Out of all the nine tracks I produced for Ape last year this is my personal favourite.
It’s got this strange dark undercurrent going on- with monks chanting and a lot of dissonance-some people find it quite hard to listen to but it seems absolutely perfect to me—balanced-but just teetering on the edge of disaster.
I played it to someone once in headphones and they said it felt like their head was being pulled apart!! Someone else described it in a blog as sounding like “making filthy love in a railway arch, whilst on acid, in 1940s New York”. Which of course I was thrilled by.
When it was in its early days as a bunch of unconnected noises put together by me and Andy, I played it to some other singers to see if they were interested in contributing to it- the reaction was “no- its shit!!”.- hahah – But Jen took these completely random bits of music and glued them into something completely different. From then on it just needed organizing and arranging. I spent months lovingly tweaking and moving it about in a dark obsessive manner.
The video came about as I was messing about watching old cartoons and simultaneously listening to music. I slowed down a Little Audrey cartoon from 1949 to half speed and it’s as if it was made for it- quite spooky really.
It’s on the Hard Listening EP which of course everyone should buy.
Posted by steve at September 2nd, 2010 5:19 am | Add Comment
The new 4 track Download only EP ‘Fine Wires Humming A New Song’ is available exclusively to buy from the Ape store now (includes free artwork).
Monstrance, Martyn Barker drums, Barry Andrews keyboards and Andy Partridge guitar, recorded the tracks live in the studio, especially for Stuart Maconies FREAKZONE show on BBC 6 Music.
The four shimmering improvisations comprising this download only EP are “I am a Cow Devil”, “Children Love Our Dear Helmsman”, “Smelt me into Steel One Hundredfold” and “My first Words Were MAKE REVOLUTION”.
Also FREE to download with the EP is an 11 minute film for the track ‘I Lovely Cosmonaut’ taken from the 2CD album Monstrance. Buy
Posted by steve at October 4th, 2007 8:54 am | 7 Comments
Overhear the third and final chapter of Andy & Barrys mega duologue concerning all that is known by the human race and a few things you might not have known about the marvelous Monstrance double album.
Andy reveals some of his Frippesque tales. Discover what feelings like Christmas are about, and a warning, don’t listen to this album with your freezer open.
You’ll be entertained and enthralled, and you might even want to buy the album.
Standard Podcast [37:13m]:
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Posted by steve at May 4th, 2007 4:36 am | 8 Comments
Tune into the second installment, where Andy and Barry continue their chat about the complete history of everythingness and momentarily delve into the mighty Monstrance double album.
Discover the plight of Englands disappearing fields, what Andy was feeding Jack Wilde
and some classic reminiscences of Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer.
You’ll be tickled, tantalized and you might even want to buy the album
Standard Podcast [28:11m]:
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Posted by steve at April 24th, 2007 12:31 pm | 12 Comments
Eavesdrop on Andy Partridge and Barry Andrews as they talk about everything in the known Universe and occasionally stray into discussing the marvelous Monstrance double album.
Find out how Barry met Martyn Barker, what Swindon’s Wyvern Theatre is really
made of, and their thoughts on such diverse topics as The Munsters, Norman Wisdom and Swans.
You’ll be amused, you’ll be amazed and you might even want to buy the album.
Standard Podcast [29:33m]:
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Posted by steve at April 12th, 2007 5:26 am | 9 Comments
