mY Indie Soul Guest # 1 - Anne Sulikowski

Anne Sulikowski | Building Castles out of Matchsticks

mY Indie Soul Guest # 1
Listen | Download

I think three or four weeks ago , when i found Rothko music , even before i got amazed by their music , i got incredibly mind blown by their videos , i trace the artist and it was a bit confusing , so much information surrounding one name only ! A Canadian artist by the name of Building Castles out of Matchsticks that was both photographer and videographer , it made sense after a while , it was all the same person , don't need to say that i was quite happy , absolutely love to meet people like Anne , passionate about their work and so open talking about herself to someone who never meet before , i guess i consider myself a very lucky guy.

Mark Beazley of Rothko described you as :
" She is a unique artist, working in music, film and photography at such an incredibly high standard "

You have recorded over 13 Albums , been in over 10 music collaborations , working in radio since you were in high school , make beautiful movies and wonderful pictures .

AP ) where do you find all that talent ? and time ?

Anne ( I guess my talent is in my drive to record and document. I am so driven to record its unreal. I do not socialize like the normal person, I spend more time creating than I do inside a bar. I have no television so I have lots of time. Its all I want to do. Music, radio, film and photos….country drives. Seems like a simple and introverted life but to me its everything. I am humbled by the words of Mark. I love the music of Rothko and hold Mark in such high standards. For him to say those words about me are most touching. I am thankful that Mark and I have connected.

Since I was a kid I have loved music. I got my first organ when I was 4 years old from my father Anthony Sulikowski. I loved that organ. There is a picture of us together from that day on my myspace. I was so happy with that organ and trace my musical origins to those moments in time. As a child I used to play imaginary radio DJ games and even recorded some fake radio shows using my moms polish tapes when I was in elementary school. In high school I discovered campus radio by accident and I started listening. When I turned 18 I began volunteering at radio and had my first experimental music show at CFBU in St Catharines when I was 19. Since then I have hosted 6 programs and worked as a music director and programming director at CFBU. Now I host a show at CFMU here in Hamilton called “bleeps and hums” Heard online at mcmaster every Wednesday 9 PM EST. I still daydream about radio and still love organs today.

AP ) What secrets you will unfold with your Indie Soul ? Any special songs that you could tell us about ?

Anne ( Yes the indie soul concept is most special to me. I love that you have allowed me to make one for you. The songs are all very meaningful and they are ones that have stuck with me for ages. The styles vary, but they are all drenched in emotion and I am connected to everyone of them.

AP ) From all your albums , Witch is your favorite and why would you recommended it ?

Anne ( In all honesty I do not have a favorite album. Since 2000 I have done a lot of recording. Possibly because I also did a lot of growing up as a person. It was like the same thing for me. Growing up and recording music. It is hard to explain but I will try. Although I recorded music before 2000 I became very focused as a solo musician in the winter of 2000. I had a horrible break-up and I was very confused and pretty alone. I felt I didn’t have much at the time. Its almost embarrassing to say but it was a really low in my life and I wasn’t sure what tomorrow was going to bring. So I started recording. And this is how I still live my life today. I live to record and document my experiences within. It gives me purpose and understanding. So my albums are like stages in my life marking things I have learned and events that changed me. Maybe that’s a strange way to go about it, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

There is a definite evolution in my music, me starting from noise improv and ambient compositions moving to a more organized and instrumental electronic sound to quiet whispers and singing to the weirdo pop songs which I am doing now….the songs get more clear as time goes on……the one thing that is consistent is the fact that all the songs are stories and recollections of things that have happened to me. So when I think of which is my favorite it is most hard, cause my albums are like photographs of events that have occurred.

Here are some of my recordings that are special to me and why

Secret Doctrine

I recorded secret doctrine in end of 2005-2006. My Father became sick with cancer and I watched him die for months. To say the least because of this I will never be the same. This album is a strange mix of pop and improvised pieces and goes from spacey vocals to shrilling noise segments. Watching someone die is quite possibly the most confusing thing in the world and this album reflects that confusion within me. The last song, 209 West is named after the room in which my Father died. As I was working on that particular recording my laptop crashed and cease to work. When I finally turned it on again the program I was using did save the piece I was working on but it was glitched and recorded at parts like some sort of a malfunction. That experience to me was surreal and I left the recording broken as it was, cause a part of me believes that somehow it transcended my father. To me that song is something most incredible.

Oh, Didn’t She Ramble

Is my story of survival. A Renewed hope and inspiration. Written mostly at the end of 2006 and the beginning of 2007. This marked the beginning of my inner quest for resilience. Stories of failure and taking back what is yours. The art of talking too much. Become more aware of who are. Acceptance. Daydreaming. Romance. These songs are about finally becoming one who has no regrets whatsoever…one who has found ways to keep those most things hidden.

Mp3 | Building Castles Out Of Matchsticks - Oh Didnt She Ramble

Smile, Silly Face (912 records)

This is an album about duality. Smile, silly face, my most recent release, is all about how things are never as they seem to be. Almost never. A smile isn’t always a smile. Well that’s what I have learned anyway. This album contains pieces that were inspired by films I have come to hold dear to me. Films about duality about sorts. The waking Life, One hour Photo and Dark City were major influences for the songs “never“, “a snapshot” and “let go of my memories“. This album to me is very special as it features my first recording with Polish lyrics. It is dedicated to my cousin Danny who passed away at age 23 while I was working on these recordings. My cousin Danny had the most beautiful smile.

Secret Land (Trace Recordings)

Secret Land is filled with secrets and journeys and decisions and revisions. It is my most recent work and it hasn’t been released yet. The songs are more clear and vivid on this album. It marks a turning point in my life. Its like I’ve been walking on a dirt road for years and years and it only went one way and there was never any left or right or ways to turn back. These songs are like reaching this point where the road only goes left and right. Uncertainty. Guesses into the future? Pauses. Wondering…..

Sorry for the long answer. I tend to ramble.

AP ) Witch was your favorite collaboration and from who you have you learned the most during all this time ?

Anne ( I cannot answer that fully as I only collaborate with those I feel a personal connection to. All the people I have worked with musically I hold very dear to me. I have loved working with and am currently working with Mark Beazley, Phil Ogison, -243, Sirk, Sound in Stasis, rhea tucanea and Monodrone. I have begun a few more new collabs, one with science north, millimetrik and a few secret ones. I am very excited about a project with myself and Mark Beazley (Rothko) called “and if”. I have worked with many musicians in the past, either in improvised settings or in recordings or band appearances or as a vocalist or a film maker and I feel that each and other one of these people have left a mark on me. My rule is to always work with people or with songs I feel connected to. My music is far to personal for me to record with just anyone. I do hope to one day collaborate with casino versus japan. He is one of my favorite electronic artists and I so much admire his work.

