Holy Fuck!

[talktooloose]

That's the name of the band I just heard on Radio 3. Really liked the track I heard and liked this descriptive review they posted as an artists' statement:

"...Contains no computers, midi, samplers, sequencers or drum machines. The beats and samples are provided by Casio SK's and other garage sale keyboards. The scratches on the CD are done with a 35 mm film synchronizer which is a piece of film editing equipment that to the best of my knowledge has never been used as a musical instrument. All textures, bleeps and pulsing drones are made with guitar effect pedals. It's a wonderful collection of raw, rich sounds. ...Going from scattered guitar pieces to noises and crashes as melody lines with weird beats that sounds like your standing 2 feet away from a construction site on peyote. ...A must for those who like to be captivated, intrigued and blown the fuck away." -Earshot! Online

Holy Fuck! where you'll find a hot in concert shot.

Radio 3 had the song "Casio Bossa Nova" on.

Comments

[quirkstreet.livejournal.com]

Playing instruments live is hot. Musicianship is hot. These guys sound interesting.

But what's with the reviewer's posturing about "contains no midi, blah blah, just garage sale keyboards." Um, hi, when I was a kid, those were state of the art, and people who believed in "real music" would diss them, even when people were playing them live. Synthesizers were for pussies, real musicians were guitarists, or pianists if lite. Wasn't it Boston's first album where they put a whole "contains no synthesizers" rant on the liner notes.

Are the guitar effects pedals these guys are using digital, or analog. If digital: pussies, not real music.

Did they wire these garage sale keyboards themselves, or at least program their own patches? If not, pussies. How about the amps they use on stage? Tube only, I should hope, or else: pussies. And they better record into a single microphone in the studio!

We can make any interesting music disappear with the proper application of snarky, brainless standards.

[quirkstreet.livejournal.com]

I just re-read your post. This is the band's own statement about themselves?

Heh. I sense a case of 20something holier-than-thou. That music they make better be shit hot. ;-)

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

LOL. You're cute when you're in a self-righteous musical snit!

What I like is the live feel and using technology in inventive ways. Also, they groove well.

Like all artists statements, this one tends to the pretentious. But then naming themselves Holy Fuck! does undercut that a bit, don't you think?

[quirkstreet.livejournal.com]

It's self-righteousness mixed with "this hits me where I live." I've had my band dissed for using a drum machine or sequencers, and my favorite independent music shop has a "drum machines have no soul" bumper sticker prominently displayed. Well, excuse me the fuck for living. Apparently everyone who wants to can just magically walk out the door and find a drummer--probably an excellent one. No matter the fact that we've advertized for one often and gotten zero replies, or replies only from flakes who would commit to a rehearsal and then never appear.

To me, it's all gatekeeping: you must use only THESE instruments in THESE approved ways to be allowed to create. To which I say: I will fuck your shit up. I'll put my acoustic guitar on and I'll sing a three-chord punk song, with NO drums, about fucking musical blowhards up the ass, if all they can do is talk like their particular choice of instrumentation is more "real" than someone else's, when they didn't dig up the coal that supplies the electricity for their gadgets now did they?

Human voice and guitar strings only, baby. Real men make real music--music about shooting loads up the butts of poseur boys. (Who would LIKE it. I'm just saying.)

;-)

I may need to write this song ....

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

Of course, the rule is that art can be made with anything by anyone who has an inspiration. It' mostly music critics who make up the rule shit because they have to have a reason for existing.

My dream band now would be made up of live guitar, 2 or three keyboard players (maybe one doubling on bass) and live drums. The sounds would be very processed and electronic but everything would be played live without sequences.

The drummerless version of this uses drum loops but still no keyboard sequences.

And EVERYONE on vocals! DANCING! NAKED!!

[quirkstreet.livejournal.com]

Nakedness aside, are you familar with LCD Soundsystem? Because when they play live, they do something an awful lot like what you're describing. I think there are click tracks or loops in there, but there's a live drummer guy playing over them. And several keyboard players.

Using old keyboards with live musicians is very "hip" right now. And when the songs being played are worth it, it's awesome. But hauling out a junky DX7 and claiming that your musical turds are more authentic than someone else's awesome song that just happens to use a sequencer, is wack.

Authentic Turds!

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

Oooh, yeah. I saw LCD live in April 2005. MIA opened. Hot show. Last time I really danced my ass off at a show. LCD had this intense combination of groove and camp, hip and nerd. Just exceptional. I love Disco Infiltrator muchly.

My band would have more song format in it, though.

[briseur.livejournal.com]

Your favourite music critic opines:
Electric bass is the enemy
Have a nice day

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

...she says, busting into a conversation between two electric bassists!

Hey, are you going anywhere in July? I've kinda got a hankering to come to Vermont; maybe with a car. Visiting you and actually travelling with you would be kind of spiffing. A visit to Tash would be in order. Do you have any particular counterindications in your schedule?