on 10/7/02 7:12 AM, Tosh Cooey at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
It always amazes me just how bad my writing is. For how else can so
many people mis-interpret my meanderings.
Anyway, Jeff had some good points, so I think I need to clarify.
First, to everyone who thinks I am bagging laptop shows, that is not the
case. A laptop is a tool to do something, the laptop does not sing and
dance for you, nor will it be scoring groupies afterwards, although
oddly enough the damn things can still get viruses, but I digress. It's
only a tool, so just as an Apple Mac won't make you a better designer, a
laptop won't make a boring performance.
Second, Kent decided to bring up Fred Gianelli.
It's GiaNNelli. ; )
I don't know why. I have never heard anyone describe his performance as boring
(well maybe his ex-girlfriend ... laugh Fred laugh ...)
What ex-girlfriend ? I didn't know I had an Ex-girlfriend. They never
stick around long enough to be considered girlfriends.
and to my current knowledge he doesn't use a laptop as his main performance
piece.
Well Tosh, you've been out of the country too long. I now use a laptop
since Ableton Live came out last year. By the way I may be in your neck of
the woods soon. Where are you living these days ?
Sorry, there was no second point, I just wanted the cheap laughs of the
ex-girlfriend joke.
I understand where you are coming from. In fact after years of lugging
around heavy equipment, I now have more flexibility and options in a live
set by using a laptop and Ableton Live. I pre-prepare my live set but the
actual arrangement can be completely spontaneous if I choose. I suppose I
could pre-arrange everything and just hit play, then jump around on stage
and near the end of my set jump up on a keyboard and strike a crucifix pose
and have a bright white light shine on me. ie: f--- Moby.(past
present) ; P
However, I did struggle with the visual aspect of using a laptop live. It
does appear to look ridiculous just staring at a screen. In fact my friends
refer to laptop acts as Screengazers, much like UK Shoegazer bands.
Stewart Walker and I have debated this point a lot. I think he's crazy
lugging around heavy equipment in this day and age. He's doing more
International dates than I these days and dealing with the same old heavy
equipment problems. He even went to the trouble of designing Persona
Records T-shirts with a logo of a no laptop performance on it. He also
asked me to get a copy of Ableton Live for him from Ableton (since I am an
endorsee) and they gave it to him and he still doesn't use it. I had
to pay for my copy before I got the endorsement deal ! Although he does
admit that Native Instruments new laptop Sampler may replace his hardware
sampler. I have a Native Instruments endorsement deal also and Kontakt is a
great sampler so there is no point in lugging around hardware unless you are
a masochist or can't deal with spontaneous computer glitches. Your back
will thank you in a few years, believe me.
Now the point of all this is that I don't think I would sound any different
using hardware equipment vs. what I do now with a laptop. I also don't
think Stewart would sound any different by using a laptop. It's what the
composer/arranger does musically that matters. Whether you like Boring
Laptop music or not. I personally don't mind some boring laptop music.
Performance wise, it's all boring to those not interested in the process. I
don't consider doing electronic music live as a performance anyway and
always refer to an appearance as a Live Electronic Demonstration or
L.E.D.
Hope this helps.
telepathic regards,
the kooky scientist
PS. if anyone is interested in booking me in Europe in November feel free to
contact me ASAP.
--
Upcoming Live Electronic Demonstrations:
Oct. 17th - Chicago, Smart Bar.
Oct. 26th - Detroit, Citi Club.
November - Germany Switzerland
--
TELEPATHICA - P.O.B.80337 - Boston, MA 02180-0010
*new CL # 617.905.9619 and FAX 781.944.8996
http://www.mp3.com/fredgiannelli
http://www.telepathica.com
**New E-addresses*
[EMAIL PROTECTED] and/or [EMAIL PROTECTED]
So here's my refined point about boring laptop shows in some kind of
logical notation:
IF you go to a performance
AND the performance is BORING * (see note below)
AND the performer primarily uses a laptop
THEN
BECAUSE a laptop is inanimate and cannot be blamed
AND BECAUSE the performer is only expressing their art and cannot be
blamed
THE only conclusion left is that the music is boring.
Elementary my dear Watson.
* BORING. Thanks to all you boring people telling me about subjectivity
I have refined the definition of BORING to be anything which you find
boring, for you personally, not for anyone else.
Also notice the difference between BORING and boring. BORING is
subjective and boring
