Creme DeMentia profile picture

Creme DeMentia

About Me


Creme DeMentia is simply the solo recordings of yours truly, Austin Cliffe.
I have always been interested in music, but only now, at the age of 24, am I starting to really "write", play, and record music. I did some rapping with my band Honkeys With Privileges, though my friends Gary and Rob wrote almost all of the music. My MCing talents are showcased in the song "Master of Time and Space."
Over the last year I have become somewhat obsessed with circuit bending, the art of turning battery operated noise makers into profoundly stranger battery operated noise makers. I now have 8 different toys and instruments that I have reenvisioned into unique and sometimes wild sound synthesizers.
This music is pretty much composed and recorded in Apple's GarageBand, using an electric autoharp (that can be heard in Taxidermist Ventriloquist), a Kawai SX-210 synthesizer (also on that track), a Casio CZ-1 midi synthesizer, and a wealth of circuit-bent instruments as I slowly create and learn to play them.
Credit will be given where credit is due for any songs not performed entirely by myself.
Here's some recent video of me at Lo-Fi Fest (see getlofi.com for details on that show). Start viewing them from the top down. Take a look at my Youtube Channel for other live videos of me and other acts at Lo-Fi Fest.
The Music Gizmo:
The Drum Invader:
The Fuckapede:
The CatScan:

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 28/08/2005
Band Members: Members:
Austin Cliffe (plus occasional friends)
Gear:
Non-bent:
Electric Autoharp (Oscar Schmidt 21 Chord Bar setup on a 1978 Chromaharp w/ pickup), Casio CZ-1, Kawai SX-210.
Bent:
Drum Invader, Barbietron, Fuckapede, Addams Apple, Speak N' Math, CatScan
More every few weeks... See videos below for demonstrations of bent instruments.
Influences: Devo, The Residents, Mr. Bungle, Man... or Astroman?, The Pixies, Frank Zappa, The Unicorns, Brian Dewan, They Might Be Giants, Quintron, a shit ton of circuit benders and autoharp players in the Chicago area, Reed Ghazala.
Type of Label: Major

My Blog

Out with 2009, in with 2010

So it's been an interesting end to 2009; I got to play, witness and document a number of circuit bending live shows and did a lot of touring.  I taught a basic circuit bending course and had a success...
Posted by on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:58:00 GMT

Circuit Bending 101 at NIU

Circuit Bending 101 Ages 15  adult; children 9 and older welcome with an adult 1 Saturday, 1  5 p.m., AB 211 Fall: November 21 Spring: March 20 Learn to rewire battery-operated electronic toys, ke...
Posted by on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:31:00 GMT

Experimental Garage Sale

This weekend I plan to attend this event:  http://www.getlofi.com/?p=1889I'm going to be undergoing a medical procedure this Wednesday.  Depending on the results, I may have to cancel my plans.  I'm f...
Posted by on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:58:00 GMT

Bottle-Cap Contact Microphones

Greetings.  I am now not only a www.getlofi.com contributor, but also a sales affiliate.  I have designed a new product for www.getlofi.com, Creme DeMentia Bottle-Cap Contact Microphones. Here is a wr...
Posted by on Wed, 10 Dec 2008 07:47:00 GMT

Whats new pussycat? WHOA-OH-WHOA-OH-WHOA-OH

Boy, there's a lot of stuff to touch on since my last blog. Bent Fest '08:  I went to both BentNYC and BentMinn.  BentMinn definitely wins, they have real toilets.  BentNYC was fun as w...
Posted by on Tue, 05 Aug 2008 23:40:00 GMT

6 Oscillator 74C14 and 4066 Tea Box

This device was inspired by Nicholas Collins, Alex Inglizian, and realized by myself and Alex Dyba of getlofi.com. Here is an explanation: This box is a test device that you can use to find ...
Posted by on Tue, 12 Feb 2008 20:55:00 GMT

Moderate Progress

Hello all you happy people, here are some pictures from Antoine's and My Sk-1 box:
Posted by on Sat, 19 Jan 2008 17:52:00 GMT

Open letter to Antoine

An open letter to Antoine:(Also, a note to readers: This is simply me slightly refining a concept for the panel that Antoine and I hashed out together over a couple of sessions. You'll have to follow...
Posted by on Thu, 09 Aug 2007 01:08:00 GMT

New Videos/Activities

Just a quick update about what I've been up to in the World of Circuit Bending.We'll start with the old news: I attended Bent Fest Minneapolis 2007 with my friend Mike Taylor. Both he and I took lot...
Posted by on Tue, 08 May 2007 09:30:00 GMT

New Songs/What's going on

I decided to spice things up a bit and throw up some other tracks that I've recorded randomly, with a focus more on the circuit bent. Zombie Dolphin is a track that I recorded for the Bent Circuit Co...
Posted by on Wed, 21 Mar 2007 22:37:00 GMT