So, this entry will be in two parts: one, my (slightly incoherent) ramblings about the Gurlesque/the question why more minorities (aside from Asians) don't appear, poetically, in it and two, my (slightly incoherent) ramblings about a possible Blackesque (which, I think, would be different from the existing concept of Negritude).
So, one (additional note--this is, pretty much, note-for-note [word for word?] from my notebook--I guess I may inject/explain with brackets or bold). Also, please excuse the broad strokes this response may take--again, this isn't too refined in it's current state:
Why aren't there more blacks (or minorities besides Asians) present in the Gurlesque? Simple. It literally comes down to the nature of language, and by extension, the polotics involved in (post)colonialism.
For a white female, it is easier (loosely) to dialogue--historical lineage is, for the most part, easily traceable, and the history has been literate for a long time, relatively speaking. Whites do not have to combat race-specific roadblocks as much--white is right, so the only true concept to negotiate are aspects inside, the self, things like the (de)construction of female roles. Add to the fact American society is largely white-based, the ideas to rebel or fashion are more easily relatable (as mentioned).
With Asians, you have a series of fetishisms occuring simultaneously, most specifically, the concept of the exotic other (ala Cho-Cho san/Gallimard in M. Butterfly). Asians, like whites, do not have to necessarily wrestle with race if they don't want to as mainstream society is already fascinated with (or accepted) them.
For blacks, with history/knowledge being more oral/performance based (spirituals/the figure of the griot), the mode in which successive waves of female will discourse will change. Black people tend to be raised in Baptist/religious-heavy ways, where the church (and by extension, the choir) becomes key to life. Black literati now tend to be performers, and more specifically, singers. So, in your search for the black in the Gurlesque, it will need to be found in song-based black disciplines--namely, rap and r&b. Black culture is a weird thing, and there is still a heavy stigma of "being white"/"being 'real'," where traditional, non-performance based/written poetry tends to be grouped as being "white" forms. So, in the black Gurlesque, you'll see reactions to people like Queen Latifah or MC Lyte, Salt N' Pepa by people like Nicki Minaj, Trina, and Lil' Kim.
</end incoherence>
So, what does the above mean? Basically, the way that black culture functions is weird--there is an emphasis (and sometimes, over-emphasis) on being authentic/real. There are still some that believe education is a white institution, and therefore, what's studied within the institutions are white and makes the participants within school, by extension, white. Some blacks feel that "we," as a race, have our own language/method of discourse, one that does not rely on the white notion of literacy--the performative--music. This is why, I feel, when black aspiring poets begin writing poetry, it usually falls into the spoken-word vein--it is what we know, how we already communicate, what we are taught at home. Part of this is, obviously, an attempt to retain some semblance of identity/history without fully assimilating into the "whiteness" of current American society, but at the same time, it truncates what can be experienced.
In terms of blacks in mainstream poetics, I see the same faces mentioned/in anthologies: Terrance Hayes, Yusef Komunyaakaa, Thomas Sayer Ellis, Kevin Young, and Patricia Smith. I know this omits people like Gwendolyn Brooks, Maya Angelou, and Nikki Giovanni, but especially for the last two, I am more familiar with them from an oral perspective. It's weird, sometimes, as I feel like a black writer, if I'm not incorporating black language/images, I'm not being "real" (I mentioned this in an earlier post I think--I'm just weird negotiating my identity, and maybe it's silly to think of text being color blind, but I try to paint images in a way where biographical information doesn't add/subtract from the beauty already present). Anyway, this kind of leads (the mention of these authors) to possibly the concept of a Blackesque.
From the presentation of the Gurlesque, I know this wasn't a conscious creation to have a new mode of discourse--rather, like some other schools, ideas just resonate and then, eventually, a name is put to it. In this case, female poets are navigating ways to re-purpose what America sees as the white female--one of, perhaps, subjugating, limited experience, fit to be molded and shaped by a male. By shocking the audience/writing in a way that does not seem "right" for a female, the female can regain power (be it a little or a lot) out of an unbalanced relationship. Sorry if I screwed the pooch on this explanation, but it's what I got.
