Sound Collector #8, ian Svenonius and his comments about the DJ.

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was curious if anybody else read the article he wrote in the new sound collector? (#8)

http://www.pataphysics-lab.com/cgi-bin/cart.cgi?item_id=483&action=showitem

thoughts? feelings? did i miss the joke?
m.

― msp, Wednesday, 22 January 2003 23:39 (twenty-three years ago)

I would like to think that Ian is just heavily into drugs but I don't really know if this is the case. What I do know from the interactions I have had with him is that he is not terribly bright and comes off like late Michael Jackson when you wish he was more Prince. Does that make any sense?

― Carey, Wednesday, 22 January 2003 23:41 (twenty-three years ago)

hstencil-"Sometimes I wonder if it's just better to ignore Svenonious because if he's being serious, he's an idiot; and if he's taking the piss, he's wasting our time."

Yes and yes.

― brg30 (brg30), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 23:52 (twenty-three years ago)

One of the great things about DJing is how you can carry pretty much any metaphor along on his back. The DJ is a self-congratulatory courtier for the ruling classes? Cool! But the DJ is also a barrio-dweller, building temporary shanties out of discarded mass-produced sounds.

http://www.freakytrigger.co.uk/2003_01_01_hated.html#87724841

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 23:59 (twenty-three years ago)

I know I should only worry about the content, but did anyone else feel that the design of #8 was a huge step down in quality? I understand having to do things on a budget (recycled paper) but my eyes were bleeding from the pink-blueprint quality.

― Ryan McKay (Ryan McKay), Thursday, 23 January 2003 02:06 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't think he's captured the essence of DJing, but his version of make-believe metaphor is definitely more entertaining than some people. Plus a lot of hip-hoppers do seem to emulate the greater evils of capitalism. If not necessarily with record needles.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 23 January 2003 02:11 (twenty-three years ago)

i'd be a lot happier to see a darker font in the next sound collector as well. that magenta is ok... but there's just not a lot of contrast.

― msp, Thursday, 23 January 2003 06:21 (twenty-three years ago)

yeah, tough to read at night by a low light..

I think its a funny article, and I think Ian just enjoys spewing all sorts of rhetoric around for the sake of spewing rhetoric around.

the liner notes to "In Mass Mind" by the Make Up have a similar theme, about how electronic music made by one person is the logical next to final step in the "downsizing" of music, beginning from orchestras. (the final step being artistless music) basically his "point" is that its more economical to pay only one musician rather than an orchestra, and he shows the gradual decline in ensemble size over history.

the guy can write, that's for sure. I wonder what it'll look like when he actually has something to really write about, rather than his current sophistry (though I find it hilarious).

The Weird War "interview" liner notes are a riot as well...

― tinobeat (tinobeat), Thursday, 23 January 2003 07:06 (twenty-three years ago)

If he really believes this, then he should also berate the dadaists for using collage. I mean, surely the grand tradition of the artist-as-draftsman has been destroyed because of collage (and everything after).

To quote MacKaye, "Boo fucking hoo."

― hstencil, Thursday, 23 January 2003 15:18 (twenty-three years ago)

damn, lighten up y'all.

if you read the article, its pretty clear that he's just having fun. c'mon, he even says that scratching records is meant to be "symbolic disdain" for what's on them, rather than a sound effect.

I think if anyone understands the preposterousness of his statements its him.

― tinobeat (tinobeat), Thursday, 23 January 2003 16:56 (twenty-three years ago)

i'm classically always at fault for "missing a joke"... but in some ways, he drew me into taking his arguments seriously... and so the punchline, even if it was the whole article, just missed me. that's why i responded via the prl.

i feel bad too cause i sucked everyone in with my loaded quote.

oy. what freakin folly.

why do i bother?

oh well, i suppose someone will find this amusing...even if they're laughing at me...

amusement of the universe +1,
m.

― msp, Thursday, 23 January 2003 17:49 (twenty-three years ago)

Well, I don't have a problem with jokin', but if this is a joke, what's the point? Parodying a strict Marxist interpretation of popular culture seems kinda pointless.

― hstencil, Thursday, 23 January 2003 19:00 (twenty-three years ago)

you crazy americans!

― gareth (gareth), Thursday, 23 January 2003 19:21 (twenty-three years ago)

gareth... crazy how? just curious.
m.

― msp, Thursday, 23 January 2003 19:29 (twenty-three years ago)

but h, what if it doesn't have a point? I mean, what's the point of a lot of things?

Ian has made it his thing to write Marx-styled or manifesto styled treatises on various aspects of popular culture, and I for one find it funny. I don't really care if it doesn't have a point.. most entertainment doesn't.

― tinobeat (tinobeat), Thursday, 23 January 2003 19:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Ah fuck, tino, what's the point? I'm gonna just bag it all...

*hangs self*

Seriously though, if the idea is to just be "entertainment" with these pieces, I for one would wish he'd stick to faux-gospel yelping.

― hstencil, Thursday, 23 January 2003 20:09 (twenty-three years ago)

hstencil, nooooooooooooo!

I see where yr coming from. I like the writing more as liner notes to records, while having them just exist as articles isn't as strong.

I just remembered that he also has an article in the new BB Gun zine writing about how punk rock is intrinsically "gaysploitation."
I haven't read it, but it sounds like a riot.

But really, its all about the Nation of Ulysses manifestos. those were priceless.

― tinobeat (tinobeat), Thursday, 23 January 2003 21:13 (twenty-three years ago)

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