Electronic music in commercials
I can´t imagine why the US guys wouldn’t like this 
In 1982, American-based 7-UP got in touch with a UK agency to get a 30 second tune made by someone who was “happening” at the time to advertise their drink. So the agency contacted Gary and offered a £10,000 deal so he recorded 3 pieces of music with lyrics supplied by them. When the recordings were sent to the Americans they had not heard any music like this, and they were expecting something in a punk style as that had just arrived over there so these recordings were never used.
Thanks to WFL for posting
After 20 years electronic pioneers appears in Futurama
With their first album in 20 years “Something for Everybody” set for a June 14th release, Devo have announced that they will appear in the hit animated series Futurama’s 100th episode special. The episode will see Devo campaign for mutant rights. Leela’s parents are second-class, mutant citizens who live underground in the sewers, the members of Devo have mutated over the years, while vocalist Mark Mothersbaugh helps out with their campaign for equality.
Speaking of nerds – Devo’s at it again
Devo is going to release its first all new album in 20 years. The Energy Dome helmet is now blue. The new album titled Something for Everybody will be released June 15, 2010.
Nerds or what, whatch this video
Exclusive interview with Swedish synth-maestro Eddie Bengtsson
Page is currently celebrating 30 years as performing artsist on the Swedish synthpop stage and are currently planning summer gigs after the release of their first new album in 10 years. Stereoklang got an one on one interview with the synth pioneer Eddie Bengtsson, who’s electronic music really kick started the Swedish synth-pop scene in the 80’s, active in Page, Sista Mannen På Jorden (Last man on earth) and This Fish Needs a Bike. Page really became the Swedish answer to Yazoo/Erasure, OMD, and Depeche Mode, and made ground for popular acts like Elegant Machinery, S.P.O.C.K and many others. In this interview we have invaded Eddie’s home studio to take a closer look at the synthesizers and music production gear he uses and what it really takes to make a great synth-pop song.
Neatly mounted in a corner of a 10sq/m room, sharing the space with Star Trek memorabilia and a huge vinyl record collection, several of the classic hardware synthesizers are hooked up and ready to bleep. Although Eddie tells me he have had to sell of several synthesizers from a logistical point of view I enjoy finding vintage gear like the Moog Rouge, a Korg DW 6000 and the personal favorite of Eddie’s the Yamaha CS15 (used on every album), coupled with recently acquired gems like the Moog Little Phatty, the Moog Voyager and then some modern virtual analogs like microKORG and Yamaha CX1x.
What is used use for what
The CX1 is used as the mother keyboard and the DW 6000 mainly for strings. ”Sound 11 is a personal favorite” Eddie says☺. You can for example find it also on all S.P.O.C.K songs. If Eddie on the other hand only were to take one synthesizer with him to a deserted island it would be the CS15. In fact Eddie tells me that due to the flexible routing and filters; he’s able clone the bass sounds of all other synthesizers with it, if you treat it nicely. Perhaps the only drawback is the useless noise generator, which is too weak, although a weakness that many synthesizers has as he puts it.
Neatly tucked under racks of synthesizers a well hidden Roland S760 sampler can be found. Curious about the fact that this particular device hasn’t been replaced by software versions already, Eddie admits that years of collecting disketts has made him somewhat lazy, somewhere among all those hundreds of disketts there is always that one with the right sound. But I wouldn’t be surprised if that device will be left out from future productions in favor of software alternatives.
The lazy side of Eddie shines through on several occasions during the interview and for the last two records other people have contributed in replacing sounds with updated versions. However, the new Page album actually came as a turning point for him and a lot of hard work has gotten into it, resulting in more focus on sound search and music production then before.
Moving on to the next rack of synthesizers Eddie tells me that the microKORG is actually a very capable machine used primarily for strings and pads. The Rouge on the other hand is the real stage machine and a trade mark for Page in live sets. It’s compact and easy to bring, cool looking and splendid for single oscillator sounds. (Indecently the Rouge uses the same circuitry as the Taurus II Bass Pedals). (Listen to this song, all sounds by the Rouge by Hannes Rasmus. http://www.vintagesynth.com/audio/moogtheroguedemo.mp3 ) Other old gems like the Roland SH02 and Moog Prodigy have been replaced with new bass and sequencer gear; the Moog Little Phatty, as you can easily spot on the new Page album.
Why all the Moogs?
Easy answer would be that everyone is talking about them, prestigious and expensive stuff that is. And although proud to have them, some drawbacks can be found also here; the sound is a bit chilly and there is no noise generator to be found at all, as with the Prophet 8, it takes forever to heat up and sometimes the oscillators are not really in sync. The Voyager is really a beast and lit up it looks really impressive. Currently it’s mainly used to discover cool sounds in the studio it might end up on the stage some day. “But why on earth did they implement this totally useless performance pad on it, when turning the knobs is the way to do it and it is not even multi-touch, which might have given it some extra advantages”. I asked what’s next and Eddie kind of suggests that a DSI Mopho might end up on the rack within short.
