When The Cure was recording their 1989 record, Disintegration, Robert Smith said it was the first time that they went into the studio knowing that they’d be recording for a release on compact disc, which meant they could shoot for over an hour of music. “Disintegration is the first real CD-LP,” he claimed, “It was about time the musicians learned to use this format: instead of two twenty-minute sides of an LP, you now have a seventy-minute stream of music without interruptions.” The LP had restricted bands to a runtime of forty-five minutes, but with the advent of CD came additional time to record songs (“bonus tracks,” anyone?). Continue reading “The Disintegration of the Compact Disc”
Christian Marclay mini-documentary
Artist Christian Marclay has been manipulating records and turntables in a very un-Hip-hop manner since anyone else has (Hip-hop or otherwise). As someone who creates new compositions out of old ones using turntables and records, he very well might be the first turntablist. Continue reading “Christian Marclay mini-documentary”
Predicting the Present
Daniel Pinchbeck once wrote that traditionally the job of the writer was to “define the zeitgeist,” what Marshall McLuhan referred to as “predicting the present.” Now everyone is a writer, and the zeitgeist is defined by an algorithm, which is probably much more precise. Like time itself, the zeitgeist moves. With the imperceptible passing of the present, it changes from moment to moment. Continue reading “Predicting the Present”
DJ Spooky: Holiday in Antarctica
My friend and colleague Paul D. Miller a.k.a DJ Spooky is going to Antarctica for the holidays. Well, he’ll be there for the holidays, but the trip is not exactly holiday-related. He’s going there to make a film. Continue reading “DJ Spooky: Holiday in Antarctica”
frontwheeldrive.com: 1997-2007
Yes, after ten years online, frontwheeldrive.com has come to an end. The following is the explanation I posted over there: Continue reading “frontwheeldrive.com: 1997-2007”
Charles Mudede mini-documentary
Steven Shaviro posted a link to this on Twitter. It’s a mini-documentary about Seattle writer, artist, theorist, and filmmaker Charles Mudede by Kindred Media. It’s an interesting glimpse into the world of an unsung thinker. Continue reading “Charles Mudede mini-documentary”
New Technology: Exploration versus Utility (Microblogging and Its Discontents)
As much as I think it’s cool that I can update a tiny piece of text on my website from my phone (that little speech bubble on the right side), I’m still wondering and exploring what kind of utility Twitter and its ilk are really offering. I often find my friends’ posts mildly interesting — especially when viewed over time — but “mildly interesting” does not a useful communication tool make. Continue reading “New Technology: Exploration versus Utility (Microblogging and Its Discontents)”
Extreme Mediation
These are two images depicting extreme technological mediation that I’m hoping to include in the final book on this topic. Continue reading “Extreme Mediation”
Jean Baudrillard: 1929 – 2007
I just found out that Jean Baudrillard died last week. As much as his work has been loved, debated, and dismissed, I feel a great loss. As Steven Shaviro once put it, “The success of a work of theory should be measured by its capacity to provoke diversities of response, and not by its ability to compel unanimous acceptance.” I have a great many of Baudrillard’s books and, for what it’s worth, he had the diversity of response down.
Peace to Baudrillard and his family. He will be missed.
Robert A. Moog: In Memorium by Hans Fjellestad
As I’m sure you all know by now, Bob Moog passed away this past Sunday afternoon at the age of 71. This morning I returned home from Asheville, North Carolina, where I was honored to attend the funeral services for Dr. Robert Moog on Tuesday, and a public memorial the following day. Speeches and memories were shared by Bob’s son, daughters, and wife, Ileana… as well as Wendy Carlos, Herb Deutsch, Steven Martin, David Borden, Tom Rhea, John Eaton, Wayne Kirby, Keiichi Goto, David Van Koevering, Joel Chadabe, David Mash, Mike Adams, and many others. Letters and emails poured in from all over the planet. It seems like Dr. Moog’s passing was felt in every corner of the world this week. Continue reading “Robert A. Moog: In Memorium by Hans Fjellestad”