Diane Di Prima

I just picked up Women of the Beat Generation because I wanted to submit a piece to a call of readings of Beat/Black Mountain writings back in Shreveport. I'm really happy with how mine came out, perhaps as a result of some of the ideas I had been messing around with in our Digital Sound Cultures class (particularly non-musical sounds, reverb, multilayering). To be honest, the only audio work I've ever done was small spots for KSCL and tinkering around in Fruity Loops while Chris wasn't looking. So, this has been a really fun, unique experience overall. Please feel free to check out the written version of Diane Di Prima's Rant and my audio reading of her poem.

TV Links is gone gone gone

The site I used to catch up on all my cheesy 80's cartoons is gone, its maintainer arrested:

As reported in the Guardian, last Thursday a 26-year-old Cheltenham man was arrested and the site, tv-links.co.uk, was closed . According to the Gloucester police, the arrest was carried out for alleged violations of Section 92 of the Trade Marks Act.

The man was not charged and the case remains under investigation, says Eddy Leviten of the Federation Against Copyright Theft. He likened the activity of TV Links to someone who advertises a car that is not theirs. "The main issue is that the original material is stolen," he alleges. TV Links was collecting links to movies such as the new Nancy Drew film that were allegedly illegally recorded in the cinema and then hosted on Chinese websites, he said. The federation is pursuing the websites that host the material, but it is difficult to pursue sites not under English jurisdiction.

Link

Where else am I supposed to watch M.A.S.K.?

Critical Mashup Generator - for Mac

I've been experimenting with Applescript lately and I set up a script that creates a mashup based on random selections from iTunes. I wanted to create an opportunity for myself and my machine to collaborate beyond tool utilization on a project, and I feel like I'm heading in the right direction. I'm putting the script up for download and tinkering if you're interested here.

I'm also throwing up my critical reflection just so I can access it later as well. And a mix produced by the script.

My initial thesis proposal

Feel free to download my initial thesis proposal on digital memorialization here. I'm looking at collective memory and how participatory culture can shape it through digital memorials.

Memorialization and the act of mourning have taken on new dimensions as society looks to digital spaces to collectively mourn and commemorate events centered around death. My thesis will explore how digital memorials contribute to and have the potential to change the collective memory of the landscape of tragedy. I will also observe the role of rituals surrounding mourning in these spaces, how rituals in non-virtual spaces translate to digital memorials, and what new rituals may be emerging. Also central to my thesis is the role of participatory culture, and whether or not it democratizes memorial space shifting power from large organizations and committees to the public. I will focus on specific examples of digital memorialization, or a specific tragedy and its digital memorials and place these within the context of collective memory and participatory culture.

The Amen Break

Here's a great video/installation by Nate Harrison on the Amen Break sampled from The Winstons' "Color Him Father". It's easily the most used breakbeat ever and I would assume followed up in popularity by "Funky Drummer" by James Brown/Clyde Subblefield (who has a myspace page!) and "Apache" by the Incredible Bongo Band. I think its an interesting meme in electronic music. I don't really have a background in memetics, or fully understand the concepts surrounding them but I would argue that the Amen Break, as a staple of hip hop, house, drum and bass and other genres of electronic music is really successful at survival. I really would like to spend some time looking at its mutations and also how it could be detrimental to its host (perhaps it's seen as too derivative?).

Also interestingly, Harrison argues that markets and capital will benefit from a more open and flexible culture and public domain.

EDIT: I'm sorry, as my fiance pointed out in the comments, the SONG the sample is from is "Amen, Brother" which is on the B-side. Color Him Father is on the A-side.

The Posthuman DJ - in the 70's at TX/LA radio

Wow, I am floored by this amazing broadcast from The Black Pope:

"I'm a human radio station, I'm the transmitter, I'm the tower, I'm the turntables, I'm the building, I'm every doggone thing."

More jive DJ's here.