Posts tagged with “inspiration” and “music”

October 23
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This is almost too fantastic for words. A banjo player helping guide neurosurgeons by playing the banjo while under the knife. Thank you BoingBoing.
10:32 AM | 0 Comments | Tags: , , , ,
September 23
<object width="440" height="247"> <param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /> <param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=1747316&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" /> <embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=1747316&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="440" height="247"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://vimeo.com/1747316?pg=embed&sec=1747316">Metamorphosis</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user656427?pg=embed&sec=1747316">Glenn Marshall</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com?pg=embed&sec=1747316">Vimeo</a>.
<p>Received this <a href="http://flowingdata.com/2008/09/23/beautiful-generative-computer-art-metamorphosis/">link</a>/video from Stefan Klocek, inspired by talks we've been having about how best to create a multimedia experience out of the written word. This has no words, but the generative artwork is beautiful. I can see this being powered by displayed words, or vice versa.   </p><p>From the link:</p><blockquote><p>Glenn Marshall has released his finished version of <a href="http://glennmarshall.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/metamorphosis/" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/glennmarshall.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/metamorphosis/');">Metamorphosis</a>, a beautiful piece of computer generative art programmed in <a href="http://processing.org/" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/processing.org');">Processing</a>. I wish I knew a bit more about what I was seeing, but I can only guess that the branches and butterflies follow certain laws of nature and rules defined by the music (I hope). Nevertheless, it's beautiful. Here's the video below, but go to Vimeo to watch the video in all it's HD glory.</p></blockquote>
05:27 PM | 0 Comments | Tags: , , ,
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<p>I would've loved to see the brainstorming ideas that this came from. Thanks <a href="http://eplay.typepad.com/eplay_online_sports_fanta/2008/09/hondas-musical.html">buzzfeed</a>.</p><blockquote>Honda of America created a unique marketing event for the drivers who travel over a specific road in Lancaster, CA. Like a phonograph record, grooves in the road, when driven over by a car intones a passage from the William Tell Overture. Created as a promotion for the Honda Civic- there are only four in the world, and the only one in the USA- But alas- neighbors near the road have complained, and the City of Lancaster says they will repave the road on Tuesday Sept. 23.</blockquote><p> </p>
05:17 PM | 0 Comments | Tags: ,
September 18

Nick Cave on editing (for The Road)

<p> <img class="left" src="http://www.slambridis.com/chyrp/upload/roadspan.jpg" border="0" width="500" /> </p> <p>From <a href="http://io9.com/5051546/nick-cave-%252B-the-road--most-depressingly-beautiful-movie-score-ever">io9</a>: Nick Cave is doing the score for the film adaptation of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Road-Oprahs-Book-Club/dp/0307387895/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221768062&sr=8-2">Cormac McCarthy's The Road</a> (Did I really just link to Oprah's book club?). Fuck yeah. But enthusiasm aside, here's what Nick had to say about his writing and editing process. I can relate. And that makes me feel good about all the toiling, and it should make you feel good too. </p><blockquote><p>It’s how I write: A song that’s maybe five to six verses long, I write 20 verses and then I chop, chop, chop, chop. That’s always been the case. I can’t let something go until it’s exhausted, so I have to edit. I’m always editing. I find editing hugely exciting. Taking something away from something can do extraordinary things, whether it’s music or writing or in a film. In film, it’s extraordinary what happens. We’re working on “The Road,” and a new edit gets sent every three days or so and your way of seeing can completely change from it, from just leaving a lingering look for three seconds longer or something like that. It’s very much the same thing with lyrics and music in general. </p></blockquote>
01:05 PM | 0 Comments | Tags: , ,
September 11