Where do you start making a song?
“Never, or very seldom, I have an idea or the song in my head. When I feel like making new songs I always start off with a bass, then adding drums, melody and finally the vocals. I really need to get the beat going first.” >>>>>
Read the rest of the article here >>
New album from OMD
OMD’s original line-up are to release their first new album together in 24 years. To be called “History of Modern”, the album sees Paul Humphreys, Andy McCluskey, Martin Cooper and Malcolm Holmes reunited in the studio.
The album is due for release later this year. In a reaction to Electricity-club.co.uk Paul Humphreys says: “It’s coming along really well actually. I spent a few weeks up at Andy’s studio in Liverpool and I’ve been bringing stuff down here and working on it. We’re sending files using YouSendIt to each other. I have a play on it, he has a play on it! We just go back and forth but the album will be slightly more weighted with some of Andy’s songs because he did a lot of writing while I did the ONETWO album.”
The album’s sound is said to be… very electronic.
New album from Devo
The comeback album from cult band Devo can be expected in one month. The title is “Something for Everybody” and the UK release date is June 14 followed by the North American release on June 15. This is the first album release from Devo in 20 years.
– 30 years ago, people said that we were cynical, that we had a bad attitude, says Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh. But now, when you ask people if de-evolution is real, they understand that there was something to what we were saying. It’s not the kind of thing you want to see proven right, but it does make it easier to talk about.
Devo 2010 has the classic line-up: Mark and Bob Mothersbaugh, Gerald and Bob Casale – joined by drummer Josh Freese (Nine Inch Nails).
– The world is in sync with Devo, says Gerald Casale. We’re not the guys who freak people out and scare them – we’re like the house band on the Titanic, entertaining everybody as we go down.
Re-issuing the old electro classic
Dieter Moebius (Cluster, Harmonia) is one of the most important protagonists of avant-garde electronic music in Germany. Conny Plank is the most legendary sound engineer of the German Underground (NEU!, Kraftwerk, Harmonia, Cluster, DAF etc.)
They got to know each other through their work on Cluster’s 1971 album and remained friends until Plank’s death in 1987. They made a congenial pair as musicians, as amply demonstrated by their brace of albums “Rastakraut Pasta” (1980) and “Material” (1981) which are now being reissued by Bureau B. Both releases come as a CD digipak and 180 gram high quality vinyl.
Read the full story here >> PDF BB48+49Moebius+PlankOneSheet
Electronium
Raymond Scott Electronium: The Restoration.
As a teaser trailer, this video is designed to spark interest in learning more about the history of the Electronium, an early electronic music device invented & built by Raymond Scott.
To learn more about Raymond Scott check out this site:
YouYube
http://www.youtube.com/user/RaymondScottArchives
Synthpop nostalgica
A friend at work tipped me of this synthpop nostalgica BBC feature
It’s called Synth Britannia and covers like 9 youtube episodes and is a good history lesson on the golden synth years – 80’s
First episode here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeVRYPjcVXg
This is a must see for all synth fans
Cheers
Alan Wilder’s Recoil – Selected events
More special guests have been added to the ‘Selected Events’ tour. Our friends Jonny Slut & Fil Jones from Atomizer will be joining us, supporting Recoil in Paris at Le Bus Palladium on April 23rd and in London at O2 Islington Academy on April 25th.
Atomizer helped kickstart the London electro scene back in 2002 with their now legendary club night (and record label) NagNagNag.
Recording with ex-KLF producer Jimmy Cauty in 2003, the duo released their debut single ‘Hooked on Radiation’. The first album ‘Rubber Youth’ was released in 2006, followed by their second album ‘Cult of Europa’ in 2009.
This time we follow Alan during the build up to the event in Berlin, at the famous Meistersaal. Alan walks us around the studio, shows us some notorious spots and introduces a couple of guests.When Alan Wilder and Paul Kendall presented their “Strange Hour” with Recoil in Berlin’s legendary Hansa Tonstudios on March 19, they invited two very special guests to the stage. Gareth Jones and Daniel Miller, who both played important roles during Depeche Mode’s Hansa sessions in the 80:s performed a long “Construction Time Again” DJ remix set.
At Recoil’s Spanish dates, Douglas McCarthy sang live with Recoil and Client’s Sarah Blackwood will DJ at some future Recoil dates. More guests are to be expected during the remaining dates.
DATAMASKIN