AP ) Strings of Consciousness are fascinating , how was it like to work with them ?

Anne ( They have a special uniqueness about them. A refreshing blend of musical styles. Working on their video was indeed both challenging and very rewarding. They take you to other dimensions with their music, and the songs are wonderfully composed and very psychedelic. The song “Asphodel” I liked very much. The lyrics are amazing and the movements within the recording itself blew my mind away. I hope to work with them again soon.

Video | Strings of Consciousness - Asphodel Filmed and Edited by Anne Sulkowski.

AP ) Are your pictures a mirror of your compositions ? can you find a link between them ?

Anne ( Like my music my photos are reflections of me. I never take a picture without feeling a personal connection to the subject or the scene I have photographed. Sometimes my pictures remind me of something else later, but my visions are always changing and so are their meanings. But they all have meaning. Everything I do is linked, whether I miss the point or not. And if I did miss the point, I often find myself catching it later and saying “oh yeah….that’s why I took it”

AP ) Could you pick one picture that would reflect yourself ?

Anne ( Yes but that would mean I would have to cut a segment of every photograph I have ever taken and paste them all on a huge sheet of paper into a collage so they are all one.

AP ) How could you define building castles out of matchsticks ?

Anne ( I remember having an argument with someone back at the end of 2000, and we said some pretty harsh things to each other. The one thing that he said to me was “you know Anne, being who you are you are never going to get anywhere in life.” Although those words seem very mean to say to someone these words somewhat changed my life. They forced me to think about who Anne really was. And where Anne really wanted to go in life. It made me become self reflected and introverted. What does Anne want to do? If I knew all that then I would know whether or not he was right. Am I damed or am I gonna be ok. I started to spend more time alone wondering and wandering. This is the real start of building castles out of matchsticks. It was my way to build with what I have even when I felt as though I had nothing. It was a way for me discover what and who I was and make that all into a form of comfort to me. If I was true to myself then I would have gotten somewhere in my life. Building castles is about how everyone has something, no matter how hidden that something may be, and that something can be used to build the most elaborative of things. And that is what I did. Started building. A growth of sorts. And I needed it, cause I didn’t know really anything at all. Perhaps I’m a bit crazy in my answers but this is what recording became for me. My life is more real when I listen to the songs that are inspired by it. It gives me a sense of purpose and eases a strange unknown longing. Maybe that doesn’t mean much to people, but knowing who I am and what I want to get from life is very important to me. And this I explore through my music, film and photography.

AP ) With your last two albums , " smile, silly face " and " Secret Land " , do your consider yourself as a successful Canadian artist ?

Anne ( I’m not sure if I call myself successful in the conventional terms. I feel successful in the sense that I am doing everything I want to do. I record the songs I want to record and film the footage I want to film. I never go to bed thinking I wish I could do that or I wish that I had done that. I just do it. And that to me is a success in itself. The notion of trying to do what I want to do. And really that is so enough for me.

AP ) How does the media in Canada see you , being such a versatile artist ?

Anne ( I have only begun to explore my versatility. I’ve been recording music for a long time but it is only recently that I have focused on photography or film. I started taking pictures as a way of expression in 2005. I started making films in March 2007 when I discovered that my digital camera could also take short footage clips! This past year I have focused on film giving me the opportunity to learn a lot about editing. I still have a lot to learn. I didn’t even know what rendering was before last year. Ha. For those who make films rendering is essential and it is also hell. I have made 29 films to my music and the music of others. I am hoping that I will continue to do more film work…I have even applied for government grant funding to do a series of improvised musical film works….we’ll see what happens. I would like to do an experimental documentary about ghost towns in Canada. That is my goal in film.

As for the media and how they see me, well I’m often off wandering around or working away somewhere or driving on some country roads so I’m not really sure how they see me or even if they are looking. I have had some wonderful and touching reviews written about me. Those are always so kind to see. I have also had mean words typed here and there, making fun and saying I spend way too much time in la la land….but I will try not to mention that, cause those things are never kind to see.

AP ) I know you have a special admiration for the Sonic Youth Bassist Kim Gordon , any influences on her raw bass on your compositions ?

Anne ( It is not so much that she has influenced me musically, although I am a HUGE sonic youth fan. I admire Kim Gordon because of her personal expression in her music. She has this honesty that is remarkable. Her life is inside her words when she sings. I feel her music. She is not a faker. I think she is strong and most beautiful. I relate to her in ways that I cannot explain. To say the least she is most inspirational in so many ways.

AP ) Witch are your favorite albums at this moment ?

Anne ( At the moment my favorite album is a mix CD I make that I replace at least once a week with different songs each time becoming the new favorite with each and every new CD.

AP ) do you daydream ?

Anne ( All day every day.

AP ) Pros and Cons for Bloggers ?

Anne ( Pros : people can get to know who you are

And the con could be : Who the people really are.

When you expose yourself you are leaving yourself open to both the positive and the negative. I am quite open in my blogs and I think this is the reason for either admirations or mockery of me. This is the danger of any form of expression or honesty. Its all about interpretation and personal opinion. But isn’t everything?

Thank you very much Anne , and all the best in the world for all your projects .

Track List

Mice Parade - Shalom
"all the unkept things, as he sits like a king"

Silver Apples - Love fingers
There is indeed something very special about the silver apples. dating back to the the 60s this duo introduced a unique and futuristic approach to electronic music.

I find Simeons work most touching, his use of oscillation and poetic vocals are most inspiring. and romantic.

Ciccone Youth - MacBeth
This is the energy I love about sonic youth. This song reminds me of my mind being blown away. Completely caught in a moment. Confusion and a sense of comfort at the same time.

Flying saucer Attack - islands
david Pierce has recorded some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard. His use of guitar, distortion, delays and reverbs present the most soothing and unsettling music.

His voice is mesorizing. I have always enjoyed listening to him on country drives late at night.

Oval - oval pocess untitled track 05
electric lullabyes. sweet sounds of robot love. a walk on the moon with a short wave radio. this is romance at its finest. a future daze....

Casino versus japan where to? what for?
of all electronic musicians Erik has influenced me most. His unique and expressive ability transcends all the machines he uses for his creations.
This song reminds me of many times in my life. usually a song will remind me of one thing, but this recording changes as i do. Its about pauses and
wondering....waiting. smiling. turning away. crying. deciding and then revising. a walk alone. a decision made. the ability to press on. walking......

Seefeel - plain song
One time a boy I liked gave me a patchcord as a present. sounds boring, but getting a patchcord is just as sweet as getting flowers for me. this song reminds me of that moment.

