THE WILD THEATRE

An incredible bit of wildlife drama - many thanks to Tim Goldie for passing on this link.

RUN IT ON ME 4

There've been all sorts of interesting responses to Racket - and the nice things that have been said, especially from those whose opinions I particularly value, are really most gratifying to hear.

One comment that has been repeated in several quarters that continues to mystify is that Dyad is somehow about The Wire - so let me state for the record it's neither about The Wire, Playboy, Woman's Own, The Economist, nor any other magazine for that matter.

One type of response that I love is one such as the priceless following example (by a certain 'Zeno Marx'):
"If this was done by someone else, say, Konono N°1, which would never happen because they're actually good at what they do, this album would get panned as it justly should. While generally a purist, I'm no Whitehouse purist because I don't care about them enough to hold them to a strict standard or style. I don't think they've had a good idea, let alone executed an idea well, since Quality Time, and maybe even before that. Racket, and what an appropriate name that is, sucks. Tracks 4 and 7 are the only ones worth a shit, and the only reason I'll even give those credit is because the others are so bad that they stand out as having a semblance of value. Live off the name, boys, because that's what you have left."

HORIZONS

Some new links added on the right hand side of the page - K-Punk's prolific blog is a great favourite of mine, I highly recommend it. I originally met him at a noise music conference at North London University; we had the pleasure of having dinner later with a group of the other participants, and I have been a great admirer ever since.

TOUCHING

There is no totally right or wrong relationship.

As you listen to music, with whom or what are you relating? Can you be touched?

Shut your eyes and ears for a brief time of silence, and try to discover who you wouldn't be in mental communication with, if there could be found one solitary moment when you'd not be in contact with some object. Because you may find something rather interesting: that even as you attempt to focus on something inanimate you cannot at all remove it from associations of life, perhaps of a person who created it, who placed it there, who touched it, who spoke about it, who looked at it.

If, as artists, we wish to exchange our feelings or our thoughts with a person, we must offer something you and I have experienced. Real communion is so much more magical than imitations of it - the simple desire to be merely effective cannot be allowed to cloak this relationship, this communion, this truth.

AFRO NOISE ON BOARD

I think it's been obvious for a while now my fascination with African (and Haiti for that matter), especially in terms of the music, language, and art - the inspiration has been utterly invaluable, and now my plan is to take this passion and endeavour much further with the pursuit of an open-ended genre that I've dubbed afro noise. Essentially to consist of obscure African percussion elements in free-form work-outs with almost any other type of (genuine) sound experimenting. Already in evidence in some of the latter-day Whitehouse tracks, I believe there are incredible and exciting possibilities here which will also serve to draw a firm line between - what seems to me at least, and I've said it before - the utterly staid, conservative, conformist, and oh-so-boring ageing 'noise' genre. Let's recapture the flame and the excitement.

We're going to soon begin putting out a series of albums of the best of these compositions beginning with Afro Noise I which will proudly feature the amazing art of Stefan Danielsson - so anyone who has any interest will be very welcome to get in touch or send us their own experiments; it's of no matter who you are, what you normally play (noise, jazz, classical, electronica, whatever), or what part of the world you're from; just that it comes from the heart and that it works, just that it hits the spot. Also, in the Edinburgh vicinity, if there are any percussionists, djembe players, or just eager pairs of demon hands, it would also be great to hear from you because we're going to be organising some regular sweaty work-out sessions.

There's also a blog dedicated to this (contributions very welcome), a website is coming soon, and a MySpace page.

DEARTH

Still alive, still clinging on - album's been out a week or so now and, like that morning after the best party of your life, I always experience a feeling of utter emptiness and it's going to need a while to reanimate.

WET AND WILD

Don't you hate seeing sad listless animals shambling around in zoo enclosures? Especially the larger mammals. However, these amazing pictures (and check out the video too) are too extraordinary not to have a look at.

4

Over the last couple of days I have finally managed to enjoy getting round to seeing a few of the documentary films that Philip has recently recommended to me:

- When The Levees Broke: A Requiem In Four Acts
- Black Tar Heroin
- Gladiator Days: Anatomy Of A Prison Murder
- Cocaine Cowboys

Spike Lee's devastating 4+ hours portrayal of the flooding of New Orleans at the time of hurricane Katrina is not only the pick of this worthy yet harrowing collection, but is undoubtedly, in my mind, one of the most brilliant documentary films of all time. It doesn't try to simplify, preach, or evade complexities, or be used as an exercise in egotism (think Michael Moore) - and by so doing packs an infinitely more powerful heavyweight punch; moreover, it even allows for inspired moments of gallows humour: this alone is testament to its greater poignancy.

SIGNIFICANCES 4

#8: intent
I am always curious about your intent, or even my own. It's the intent of a work of art or an actor's performance I see as the underlying motive, the belief about what one's fundamental purpose is at that time, whether implicit or explicitly stated - all invested and filtered through the energy afforded. It can reveal whether the artist has anything at all to say, other than exercising the pursuit of attention or emulation. In fact, as a measure of worth, I find myself much more attracted to, and interested in, an artist's intent than in their technical abilities, even though it's the combination of these two working together well that is as rare and as beautiful as the most obscure orchid in the rainforest.

A STRAY THOUGHT

Where would you go if you didn't know where it was? And what wouldn't you do if I didn't take you there?

Every system of prescriptive behaviour (like morals, ethics and forms of protocol) can be said to be imposing form upon a dynamic reality; and the gap between the two are what creates the tension that can excite an artist. The metaphor I like to use is that of the hand leading one into the woods; being led astray isn't necessarily being led to an unwelcome place, it's more likely to be something you'd dream - to me, it's that which is familiar that is the most unwelcoming - so if I'm going to be leading you anywhere, rest assured it won't be to a place you've been to before.