Phallus Dei - Pornocrates Video

Previously I posted Phallus Dei - Pornocrates. Thought some folks might be interested in the video to the title track.

Download: Phallus Dei - Pornocrates video mpg
Download Size: 59.81MB

Video: Delia Derbyshire, Loop Composer

Watch in high-definition on Youtube

January 22, 2013 Update: I posted this back in 2010. This music-video collage is still just as impressive as the first time I had the pleasure of watching it. I'm sure there were plenty of people who missed this post the first time around, and since we're in the process of re-uploading content for the blog, I thought I would bump this post to the top of the blog so that it can be shared with an entirely different group of visitors. Unfortunately AK_Alias seems to have disappeared since then. I last heard from him back in 2010, a few months after this was posted. I have yet to see him appear on the internet under this alias. AK if you happen to see this, or anyone who knows him, please contact me.

While searching for Delia Derbyshire videos, I recently stumbled across this amazing video, "Delia Derbyshire, Loop Composer". AK_Alias is the artist behind this project. He likes to refer to his creations as 'sync|sound' music videos, stating "the audio and video are treated as a single chunk of media." Upon watching his first video, I was immediately reminded of Negativland, the infamous plunderphonics group which have made a few appearances here on Meltd0wn in the past. AKA's videos are a form of visual plunderphonics, as he cuts up various scenes, images, sounds, and samples, and then arranges them into a collage that entices both the visual and aural senses.

AKA goes on to further describe his videos as being the result of taking a hip-hop approach to music and video. This thought also crossed my mind while watching his videos, as "video scratching" is made use of in much the same way a DJ would use turntables to manipulate the sound of a vinyl record. Clips are often brought forth throughout, accompanied by music and spoken word samples, then promptly altered by being "scratched", expanded, shrunk, thrown in reverse and rearranged. Each small clips helps to build the collage, whether it is incorporated into the beat, or to introduce various sound effects.

While AKA prefers to describe his creations in a nutshell as "instrumental hip-hop using videos as samples", he doesn't spare any genre from being sucked into his cacophony of visual and aural delights. The hip-hop element is present, but it is also subtle, as AKA brings so many other elements into the fold. Classical, jazz, rock, library music, tv show clips, spoken word bits, standup comedy and many other types of samples are used extensively throughout his videos.

The subject of this video is Delia Derbyshire, a member of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop who pioneered several magnetic audio tape editing techniques. She is another artist who has appeared on Meltd0wn in the past, and her albums can be found here. I believe the footage of Derbyshire seen in this video is taken from the amazing documentary "Alchemists of Sound". Others sampled include: Tristram Cary, Milton Babbitt, Chuck D, Aretha Franklin, Dennis Chambers, Jaco Pastorius, Joy Division, James Brown, Bernard Herrmann, David Lynch, Piano Tooners, Jimmy Page, Charlie Parker, Elastica, Homer Simpson, and Richard Pryor.

I hope you enjoy AK_Alias' work. Please be sure to check out the links below to his profile and channel on Vimeo, and take the time to leave him a comment regarding his work. He is taking a break at the moment to work on other projects, but I have a feeling you will be seeing his work again on Meltd0wn in the future.

AKA_Alias on Vimeo:
http://vimeo.com/aka
Sync|Sound Music Channel:
http://vimeo.com/channels/syncsound

With this video I plan to start sharing at least one video a month, if not more, here on Digital Meltd0wn. Some of you may remember that at one time I regularly posted videos here. It wasn't a concept that I purposely abandoned, but one that I was forced to slowly filter out as the amount of free time I had available to me dwindled to a virtually nonexistent level. I have also created a Youtube channel for Digital Meltd0wn, which you can find here: http://youtube.com/digitalmeltd0wn I haven't uploaded many videos yet, but I will host the majority of the videos featured here, as well as a few that I have yet to share. If any of you would be interested in contributing to the Digital Meltd0wn Youtube channel, please leave a comment and let me know. I'm just looking for someone who would be willing to upload a couple of videos a month.

Otis Redding - Satisfaction (Live - Stax-Volt European Tour 1966)

OOtis Redding performing a cover of the Rolling Stone's classic "Satisfaction" during the Stax-Volt European Tour in 1966.

Fortunately he is backed by Booker T. and the MGs, the legendary Stax house band, in this video. I believe that Booker T. is playing the organ in this video, rather than piano. In addition to Booker T. there is Donald "Duck" Dunn delivering the wicked bass lines, Steve Cropper on guitar, Al Jackson Jr. on the drums, as well as the Memphis Horns.

