis Tsoukalas - oud (GREECE), Michael Keith - ukulele (CANADA), Szilárd Mezei - viola (SERBIA), Gino Robair - metal/glass/plastic/stone/motors (USA), Joe McPhee - alto sax/voice (USA), Michael Snow - piano (CANADA), Rob Coppard - bones (IRELAND), Philip Gibbs - slide guitar (UK), Aaron Ximm - field recording (broken radio) - USA, Philo Lenglet - prepared acoustic guitar (FRANCE), Carmel Raz - violin (USA), Ben Roberts Eclectiktronik - turntables/cassette decks (SPAIN), Helena Gough - field recording (UK), Leonel Kaplan - trumpet (ARGENTINA), Gerry McGoldrick - shamisen (CANADA), Ronny Krippner - Church Organ (UK), Alessandro Alessandroni - keyboard/whistling (ITALY), Olivia De Prato - violin (USA), Heribert Friedl - chair (AUSTRIA), Robin Hayward - microtonal tuba (GERMANY), Bruno Duplant - contre bass (FRANCE), Mike Smith - hurdy gurdy (UK), Paulo Chagas - oboe (PORTUGAL).
All the info on contributors here., and links to reviews by Musicworks, Signal to Noise, Jazzword, END (-) of WORLD (-) music, Stef's Free Jazz Blog, Spontaneous Combustion Magazine, Wholenote Magazine
More info, and some pieces can be heard here.
Listen and download from CD Baby.
Listen and download from emusic.
Crying Children played on the Composers' Radio
The old, but still really juicy, piece for Finger Violin, called Gråtande barn (Crying Children) was played as the first piece on FST:s podcast Composers' Radio on January 8, 2011.
It can be heard here.
Recension: Nicolas Collins
Boken (med dvd) Handmade Electronic Music, The Art of Hardware Hacking (2nd Ed., Routledge New York/London 2009) är nu recenserad för tidskriften Nutida Musik. Rekommenderas (både boken och tidskriften alltså)!
Krönika: Musikåret 2010
Bloggen Sound Of Music bjöd in bl.a. mig att skriva kort om vad som var det musikaliskt viktigaste för mig under 2010.
Det gjorde jag här, på 2.805 tecken.
Men detta var en förkortning av min ursprungliga text på 22.298 tecken, som kan läsas här.
Intervju i Ström
Jag och Tippi Tillvind har intervjuats i P2 Ström som gick 13 april, om Mubil, den Elektroakustiska Skåpbilen, som hoppas på att fortsätta sina äventyr i år. Info om programmet här, (lyssning inte längre möjlig pga 30-dagarsregeln).
Muzak Blocker!
an audio perfume for self-defense
Till svensk version av denna text.
(made on a residency at VICC 2009, free download here, mp3, 7'58, 11 MB)
Commercial radio with "old favorites" (the assumed majority taste) fills the brain with poison as soon as you go outdoors, in cafés, shops and buses in order to block free thought. Long after the music has become silent, it bounces in the head through the nagging and the tyranny of involuntary recognition.
Manifesto of the Surrealist Group in Szczecin 2008
In an episode of the children's program Sesame Street, which I saw on tv as a child, Ernie and Bert have a noise war. One is making noise with pots, the other becomes irritated and turns on the electric whip, then the dish washer, the washing machine and the vacuum cleaner are turned on one by one, to outnoise the earlier noise. In the end, the fuse is gone, and they can both enjoy the wonderful silence.
The possible unconscious impression of this episode on me I didn't realize until this sound piece was done. Maybe it was the same influence to give the us military the idea for the sound torture of the prisoners at Guantánamo that was recently revealed. The use of the signature melody for Sesame Street, on loud volume, hours in a row, also gives an indication ... Recently, the sound as a weapon (called LRAD), has also been introduced in riot fight during big summits in the usa.
In daily life, though, the tyranny of sound consists to the most part of "friendly" attacks. Commercially, and thus socially, motivated background music is piped out so much, leaving no space for critical or any form of clear thinking. Surrounded by this disturbing sound sparkling, the public space, where we want to be and move freely, becomes a prison by the mental associations that destroy free thought. Noone asks us for permission to play their supposedly "popular" music, i.e. recognized by the majority. Many surveys have nevertheless showed that more people are tormentedly submitting to the publicly piped music than there are who positively like it. They keep silent, thinking most other people want it! Commercialism is homogeneity, in spite of the claims of libertarian ideologues, since it's the easy-washable brains of the most profitable majority that will reproduce the popular, a tautology for stupefying the masses. Give them what they are calculated to like, so they know that they get what they're supposed to want to have. At least, they will quickly recognize what they're supposed to like, buy and play for others as soon as they gain control over a radio or music player.
To be disturbed and tormented by noise is not new for our time. Schopenhauer is getting really excited and says that the hate against noise is connected to intelligence.