Anyway, in terms of the Blackesque, there are two distinct routes I can see it taken: one that rebels against the white society's perception of what it means to be black (historical racial images such as the mammy/pickininy). With this, I guess it implies gender roles, too, as some of the images not only pertain to what it means to be black in society, but a black male/female. I think there's more to "destroy" here, i.e., poems that simultaneously shatter white-defined blackness and white-defined gender ideas, but this a) may be too much work or b) not productive in terms of really addressing issues. These very much may take on the appearance of rants (nothing wrong with that), but I can see how adversely a rant may be taken versus something subtle and smoothly poetic.
The second route can be one that rebels against what our (read: black) society defines as blackness. This, I feel, is more what Gurlesque is doing--by already being white (or Asian) [And again, as stated above], there is one less layer to address--you don't have to worry about addressing race in a poem, just what is said by that race about your gender. By being a black artist, it's easier to navigate what your "own people" set up as ideals for gender. Then, again with the removal of having (possibly) to integrate race politics, you can really focus on gender. An easy pivot point would be mainstream black images, such as BET, and by extension, entertainment. Specifically for a Black Gurlesque, I can see tropes of being "light-skinned" or "dark-skinned" being played with a lot, in addition to what defines sexy, what is appropriate to know, sexually, and especially, how interracial relationships function.
NOTE: the following is kind of the template image I thought of that black artists (or, more specifically, black female poets) could react to--so extremely NSFW it's ridiculous, but it does bear out the idea that if we, as black people, are defining ourselves like this, there's no way in hell that mainstream media isn't seeing this and using it to further ingrain concepts of ourselves that are not true (which is BE option #1)--plus, there's just ton of fodder for black females to exploit for BE option #2)
Again, these are still super-de-dooper rough sketchs, and if I over-simplified/sounded like a D-Bag/sounded unintelligent, I apologize--just needed to get the ideas out.
I would really like to "talk" about this :)
-Glenn
---
Nicki Minaj
I hate Nicki Minaj. Hate her delivery. Hate her flow (she's like Wayne but a female--borderline non-sequitors all over the place that are "visionary"--I could go own, but it will probably start sounding like whining or I'm a "hater"). Anyway, I feel her stuff may be possibly Gurlesque as I think it very much embodies the Carnivalesque and Burlesque--super performative (again, back to her delivery).
Some examples:
Itty Bitty Piggy
Roger That (first verse--her, Tyga, and Lil' Wayne)
Kanye West's "Monster" (her verse starts about 3:35)
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Distinctive, Innovative Writing?
Quick preface: I don't read much--I admit this to myself--so what I define as innovative (and bring in) may, in fact, not be as innovative as something that say, Nate B, may bring in. With that little caveat taken care of, I plan to bring in an excerpt (and the book itself) of Nick Flynn's Another Bullshit Night In Suck City. To begin, a I have a poetic man-crush on Flynn--he was the first contemporary poet I really connected with.
I've been writing poetry ever since I can remember, but, well...it started off as big word after big word that amounted to nothing resonant, really. Anyway, in college, during a lit class, I got exposed to Blake's "London" (and then Songs of Innocence/Experience and it took off from there. Then, somehow, either through Bread Loaf or Legitimate Dangers, I saw Flynn and "Cartoon Physics, Part I"--sooooooooooo good. Right up my alley--making the "cold" sciences (in this case, physics) warm with the real life (how perceptions change from childhood to adulthood). Anyway, long story short, I have two of his poetry collections (Some Ether and Blind Huber), and the aforementioned memoir.
