January 2007 : RE : pre Plex ...
PrePlex Garth Brownsteen image by John Oswald (ca.1992)
Sometime in the future f o n y plans to release a new version of Plexure on DVD and Vinyl. Oswald has continued to work on the piece ever since its CD release on Avant in 1993. The new release will feature several parallel layers and versions of Plexure as well as other features.
In anticipation of this release we are making available for preview one of the tracks from the new Plexure. It's called prePlex. It's 14 minutes and 12 seconds long.
You can listen to and read more about this track by clicking here :
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John Oswald Biosee also :
http://www.plunderphonics.com http://www.pfony.com John Oswald lives, works and plays in Toronto Canada. f o n y is the record company which endeavours to represent him. Jim Paterson [aka earMAP ] is the President of f o n y and is a dj/researcher/web developer at Oswald's Mystery Lab aka mLab. John Oswald has been devising compositions from appropriated musical sources since the late '60s. His 1975 track "Power" married frenetic Led Zeppelin guitars to the impassioned exhortations of a Southern US evangelist at least 10 years before hip hop discovered the potency of the same (and related) ingredients. Similarly, his 1990 track "Vane", which pitted two different versions of the song "You're So Vain" (the Carly Simon original and a cover by Faster Pussycat) against each other, was a blueprint for the contemporary bastard pop subgenre, "mash ups". Oswald coined the term "plunderphonics" to describe his illegitimate craft in a 1985 essay entitled "Plunderphonics, or Audio Piracy as a Compositional Prerogative". It has since been applied to any music made by taking one or more existing audio recordings and altering them in some way to make a new composition. There is no attempt to disguise the fact that the sounds making up the composition have been "borrowed" in this way, and sometimes the sounds may be taken from very familiar sources. Plunderphonics can be considered a form of sound collage. In 1993 Oswald released PLEXURE. Arguably his most ambitious composition to date, it attempted to microsample the history of CD music up to that point (1982 - 1992) in a 20 minute collage of bewildering complexity.
After PLEXURE was released on John Zorn's AVANT label, Oswald accepted an invitation from Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh to 'plunderphonisize' The Dead. The result was GRAYFOLDED, a two disc sonic exploration/celebration of The Dead concert favorite DARK STAR. GRAYFOLDED received enthusiastic critical and popular response and it has even been suggested by some that it could be "the ultimate Dark Star": Gary Lambert, editor of the Grateful Dead Almanac said : "The decade-leaping GRAYFOLDED is an astonishingly accurate evocation of that sublime, hallucinatory 'unstuck in time' feeling one gets at a really good Grateful Dead show." "This double CD, lasting almost two blissful hours, has been rightly acclaimed as the ultimate Dark Star, the one you always hoped the Dead would one day get around to playing." - The London Daily Telegraph "GRAYFOLDED is literally a hundred or so great nights rolled into one extraordinary, extended high... two Cds' worth of gorgeous sonic orgami." - Rolling Stone, Best of the Year List "... An extended time-warped psychedelic jam that is meticulously hallucinatory." - New York Times, Top 10 of the year "Even casual Dead fans will be floored by this astonishing new project. Absolutely brilliant." - Toronto Sun, Album of the Decade "On GRAYFOLDED (fony) plunderphonics composer John Oswald's 1995 double disc length 'cover' of The Grateful Dead's most spacebound vehicle plundered and spliced together more than four decades of live Dead versions into one definitive, maximalist version. Oswald created orchestras of timewarped Jerry Garcias loosing waterfalls of of lunar notes and feedback patterns that bled into slow smears of vocals and supernaturally compacted jams. The first - straighter - part, "Transitive Axis", relies mostly on overlap techniques, which permit Oswald to fly in various soundboard recordings and patch particularly zoned solos into huge vertically stacked harmonies. [...] Part two, "Mirror Ashes", is considerably more dosed, with swarms of time-altered sound effectively working as huge brackets enveloping ever more compacted takes. It's a fantastically psychedelic listen ..." - The WIRE (261 November 2005) from "60 cover versions that rattle the state of song" Out of print by the year 2000, Oswald's f o n y label reissued the entire package [including "timemaps" of source Dark Stars] in August 2004. View GRAYFOLDED Promo In addition to his extensive work in plunderphonics, Oswald is also involved with acoustic music, as a composer and improvisor. His compositions for orchestra often do include electronic elements, such as Concerto for Wired Conductor and Orchestra (?), but has also composed for acoustic ensembles, such as Acupuncture (1991). Oswald improvises on the saxophone, and is a member of improvising collective CCMC. Oswald is also actively involved in dance, as a composer for dance works, as a collaborator with choreographers, and as an active Contact Improviser. Oswald's 1991 CD DISCOSPHERE on ReR [UK] consists of electronic, concrete, plunderphonic and electroacoustic works, written for dance projects 1981 to 1990. John Oswald is a recent Governor General Award Media Arts Laureate, Ars Electronica Digital Musics and Untitled Arts Award winner, as well as the fourth inductee into the CBC Alternative Walk of Fame. John Oswald has also been nominated to third place in a list of the most internationally influential Canadian musicians, tied with Celine Dion. "If creativity is a field,
copyright is the fence" - John Oswald Oswald's record label fony has 2 releases :
1.) 69plunderphonics96 was "stolen" or alternatively "liberated" by Negativland/Seeland and released as SEELAND 515.