Icarus - - three false starts
a soundtrack for a french kiss.

broadcast - tender buttons.
it is most impossible for me to pick a favorite broadcast song. well almost impossible.....but here it is.

avey tare and panda bear - Someday I'll Grow to Be as Tall as the Giant
everyone should own the album "Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished " I bought it in 2000, and it is still one of my favorite releases of today.

Stranglers - golden brown
"with my mind she runs"

Rothko - be invisible
I dont think that music can move me more. this track in particular has the ability to hit you at every level all at once. Its multi-dimensional and powerful. quiet. soundtrack to any proufound moment.

Yo la tengo - today is the day
"i remember that rusty car, like it was yesterday."

sonic youth - turquoise boy
there isnt a musical woman in the world that i look up to more. we need more female role models for today. thank you kim, for your honesty and inspiration.

Visit
Anne Sulikowski
Building Castles out of Matchsticks

Does it Offend you yeah - You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into ( 2008 )

Does It Offend You, Yeah? like doing things the hard way. They called themselves Does It Offend You, Yeah? for a start, thus inviting daily Nathan Barley gags before they’d even seen the show. They’ve embarked on their famequest with two hired hands; drummer Rob and mainman Morgan are reputedly only on contract for a year, leaving the band open to the possibility of losing their frontman to his side-project, Plugs.

Now, rather than releasing 2008’s equivalent of Justice’s ‘†’, and condensing their rock/rave hybrid into a scorching debut, they’ve risked overreaching themselves. Maybe their over-ambitiousness is all Klaxons’ fault. By melding disparate genres together while still harnessing a pop sensibility on ‘Myths Of The Near Future’, they set the bar incredibly high for bands of a similar ilk. On the evidence of their debut, DIOYY want a piece of their precursors’ pie: the Mercury Prizes, the transatlantic messianic status and the celeb endorsements. So what began as an effort to bolster two blokes with laptops into a full rock band proposition has burgeoned, no doubt spurred on by the industry vultures that swarm every hyped new band, into an album that tries to please everyone at once. Worst of all, though, it has a crack at mastering ‘pop’. Thus we have ‘Being Bad Feels Pretty Good’, which, despite its bass slaps, cowbell hits and searing guitar lines, remains a pretty flimsy ’80s pop pastiche. Meanwhile, ‘Dawn Of The Dead’ is either a heartwrenching classic or vapid parody depending on what your feelings about the use of digital steel drums in a song are. Elsewhere, ‘Doomed Now’ sees vocoders singing full-track vocal lines like robots taking part in Skynet Idol and is aimed at Daft Punk but can’t quite shake off Cher.nme

You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into -
Virgin Records / Almost Gold - 2008

Mp3 | Does it Offend you yeah - Let's Make Out
[ Feat. Sebastien Grainger - MSTRKRFT , ex-Death From Above 1979 ]
Mp3 | Does it Offend you yeah - We Are Rockstars


Video | Does It Offend You, Yeah? - Let's Make Out
Video | Does It Offend You, Yeah? - We Are Rockstars
Live @ (Channel 4)


Visit
Does it Offend you yeah

Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair ( 2008 )

Forget disco for a second. The most significant thing about the debut album from New York's Hercules and Love Affair has less to do with revival than arrival-- that of a compelling new voice in American dance music. Not Antony Hegarty's, of Antony and the Johnsons, even though his pipes are an integral part of Hercules' aesthetic, but Andrew Butler, a twentysomething resident of New York who has made one of 2008's great albums, and one of the best longplayers from DFA. (DFA's Tim Goldsworthy surely deserves some of the credit as well, as the album's co-producer and the programmer behind most of the record's beats.) Butler got his start writing music for art projects in college-- "like a remake of Gino Soccio's 'Runaway' done in the style of Kraftwerk," he told Fact magazine-- but Hercules and Love Affair's music doesn't require Fischerspooner-type theatrics. This debut album is a self-contained, self-assured, 10-song set that runs vintage styles through a restless compositional imagination to create something joyfully, startlingly unique.Philip Sherburne, Pitchforkmedia

Hercules and Love Affair - EMI/DFA - 2008
Mp3 | Hercules and Love Affair - Blind - [ Feat. Antony Hegarty ]
MP3 | Hercules and Love Affair - Athene

Mp3 | Hercules and Love Affair - Blind - [ Frankie Knuckles - Mix ]
Mp3 | Goldfrapp - A&E - [ Hercules and Love Affair - Mix ]

Video | Hercules & Love Affair - Time Will - [ Feat. Antony Hegarty ]


Visit
Hercules and Love Affair

Headman - Catch Me ( 2008 )

The new HEADMAN album is here! After amazing remixes for THE GOSSIP and CHROMEO the Berlin based ROCKDISCO pioneer Robi Insinna aka HEADMAN you can imagine what this third HEADMAN album could sound like: A wild mix of hard drums, 70ies Disco, Hacienda Rave, and Housemusic.You might have heard the frist single CATCH ME IF U CAN already on the KITSUNE/BOOMBOX compilation. But there's much more: Check out DREAMPIECES which features Jeremy Kerr - of UK whiteboy funk legends A CERTAIN RATIO. We think this is HEADMAN best recording since his discopunk debut from 2001!Gomma


Catch me - Gomma - 108 - 2008
Mp3 | Headman - New
Mp3 | Headman - Catch me Medley


On - Gomma - 68 - 2006
Mp3 | Headman - Everybody [ Vocals - Ben Rymer , Erol Alkan ]

Video | Headman - On and On

Download | Headman DJ Mix @ Polaroid Leeds 02/07

Visit
Headman

Julia Kent Interview

Julia Kent left Rasputina in 1999, after releasing two albums on Columbia Records, and shortly thereafter became a member of Antony and the Johnsons. She played on and contributed string arrangements to the group’s Mercury Prize-winning record I Am a Bird Now, and, as a Johnson, has toured Europe, North America, and Australia; played at Carnegie Hall and the Royal Albert Hall; and appeared on numerous television shows. In addition to her ongoing participation in Antony and the Johnsons, she also has performed and/or recorded with many other artists and ensembles, including the Angels of Light, Burnt Sugar, Larsen, Angela McCluskey, Leona Naess, Teddy Thompson, Devendra Banhart, Mi and L’au, and Rufus Wainwright.

Her debut solo effort, Delay, is a cd of multitracked cello and found sounds. It was inspired by airports, by transitoriness, and by the private emotional worlds that we create amid the disorientations and disjunctions of travel.
Delay was recorded over the course of a year (or so) at home in between touring and traveling. After so many years of playing with other people Julia felt that it was time to do something entirely on her own. As a result she is the sole composer/performer on all tracks. The title refers to both the effect, to traveling and to the fact that it took so long to record. It is also an homage to Arthur Russell's World Of Echo – a masterpiece of (among other things) externalizing the intimate. Important Records


AP ) What does the Cello represents to you and why did you choose it as your reference instrument ?