The memoir is not so much about Flynn himself, but his connection with his would-be-but-often-deadbeat-aspiring-artist-but-in-his-(the father's)-mind-one-of-the-best-American-Writers-EVAR. Misuse of dashes FTW! Anyway, not only is the writing very...poetic (cop-out, yeah--sue me!), but there are sections (or whole chapters) that take on forms such as his father's thoughts, questionnaires, letters, list of facts, inventories, pattern and variation, plays, fragments, poetry, and Q&A's. In addition, the memoir is not strictly linear, and sometimes, chapters will jump by decades forward and back (often, before the chapter begins, the year of the chapter's action will be signaled via parentheses). I'm not sure what chapter I'll bring to pass out, as I'm really conscious about having something short to not kill many trees, which I guess is a reason I'm bringing in the book, too.
Next entry: the Gurlesque (and the Blackesque--sorta--maybe).
-Glenn
---
Kanye West - All of the Lights
I'm a sucker for major keys (they're "happy") and horns. Very much an anthem, methinks.
Finch - Ink
Main riff catchy/interesting (definitely an odd time-sig--I should count it out, but it feels like 7/8-9/8 [although it may be straight 4/4 but messing with the downbeat but...I doubt it.]). Anyway, fun chorus/breakdown. Another anthem-like song, methinks.
I've been writing poetry ever since I can remember, but, well...it started off as big word after big word that amounted to nothing resonant, really. Anyway, in college, during a lit class, I got exposed to Blake's "London" (and then Songs of Innocence/Experience and it took off from there. Then, somehow, either through Bread Loaf or Legitimate Dangers, I saw Flynn and "Cartoon Physics, Part I"--sooooooooooo good. Right up my alley--making the "cold" sciences (in this case, physics) warm with the real life (how perceptions change from childhood to adulthood). Anyway, long story short, I have two of his poetry collections (Some Ether and Blind Huber), and the aforementioned memoir.
The memoir is not so much about Flynn himself, but his connection with his would-be-but-often-deadbeat-aspiring-artist-but-in-his-(the father's)-mind-one-of-the-best-American-Writers-EVAR. Misuse of dashes FTW! Anyway, not only is the writing very...poetic (cop-out, yeah--sue me!), but there are sections (or whole chapters) that take on forms such as his father's thoughts, questionnaires, letters, list of facts, inventories, pattern and variation, plays, fragments, poetry, and Q&A's. In addition, the memoir is not strictly linear, and sometimes, chapters will jump by decades forward and back (often, before the chapter begins, the year of the chapter's action will be signaled via parentheses). I'm not sure what chapter I'll bring to pass out, as I'm really conscious about having something short to not kill many trees, which I guess is a reason I'm bringing in the book, too.
Next entry: the Gurlesque (and the Blackesque--sorta--maybe).
-Glenn
---
Kanye West - All of the Lights
I'm a sucker for major keys (they're "happy") and horns. Very much an anthem, methinks.
Finch - Ink
Main riff catchy/interesting (definitely an odd time-sig--I should count it out, but it feels like 7/8-9/8 [although it may be straight 4/4 but messing with the downbeat but...I doubt it.]). Anyway, fun chorus/breakdown. Another anthem-like song, methinks.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Speed Rounds, Part Zwei
Enjoyed these rounds a lot more--I think it really had to do with being more fully in control of the style/content. Here, you weren't mimicking or trying to fit ideas into something rigorous; rather, the only thing that changed were perspectives. I like writing from perspectives, and these exercises really showed me that there are tons more perspectives I can write from, especially in terms of relationship poems, then just the male's or female's. I took the long list of rules as only applicable to the "First" round where we chose the perspective ourselves, so if these same sort of rules (such as possible nested stories/physical clues) were to apply to the other perspective--oops.
Anyway, I got a lot of good mileage in the exercises, and most will readily become solid first drafts. There are a few I need to complete more in terms of my mastertape (which means, usually, the addition of something science-y, Christian-y, or both), but boy did some of the poems go places I did not expect in the beginning. That first poem, plus my authority figure, mother, current/ex-romantic partner, and ghost feel most immediately resonant--the child, maybe given more time, and the same with favorite author and stomach gut. I think this once again affirms my "like" of constraints, so long as the constraints do not impact my style.
