Been busy with two performances – one a benefit for radio station 2MBS-FM and another a month later for Bob Moog’s Birthday Picnic as held by Clan Analogue. These have demanded fast work and quick decisions to entertain an audience. The picnic created 40 minutes of music in 2 weeks (something that takes some bands several years 💩👍🏼)
Frustrated by overly complicated plans it seemed better to go back to the early years of a young band – small gigs, more enthusiasm than income, inventing music for each show and seeing what sticks. That was 1981-1983 for Severed Heads and it’s 2023 for Sound System. (A little thought reveals that the material in Séance System is powered by the Sound System of the past).
A show requires rules. For the radio benefit it was all about radio – the textures, the history, the spoken words. Every track for the picnic had to be about picnics – Picnic At Hanging Rock, Picnic Bars and so on – the music needed to speak about Clan Analogue and the electronic music styles of the late 20th Century. Rules cut away many distractions, they guide you to a result. The result may not be perfect – but you can always come back and polish that turd later. The result should lead to a small, happy, uncomplicated event.
Two is enough for a while. There’s urgent need to work on the other parts of the triangle, and it’s unwise to flood the universe with too much music at once.
Hi Tom! I’ve been a fan of yours for years. I am a dj and raver in Sydney and I use your tracks in my sets and get inspiration for my outfits/rave steup from the videos you post on YouTube; your music is so good and cool and I love what you do!
My dad played me your stuff when I was a kid and your art/music/videos have been such huge inspirations to me; when Gary Numan was touring you opened for him and your act was genuinely life changing for me. You make cool art and music and I wanted to say thank you for sharing 🙂