JK )For me the cello is almost like a human voice: it has the same range and the same expressive possibilities. I think it offers interesting possibilities as a solo instrument, because of its range and because of the different textures you can create with it.

AP )What was the most bizarre thing , that you saw yourself involved in a airport ?

JK ( I always feel that I look a bit bizarre, with my cello and my mountain of luggage!

AP )Why did you choose these airport names ? are they special among so many others ?

JK ( They are all airports I have traveled through and I selected the names because the sound of them evoked certain things.

AP ) In songs like "Dorval" you can sense a much bigger approach to the classical than with "Tempelhof" , that suggests something much more aggressive and radical , how can you combine so different realms in your music ?

JK ( I'm interested in exploring as many different musical realms as possible, and I like the fact that the cello is capable of creating sounds that are quite aggressive, as in "Tempelhof."

AP ) You studied cello in a classical way , why did you decide to a much more alternative approach to exteriorize your relation with the cello ?

JK ( After studying classically I ended up playing in rock bands and in other nonclassical projects, which is how I ended up exploring the nontraditional side of the instrument.

AP ) You use a lot of pedals and samplers on your songs , why did you choose to use this equipment that normally is not asociated with a Cello solist ?

JK ( I like using effects in the same way that I think a guitar player might: to expand the sonic possibilities of the instrument and to create unexpected textures.

AP ) How did the specialized classical reviewers received your record ?

JK ( The only piece I saw from a classical reviewer was really perceptive and positive.

AP ) Where do you think "Delay" should be in a record store ? In a classical , Alternative or World Music area , and why ?

JK ( That's a very good question! I generally describe the music as "ambient." Certainly I don't think it qualifies as "classical" or "world music." Probably "alternative" is the most accurate category?

AP ) My favorite is "Barajas" , what could you tell about the creation of this particular piece ?

JK ( "Barajas" is named after the airport in Madrid, which is has a quite spectacular design. Musically, I was trying to create an agitated and cinematic atmosphere.

AP ) What does come to your mind with the name Antony and the Johnsons ?

JK ( I am very happy to be a Johnson!

AP ) What was it like to be involved in the process of recording such incredible beautiful songs with Antony ?

JK ( Antony is amazing: he is such a talented and beautiful person and I feel really lucky to have had the chance to work with him.

AP ) You have a long list of brilliant collaborations , Angels of Light, Larsen, Backworld, Jarboe, Devendra Banhart, Angela McCluskey, Leona Naess, Teddy Thompson, Rufus Wainwright , among many others , witch one was more rewarding and why ?

JK ( I always learn a lot through working with other people. I am always particularly enthusiastic to have the chance to do things with Michael Gira of Angels of Light--he is a brilliant producer.

AP ) After being been known in supporting roles , what does it feel like , being the star of the show and having half the world adoring your music ?

JK ( Oh my goodness, I so wish that were true! I have to say that with "Delay" I wanted to make something entirely by myself, and I have found it really empowering to have been able to do that.

AP ) Do you thing that was a big help for your solo carrier to have worked it so much famous people ? i suppose that is easier to promote your music , if your are associated as "Cello of Antony and the Johnsons" .

JK ( I think definitely it helped a bit, though I feel as though the audience for my solo music is pretty different.

AP ) You must have lots of wonderful memories of the times with Rasputina , could you share something special that happened during a tour ?

JK ( I have lots of memories, definitely! I did have a lot of fun touring with them, the most surreal experience being when we opened for Marilyn Manson and the audience threw various objects at us!

AP ) Why did you chose Shayo to release your debut album ?

JK ( Yann has been super supportive from the very beginning and he did an amazing job with the record in Europe. Important Records released it in North America.

AP ) Future plans , more collaborations and new solo album ?

JK ( I am working on a new solo album as we speak and talking to various people about collaborations.

AP ) Any plans to a visit the Netherlands soon , for a concert ?

JK ) I'd love to play in the Netherlands, but no immediate plans.

AP ) Pros and cons for bloggers ?

JK ( I feel as though bloggers have been really supportive of my record and I'm most grateful!
thank YOU very much!!!




" Delay " Shayo Records - 2008
Mp3 | Julia Kent - Barajas


Visit
Julia Kent

Minimal Abstract Soundscapes # 1

Pictures & Artwork by Camille Rose Garcia

Ambient / Abstract / Electronic / IDM

" Light Years " - tube'112 - 2008
Mp3 | Lee Rosevere - Deathless

«The dazzling state before the magnanimous perspective of space is something that affects most people. The infinite, the fascinating void… the senses numbed by the impossibility to explain everything that surrounds us… these are the first images that ‘Light Years’ - a new release by Lee Rosevere , awake in our mind.» Pedro Nunes



" American Case Study " - tube'|106 - 2008
Mp3 | Norman Fairbanks - Specifically

'American Case Study' helps us to explore an unusual side of Norman's creations, namely the ambient/spoken word approach. 'Element One' through 'Element Five' gathers some speeches from whatever - including the late Allen Ginsberg - and serves them with some of Norman's trademark spacious beats and drones. Pedro Leitao



" Skuba " Ep - skm 011 - 2006
Mp3 | Daniel Maze - Something Green

A few days after the acceptable but finally forgettable "elementary ep", Daniel Maze is giving us :: Skuba, 5 ambient tracks for the electronic label, Standard klik music. Faithful to ambient spirit on construction, Maze developps interestings "granular" atmospheres ( blinded by the sun ) then confirms this interest on textures and coming rythmics drones with the major piece of the release "foodcourt". After a classic "needles", :: Skuba ends with two colored different tracks called "something", one blue and the other green, and as usual, primary color wins. thierry massard



" Musicamorosa " - Crónica 029 - 2007
Mp3 | The Beautiful Schizophonic - Music For Lonely People

Marcel Proust has been one of the main sources of inspiration to me in the last years. His ideas devoted to the affections of the human heart, his approach deeply rooted on the long literary French tradition in which love can only be lived in sadness, is something that goes much beyond pure aesthetic. So it came only natural that somehow I would try to convey this literary and philosophic interest with the sound aesthetic I pursue. Jorge Mantas



" For Waiting, For Chasing " - Mosz 010 - 2006
Mp3 | Pan American - From Here

Following on from the magnificent 'Quiet City' album for Kranky (to this day one of the biggest selling titles on Boomkat), Mark Nelson finally returns with a new album under the Pan American moniker - and it's another triumph of sublime understatement. "For Waiting, For Chasing" is underpinned by delicately caressed and manipulated Flugelhorns, Tibetan Singing Bowls and Chinese Cymbals, processed, weaved and loved into a throbbing mass of neon.