I think that's it for now--I may or may not write about the Gurlesque.
-Glenn
---
Chevelle - Letter From A Theif
I was obsessed with this song during the summer. I should probably pick up a Chevelle cd eventually, as dude has a sick voice. As comparison, Chevelle is very much like Tool/A Perfect Circle (especially vocal-wise) without the artistic...largesse? of the aforementioned bands. Or, another way to look at Chevelle is as an even poppier version of APC. Hm. I think I more immediately connected to this song as when I hear songs, it triggers other song memories, as x will sound like y--in this case, the chorus of the song reminded me, somehow, of Mr. Big's "Take Cover."
Anyway, I got a lot of good mileage in the exercises, and most will readily become solid first drafts. There are a few I need to complete more in terms of my mastertape (which means, usually, the addition of something science-y, Christian-y, or both), but boy did some of the poems go places I did not expect in the beginning. That first poem, plus my authority figure, mother, current/ex-romantic partner, and ghost feel most immediately resonant--the child, maybe given more time, and the same with favorite author and stomach gut. I think this once again affirms my "like" of constraints, so long as the constraints do not impact my style.
I think that's it for now--I may or may not write about the Gurlesque.
-Glenn
---
Chevelle - Letter From A Theif
I was obsessed with this song during the summer. I should probably pick up a Chevelle cd eventually, as dude has a sick voice. As comparison, Chevelle is very much like Tool/A Perfect Circle (especially vocal-wise) without the artistic...largesse? of the aforementioned bands. Or, another way to look at Chevelle is as an even poppier version of APC. Hm. I think I more immediately connected to this song as when I hear songs, it triggers other song memories, as x will sound like y--in this case, the chorus of the song reminded me, somehow, of Mr. Big's "Take Cover."
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Visuaaaaaaaaaal
So, I'm getting back in the groove of things--expect at least two updates in the coming days. For now, the visual representation of my mastertape which took the form of...a flier.
I have a stranger fascination with fliers--I just like seeing the combination of the written and visual. I'm especially drawn to music fliers--the latest show, cd release, something that has to be highly stylized and immediate. I was stuck on this for a while. As stated in a previous entry, I was thinking in too many directions, and somehow (I don't remember now--probably would have been a nice tie in), I got the image for the following:
What struck me, aside from it's flierness, is the establishment it represents--something from my hometown that is no longer in existence (but, was revived in the movie 8 Mile, but that's another issue altogether). I aped the style but tried to make it as applicable to my project as I could, keeping in mind the main theme (relationship) and how to navigate that theme (the simultaneity of music, science, and Christian imagery). The establishment became "Fish & Chips Music Bar"--I really like the name. Fish is highly symbolic in Christianity; computers (science) run on chips; music bar overtly states music. I also like the slogan I used: "The perfect place to meet, greet, and see what happens next!" I think this sort of lyric fragment/aphorism accurately explains what I've been attempting to do with each work. I don't want the relationships I discuss to be monotonous variations on a bedroom theme, so I like the openness of "seeing what happens next," whether this is something good (like a hookup, proposal, solidifying of a friendship) or something bad (break-up/divorce, loss, or something maybe even darker). The actual visual elements (aside from the fish) I had issues with--I used an existent image as source--this one:
It was crude--some liked the "rawness" of it, but especially since the image is color, that adds additional layers that may be fun. I think I was just being cheap and not wanting to waste color ink, but maybe it's worth it.
As notes for myself (per feedback), I have:
-Use a more archaic/"Jesus Font"
I like this; I want to use Greek, but I have an issue with using Greek as I know what letters are supposed to mean (I smirk at the stylized logo for the ABC Family show Greek, as it literally spells G-R-S-S-K--I think Tom would appreciate that, though). I do have some Old English fonts on my computer (junicode), that may yield an "older" feel to it that will add gravity to the icthus.