Read Message by Netativ/Seeland re: 6996
2.) GRAYFOLDED , reissued in August 2004. More info at http://www.pfony.com ========== John Oswald Discography Short attack (?) Burrows (1974-75)
With the sanction of William S. Burroughs, Oswald cut up recordings of him reading his texts advocating cutting up methods, & consequently discovered an acoustic pallindrome, mediations between backwards & forwards, polysyllabic masking & phase imploding.[see also : boustrophedon]
http://www.pfony.com/burrows/index.html Power (1975) [released in 1995 by Musicworks magazine "Plunderphonia & Vox" (Musicworks MW60 - 1994 - Canada) but also on 69plunderphonics96 boxset] 1975-85 MYSTERY TAPES assembly & dissemination (by Mystery Tapes Etc.International), include many early plunderphonistic experiments. Improvised LP(1978) Moose And Salmon LP (Music Gallery, 1979) Alto Sax LP (Metalanguage, 1981) 1985 An essay by John Oswald entitled "Plunderphonics, or, Audio Piracy as a Compositional Prerogative" was presented at the Wired Society conference in Toronto. Parade (ReR 1986) Klangfarbenprobe (1987) Plunderphonics 12" EP (1988) Plunderphonics CD (1989) ReR Q (v.2, 1991, England) CMCD (ReR, 1991, England) Kronos Quartet : Short Stories (Elektra Nonesuch 9 79310-2, 1993, USA) Spectre (1990) Rubáiyát aka Electrax CD (1991) Discophere CD (1991) Acoustics CD (1993) - with Henry Kaiser, Jim O'Rourke, and Mari Kimura Plexure CD [AVANT] (1993) Grayfolded (1994) - a 2CD PLUNDERPHONIC of The Grateful Dead's infamous "Dark Star" Parcours scénographique (1997) Plunderphonics 69-96 (2CD Box set) (2000) Complicité CD (2001) - with Paul Plimley, Marilyn Crispell and Cecil Taylor Bloor CD (2001) - with David Prentice and Dominic Duval Dearness CD (2002) - with Anne Bourne and Fred Frith Aparanthesi CD (2003) Arc d’apparition (DVD) and Whisperfield (CD) (2004) Grayfolded 2CD (2004) - Reissued on fony. [From UBUWEB] http://www.ubu.com/sound/oswald.html Oswald first came to notice as an habitué in the mid-1970s of the Music Gallery, where his affiliations included Pitch (established in 1976 with Marvin Green and responsible for a variety of events held in total darkness), the Glass Orchestra, the New Music Co-op and, as founder and sometime editor, Musicworks. Oswald has performed throughout Canada and in the USA as an alto saxophonist, playing in both solo and group improvisational settings. Under Oswald's direction Pool, an improvisation collective originally established at the Gallery in 1979, was held on a weekly basis 1982-8 at the Cameron Public House. In dance, he has prepared scores (mostly tape) for Dancemakers, Tangente, Toronto Independent Dance Enterprise, and Bill Coleman's North American Experience (the full-length ballets Shane, 1987; Baryshnikov, 1987; Zorro, 1989), and for several choreographers - eg, Jennifer Mascall (Parade, 1986; Elle, 1989), Paula Ravitz and Denise Fujiwara (Skindling Shades,1987; renamed Spontaneous Combustion) and Fujiwara alone (Loud Colors, 1990), Holly Small (Wounded, 1988, Small Attack, 1990), Bill Douglas (Anima, 1990), and James Kudelka (Case of Death, 1991). He has participated as an accompanist and/or dancer in performances by Fujiwara, Small, Danceworks, the North American Experience, and others. In 1980 Oswald established the Mystery Tapes Laboratory, preparing and distributing music/sound collages on cassettes packaged with neither sources noted nor explanations given. In 1987 he reversed the principle with the EP Plunderphonics, which comprised four 'revised performances' created by the 'plundering' of recordings by Count Basie, Dolly Parton, and Elvis Presley, and of The Rite of Spring. A CD of Plunderphonics followed in 1989, with an additional 20 plundered performances. Although