Category Archives: Wavelength

Wavelength – Survival Research Laboratories

As yet, I haven’t found any connection between this week’s subjects and Leicester. The following tracks are from a CD on the sub rosa label called Survival Research Laboratories, an outfit founded by Mark Pauline in 1978. Since its inception the SRL operated as an organisation of technicians staging over 50 performances in the USA, Japan and Europe which have been imitated by various cable TV channels, Robot Wars being one example. Mark Pauline was joined in 1979 by noisician; GX Jupitter-Larsen, founder member of post punk crew The Haters who started by tearing paper and eventually blew up hillsides. The tracks on this CD date from 1992 to 1998, recorded in Graz, Austria, Austin Texas and San Francisco. There are several videos of SRL performances on YouTube including links to Weird Weapons of World War 2. Survival Research Laboratories:

Wavelength – Bob Parks

Leicester market, Tuesday afternoon. Second hand record stall. I bought 3 records for £3: Gather in the Mushrooms by Benny Hill, Winklepicker Shoes by Bernard Cribbins and an E.P. by the Yodelling Comedians who hardly yodel and are not humorous. The 4 tracks on the E.P. are Glamorous Alpine World, My Sweetheart lives in a Chalet, Water from the Glacier and Yodelling is my Hobby. The illustrated paper sleeve is autographed by all 3 members of the troupe. Returning to London I visited the ICA Gallery showing an exhibition by Nathaniel Mellors until May 15th which includes a mechanical mobile sculpture of 2 almost identical, lifelike, male heads, one blue, one flesh-coloured connected by mutual long facial hair, that roll their eyes and talk, entitled “Hippy Dialectic”. Highly recommended! In 2007, Nathaniel Mellors was looking for 3 people to film shouting dialogue whilst strapped to trees. Robin Klassnik of Matt’s Gallery suggested Bob Parks, recalling some unusual performances Bob had realised when they were both art students in Leicester in the 1960s. Bob Parks: “I did loads of different things, such as the time I got a 15 foot No Parking sign which I carried on my head around Leicester for 2 weeks”. The following tracks are by Bob Parks from the limited edition L.P. on the Junior Aspirin label issued in 2008 called “The R&B Feeling

Wavelength – Art and Artists on the Record.

Three spoken word tracks by artist Liam Gillick from the CD; An Idea Just Out of Reach; original recordings made in Berlin in 2009. Faster, Higher, Stronger by John Wynne from the 10″ vinyl E.P. Art + Factum (2009) which features artist responses to the Olympics site in London. Yes, New Birthday Song by Pipilotti Rist from The Cake is in Flames and finally Corporate Rock Must Die; a yellow vinyl 45rpm single by artist Jeremy Deller.

Wavelength – Studies for an Exhibition

Curator Mathieu Copeland in the studio to talk about his exhibition at the David Roberts Arts Foundation: which includes works by Gustav Metzger, Cally Spooner, Elena Bajo, David Medalla and others.

Wavelength – Plundered Classics

Plundered Classics mixed and mashed with Broken Music by Milan Knizak who started to destroy records in 1965, scratching, breaking, punching holes, destroying the needle and often the record player. Broken Music was curated and assembled by Walter Marchetti and released as a record in 1979. John Oswald: Plunderphonics; Beethoven, Glenn Gould and Stravinsky’s “Spring” from the EP issued in 1985. Alfred 23 Harth “Anything Goes” 1986 which mixes John Oswald, John Zorn and Heiner Goebbels just to compound the mixture. Strauss and Chopin from More Encores by Christian Marclay, Satie versus Wagner by Fuckintosh and Fragments by John Wall from Alterstill.

Wavelength – Break Through in Grey Room.

Opening statement about radio as therapy from a slightly confused Captain Maurice Seddon from his hospital bed in Slough. “Present Time Exercises” by William Burroughs from Break Through in Grey Room. At the beginning of this track made on cassette in London in 1971 using radio, television and several tape recorders we hear the distinctive growl of Burroughs reference a certain Mr. Peter Gidal (“Mister Peeder Geedaal…”); the eminent avant-garde filmmaker. “I am Strange” and “I am an Instrument” by Sun Ra, previously unissued early recordings issued by Norton Records as a single vinyl 45rpm record in 2009. “Burroughs called the Law” and “Sound Piece” both also from Break Through in Grey Room. Three tracks by Felix Kubin from “Psykoscifipoppia” 2003 and “Automato idee 2” also by Kubin from the CD id/cd. Four short tracks by Yakatsuma Eye and Otomo Yoshihide from a white label vinyl EP.

Wavelength – Auction Fever

On the eve of the fund-raising auction weekend; a live auction to raise funds to keep Resonance on air. Maurice Seddon recorded from his hospital bed in Slough. “Down and Out” by Karen Dalton live in Boulder 1962. “The End of WFMU, ’69” from the cassette Radio Archival Oddities, 90 minutes of Unusual Broadcasting issued by WFMU. “Money in the Bank vs. Money in the Pocket” 45rpm vinyl single by Skinjobs 2011. “I Need Money” by Slim Harpo; “Money” by Buddy Guy; “Money in my Pocket” by Dennis Brown; “History” by Art and Language; recording of congestion charge over the phone

Wavelength – Captain Maurice Seddon, Royal Signals (retired).

Regular listeners to Wavelength will be aware of Captain Maurice Seddon who has contributed, usually by telephone, to this programme. He was taken into a hospital in Slough on January 6th and is presently still there. He allegedly suffered a stroke, might have vascular dementia and now has an infection. At my last visit to him he was almost comatose which is possibly due to some sort of liquid cosh. His dogs are being fed. In his absence, the local council entered his house and grounds apparently with an enforcement order to sanitise his environment which is considered to be a hazard to the health of the local community. “UTA (long version)” by Pipilotti Rist and Anders Guggisberg from the CD The Cake is in Flames. Maria Callas sings “Suicidio!” by Ponchielli from La Gioconda followed by “Maria Callas” by Christian Marclay from More Encores.

Wavelength – Kinnie the Explorer supported by Beethoven.

“Fairy lit hung flowers” from the 4 track CD: Blood. It’s on Every Wall, by young Dorset group Kinnie the Explorer. ‘OLYM” ‘LYMP’ YMPI’ ‘MPIC’ ‘PICS’ conceptual soundwork by Daniel Jackson from the 10″ LP Art + Factum. Henry Flynt’s version of “The International” from the CD Nova Billy followed by Central Park Transverse Vocal numbers 1 and 2 from Henry Flynt, Raga Electric, experimental music 1963-1971. Finally, Beethoven, Symphony Number 7, second movement, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Georg Solti.