-Use Actual Picture
Done and done--my photo manip skills are shit; you don't have to tell me twice
-Use the map on the flier more constructive a la 99 Ways
I like this--there is a small issue with it's relative size and what to put as streets (I guess types of relationships, e.g., "Benefit Lane" would work)...well, I guess that will work. See what typing out ideas will get ya!
-Why chai?
I love chai; I don't even know how it fits, considering the "live music" aspect; maybe I'll find a picture of my playing acoustic, and that will echo the sort of lo-fi/indie-ish feel people, I guess, ascribe when seeing chai advertisted. I guess this dovetails, too, with one person's response (I think it was Jessica) who said the feel was of a "Jesus Band"--I happen to listen to a lot of what's Christcore (which are, for the most part, metal bands that who are open with their faith), and you'd be surprised how many do not fit that "JESUS IS LOOOOOOVE" mode that some may ascribe given the state of contemporary Christian music.
Consider the difference between
and
yeah. but, it is what it is.
I'm excited to re-engage with it...I would like to make it sufficiently bad-ass.
More to come (I promise).
-Glenn
---
So, in terms of current songs, I'll spread them over the next entries. For this one, to balance the "rockness" of the above links, I'll give some "r&bness":
Usher ft. Jay-Z
I'll forgive the fact that the beat sounds, at times, very like the beat to Jay-Z's "On to the Next One," but it's an interesting turn Usher has taken since his divorce--it's like a conscious decision to shed his "good boy" image, one that may have been haunting him since he hit the scene circa the age of 16. This, along with songs like "Little Freak" and "Daddy's Home" do very much go for sex. I don't know, just catchy.
I have a stranger fascination with fliers--I just like seeing the combination of the written and visual. I'm especially drawn to music fliers--the latest show, cd release, something that has to be highly stylized and immediate. I was stuck on this for a while. As stated in a previous entry, I was thinking in too many directions, and somehow (I don't remember now--probably would have been a nice tie in), I got the image for the following:
What struck me, aside from it's flierness, is the establishment it represents--something from my hometown that is no longer in existence (but, was revived in the movie 8 Mile, but that's another issue altogether). I aped the style but tried to make it as applicable to my project as I could, keeping in mind the main theme (relationship) and how to navigate that theme (the simultaneity of music, science, and Christian imagery). The establishment became "Fish & Chips Music Bar"--I really like the name. Fish is highly symbolic in Christianity; computers (science) run on chips; music bar overtly states music. I also like the slogan I used: "The perfect place to meet, greet, and see what happens next!" I think this sort of lyric fragment/aphorism accurately explains what I've been attempting to do with each work. I don't want the relationships I discuss to be monotonous variations on a bedroom theme, so I like the openness of "seeing what happens next," whether this is something good (like a hookup, proposal, solidifying of a friendship) or something bad (break-up/divorce, loss, or something maybe even darker). The actual visual elements (aside from the fish) I had issues with--I used an existent image as source--this one:
It was crude--some liked the "rawness" of it, but especially since the image is color, that adds additional layers that may be fun. I think I was just being cheap and not wanting to waste color ink, but maybe it's worth it.
As notes for myself (per feedback), I have:
-Use a more archaic/"Jesus Font"
I like this; I want to use Greek, but I have an issue with using Greek as I know what letters are supposed to mean (I smirk at the stylized logo for the ABC Family show Greek, as it literally spells G-R-S-S-K--I think Tom would appreciate that, though). I do have some Old English fonts on my computer (junicode), that may yield an "older" feel to it that will add gravity to the icthus.
-Use Actual Picture
Done and done--my photo manip skills are shit; you don't have to tell me twice
-Use the map on the flier more constructive a la 99 Ways
I like this--there is a small issue with it's relative size and what to put as streets (I guess types of relationships, e.g., "Benefit Lane" would work)...well, I guess that will work. See what typing out ideas will get ya!
-Why chai?