NIN show features innovative lights and video

<p> <img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMioy_5GxvI/AAAAAAAAF-8/9dFrtDoEAZQ/s400/IMG_2567.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p> The <a href="http://www.nin.com">NIN</a> show last week, aside from being one of the best shows I've ever seen, also had the most innovative use of lights and video that I've ever seen. It started with a wall of moving lights behind them that could put strong simple images behind the band and a helluva lot of wattage such as: </p><p><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMio5dBhHiI/AAAAAAAAF_8/3-xpEwkC4Xw/s400/IMG_2577.jpg" border="0" /></p><p><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMio2jMIraI/AAAAAAAAF_k/xP6JUQpeisk/s400/IMG_2573.jpg" border="0" /></p><p> But then, down came a transparent screen with thousands of individual LED lights which created interesting pixellations and changing the stage dimensions, as below. </p><p><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMio_f60z9I/AAAAAAAAGAo/GPb7uNhH0QA/s400/IMG_2583.jpg" border="0" /></p><p> <img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMipDlITQJI/AAAAAAAAGBI/Wv3hJM7DiP8/s400/IMG_2589.jpg" border="0" /></p><p> <img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMipG3XLEiI/AAAAAAAAGBY/eAg8PxDPRV8/s400/IMG_2594.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p>But what if you introduce a second transparent screen covered with LED lights, and put them at varying heights and depth, creating an entire stage scene? Notice that at this point, they're playing a jazz kit, stand-up bass, mandolin, and yes, Trent on marimbas. Faaaantastic. I love how Trent is slowly acclimatizing his fans to new musics and instrumentations, which should allow him to still keep his fans as he ages. Whether intentional or not, it represents a good grasp on psychology. Regardless, these scenes are beautiful, and at one point looked like they were covered in pouring rain (though I didn't really nail that shot): </p><p><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMipLVJlUhI/AAAAAAAAGBo/H4TzmEdKGnU/s400/IMG_2596.jpg" border="0" /></p><p> <img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMipQtQHYiI/AAAAAAAAGCA/gs5Pb6By39E/s400/IMG_2600.jpg" border="0" /></p><p> <img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMipTio2j9I/AAAAAAAAGCU/2JG7hfNOFI8/s400/IMG_2602.jpg" border="0" /></p><p> <img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMipVeAG8cI/AAAAAAAAGCc/cBmwm-ecAfY/s400/IMG_2605.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p>Screens up, they started using them in a way that reminded me of Roger Water's concepts of closeness and separation that inspired <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=3&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FThe_Wall&ei=_YTJSITcCJmWsAPVpMiWBg&usg=AFQjCNGrnLAY-GgZegjcxSfJr5keD83EiQ&sig2=WKfhrhc3PBoaHOmpo7HQsw">The Wall</a>. Here the digital curtains are reacting instantaneously to Trents motions behind them.</p><p> <img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMipX2dBEfI/AAAAAAAAGCs/TZUnWvJVa9Y/s400/IMG_2607.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p> Gotta love the sea of cellphones.</p><p> <img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMipb2HlBMI/AAAAAAAAGDE/TPEezSLQR-4/s400/IMG_2611.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p>And to top it off, they used the screens to create a visualization of their drum machines. Band members actually got up, pressed the boxes to turn on beats, and you could see the bright white beat moving across and reacting. I've never seen anything quite like that before. </p><p><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMipehIM6_I/AAAAAAAAGDU/_MTp6DbxChs/s400/IMG_2613.jpg" border="0" /></p><p> And finally, a simple use of the LEDs and lights together to create a scene that felt like it had real dimension, mimicking their <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=2&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FYear_Zero_(album)&ei=EYXJSJjkOJ-WsQOY7ZSPBg&usg=AFQjCNGiKU3lqAi9_GeiU3ZmAhoqmqVjiw&sig2=l7zymYD-G1v1z1XrkYuuVg">Year Zero</a> album backcover. </p><p><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/scott.lambridis/SMipgkloyzI/AAAAAAAAGDs/2bBCB0W3-jE/s400/IMG_2617.jpg" border="0" /></p><p> Why am I showing this? Because they're pushing the boundaries of how lights and video should interact with the band, stage, and music. We're all used to seeing neat eye candy at live shows, but it's usually just that: candy to make you go "ooo" and give you something to look at while you listen. It sets a mood, and often changes timing with the pace of the music. But this is well beyond that. The lights and video were part of the band, and the stage. It reacted directly to both the music and the band members, and actually became immersive. It was like quite literally seeing the album art come alive onstage, so it became part of the storytelling. I wouldn't be surprised if crowd interaction became part of it next. Good show, fellas. </p>
01:55 PM | 3 Comments | Tags: , , , ,
July 16
tortureplaylist.png
<p>MotherJones.com posted this playlist from actual information. Barney theme song? Check. Meow Mix jingle? Check. Further proof there is a god and that he offed himself centuries ago. Also of note, is the prevalence of American-themed classics, such as Springsteen's Born in the USA, and Don MacLean's American Pie. Yet no James Taylor. Clearly they haven't discovered my breaking point yet.</p><p>So, why am I posting this here? Um...because the creative act of music is being used as torture. Fiction or non-fiction, that's powerful stuff. Can't you just picture this being in a Vonnegut book? Or my attempt at writing a Vonnegut book? Yes. Yes you can. Oh what fun designing that playlist. </p>
03:21 PM | 0 Comments | Tags: , ,
June 19
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David Byrne's (of the Talking Heads) recent installation in NYC where literally wires up a building to a pump organ and plays the bitch. I've always thought this sort of thing would be so fun. Banjo & I used to do things like this, though obviously not to this scale, and ok, probably more in our imagination, back in our Wigglepussy days.  <a href="http://www.davidbyrne.com/art/art_projects/playing_the_building/index.php" target="_blank">» Link</a>
03:17 PM | 0 Comments | Tags: , ,
May 23
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This is a mesmerizingly gorgeous example of mash-up culture. Interestingly, it supports the notion of "renderings" that I seem to be purporting by nature of this site's organization...whereby nothing is necessarily ever "complete", but is rendered in different ways. The brain is the ultimate remixer, and a good story could, and should, be rendered in as many mediums as maintains its relevance. <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/scott/alice" target="_blank">Link></a>
10:26 AM | 1642 Comments | Tags: , ,
May 15
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I love this stuff. There is something terribly fascinating about the personality that does this with even a semi-straight face. These are the absurd circumstances and characters that I fucking love. You, silken keytar maestro, are my muse.
11:28 AM | 0 Comments | Tags: , ,
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Ok, this looks cool. It reminds me of a Roald Dahl story about a noise amplifier. But it doesn't work very well, does it?  I mean...no matter what he does with the water, the same noise comes out, just in varying intensities.  I demand more of my liquid controllable interfaces! Playful notion though.
11:08 AM | 0 Comments | Tags: , ,