I can't think of too many examples of an artist covering a song and truly making it their own. Both Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have even acknowledged that Redding's version was superior to their own. This marked the first time that a European audience was introduced to the gritty world of Memphis soul, and it is obvious from their reaction.

Facebook URL: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=421035227519&set=vb.7777757521&type=3&theater

DM @ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/digitalmeltd0wn

Hox Vox - Marcel Duchamp (2010)

I'm long overdue for a video post, so I thought I would share this unique tribute to Marcel Duchamp with you all. This video video was submitted to me by Hox Vox, a multimedia, avant-garde artist out of Italy. Hox has given me permission to share his music here, and I plan to share a real masterpiece of an album in my next post, along with a more detailed description of Hox and his music. The video above is for a track found on Hox's 2010 album, Dada (Cabaret Voltaire), which pays tribute to many early 20th century avant-garde artists. You can find a download link to a high-definition version of the video at the bottom of this post, as well as a link to the video on Digital Meltd0wn's fledgling Youtube channel.

Marcel Duchamp was an important figure in the early 20th century avant-garde art movement, particularly his contributions to Dada. His ideas were extremely controversial at the time, and he challenged many people to reconsider the very definition of art with his works. Duchamp was highly influenced by Post Impressionist artists at a young age. His early work primarily consisted of paintings and multimedia works in the avant-garde styles of cubism and fauvism. From the very beginning of his career there was controversy attached to Duchamp's name. His first major cubist painting, "Nude Descending a Starcase No. 2," caused quite a stir at a 1913 exhibit in New York. Americans, who were unfamiliar with Parisian avant-garde and futurist movements, were equally intrigued and dismayed. Many people claimed that it wasn't art, since they found it to be lacking elements of realism, nor did it appear to require a great degree of technical ability to produce.

Although Duchamp's paintings were scandalous for their time, outside of the Parisian Avant-Garde movement, the medium he was working with was still one people were intimately familiar with. Eventually Duchamp's artistic ideology evolved a great deal. He would go on to be a pioneering figure in a few avant-garde styles, and he began to produce works that were unlike anything many people had ever conceived as art. He achieved notoriety for his controversial submission, "The Fountain," to an art exhibit. The fountain was simply a urinal that Duchamp had inverted and signed R. Mutt. Duchamp's "found art," or readymades as he preferred to call them, consisted of inconspicuous everyday items, such as the urinal; yet despite their mundane nature, these pieces became more radical within an artistic context, and proved to be polarizing within many artistic circles. The majority of people dismissed Duchamp's readymade pieces outright, and determined that they had no redeeming qualities, and therefore were were void of artistic value. However, many others, including many prominent artists of the era, believed that he was attempting to replace the image and idea associated with the urinal, and frame it within a different perspective, thus creating a new and unique personal association with the item in question. You can read more about Duchamp and his life on this website.

There was a time in my life when I also dismissed such art as simply pranks, or art for pseudo-intellectual hipsters; however, as I grew older I began to acknowledge the possibility that it could be created for a different purpose. Even if it was submitted by Duchamp as simply a gag, or or to prove a point, I finally managed to find some redeeming value in such artistic "statements." As for "Fountain" in particular, some might call me a sucker, but I like to think of it as a blank, urinal-shaped canvas for the mind, allowing each individual to create a new "thought" associated with it upon viewing it. It can be anything your mind has a natural inclination to associate it with, and the same concept applies to many other pieces of "found art." If some of you wouldn't mind taking the time to share your opinion with me, I would like to read your interpretation of Duchamp's ideas also.

If you could, please provide Hox with some feedback on the video. I'm sure that Hox will view this post, and he would greatly appreciate any comments you have to offer.

Download: Hox Vox - Marcel Duchamp
Download Size: 101MB

Youtube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcjdI10W0V8

Featured Video: Bob Log III - String on a Stick

I am in the process of uploading and preparing to post a couple of Doo Rag 7" releases. I thought it would be fitting to share this odd Bob Log III video for "String on a Stick" from the BlankTV website. My job has me so bogged down that I am only able to update the blog with less time consuming posts for now. In the meantime, I hope you all enjoy this video.