I love chai; I don't even know how it fits, considering the "live music" aspect; maybe I'll find a picture of my playing acoustic, and that will echo the sort of lo-fi/indie-ish feel people, I guess, ascribe when seeing chai advertisted. I guess this dovetails, too, with one person's response (I think it was Jessica) who said the feel was of a "Jesus Band"--I happen to listen to a lot of what's Christcore (which are, for the most part, metal bands that who are open with their faith), and you'd be surprised how many do not fit that "JESUS IS LOOOOOOVE" mode that some may ascribe given the state of contemporary Christian music.
Consider the difference between
and
yeah. but, it is what it is.
I'm excited to re-engage with it...I would like to make it sufficiently bad-ass.
More to come (I promise).
-Glenn
---
So, in terms of current songs, I'll spread them over the next entries. For this one, to balance the "rockness" of the above links, I'll give some "r&bness":
Usher ft. Jay-Z
I'll forgive the fact that the beat sounds, at times, very like the beat to Jay-Z's "On to the Next One," but it's an interesting turn Usher has taken since his divorce--it's like a conscious decision to shed his "good boy" image, one that may have been haunting him since he hit the scene circa the age of 16. This, along with songs like "Little Freak" and "Daddy's Home" do very much go for sex. I don't know, just catchy.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Thursday. 10/7.
So, stuffs from class--some makes more sense than others, but that's the way I work. I'll try to order 'em linearly, and I'll also talk a bit about how my visual piece is (not) coming.
Lyric Fragments:
Counterpoint is the easiest test of/for harmony.
Baby Jesus jolting the crowd with guitar solo, his hips gyrating to the bass.
It's all up in here, here where here where we are.
Aphorisms
Music, science, Christianity--each has its own definition of god and sex.
Everything is somehow connected, right?
Relationships never change--only the language used to describe them does.
Some possible visual inspiration if I get super stuck:
Hacked in real life--appropriating concrete items in inappropriate ways.
PostSecret--original text with found images (like postcards).
So, the following here are the various prompts/inventories that we did. Some are widely divergent as the relationship slant (e.g., sex, friendship, break-up, etc.) I take influences where or what is appropriate.
What visual reference(s) come to mind when you think of your mastertape?
R Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet," various operas/musicals, The Watchmen, Full Metal Alchemist, Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion. For the most part,these have "each" of my components in various amounts--the closest would probably be Evangelion, as it is heavy in terms of (mainly) Christian imagery, heavily science-based, and music setting the mood throughout.
What visual aesthetics make sense for this project?
Pop art, Manga/Anime, erotic art, realism, child's first drawing(s).
These decisions are based on accessibility--even though I may get into abstract ideas, I still want the ideas to be made clear in terms of concretes--formats that are purely abstract would not suit this project. Forms where you can see the action, in detail, and still understand without necessarily knowing would be awesome.
Materials to use
Collage, video,(bodily) fluids, wine/bread.
Since I have three main ideas I'm trying to tie into one idea, collage would probably be best, and then the challenge becomes how to make the collage sing without being unnecessary weighed down. Body fluids would be cool, as each mode does have specific fluids associated with it (music-sweat; Christianity-blood; science-any number of chemicals), but that may be going too far.
Color Pallet
Chiaroscuro (which isn't a color pallet, really--don't kill me), blacks/whites, primary colors.
I'm mainly interested in intersections without too much extraneous fluffs--like the concept of light/dark and focusing on bold, resonant colors.
Installation location
Gallery space, adult theater, book, college residence hall.
Again, depending on the end product(s) and how racy.
Map Version
Separate territories for speakers; a common space/border (e.g., bedroom, classroom); landlocked/enclosed by science, music, and religion. Each terratory has space for both regrets and happiness. A space for the undefined/magic of a poem.
Symbols
Caution: floor may be wet; No smoking; No Running.
This, I can probably look up and embed images here.
Inventory
I probably should scan and post, but for now, I drew:
A male and female, a bed, a guitar/music notes, a cross, an angel, a chair, an equal sign, an approximation sign, a logical "or", a box with letters and numbers.