" Transmutation Primer " - SKM 023 - 2007
Mp3 | Parataxis - Atomos

Newly arrived in the U.S., a former UK/European native sets to work identifying the specific neural arrangements that give rise to ontic structure and implicate order, though use of tuned frequency stimulation and synaesthesic elicitation of an optimally stimulated ganzfeld state. dip down into the unconscious and intangible aspects of your enformed self...



" The Dead Texan " - KRANK 072 - 2004
Mp3 | The Dead Texan - The 6 Million Dollar Sandwich

The Dead Texan is a collaborative audio-visual release that contains a compact disc paired with a DVD containing seven video pieces designed to accompany the music on the album. Adam Wiltzie is a sound engineer and musician who has done live sound and recording work for numerous bands. He is best known as one half of the noctambulant drone duo Stars of the Lid. That group that has already collaborated with painter Jon McCafferty on one album, Per Aspera ad Astra, and plays with the stunning film accompaniment of Luke Savisky. This experience makes Wiltzie uniquely qualified to create videos for the music he makes under the name The Dead Texan.



" Small craft exercise caution " - one030 - 2007
Mp3 | Relative q - Man your Battle Stations

Just over three years ago, Relative Q (Paul Zyla) was the first solo artist at One, so it is very befitting for us to present his latest work as our milestone 30th release. We have been sitting on this release for quite some time now and are excited to finally bring it to fruition.

Composed during the majority of 2006, 'Small Craft Exercise Caution' is a heady, personal affair with moods seeming to play with optimisim and inspiration through, well, troubled waters. Paul has crafted a wide and lush sound combining the worlds of smokey lounge, electronica and etheral shoegaze with lively instrumentation, rhythmic interplay, driving synths, and a certain melodic finesse.

Karl OFF - Acoustic Camera

It’s at the beginning of the 90s that Olivier Désir aka Karl has begon to play on his first machines to produce several demos allying melodies and electronic experiments.

In the late 90s, he has met Cédric DeBruyn, they 've created « Pink Satellite » and quickly became one of the top performers of the belgian house scene. They played with Superdiscount, Llorca, Buscemi or Tom Middelton and performed "warm-up" for people like Royksopp or Air. Two years later, the duet left finally its second album called E-Closer, where the organic music mixed more with electronics. "St-Germain des Prés" will be extracted from it to open the second volume of the famous compilation of the same name.

Cédric established himself in the belgian scene as DJ while Olivier was creating another jazzy downtempo project called "Karl OFF".

It's always with the same idea to merge instruments and new technologies that Olivier turned himself to experimented jazz musicians to realize the studio version of his new project.
For this first album called "acoustic camera", he has worked with musicians like Jean-Louis Rassinfosse, Charles Loos, Felix Simtaine, Jan Kuijken, George Van Dam, ... .Karl combines classical instuments like doublebass, clarinet, violin, cello, piano , ... , with some vintage organs, synths and tapes to produce a "cinematic space pop jazz". . He has also met Samy Birnbach (Minimal Compact) aka Dj Morpheus who has wrote and sung one of the most beautiful and melancholic songs of the Lp: "The Absence".

Acoustic Camera - Anorak Supersport 2007

Mp3 | Karl OFF - The Sideman
Mp3 | Karl OFF - Capoeira Makes the Wet [ David Borsu mix ]


Visit
Karl OFF
Anorak Supersport

The Silent Ballet: Volume 7 - Winter 2008

Volume VII gathers fifteen artists from around the world to bring you what we believe is our most exciting compilation yet. Unlike previous efforts, our winter compilation focuses almost entirely on solo projects and musical duos, primarily pulling from the digital realm of experimentation. Free from compromise, these artists are capable of embracing every last whim, and this spontaneity and energy is readily on display. We hope our readers enjoythese musicians as much as we do.

We graciously thank all artists and labels who made this compilation possible. Hopefully all who find this venture worthwhile will look into supporting these artists in whichever way possible. It is our support which enables them to continue creating music that they, and we, love.
Jordan Volz - The Silent Ballet
Barry Rogers - Lost Children Net Label

Mp3 | The Ansion - I Spell Weird , Wierd

Tracklist
Download Here

Millimetrik featuring Port-Royal: Les Artefacts du Futur
The Ansion: I Spell Weird, Wierd
Boy is Fiction: Heart and Powder
Glowworm: The Captive
Beneva Vs. Clark Nova: 88 Kilos of Excrement
Parachutes: Your Stories
d_rradio: So Long
Arms and Sleepers: Butterflycatcher
Juxta Phona featuring Offthesky: Trust Roullette
Arctic Hospital: Northern Wish
Cheju: Spools (Rewound)
Akira Kosemura: It’s on Everything
Celer: Unreleased Theme for a Film
Tsukimono: Oh Patti Smith, When Will You Let Me Go

Visit
The Silent Ballet
Lost Children Net Label

Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I - IV (2008)

Hello from Nine Inch Nails.

We're very proud to present a new collection of instrumental music, Ghosts I-IV. Almost two hours of music recorded over an intense ten week period last fall, Ghosts I-IV sprawls Nine Inch Nails across a variety of new terrain.

Now that we're no longer constrained by a record label, we've decided to personally upload Ghosts I, the first of the four volumes, to various torrent sites, because we believe BitTorrent is a revolutionary digital distribution method, and we believe in finding ways to utilize new technologies instead of fighting them.

We encourage you to share the music of Ghosts I with your friends, post it on your website, play it on your podcast, use it for video projects, etc. IT's licensed for all non-commercial use under Creative Commons.

We've also made a 40 page PDF book to accompany the album. If you'd like to download it for free, Here

Ghosts I is the first part of the 36 track collection Ghosts I-IV. Undoubtedly you'll be able to find the complete collection on the same torrent network you found this file, but if you're interested in the release, we encourage you to check it out at Ghosts, where the complete Ghosts I-IV is available directly from us in a variety of DRM-free digital formats, including FLAC lossless, for only $5. You can also order it on CD, or as a deluxe package with multitrack audio files, high definition audio on Blu-ray disc, and a large hard-bound book.

We genuinely appreciate your support, and hope you enjoy the new music. Thanks for listening.

Mp3 | Nine Inch Nails - 2 - Ghosts I

Download | Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I

Today we announce the expansion of the Ghosts project into the visual world. This record began as an experiment with us using sound as a means to describe visuals. Early in the project we thought it would be interesting to see what the community could create / collaborate on as a reaction to the music we were making. We wanted to keep the canvas as blank as possible for you, hence the lack of descriptive song titles and the primarily textural artwork and packaging.
So here's the plan: we've teamed up with YouTube to host a "film festival" around Ghosts. The concept is for you to take whatever tracks you feel inspired by from Ghosts and create what you feel should accompany them visually. You will be able to see all of the submissions, and a team of us (including me) will be sorting through them and setting aside ones we feel are exceptional. Eventually (within a couple of months?) we will present a virtual "film festival" with me and some special guests presenting selections of your work.

