Perfect Sound Forever

Rock/avant convergences of the 90's and beyond...


Sonic Youth (minus Lee Ranaldo),  photo by Kim Hubbard

compiled by Jason Gross



 

- Acid Mother's Temple cover Terry Riley's "In C" (Squealer, 2002)

- Trey Anastasio (Phish)- his solo album Surrender to the Air (Elektra, 1996) included appearances from Marc Ribot and Marshall Allen (Sun Ra Arkestra).

- Anti Pop Consortium Vs. Matthew Shipp (Thristy Ear 2003)

- Aphex Twin "Icct Hedral (Philip Glass Orchestration)" from Donkey Rhubarb (Warp EP, 1995)

- Band of Susans: Robert Poss and Susan Stenger both appear on Phill Niblock's  G2, 44+/x2 (2002).  Stenger has also worked with Czech composer Petr Kotik.

- Bjork Vespertine (Elektra, 2001), includes Zeena Parkins on harp

- David Bowie employed Lester Bowie on Black Tie White Noise (1993) and Joey Baron on Outside (1995)

- The Brood (members of Elastica, Spaceman 3, Wire, Band of Susans, etc.) at the South bank Centre (fall 1996) performing pieces by  Cage, Christian Wolff, La Monte Young

- Gavin Bryars' Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me (Polygram, 1993) features Tom Waits

- Buckethead (guitar), veteren of many Bill Laswell projects, became a member of Guns N' Roses in 2000.

- John Cage tribute record- Caged/Uncaged- 1993 - Cramps (Italy)
 David Byrne, Debbie Harry, Lou Reed, Joey Ramone and Jello Biafra participated
 Joey claimed that Cage said that he would have wanted to collaborate with Ramones
Also A Chance Operation-The John Cage Tribute (Koch, 1993) with Frank Zappa, Laurie Anderson, Yoko Ono

- Eric Chenaux (free improv player) joined Canadian pop ensemble, Crash Vegas, in their waning days and subsequently influences and inspires lead singer Michelle McAdorey to reinvent a solo career more pointed toward John Cage than Neil Young -- her exquisite LP, Twirl (rel 2000), which also featured Toronto-based composer Martin Arnold

- Ornette Coleman- appears on Lou Reed's The Raven (2003) and Joe Henry's Scar (2001)

- Derek Bailey Guitar, Drums 'n' Bass (Avant 1997) with DJ Ninj

- DJ Olive- with DJ Logic participated in Uri Caine's version of Bach's "Goldberg Variations" (2 cd's, 2000) also recorded with Kim Gordon/Ikue Mori (see below) and William Hooker (see below)

- DJ Spooky
 * Kraanerg- performed with STX Ensemble (U.S. premiere)
 Aug. 27-Sept. 2 1997, the Great Hall at Cooper Union
 * Optometry- jazz players- Joe McPhee, Matthew Shipp, William Parker, Guillermo Brown, Daniel Carter (Thirsty Ear, 2002)
 * Metallica feat. DJ Spooky - For Whom the Bell Tolls (The Irony of It All)
  Spawn Soundtrack- (Sony, 1997)

- The Ex- two albums with cellist Tom Cora, Scrabbling at the Lock (1991), And the Weathermen Shrug Their Shoulders (1993).  Also solo project such as Han Bennnink & Terrie Ex The laughingh owl (2000) on Terp as well as Ab Baars & Terrie Ex Hef (2000) also on Terp.

- Freestyle Events- biweekly avant-jazz showcase at CBGB's produced by Bush Tetras drummer Dee Pop

- Luc Ferrari/DJ Olive collaboration at the Kithcen, New York City- March 2003
 (digital performance and MP3 DJing) for composition- Share

- Charles Gayle (saxophone) was in band with Henry Rollins called Everything which also includes drummer Rashied Ali. Rollins also says that he's just finished producing a Gayle record (March 2003 interview with Bay Area Citysearch)

- Phillip Glass' cover of Bowie/Eno's Low album
 "Heroes" Symphony (Point Music) 1997
*
orchestrated "Fifty Fifty Chance" on Suzanne Vega's Days of Open Hand (rel 1990)

- Mats Gustafsoon appeared on Gastr del Sol's Upgrade & Afterlife, as well as David Grubbs' Spectrum Between and a collaborative LP with Grubbs, Apertura

- Page Hamilton (Helmut) recorded with Casper Brotzmann (Zulutime, 1996)- previously worked with Glenn Branca

- Pierre Henry- Metamorphosé: Messe Pour Le Temps Présent (remixes by Coldcut, William Orbit) from 1997 also including single "Psyche Rock" (Fatboy Slim Malpasso Mix), also appears on Violent Femmes' Freak Magnet (2000)