---
In terms of the visual, I think I'm finally narrowing something down--I did a four panel comic, but it felt too much like The Watchmen, specifically in terms of the idea of symmetry (there's literally a page in the middle of that work that is symmetrical, and symmetry isn't exclusively a The Watchmen idea, but it feels so loaded since I know the references). I then tried representing the crucifixion by means of musical symbols, but I was stuck on what the text should be--I threw around some ideas containing representation and sign, but it felt hokey. Maybe I'm over-thinking and trying to be too literal? It seems like I can easily blend two of three of the mastertapes impulses, but it always feels like one is being left out or having a disservice performed to it. Another idea was a Jesus character rocking out on a guitar made like a Newton's cradle, but eh--wackness personified.
So now, the image is going to be a music bar called fish and chips--fish to represent Christianity, chips being digital chips, and music bar is explanatory. Maybe it'll be like an advertisement with a slogan like "The perfect place to meet, greet, and see what happens next." I actually like the way that sounds, as I'm painting, in the end, relationships, and the openness of this phrase allows me to talk about relationships and what happens next, whether this is getting together (in various degrees), separating, or a number of ways things can meet and react. Still conceptualizing what to do outside of the title (visually), but the title, I feel, will be bad-ass.
---
I think I'll end each entry with a song that's inspiring me now, so for today, it is James Labrie's "I Need You." Being a huge Dream Theater fan, I'm very interested by members' side projects. Especially with the recent turmoil of the band (i.e., the drummer who founded the band 25 years ago leaving), it's nice to hear others be productive (though this was recorded/planned before the shenanigans). Why it makes me happy, aside from reminding me of undergrad/my obsession with Gothenburg metal, is that James was very involved in the song writing process. Usually, in Dream Theater, he would literally fly in to lay down vocal tracks--the mindset was that Dream Theater was an instrumental band who just happen to have a singer, so it wasn't necessary for vocal lines/melody input from the damn vocalist, and at times, it would show, as James' voice wouldn't fit a song. Maybe now, he'll be more involved in the process, especially vocally, as he knows his voice best, and probably can take songs to that proverbial next level.
Lyric Fragments:
Counterpoint is the easiest test of/for harmony.
Baby Jesus jolting the crowd with guitar solo, his hips gyrating to the bass.
It's all up in here, here where here where we are.
Aphorisms
Music, science, Christianity--each has its own definition of god and sex.
Everything is somehow connected, right?
Relationships never change--only the language used to describe them does.
Some possible visual inspiration if I get super stuck:
Hacked in real life--appropriating concrete items in inappropriate ways.
PostSecret--original text with found images (like postcards).
So, the following here are the various prompts/inventories that we did. Some are widely divergent as the relationship slant (e.g., sex, friendship, break-up, etc.) I take influences where or what is appropriate.
What visual reference(s) come to mind when you think of your mastertape?
R Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet," various operas/musicals, The Watchmen, Full Metal Alchemist, Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion. For the most part,these have "each" of my components in various amounts--the closest would probably be Evangelion, as it is heavy in terms of (mainly) Christian imagery, heavily science-based, and music setting the mood throughout.
What visual aesthetics make sense for this project?
Pop art, Manga/Anime, erotic art, realism, child's first drawing(s).
These decisions are based on accessibility--even though I may get into abstract ideas, I still want the ideas to be made clear in terms of concretes--formats that are purely abstract would not suit this project. Forms where you can see the action, in detail, and still understand without necessarily knowing would be awesome.
Materials to use
Collage, video,(bodily) fluids, wine/bread.
Since I have three main ideas I'm trying to tie into one idea, collage would probably be best, and then the challenge becomes how to make the collage sing without being unnecessary weighed down. Body fluids would be cool, as each mode does have specific fluids associated with it (music-sweat; Christianity-blood; science-any number of chemicals), but that may be going too far.