Visit

Nine Inch Nails

Blood Red Shoes - Box of Secrets

Blood Red Shoes are a two-piece rock band from Brighton who take influence from the likes of Nirvana, Huggy Bear, Jesus Lizard, The Fall and Mudhoney. The band consists of Steven Ansell (vocals and drums) and Laura-Mary Carter (vocals and guitar) and they formed in 2005 after their previous bands (Cat On Form and Lady Muck respectively) had broken up and they decided to "have a jam". They have released four 7" records on different independent labels (Jonson Family, Try Harder, Abeano/XL, Drowned in Sound) and are currently signed to V2. Their debut album promises to be one of the most eagerly anticipated of 2008 .

"Blood Red Shoes come on like Comanechi with less hair, or them Whites if they'd been raised in gutter punk clubs: totally entrancing." - Drowned In Sound

"For Blood Red Shoes, read Really Bloody Great. A jolting, jagged assault on the senses." - This Is Fake DIY

"Think the White Stripes with the roles flipped over, less blues and an injection of pure-bred punk-rock and you're on the right track" - The Guardian



Box Of Secrets - ( V2 Records 2008 )

Mp3 | Blood Red Shoes - Forgive Nothing
Mp3 | Blood Red Shoes - ADHD


Video | Blood Red Shoes - Its Getting Boring By The Sea
Video | Blood Red Shoes - You Bring Me Down



Visit

Blood Red Shoes

Be your own pet - Get Awkward

It has been nearly two years since these Nashville punks broke onto the scene with that raucous debut album. The band went through a few lineup changes getting a new guitarist but the core is still here and so is the attitude. That was the charm of the bands first album it sounded like kids who didn't give a shit and who just went in there and recorded and had the time of their lives. There is not much of a change here but did we really expect that to happen. The band took the time to sharpen their sound. The record as a whole sounds cleaner. Lyrically, the songs still border on the silly to the almost insane as topics range from food fights to zombies.

First, we will start off with the ridiculous but fun “Food Fight” and “Zombie Graveyard Party.” "Food Fight" is a fast and scream heavy one minute about the food fight and all the items that lands in Jenna's(singer) hair. “Zombie Graveyard Party” is one of the catchiest songs on the album especially when the “zombie” songs in to backup Jenna on the vocals. “Becky” starts off sounding like the song “Locomotion” just listen to the intro. The song is striking narrative on the topic of a former friend and the threat of 'knives after class.” “The Kelly Affair” is one of those teenage anthems about drugs and sex. Then you get a track like “Blow Yr Mind” that is a loose and unstructured 45 seconds of screaming but you love it.

“Get Awkward” is a really fun record. The key is to keep expectations reasonable. This won't be a record you listen to 60 times this year but it is something that is worth to have in your collection to pop in ever so often and enjoy the fun songs. The band at times get a little off course with a song like “Blummer Time” but there is enough of that pop/punk swagger to make you happy for awhile. John Siwicki - comfortcomes



Get Awkward ( Ecstatic Peace 2008 )

Mp3 | Be Your Own Pet - The Kelley Affair
Mp3 | Be Your Own Pet - Black Hole

Be your own pet ( Ecstatic Peace 2006 )

Mp3 | Be Your Own Pet - Electric Shake
Mp3 | Be Your Own Pet - bicycle Bicycle

Video | Be Your Own Pet - Fuuuuuun
Video | Be Your Own Pet Live - Bunk Trunk Skunk



Visit

Be Your Own Pet

The Carina Nebula : Star Birth in the Extreme

( press on the picture for large view )

In celebration of the 17th anniversary of the launch and deployment of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, a team of astronomers is releasing one of the largest panoramic images ever taken with Hubble's cameras. It is a 50-light-year-wide view of the central region of the Carina Nebula where a maelstrom of star birth - and death - is taking place.

Hubble's view of the nebula shows star birth in a new level of detail. The fantasy-like landscape of the nebula is sculpted by the action of outflowing winds and scorching ultraviolet radiation from the monster stars that inhabit this inferno. In the process, these stars are shredding the surrounding material that is the last vestige of the giant cloud from which the stars were born.

The immense nebula contains at least a dozen brilliant stars that are roughly estimated to be at least 50 to 100 times the mass of our Sun. The most unique and opulent inhabitant is the star Eta Carinae, at far left. Eta Carinae is in the final stages of its brief and eruptive lifespan, as evidenced by two billowing lobes of gas and dust that presage its upcoming explosion as a titanic supernova.

The fireworks in the Carina region started three million years ago when the nebula's first generation of newborn stars condensed and ignited in the middle of a huge cloud of cold molecular hydrogen. Radiation from these stars carved out an expanding bubble of hot gas. The island-like clumps of dark clouds scattered across the nebula are nodules of dust and gas that are resisting being eaten away by photoionization.

The hurricane blast of stellar winds and blistering ultraviolet radiation within the cavity is now compressing the surrounding walls of cold hydrogen. This is triggering a second stage of new star formation.

Our Sun and our solar system may have been born inside such a cosmic crucible 4.6 billion years ago. In looking at the Carina Nebula we are seeing the genesis of star making as it commonly occurs along the dense spiral arms of a galaxy.

The immense nebula is an estimated 7,500 light-years away in the southern constellation Carina the Keel (of the old southern constellation Argo Navis, the ship of Jason and the Argonauts, from Greek mythology).

This image is a mosaic of the Carina Nebula assembled from 48 frames taken with Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys. The Hubble images were taken in the light of neutral hydrogen. Color information was added with data taken at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. Red corresponds to sulfur, green to hydrogen, and blue to oxygen emission. hubblesite

Morgan Geist aka Metro Area @ Club 11

The first time i heard the sounds of Morgan Geist aka Metro Area , was probably more than 8 years ago , it was in the ADN bar in Setubal , Portugal , on that evening the German crew Spinning Wells were literally spinning very , very amazing sound , a lot of cranky German broken beats covered and layered with very fine electronics with electro approaches , the track that caught my attention was one that took me a quite few month to discover after that evening , i took a look at the deck , and i could see a label saying Metro Area. It sounded like a soundtrack out of Miami Vice with a lot of Barry White and Womack & Womack on it , fresh as a summer breeze on a hot desert day , drinking Marguerites and swimming with senhoritas.
The problem was , if you make a search on the internet looking for Metro Area , you will find everything but the Metro Area that you really need.

