∆ Karlheinz Stockhausen - "Struktur X" ∆
^ (Stockhausen-Verlag Records, 1959/60) ^
I didn't mention in my last post that I had gotten a speeding ticket the previous day, mainly because I've noticed that a lot of people's blogs can come off as a constant litany of complaints, and this one has unintentionally slid into that area before. I was listening to the tail end of this track when I got the ticket (on a mix CD-R I had burned myself of future Blowtorch Baby songs to transfer from my old computer to my current one), so here you go. Ignore the very beginning, which is apparently just K.S. turning a pitch-shifting or delay knob. It's kind of funny to hear Brian Eno called the inventor of ambient music, when K-Stock and Pauline Oliveros were pioneering it years/decades before Eno first laced up his glittery platform boots in the supremely irritating Roxy Music. I love lots of Eno's stuff, don't get me wrong... but he really didn't invent anything, he just popularized it, which in itself is an admirable feat, I guess. I rarely care about who did something first; I just care about who did it best. The name of this post is a nod to the stunning 1984 album Structures From Silence by ambient bigwig Steve Roach. (The "X" in this track's title is a Roman numeral ten, since it's part of his numbered "Struktur" series, which he recorded from 1959 to 1960.) This track apparently did not see the light of day until being included on a 1991 compilation CD of rare K.S. recordings called Kontakte. I have a cool little book called Stockhausen: Life And Work (1976) that I would recommend both to a Stockhausen newbie and to a diehard fan:
I've only paid for one speeding ticket in my 19 years of driving, since let's just say my dad knows some people who know some people. For the one last week, I was going 43 in a 30 zone that I thought was a 40. The cop was the nicest person ever, and he was ridiculously polite and practically apologetic the whole time, probably because this is a pretty blatant speed trap. My previous interaction with a police officer, in Baton Rouge a year earlier (both officers were black, and I'm white, if that matters) was also as excellent as this one. I believe I may have gotten out of a ticket in the B.R. incident in part because I was wearing a John Coltrane t-shirt, but this is just conjecture; it was mainly because I was lost late at night in an unfamiliar city. It's easy for me to remember that date because it was right after I saw Red Sparowes on the night that Duke narrowly beat Butler for the NCAA hoops championship. Anyway, people who don't think cops are cool and helpful dudes are just people who haven't met these two.
On Monday morning I talked to this girl and was pretty much on cloud nine thinking about her for the rest of the day. On Tuesday I saw an impressive set by School Of Seven Bells (abrv. SVIIB) opening for Interpol. I wasn't too thrilled by their two albums, but live they come across much better, with tribal Jaki Liebezeit (CAN)-style drumming and great shoegazey guitarscapes, plus they were very loud. The singer does this adorably hilarious thing where she shakes her hair from side to side between almost every single song line. She probably doesn't even realize she's doing it. Unfortunately, they didn't play the song I most wanted to hear, "Dust Devil". It was my third time seeing Interpol, and each time they've had a different bassist. Say what you want about them (Paul's voice / lyrics, the snazzy suits, the coifs), but they have truly great / funky basslines and a top-notch drummer, and every once in a blue moon they can still crank out a great tune, though not like they once did.
Planets with similar climates: Probably some Lustmord (album Heresy), William Basinski, Fetisch Park, Brian Eno
Currently eating or drinking: Chobani Greek yogurt (blueberry); Powerade Play (grape) - new lower-sugar, higher-vitamin Powerade; Stefano Foods four cheese Mini Rip-n'-Dip; G.S. Gelato (coconut) - the best ice cream / gelato I've ever had
No comments:
Post a Comment