You really want to start a campain like "The Rectifier", who smashes cars with alarm in the film Noise from 2007. There is organized resistance in reality, though, e.g. the International Campaign for Freedom from Piped Music, or the campaign "Befria samtalet" (liberate conversation) that was started by Hörselskadades Riksförbund (the association for hearing-impaired), "against bad sound environment, for a conversation-friendly Sweden". We're not in such a small minority as we often think. We should make a habit of protesting and simply tell the responsible ones to stop the noise, or at least explain if it's absolutely necessary for some particular reason. Bu we don't always feel like or have the energy to be so direct or bold – and regardlessly, we don't always gain respect for our wishes.
One example. In a swimming-hall not long ago, I protested against them playing background music. The confused swimming guard turned it off, and I swam along in piece for a while. Then it came back without warning. Why? Because some people asked for it. So those who ask about the muzak have the precedence and are regarded as being in majority, in spite of no actual inquiry having been made. It's a coarse misunderstanding of what democracy is. Democracy should take special consideration to a minority that is threatened by assault from the majority (or the percieved majority). It should be enough with a complaint from one person to shut it off, since you can't voluntarily shut off sounds you don't want to hear. At least it should be clearly announced that you will be assaulted on by wallpaper music before paying the entrance.
I felt defenseless against the wall paper music for a long time. In a a cabaret by swedish comedians Hasse&Tage, there was someone that was able to shut his ears. In spite of training, I didn't succeed with that, so I've tried with ear plugs. But the problem isn't always that the noise is too loud. Only if you're deaf you can escape the outer noise completely, except for strong bass that can be felt in the entire body. But the inner sound remains, and that's the catch. The problem with piped music is that it's so repetitive that you easily recognize it. After all, it's "the most popular songs", "the best music right now", "the greatest hits" that are played and are supposed to make you in a good mood when you can sing along. It's an occupasion of the brain by a foreign agency.
Frustrated of not being able to think about anything else, I began to write a hate list with all the worst songs that affected me, with no specific plan in mind about what to do with this list. Sometimes I tried to escape to the only place I know that's supposed to be silent and where you can remain undisturbed, a library. But people there sometimes managed to disturb as much by whispering as by screaming. Their respect was based on formalism, not on understanding. Just like those who go out for a smoke, but then drag in the smell through their clothes.
You can't shut your nose, either. The best smell is to have no smell. If you can't avoid bad smell, as an emergecy solution you can try to mask it with another smell, hopefully a better one.
When you're too tired to protest, thus, or when protests have no effect, there's a need for something to reset the brain into a neutral place where thought is liberated to concentrate on what it wants – especially reading and writing has been my major problem, sitting e.g. on a café with piped music. At least there's the need for a defence weapon.
Now there is one, and I provide it for free for the benefit of humanity.
Muzakblocker by bergmark
An audio perfume. Would it work?
Somehow, I decided to make a piece based on my hate list, and put all the songs on top of each other until they become a dense noise without any recognizable traits. The idea is that the big overlapping of all these songs would create a layer of frequencies and rhythms that block out more or less the same frequencies and rhythms that there are in the background music in those cafés or shopping malls. It should be a noise that doesn't irritate (as much as the muzak, anyway) but also doesn't attract too much.
Because, to be strict, the biggest problem is actually not how terrible the music is, but how recognizable it is – which makes it colonize the brain: it "sings along" whether you like it or not. "Good" music can actually be just as distracting as "bad". Studies have shown that, when people drive, they don't risk their safety so much from listening to music or talking on the cell phone, but how much emotionally engaged they become in it, which they do as much from music they like as from music they dislike, and from how upset, positively or negatively, they become from the topics in a phone conversation. It's a bit similar with driving safely as with the possibilities to read and write. When I listen to music I like and try to read, thinking I would have double enjoyment, I can find myself trodding on the same sentence over and over again, without understanding anything, for hours. (Maybe I should also make a version with popular background music that I like – usually not much, by the way.)
Even though this sound, if you wish, could be heard as a noise piece, it's thus created as a defence weapon.
As opposed to other pieces that I have on my web site, all in mp3 format, this is in it's original format an mp3, so that it can be downloaded and played in an mp3 player as soon as you need to be undisturbed by the background music forced upon you.
The only places where this wouldn't work is the waiting music in phone lines, usually fucking Vivaldi, Mozart or Bach, and, the most horrible of all, swimming halls, unless you can afford waterproof headphones and mp3 player. There's also stories about background music in hospitals, where there are lots of defenseless people. This is more than pollution, it's rape!
Production method: since the goal was an mp3 file, the basic materials has also been mp3s downloaded form the internet. It's probabaly safest to not list the source materials, not because of my crime against copyright (how do you regard a downloading that's meant to destroy rather than enjoying the downloaded materials?) but because it's the recollection of the songs in your own brain that destroys the serenity of the mind (in this way it's been a horrorful masochistic struggle to carry through this work), it's enough to say a title or an artist and many days can be destroyed.
But for those with a strong stomach, or those who plan an audio torture on me, similar to those of the Guantánamo prisoners, you can watch this page.
Previous press releases:
New exhibitions!
New things to read!
-------------------------
http://bergmark.org
http://surrealistgruppen.org
http://fylkingen.se
http://vof.se
This is a mailout from Johannes Bergmark.
If you don't want mailings like this, please reply and say so, and I'll remove you from the list.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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