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Will Dahl
Blind Idiot God is an American instrumental rock trio formed in 1982 in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, by guitarist Andy Hawkins, bassist Gabriel Katz and drummer Ted Epstein. The phrase "blind idiot god" comes from horror writer H. P. Lovecraft's description of the god Azathoth. Their often improvisational musical style combines influences from punk rock, noise music, 20th-century classical music, heavy metal, dub, free jazz, and funk. They are currently based in New York City and have often collaborated with musicians Bill Laswell and John Zorn. Their self-titled debut album, ''Blind Idiot God'', was issued by SST Records in 1987 and was well received critically. Brian Olewnick described it as "an extraordinary debut ..the three musicians exhibited startling originality and impressive technique both on their instruments and in the depth and style of their compositions". With bassist Bill Laswell handling production duties, '' Undertow'' was released in 1988 and was fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tonic (music Venue)
Tonic was a music venue located in New York City founded by Melissa Caruso Scott and John Scott. First opened in 1998, it described itself as supporting "avant garde, creative and experimental music" and known for its commitment to musical integrity.Requiem for a Club: Saxophone and Sighs Nate Chinen, ''The New York Times'', April 16, 2007, Retrieved September 29, 2007 Tonic was a former kosher winery and after opening quickly became a focal point of the downtown avant-garde scene. The small and unassuming building provided a sense of intimacy by setting the performers within arms length of the audience. Tonic also doubled as a place for a variety of musicians to record live.Federico Cribiore (2000). "Tonic is a special place.". ''Tonic'' [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Before Ever After
''Before Ever After'' is the fourth studio album by Blind Idiot God, released by Indivisible Records on February 24, 2015. It marks the first album of new studio material by the band since ''Cyclotron'', released twenty-two years prior. Produced by guitarist Andy Hawkins with composer Bill Laswell, the album was first issued on double LP, then on CD and finally as a digital download. Laswell has described ''Before Ever After'' as the band's apex. Background When drummer Ted Epstein left the band in 1996, guitarist Andy Hawkins and Gabriel Katz placed Blind Idiot God on indefinite hiatus while they searched for his replacement. Tim Wyskida, formerly of Khanate, joined them on drums in 2001 and Blind Idiot God began recording new material, with more emphasis placed on improvisation. In 2006 the band returned to the stage and performed a series of shows around New York City. Gabriel Katz, who had previously delayed band activities after developing tendinitis and hearing problems, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Khanate (band)
Khanate was an American drone doom supergroup that brought together James Plotkin and Alan Dubin, two members of the defunct band OLD, as well as Tim Wyskida of Blind Idiot God and Manbyrd and Stephen O'Malley of Burning Witch and Sunn O))). Keeping some similarity to O'Malley's previous band Burning Witch, Khanate produced songs that usually exceeded the 10-minute mark, characterised by extremely slow tempos, harsh layers of feedback and vocalist Alan Dubin's torturous shrieking. As of September 24, 2006, Khanate split up, with Plotkin stating that the "lack of commitment from certain members" led to the split. In the January/February 2009 issue of |
Cyclotron (album)
''Cyclotron'' is the third album by Blind Idiot God, released in 1992 through Avant Records. It became the band's final studio album for twenty-three years after drummer Ted Epstein left the band in 1996, causing the band to go on an indefinite hiatus. ''Cyclotron'' remains Blind Idiot God's last album recorded with the original line-up intact. Composer Bill Laswell, who had worked with the band on their previous album, returned to fill production duties. Guitarist Andy Hawkins began utilizing more feedback and looping techniques in the music, which he would further explore on ''Halo'', his solo guitar project. Critical reception In writing for allmusic, Brian Olewnick noted that the trio were immensely talented and erudite musicians capable of playing music that was "head and shoulders over most thrash-influenced math rock." Despite this, Olewnick concluded that the group showed little artistic growth and "it was becoming clear that this particular well was beginning to show ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Undertow (Blind Idiot God Album)
''Undertow'' is the second album by Blind Idiot God, released in 1989 through Enemy Records. Accolades Track listing Personnel Adapted from the ''Undertow'' liner notes. ;Blind Idiot God * Ted Epstein – drums *Andy Hawkins – guitar *Gabriel Katz – bass guitar ;Production and additional personnel *Martin Bisi – mixing, recording *Bill Laswell – production *Howie Weinberg – mastering *John Zorn – alto saxophone and production Production may refer to: Economics and business * Production (economics) * Production, the act of manufacturing goods * Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services) * Production as a stati ... (11) Release history References External links * {{Authority control 1988 albums Blind Idiot God albums Albums produced by Bill Laswell Enemy Records albums ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blind Idiot God (album)