Oswald's sources were scrupulously acknowedged and the recordings given free of charge to musicians, critics, libraries, etc, the CD nevertheless was deemed to be in violation of Canadian copyright laws. Under the threat of legal action Oswald relinquished the master tapes and all undistributed copies to CRIA which in 1990 had them destroyed, a year before Negativland got sued for their U2 EP. Ironically, Oswald was subsequently commissioned by the US label Elektra to plunder its catalogue and prepared the CD Rubáiyát Plunderphonics (issued in 1991) to mark the company's 40th anniversary. Oswald has received other commissions from Arraymusic (Slide Whistles, 1976; Acupuncture, 1991) and the Kronos Quartet, and has prepared scores for the Recto Verso theatre company of Matane, Québec. His first piece for the Kronos, Spectre (1990), is in the composer's words 'for gesturing string quartet and the recorded allusion of a 1001 string orchestra'. RE : plunderphonics "It's the greatest thing I've ever heard." - Hal Willner, producer, Saturday Night Live "Brilliant production... the most interesting album of 1989." - Jens Kohler, Ice "...the brilliant Canadian 'plunderphonist' John Oswald." - Robert Everett-Green, Globe & Mail "So cool, he makes you shudder." - Toronto's Coolest Musicians, Eye "...the brilliant brainchild of John Oswald" - Joel Haertling: Zamizdat "Absolutely brilliant." - John Sakamoto: Toronto Sun "Fucking brilliant." - Steve Stein: Media , NYC "Brilliant... Really beautiful." - Christos Hatzis: composer, Toronto "Great, great stuff...Wildly humorous...Astonishing virtuosity...Among the most 'original' sounding work I've ever heard- I know of nothing else like it." - Lloyd Dunn, Photostatic "It's wild, it's crazy, it's serious, it's fresh, and it's almost impossible to describe." - Bery, Reargarde "...a conspicuous virtuosity. Even someone ignorant of the means being used to transform the music couldn't help being impressed by Oswald's technical mastery.... far more intriguing than the originals." - Robert Everett-Green, Globe & Mail "John Oswald has achieved the pinnacle of the 1980's cut-and-paste aesthetic. Spectacular Frankenstein monsters. One of the most adventurous and musically rewarding experiments to emerge from the age of digital sampling." (TOP TEN LIST OF THE '80s) - Derk Richardson, San Francisco Bay Guardian "Plunderphonics is as mesmerizing and synapse-frying a piece of aural vandalism as has ever been committed." - Byron Coley, Spin "Startling... Funny... Thought-provoking." - Scott Isler, Musician "Shocking...Totally astounding." -Morgan Gerard, Graffiti "Absolutely mesmerizing. Oswald is a talented guy." (nominated Best Album of 1990) - Jim Aiken,Keyboard "It's a masterpiece...the best new release in five years." - John Zorn: composer, NYC "John Oswald is now something of a legend in both the avant-garde and pop music worlds." - Mondo 2000 "plundergenius John Oswald." - Gerry Belanger, Option "Plunderphonic is my favorite release of the year. This art is more radical in its social and political implications than the introduction of the electric guitar." - Henry Kaiser, East Bay Express "Several truly astonishing moments... breathtaking." - Phillip Perkins, Fun Music "Startling. [The] year's hippest banned record." - Richard Gehr, Creem "Fascinating." - Kyle Gann, Village Voice "Astonishing." - Don Nilson, Kyoto Journal "...makes John Zorn look like the tortoise to Oswald's hare" - Bill Reynolds, Metropolis "manipulations grotesque and gleeful." - Ted Greenwald, Creem "The result, after electronic buggering and caressing, is a hilarious masterpiece. I love it. Oswald is a genius." - Joe Mendelson, Metropolis "Really choice... I love this