I used to listen to this radio show " Casa Bateria e Baixo " translating , House and Drum n' Bass by a quite famous Portuguese dj , Rui Vargas that so many night rocks my Nights in the Lux , a very fine place in the Lisbon night.

One afternoon while driving from Lisbon to Setubal , Bingo , just like a brain orgasm, the Metro Area thing was playing for the delightedness of my ears , easy , very easy an email for the guy and i would get my answer.

Two or three days later by randomly luckiness i meet the guy in the first Gotham Project concert in the Aula Magna , another very fine place for music listening in Lisbon , i asked him what Metro Area track he played that day , the answer clear as crystal as the say , Metro Area - Caught Up , Environ records.

On this side of the Atlantic , more precisely in Berlin was another follower of the Metro Area vibes , Daniel Paul , Sonar Kollektiv , with a delicious single , " Outta Space" with a awesome Volker Meitz dub remix. Daniel Paul turn in to Slope with the epic " " Para los Pinchas " " and after turned the page to something more electro jazzy freestyle.

Recently this Metro Area thing emerged again of the shadows with the excellent Canadians Junior Boys " So This is Goodbye " album. Double Shadow is just an extension of that super sweet Caught Up Track .

You will have to wait around 01 minute and 35 seconds of bleeps and bloops to get inside the sweetness of Caught Up.

Next Friday the 21 of March , Morgan Geist will be paired @ Club 11 Amsterdam with live kelley Polar [Environ] and Nuno dos Santos ( Compost Black )

Mp3 | Metro Area - Caught Up
Mp3 | Metro Area - Muira [ Maelstrom_Edit ]
Mp3 | Junior Boys - Double Shadow
Mp3 | Kelley Polar - Roseband

Listen | The Rapture-The House Of ... (Morgan Geist Remix)
Video | Kelley Polar - Chrysanthemum


Visit

Club 11
Morgan Geist
Metro Area
Environ
kelley Polar
Nuno dos Santos

Rothko music vs Mark Rothko paintings

A few weeks ago i was very lucky to have found Rothko, on one random sunday afternoon jumping from links to links , my first question was about the name Rothko , Mark Beazley told me that Mark Rothko was a russian american painter who sadly committed suicide and that his paintings are one of Rothko influences. Dont need to say that my bellow average knowledge of art was exposed , still its never too late to discover new beautiful things.
This week i got my copy of Rothko new album " Eleven Stages of Intervention " , it has a lot of spaces floating on canvas , they seen to go around the edges and them bounce back into the abstract , i could look at a blank wall and watch shapes taking form , rectangular warm colors , warm read , purple , yellow .
Yesterday decided to look for Mark Rothko paintings , even before a saw the first one i new exactly what to expect from the paintings. Warm Rectangular forms floating on empty spaces.
As a final experience i looked for one paintings for each song of the album , also a way to make a small tribute to Mark Rothko amazing paintings.

Mp3 | Rothko - say something to someone



02 give.every.thing



03 tell your story to the winds



04 be invisible



05 place a star up in the sky



06 weather every storm



07 break the cycle of sorrow



08 sit in silent thought



09 watch the black sun fade



10 light a lantern on the water





A short biography of Latvian-born abstract expressionist artist and anarchist, Mark Rothko.

Mark Rothko
Born Marcus Rothkowitz, 25 September 1903 - Russia, died 25 February 1970 - New York, USA

Marcus Rothkowitz was born to Jewish parents in Czarist Russia on September 25, 1903 in Dvinsk. His father emigrated to America when he was ten.

Having decided to become an artist, he started out painting representational pictures in the Expressionist manner, rendering the drama of contemporary existence in a faceless metropolis. His art then grew freer, in Surrealist-influenced compositions that focus on mythic and biomorphic figures. Finally, in the years between 1949 and his suicide in 1970, he jettisoned representational art altogether and worked solely on the luminous fields – mostly in red and black - for which he became famous.

He spoke four languages- Russian, Yiddish, Hebrew, and English, and experienced many cultures which greatly enriched his art.

Dvinsk was a solidly working-class, largely Jewish town of about 100,000. In response to the massive growth in revolutionary ideas, the Czarist authorities bloodily repressed workers – especially Jews – and attacked demonstrations, jailed militants and carried out pogroms.

His father managed to emigrate with Marcus in 1913 where he was soon joined by his family, but died in 1914 in Portland. Portland at the time was the epicentre of revolutionary activity in the US at the time, and the area where the revolutionary syndicalist union the Industrial Workers of the World, was strongest.

Marcus, having grown up around radical workers' meetings, attended meetings of the IWW and with other anarchists like Bill Haywood and Emma Goldman, where he developed strong oratorical skills he would later use in defence of Surrealism. With the onset of the Russian Revolution, Rothko organised debates about it in an atmosphere of extreme repression and wished to become a union organiser.

Later in life with the death of the Russian Revolution, the destruction of the Spanish Revolution by Communists and Fascists, and the rise of the Nazis Rothko became disillusioned as to whether there was any hope for social change. But he claimed "I am still an anarchist"!

He became a painter when he joined Yale university, and changed his name to the Westernised Mark Rothko in 1938.

After building up a considerable body of work, he slit his wrists in 1970, after suffering extreme depression and many years of alcohol abuse.


Vist

Rothko
Mark Rothko

karl–Johan Nilsson - The Seams

Breaking a six-month silence for us is Karl–Johan Nilsson's The Seams. A work featuring wide, sweeping strokes from minimal brushes that add up to a thick canvas of sound - electrical static scratches and crawls, rolling waves of rhythm, bass, guitar, synths and ambiance come from all sides. Sounds seemingly trying to escape while a song progresses or takes form.

The Seams' end results are not entirely focused on the minimalist focus or common click-gut-glitch manners, but rather a sublime and epic manner full of moody curiousities, melody and melodrama built from the intricacies these styles bring and their combinations to a larger scale. One

Mp3 | karl-Johan Nilsson - Mechanical Soul

Download full album Here


Visit

karl–johan nilsson
one, yet another netlabel

Donkey Xote

This is a true adventure comedy. The donkey, Rucio, tells the true story of Don Quixote and defends the idea that he wasnt mad, but in reality, Quixote was a very intelligent, passionate and enthusiastic fellow. We then follow Don Quixote, his squire, Sancho Panza (Quixotes best friend and the wealthiest man in town), Sanchos donkey, Rucio (who wants to be a horse) and a real horse, Quixotes faithful steed, Rocinante (who hates leaving his stable) on their adventure to duel the Knight of the Moon where, if Quixote wins the duel the true identity of Dulcinea will be revealed.