''Blind Idiot God'' is the debut album by Blind Idiot God, released in 1987 through SST Records. Produced by Martin Bisi, the album was released on CD, cassette and vinyl record. The album showcased the band's eclectic tastes for punk rock, heavy metal, dub, free jazz, and classical music. It was critically well-received and attracted the attention of John Zorn, Alex Winter and Henry Rollins, who all became devoted admirers of the group. Recording English electro and dub music producer Adrian Sherwood was originally considered to helm production duties on ''Blind Idiot God''. Instead, the band met Brooklyn-based producer Martin Bisi, who had collaborated with a plethora of New York-based acts and shared the band's eclectic tastes. It was recorded during the months of January and February 1987 at Bisi's B.C. Studios located in Brooklyn, New York. Music Brian Olewnick describes the music in his review of the album for allmusic: "Often they begin with anthemic lines, precise ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Option (music Magazine)
''Option'' (subtitled ''Music Alternatives'', then ''Music Culture'') was a music magazine based in Los Angeles, California, US. It covered independent, underground and alternative music and multiple musical genres for an international subscription base. Its print run began in 1985 and ended in 1998. History Originally called ''OPtion'', it, along with ''Sound Choice'', were the dual successors to the earlier music magazine '' OP'', published by John Foster and the Lost Music Network and known for its diverse scope and the role it played in providing publicity to DIY musicians in the midst of the cassette culture. When Foster ended ''OP'' after only twenty-six issues, he held a conference, offering the magazine's resources to parties interested in carrying on; attendant journalist David Ciaffardini went on to start ''Sound Choice'', while Scott Becker, alongside Richie Unterberger, founded ''Option''. Whereas ''Sound Choice'' was described as a low-budget and "chaotic" publication ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Zorn
John Zorn (born September 2, 1953) is an American composer, conductor, saxophonist, arranger and producer who "deliberately resists category". Zorn's avant-garde and experimental approaches to composition and improvisation are inclusive of jazz, rock, hardcore, classical, contemporary, surf, metal, soundtrack, ambient, and world music.Milkowski, B."John Zorn: One Future, Two Views"(interview) in ''Jazz Times'', March 2000, pp. 28–35,118–121; accessed July 24, 2010. In 2013, ''Down Beat'' described Zorn as "one of our most important composers" and in 2020 ''Rolling Stone'' noted that " ltough Zorn has operated almost entirely outside the mainstream, he's gradually asserted himself as one of the most influential musicians of our time".Steamer, H.‘He Made the World Bigger’: Inside John Zorn's Jazz-Metal Multiverse ''Rolling Stone'', June 22, 2020. Zorn entered New York City's downtown music scene in the mid-1970s, collaborating with improvising artists while developin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bill Laswell
William Otis Laswell (born February 12, 1955) is an American bass guitarist, record producer, and record label owner. He has been involved in thousands of recordings with many collaborators from all over the world. His music draws from funk, world music, jazz, dub, and ambient styles. According to music critic Chris Brazier, "Laswell's pet concept is 'collision music' which involves bringing together musicians from wildly divergent but complementary spheres and seeing what comes out." The credo of one record label run by Laswell which typifies much of his work is "Nothing Is True, Everything Is Permitted". Although his bands may be credited under the same name and often feature the same roster of musicians, the styles and themes explored on different albums can vary dramatically. Material began as a noisy dance music band, but later albums concentrated on hip hop, jazz, or spoken word readings by William S. Burroughs. Most versions of the band Praxis have included guitarist ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the mid-20th century. It de-emphasizes melody and chord progressions and focuses on a strong rhythmic groove of a bassline played by an electric bassist and a drum part played by a percussionist, often at slower tempos than other popular music. Funk typically consists of a complex percussive groove with rhythm instruments playing interlocking grooves that create a "hypnotic" and "danceable" feel. Funk uses the same richly colored extended chords found in bebop jazz, such as minor chords with added sevenths and elevenths, or dominant seventh chords with altered ninths and thirteenths. Funk originated in the mid-1960s, with James Brown's development of a signature groove that emphasized the downbeat—with a heavy emphasis on the first bea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Free Jazz
Free jazz is an experimental approach to jazz improvisation that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s when musicians attempted to change or break down jazz conventions, such as regular tempos, tones, and chord changes. Musicians during this period believed that the bebop, hard bop, and modal jazz that had been played before them was too limiting. They became preoccupied with creating something new and exploring new directions. The term "free jazz" has often been combined with or substituted for the term "avant-garde jazz". Europeans tend to favor the term "free improvisation". Others have used "modern jazz", "creative music", and "art music". The ambiguity of free jazz presents problems of definition. Although it is usually played by small groups or individuals, free jazz big bands have existed. Although musicians and critics claim it is innovative and forward-looking, it draws on early styles of jazz and has been described as an attempt to return to primitive, often re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