- William Hooker- collaborations with Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth, see below) and DJ Olive on Armageddon (1995)

- Alan Licht (Run On, Love Child, Tom Verlaine band)
Rudolph Grey's Mask of Light (New Alliance 1991) plays with Grey, Rashied Ali & Jim Sauter.  Several releases with Loren Mazzacane Connors Two Nights (Roadcone, 1996), Live LP (New World of Sound, 1996), Mercury (Roadcone, 1997), Hoffman Estates (Drag City, 1998, with Ken Vandermark, Rob Mazurek, Kevin Drumm, Jeb Bishop, Josh Abrams, Chad Taylor), Gerry Miles (Atavistic, 1996) with Keiji Haino, Connie Burg & Melissa Weaver Duo with Michael Snow on No Music Festival 99 CD box set (Entartekunst, 1999) and also on Phill Niblock's G2,44x2 CD (Moikai, 2002).

- Dave Lomardo (Slayer drummer)- member of quartet with John Zorn, Bill Laswell and Fred Frith.  Also appears on Zorn's Music Romance (1999) and Xu Feng (2000) and Mike Patton's Fantômas project.

- The Magnetic Fields covered John Cage's "4'33" live as the encore for their complete 69 Love Songs concerts (circa 2001).

- Marisa Monte (Brazilian pop singer) has featured Joey Baron, John Zorn, Bill Frisell, Marc Ribot, Dougie Bowne, Melvin Gibbs, Marty Ehrlich,  Greg Cohen, and Philip Glass (arrangements) between her Mais and Rose and Charcoal albums

- Pauline Oliveros in the Arms of Reynols (1999) - a remix of live concerts of Oliveros and the Deep Listening Band with Reynols. White Tapes. (limited, numbered and spraypainted edition of 100). (1999)

- OHM- EARLY GURUS OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC-  (2000), notes by Thurston Moore, Brian Eno, Bill Laswell, DJ Spooky

- The Orb- their hit "Fluffy Little Clouds" (1991) samples Steve Reich's "Electric Counterpoint"

-John Oswald Grayfolded (1995), includes authorized Plunderphonics versions of Grateful Dead

- Charlemagne Palestine recorded with techno group Pansonic (Mort Aux Vaches, STAALPLAAT, 1999)

- Mike Patton, ex-Faith No More and Mr. Bungle singer formed Fantomas, runs the experimental Ipecac label and appears on a number of tribute albums on Tzadik.

- Radiohead samples composer Paul Lansky
 "Idiotique" on KID A (2000)- samples 'mild und leise'

- Reich remixed- done by Coldcut, Howie B, Andrea Parker, Tranquility Bass, Ken Ishhi, DJ Spooky- Nonesuch '99 release and  sold out show at Irving Plaza

- Marc Ribot (guitarist) appears on albums by Elvis Costello (Mighty Like A Rose (1991), Kojak Variety (1995), Marianne Faithful (Blazing Away (1990), Joe Henry (Scar) and Sam Phillips.  Had earlier appeared on Tom Waits' albums (1980's)

- Sonic Youth and solo projects
 *Jim Sauter / Don Dietrich / Thurston Moore. - saxists from avant-noise Borbetomagus
 (they also appear on Murray Street, 2002)
 Barefoot In the Head (Forced Exposure, 1996)
 *Can remix
 (Sacrilege, Mute, 1997)
 * Goodbye 20th Century
 (SYR, 1999)- covers and collobations with composers
 songs of Christian Wolff, John Cage, Pauline Oliveros, Kosugi, Yoko Ono, Steve Reich, James Tenney, George Maciunas, Cornelius Cardew
 collaborations with William Winant, Kosugi, Wolff, Christian Marclay
 Oliveros wrote a piece for SY
 * collaboriation with Yamatsuka Eye
 1993- Ecstatic Peace/Forced Exposure
 * appearances at Vision Fest- Thurston played on  Vision One: Vision Festival 1997
        Compiled 1997  Aum Fidelity
         Fuzz Against Junk  performed by Thurston Moore / Lawrence Cook / John Voigt
 * Lee Ranaldo contributed a piece to Schumacher gallery
 HWY SONG, Event Point, May 1 - 29, 1999  at S t u d i o F i v e B e e k m a n
 http://www.diapasongallery.com/ranaldo.html
 * Lee Ranaldo records and tours with drummer William Hooker
 1998  Victo  (Clouds), 1994  Knitting Factory Works  (Envisioning)
 William Hooker / Lee Ranaldo / Zeena Parkins: The Gift Of Tongues (Knitting Fac 95)
Shambala (Knitting Factory, 1993) with Thurston Moore
 * Thurston records with Loren Mazzacane Connors and Evan Parker and Zeena Parkins
 Thurston Moore / Evan Parker / Walter Prati- The Promise (1999  Materiali Sonori)
 Thurston/Loren- "Just Tell Her That I Really Like Her" (1995  Instress, single)
 Zeena Parkins / Nels Cline / Thurston Moore- Live At Easthampton Town Hall
 * Kim records and plays live with Ikue Mori
 Kim Gordon / DJ Oilve / Ikue Mori (SYR, 2000)
* Sonic Youth/ICP Orchestra/The Ex In the Fishtank (2003)
* Saxophonist Wally Shoup- "Hurricane Floyd" (Sublingual, 2000) with Thurston Moore and upcoming release on Leo Records
* Diskaholics Anonymous Trio – Thurston Moore (guitar), Jim O’Rourke (synth, computer) & Mats Gustafsson (tuba, sax)