Color Pallet
Chiaroscuro (which isn't a color pallet, really--don't kill me), blacks/whites, primary colors.
I'm mainly interested in intersections without too much extraneous fluffs--like the concept of light/dark and focusing on bold, resonant colors.
Installation location
Gallery space, adult theater, book, college residence hall.
Again, depending on the end product(s) and how racy.
Map Version
Separate territories for speakers; a common space/border (e.g., bedroom, classroom); landlocked/enclosed by science, music, and religion. Each terratory has space for both regrets and happiness. A space for the undefined/magic of a poem.
Symbols
Caution: floor may be wet; No smoking; No Running.
This, I can probably look up and embed images here.
Inventory
I probably should scan and post, but for now, I drew:
A male and female, a bed, a guitar/music notes, a cross, an angel, a chair, an equal sign, an approximation sign, a logical "or", a box with letters and numbers.
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In terms of the visual, I think I'm finally narrowing something down--I did a four panel comic, but it felt too much like The Watchmen, specifically in terms of the idea of symmetry (there's literally a page in the middle of that work that is symmetrical, and symmetry isn't exclusively a The Watchmen idea, but it feels so loaded since I know the references). I then tried representing the crucifixion by means of musical symbols, but I was stuck on what the text should be--I threw around some ideas containing representation and sign, but it felt hokey. Maybe I'm over-thinking and trying to be too literal? It seems like I can easily blend two of three of the mastertapes impulses, but it always feels like one is being left out or having a disservice performed to it. Another idea was a Jesus character rocking out on a guitar made like a Newton's cradle, but eh--wackness personified.
So now, the image is going to be a music bar called fish and chips--fish to represent Christianity, chips being digital chips, and music bar is explanatory. Maybe it'll be like an advertisement with a slogan like "The perfect place to meet, greet, and see what happens next." I actually like the way that sounds, as I'm painting, in the end, relationships, and the openness of this phrase allows me to talk about relationships and what happens next, whether this is getting together (in various degrees), separating, or a number of ways things can meet and react. Still conceptualizing what to do outside of the title (visually), but the title, I feel, will be bad-ass.
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I think I'll end each entry with a song that's inspiring me now, so for today, it is James Labrie's "I Need You." Being a huge Dream Theater fan, I'm very interested by members' side projects. Especially with the recent turmoil of the band (i.e., the drummer who founded the band 25 years ago leaving), it's nice to hear others be productive (though this was recorded/planned before the shenanigans). Why it makes me happy, aside from reminding me of undergrad/my obsession with Gothenburg metal, is that James was very involved in the song writing process. Usually, in Dream Theater, he would literally fly in to lay down vocal tracks--the mindset was that Dream Theater was an instrumental band who just happen to have a singer, so it wasn't necessary for vocal lines/melody input from the damn vocalist, and at times, it would show, as James' voice wouldn't fit a song. Maybe now, he'll be more involved in the process, especially vocally, as he knows his voice best, and probably can take songs to that proverbial next level.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Keep it Tight
Sometimes, I get so bogged down in concepts within my poems that I forget to make things aurally pleasing. I like playing with sounds--not exactly strict rhyme schemes or meters, but a natural flow in terms of word. I try to ensure that every word, regardless of its complexities, fits the line--everything smooth like butter. You know what's helpful for this? Rap. Sure, topically, there's not much diversity, especially for mainstream rap, but some cats just have raw flows--you're just in the moment of each bar, not really listening to words or their accumulated meanings, but just the sounds. For those who have tight wordplay, those subsequent listens only strengthen the play of sounds, moment after moment of "did he really just say that?" A good thing. This could inform my actual readings, too (if I ever have them)--this doesn't mean I'm going to spit poems like verses, but rapping is all about pacing, so maybe I can tie this pacing into sounds, too. So, currently, my prototypical chair is Jay Electronica's "Exhibit C." I was going to post other songs but, well...rap tends to get very racy. Very.
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