Video | Donkey Xote

visit
Donkey Xote

Cat Power - Black Session

Mp3 | Cat Power Black Session

01. Metal Heart 04:37
02. New York, New York 02:27
03. Ramblin’ (wo)man 03:58
04. Silver Stallion 04:13
05. I Lost Someone 03:15
06. Lord Help the Poor and Needy 03:21
07. Dark End of The Street 04:26
08. Song to Bobby 05:04
09. Naked 03:19
10. Don’t Explain 04:35
11. Aretha, Sing One for me 03:51
12. She’s Got You (bad) 01:20
13. She’s Got You 04:26
14. Live in Bars 03:49









Pictures by Philippe Mazzoni PHOTOGRAPHE OFFICIEL DES BLACK SESSIONS


Visit

Cat Power
blacksessions

mOI , Je Veux @ Lugosi's ( sat 8 ) 23:00

My alter ego , mOI , Je Veux , will be delivering some serious bad ass tracks this saturday @ Lugosi's

Alternative | Punk-Rock | Post-Punk | Digi-Punk | Electro-Punk |
such as :

The Rapture , Soulwax , CSS , Pixeltan , Be Your Own Pet , Ex-Girl , Lcd Soundsystem , Digitalism , Brmc , Dead kennedys , Ariel , Black Strobe , Sex Pistols , Ascii Disko , Boys Noise , Tiga , Foreign Island , MSTRKRFT , Anthony Rother , Emperor Machine , Human League , The Presets , YYY , M.A.N.D.Y , Justice , Lesbians on E's , The Clash , Test Icicles , Les George Leningrad , Electrosexual , Franz Ferdinand , Headman , My Man Dot Com , Passions , Depeche Mode , Electro Group , Extrawelt , Nypc , Robocop Kraus and a lot of kick ass remixes.

Bring your party gears and dance your shoes off.

Map | Central Station Haarlem - Lugosi's

Karen O

Karen Lee Orzolek, better known as Karen O, is the lead vocalist for the New York rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs. She was born on November 22, 1978 in South Korea.
Karen's mother is Korean and father is Polish. Karen grew up in New Jersey, and attended Oberlin College, but transferred to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.
Karen O has been noted for her sense of fashion. All of her costumes are designed by fashion designer and friend Christian Joy.



Mp3 | Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Art Star - 2001 Yeah Yeah Yeahs EP
Mp3 | Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps - 2003 Fever to Tell
Mp3 | Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Way Out - 2006 Show Your Bones
Mp3 | Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Kiss Kiss - 2007 Is Is EP

She is also well known for her outrageous antics during live shows. She is known to often spit water or beer, or sometimes grapes into the crowd. Her on-stage antics have been compared to punk legends like Iggy Pop and Patti Smith. During a tour for the 2003 Livid Festival in Australia, at a sideshow at The Metro in Sydney, she accidentally danced off the stage and reluctantly had to be taken to hospital. A few days later at the Sydney leg of the Livid Festival, she appeared in a wheelchair pushed by Angus Andrew.
She currently lives in Los Angeles, California, in the Silver Lake neighborhood.

Video | Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Rich
Video | Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Turn Into
Video | Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Date with the Night
Video | Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Sealings






Visit
Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Kim Gordon vs Kim Deal

Kim Gordon
While some of the basic facts about Kim Gordon's life are a little fuzzy, there's nothing fuzzy about her influence on the music scene. Sources differ concerning the date and place of her birth, with some claiming she was born in 1953 in Rochester, NY, while others state that she entered the world in 1958 in Los Angeles, CA. None, however, deny her influence over rock, or the varied activities that have led some to describe her as a renaissance woman. Interestingly, she didn't start out as a musician and didn't even study music. Gordon, who plays bass for Sonic Youth, records as a solo artist, leads the band Free Kitten, and also is part of the band Harry Crews, earned a degree in fine arts from Los Angeles' Otis College of Art and Design during the early '70s. She headed to New York a decade later. There she established a group called CKM, contributed to Artforum magazine, and participated in the Anover Art Festival. There she met Thurston Moore, the man who would join her and Lee Ranaldo to form Sonic Youth. She and Moore wed in 1984, and a decade later had a child, Coco Hayley Moore. In 1991, Gordon helped produce the album Pretty on the Inside for Hole. She headed to Lollapalooza with her band Free Kitten two years later, and branched out into directing in 1994 with music videos for "Divine Hammer" and "Cannonball" by the Breeders. She expanded her talents again a year later in New York when she launched a line of clothing she dubbed X-Girl, which she sold in 1997. Rolling Stone acknowledged her influence that same year when the magazine included Gordon in a feature titled Women in Rock. By 1999, the renaissance woman of rock began crafting a solo album and modeling in advertisements for Calvin Klein. VH1 acknowledged her influence by including her in its list of 100 Greatest Women of Rock. Although in interviews she has seemed leery of giving herself wholeheartedly to the cause of feminism, her songs often have decidedly pro-feminist themes when she addresses such issues as sexual harassment, rape, and the casting couch. She also addressed anorexia in a number titled "Tunic (Song for Karen)," which refers to the ordeal endured by Karen Carpenter, a woman who was just as prominent in the music world in her day as Gordon is now. Linda Seida, All Music Guide



Kim Deal
As the bass player for the Pixies , Kim Deal was lost in the shadow of leader Black Francis. In the late '80s, the Pixies were one of the most critically acclaimed alternative bands; however, Deal didn't receive much credit for helping to carve the Pixies distinctive potpourri of punk, surf music, and hard rock. Deal joined the Pixies in 1986 after answering an ad searching for a bassist. In 1990, while the Pixies took a break from recording and performing, Deal formed the Breeders with Tanya Donelly (guitar) of Throwing Muses and Josephine Wiggs (bass) of Perfect Disaster, releasing an album called Pod. The Breeders were intended to be a side project, but it became a full-time outfit for Deal. After recording one EP and four albums, the Pixies crumbled in 1992, mainly because Deal and Francis were no longer able to get along. In 1993, the Breeders released Last Splash, and Deal was suddenly inundated with the attention she was denied while with the Pixies. In fact, Last Splash was more successful in America than any of the Pixies' LPs. The track "Cannonball" exploded on MTV and on alternative stations, and Deal paved the way for other aggressive female rockers like Shirley Manson of Garbage and Courtney Love of Hole to be played alongside angst-ridden male vocalists. Burned out from constant gigs, the Breeders went into hibernation in 1994. In 1995, Deal and a few of her friends released an album, Pacer, as the Amps. In 2000, Deal began recording material with a revised Breeders lineup. Michael Sutton, All Music Guide



Video | Kim Gordon vs Kim Deal | Sonic Youth - Little Trouble Girl
Video | Kim Gordon | Sonic Youth - Reena
Video | Kim Deal | Pixies - Gigantic

Visit

Pixies
Sonic Youth