Bob Log III @ last.fm: http://www.last.fm/music/Bob+Log+III

BlankTV: http://blanktv.com

William S. Burroughs - Thanksgiving Prayer

I intended to post this earlier in the day, but I didn't have any spare time before the Thanksgiving proceedings started. This is a 1988 recording of William S. Burroughs reading "Thanksgiving Prayer". I can't say that I completely agree with Burrough's cynical view of "Turkey Day"; nevertheless, I happen to like Burroughs, and this was the only Thanksgiving related media I could think of that I would be willing to post. Despite being dealt a bad hand this year, I have a lot to be thankful for. I would also like to thank those of you who visit this blog, especially those who take the time to leave comments and communicate with me.

Thanks for the wild turkey and the passenger pigeons, destined to be shit out through wholesome American guts.

Thanks for a continent to despoil and poison.

Thanks for Indians to provide a modicum of challenge and danger.

Thanks for vast herds of bison to kill and skin leaving the carcasses to rot.

Thanks for bounties on wolves and coyotes.

Thanks for the American dream, to vulgarize and to falsify until the bare lies shine through.

Thanks for the KKK.

For nigger-killin' lawmen, feelin' their notches.

For decent church-goin' women, with their mean, pinched, bitter, evil faces.

Thanks for "Kill a Queer for Christ" stickers.

Thanks for laboratory AIDS.

Thanks for Prohibition and the war against drugs.

Thanks for a country where nobody's allowed to mind their own business.

Thanks for a nation of finks.

Yes, thanks for all the memories - all right, let's see your arms!

You always were a headache and you always were a bore.

Thanks for the last and greatest betrayal of the last and greatest of human dreams.

- William S. Burroughs
Thanksgiving Prayer

David Byrne & Brian Eno - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today

Video of the Week: The Cramps - Tear It Up - Urgh! A Music War

The Cramps - Tear It Up

Lux Interior's stage presence can be described in many ways.. electrifying, comical, or even disturbing. You can rest assured that it will never be described as dull though. This particular performance from Urgh! A Music War is one of the best that I've seen. Rather than spoil the interesting parts, I'll just let the video speak for itself.

Urgh! A Music War is a British film released in 1981. It featured performances by punk rock, New Wave, and post-punk acts, filmed in 1980. All performances are live, recorded around 1980, mainly in England and the USA. There is a bit of controversy surrounding the film, concerning the rights of the movie, and the possibility of a DVD release. You can read more about the film, and the surrounding controversy below.

Wikipedia Article
View More Videos From Urgh! A Music War

Video of the Week: Otis Redding - Satisfaction

Otis Redding - Satisfation

I'm sure that during the course of time I've spent running this blog that I've described several performances as 'energetic', but I was blown away by the energy that Otis Redding pumped out in this performance. I'm sure that Mick Jagger, who was present in the crowd that night, was equally stunned. I was going to post a great video of the Cramps until I found this gem. I'm sure you won't have any problems understanding why once you've viewed it. Enjoy!

Video of the Week: MC5 - Kick Out The Jams (Live - 1970)

I apologize for the recent lack of updates, but I haven't been home the last couple of days. However I should be home tomorrow, and I'll be sure to resume uploading material for you fine folks. In the meantime here is this week's VOTW.

MC5 - Kick Out The Jams (Live - 1970)

I would like to thank my good friend Brian for discovering this video. I know that this footage has been ripped from a DVD, although I'm not sure of the title. I'll be sure to find out when I get home so that I can provide as much information as possible. As you can see from the video, the MC5, who were way ahead of their time, put on a very energetic live show before a seemingly unprepared audience. The show took place at Tartar Field on the University of Detroit campus in 1970. I'll post the other videos to this set, as well as the DVD info, whenever I return home.

Video of the Week: Paul Dateh & Inka One - Hip Hop Violin

I was considering starting another blog to feature musical content that I wouldn't otherwise post on this blog, such as music videos. I may still go through with that plan, but since I've been using the myspace profile that I created for that purpose, I'm going to go ahead and postpone that plan for the moment. However I've decided that it's time to offer a bit of variety on this blog, and I think the best way to do that would be to offer the occasional video. So starting now, I'll be posting the best videos that I've recently discovered each week. I hope that you will enjoy my selections. You can find more on the Digital Meltd0wn MySpace blog. This week's Video of the Week is Paul Dateh & Inka One performing what is simply titled "Hip Hop Violin".

Paul Dateh & Inka One - Hip Hop Violin

Paul Dateh is a classically trained musician. Although the violin is his forte, he is also considered a talented jazz artist and vocalist. He often performs a fusion classical violin and hip-hop as demonstrated in this video. Be sure to visit his websites below for more information, and free music downloads. You can find the audio from this video available for download on his myspace profile. It's the last track on the player.


http://pauldateh.com
http://myspace.com/pauldateh