- Spring Heel Jack
 saxist John Surman appears on Disappeared (2000)
 Masses (2001) has appearances from Tim Berne, Evan Parker, William Parker, Roy Campbell, Mat Manieri, Guillermo Brown, Daniel Carter
 Amassed (2002) has appearances from Han Bennink, Evan Parker, Kenny Wheeler, Matthew Shipp
they toured with many of them also with Jason Pierce from Spiritualized

- Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool (GRP, 1994)- AIDS benefit CD including Lester Bowie, Don Cherry, Pharoah Sanders with Guru, Digable Planets, Pharcyde

- The Styrenes In C- cover of Terry Riley piece (Enja, 2000)

- Margaret Leng Tan appears on The 6ths' (Stephin Merritt) Hyacinths and Thistles (2000)

- David Thomas: Oct 24, 1998-  London, Barbican. Performs John Cage's "Aria" as part of Susan Stenger's The Brood in the "American Pioneers" series

- Tortoise- U.N.K.L.E.'s remix of their song "Djed" includes portions of Steve Reich's "Come Out" (City Slang, 1996)

- Ken Vandermark appears on albums by Superchunk (Come Pick Me Up, 1999) as well as Pinetop Seven and Coctails.  Also plays on the soundtrack Dutch Harbor: Where the sea breaks its back (Truckstop/Atavistic, 1998) along with David Grubbs, Jim O’Rourke, Douglass McCombs, Will Oldham & others.

- Wobbly Rail- avant-jazz label run by Mac McCaughan of Superchunk

- X-ecutioners
 July 2000- Lincoln Center's Electronic Evolution series
 New York Center for Ethical Culture- participated in version of Riley's "In C"

- Xenakis remix project
 Iannis Xenakis: Persepolis + Remixes Edition I 2xCD (asphodel, 2000)
 Otomo Yoshihide, Merzbow, Ryoji Ikeda, Francisco Lopez

- Yo La Tengo
"Some Other Dimensions in Yo La Tengo" double 7" from 1999, with Roy Campbell, Jr., Daniel Carter, Sabir Mateen
YLT played with Sabir, Daniel at 2001 Vision Fest
Susie Ibarra appears on And Then Nothing... album (2001)
'Nuclear War' single (2002) with Sabir Mateen, Daniel Carter , Susie Ibarra
 

- La Monte Young tribute at Barbican- October 31, 1997
 1. La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela - Video
 2. The Gavin Bryars Ensemble - Live Performance
 3.Spring Heel Jack - Tape
 4. Paul Catling - Film
 Interval
 5. Nick Cave - Live Performance
 6. La Monte Young and The Forever Bad Blues Band
 (concert organized by Mark Webber of Pulp)


Many thanks to the people who provided names/information/advice about this: Remco Takken, Kris (KP), Nate Knaebel, Tony at Consolidated, Matti Kauppi, Doug Watson, R. Juristo, Austen Zuege, Neil Campbell, Doug Horne, Nicholas McCormick, Andrew Fleming, Andrew Klimek, Cecile Cloutier, Markos Zografos, Jim Flannery, Rupert Loydell, Caleb T. Deupree, Caca H Uete (bp), Wally Shoup, Robert Poss, Wes Freeman and especially anyone else who I've forgotten.


Also see the essay Between A Rock and An Experimental Place and some of the more detailed interview responses.

Check out the rest of PERFECT SOUND FOREVER
MAIN PAGE ARTICLES STAFF/FAVORITE MUSIC LINKS E-MAIL