stuff." - Eugene Chadbourne: guitarist, Greensborough NC "It's beautiful." - Bill Frisell: guitarist, Hoboken NJ "It's great." - Al Kooper: musian/producer, LA "One of the most brilliant things I've ever heard." - John Wiggins, HBO,NYC "Incredible! ...the best record I've heard in years." - Doug Perry: violist, Toronto "For the moment, John Oswald is a solo movement, the most exciting school of one in music." - Milo Miles, Village Voice "Great! If there was a way I could release this I would in a minute. - Robert Hurwitz, executive producer, Nonesuch Records "I've been playing [the Plunderphonics CD] for everyone who will listen and thus far the response has been 100%. They all want copies." - Phil Perkins: sound designer, SF "I hope someday to achieve world class noteriety with my music so that John Oswald will deem it popular enough to plunder it." - M. Joe: songwriter, Toronto "It's hilarious... The last two pieces are very moving." - Atom Egoyan: filmmaker, Toronto "It's great! It's fab! I love it! I've played it for lots of people, whose reactions range from knocked out to completely befuddled. I guess this means you've created a masterpiece (or two or three or four - my favorites keep shifting)." - Matt Groening: cartoonist. Life In Hell & The Simpsons "Plunderphonics is recreational savagery... A consistently brilliant record." - David Toop, London Times "It tickled me...It's a celebration." - Bob Krasnow: president, Elektra Records "The Gravity's Rainbow of recordings. Complex, hilarious, moving and revealing." - anon., Boston "Mr. Oswald flew past the level of mere sampling. He has taken sampling fifty times beyond what we've come to expect." - Brian Robertson: president,Canadian Recording Indusry Ass. "Personally, I'm most touched by John Oswald's Plunderphonics." - Boris Khabarovsk: Khabarovsk Music Society,USSR "The hits keep coming! Thankyou for including me among those sure to admire your music. At any speed I remain yours in admiration," - Van Dyke Parks: songwriter, LA "I recently heard a snatch of Plunderphonic at a party and became fascinated..." - Carle Groome: critic, Ear "The Well-Tempered Clavier of our time." - Tom Constanten: ex-Grateful Dead "Plunderphonic rules!" - Deidre O'Donahue, KCRW. Los Angeles "A completely original non-original album from John Oswald." - Laurie Brown, City-TV,Toronto "I think Oswald is a great composer. He has maintained a stance as artist provacateur which is unrivaled in the world of music and audio art." - Charles Amirkhanian, KPFA Berkeley "The reigning heavyweight champion in tape manipulation is John Oswald." - Doug Harkness, Vox "Wild... Brilliant." - David Fricke: critic, Rolling Stone "This CD is amazing! " - David Newgarden, WFMU,New Jersey "Fabulous! Some of these pieces are closer to the true essense of the original music than anything the originals themselves could possibly produce." - Bill Grove, CKLN Toronto "I must say I love the stuff ... and play as much on the radio as I can." - Steve Barker, BBC Radio Lancashire "What an experience." - Marika Partridge, programmer. NPR "Simultaneously very funny and very courageous." - Warren Burt. 3MBS, Australia "A Canadian CD which takes sampling further than ever before..." - Sounds "... a fantastic thing" - Paul Dresher: composer, San Francisco "Plunderphonicker John Oswald... has been astounding audiences with his technoripoffaudacities." - KPFA "Complex wundersample." - WDR, Germany "The greatest plunderer of them all, Canada's own John Oswald." - David Wisdom., CBC "That's great stuff!" - Brent Branburry. CBC Brave New Waves "Plunderphonics is exquisite." -Ed Osborne: audio artist, Boston "You may never hear music the same way again." -Derk Richardson, San Francisco Bay Guardian