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The Ancient Mix Master spins and mixes 78 RPM records, also playing 33 & 45. The center tone arm can play on either turntable, while each turntable's tonearm can be dropped as well. The resulting sound(s) from the Ancient Mix Master are multiple samples - 2 - from one record and one from the other. The signal goes into an ECHO PLEX and a ROLAND SPACE ECHO; both analog tape loop machines. The signal is then run into the RCA Tube Amp. |
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Past Performances
DJing with Dan Newton and those cheap suiters, Tuesday July 1, 7:30 PM at the world famous Eagle's Club. July 11 & 12th (Firday & Saturday) evenings at Patrick's Cabaret ART OF SWEAT RHYTHM FESTIVAL. John Akre and I will be doing a video / audio piece called The 20th Century Gets it's 15 Minutes of Fame. A 15 minute tour of the last century through rhtyhm and pulses. What: ARP! Release Party and Exhibit When: June 13th 7-11 pm Where: Art of This, 3506 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis The issue examines the act of collecting, its various modes, and the compulsions that drive us to acquire things of a kind. In honor, Art of This will be full of odd personal collections, including: poodles, nutcrackers, miniature Tupperware, postcards, notes passed in class, keychains, editions of Catcher in the Rye, and more! The party featured music by Greg Carr (host of KFAI's Dig Up the Roots) and his three-tone-armed dual-record playing Ancient Mix Master; a live v-jay session by artist Jim Gladman, who collects and re-combines clips from "the media's" hive mind; and a selection from Matt Bakkom's infamous film archive. May 15, 2008 For the third year running I spun with the Helitrope Festival. A 3 day festival at the historic and very cool Ritz Theater 345 13th Ave NE, Minneapolis February 26 - March 2, 2008 The Spark Festival of Electronic Music and Arts gathered creators and performers of new media arts from around the world to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul (USA) to showcase their work to the public." I was part of Concert 1: Concert of Found Sound/Audio Appropriation. For this I mixed a collection of sound effect 78 RPM records and early electronic music records. The sound effects are of engines and machines that don't exist anymore. Crowds waiting for ships and buses, parades going by. The mix starts and ends with narration. Here is an audio clip: rm file
Here is a video clip: And took part in the Symposium Fast Forward, 10-minute talks on new media art issues. I disscussed a paper I had written called "Sound As Object: AKA Am I My Mix".
DJing in a cheap suit Tuesday January 29 7:30 PM at the world famous Eagle's Club.
A live musical experience featuring the music of R Crumb & the Cheap Suit Serenaders. Dan Newton and the other Crumblers will be having a cheap suit party, stumbling through a wonderous mix of old tunes. I will be playing 78 RPMs in between sets etc.
Mixed and mashed for a few hours as the crowds mingled and mangled. A good time was had by all. Make sure to check out the art work, still up at the soap factory.
painter Mary Esch
Check out the Action Slacks! And yes, that is a fur bow tie...
A tribute to the music of the R Crumb & the Cheap Suit Serenaders. Crumb comix and art, old cartoons to watch, and funky music from the 20's and 30's. The band includes Dan Newton on accordion, Gary Powell on dobro, Eric Mohring on mando-banjo, Tom Wells on tuba, David Furniss on guitar, and Joe Steinger on percussion. Greg Carr DJed with 78 RPM records and the Ancient Mix Master...Look for video soon on you tube. Top
I have been asked on more than one occassion What's with the third tonearm? Why did they do that? It was built when? All I've known is that it was built in 1952.
I recently refound this booklet which explains a lot.
One of my favorite descriptions of a performance was:
Here is a link of the version that came back from space.
Here is a link to a flash piece that features a sound clip from a film about the mix master and has the picture to the left in it. It's keen. |
| Below are pictures and descriptions of the Ancient Mix Master and the Dreamachine. Thanks to Jon Nelson of Some Assembly Required for the idea of this helpful chart. |
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| Item | Description | Function |
| A | Fidelitone | The Name of the particular unit. Made by the George Culbertson Co., Minneapolis, 1952. |
| B | Micro" Input and control | Microphone input jack and gain control. |
| C | Volume and Mute controls | The Black knobs are the volume control for each tone arm: Left, Center and Right. The Red buttons are supposed to mute the signal. |
| D | Power Switch | Turns on the power to the built in amplifier, motors and light. |
| E | Motor control switches. | One for each turn table, left and right. |
| F | 45 RPM Adaptors | One for each turn table, left and right. |
| G | Speed Controls | Three speeds: 33 1/3, 45, and 78 RPM. One for each turn table, left and right. |
| H | Middle tone arm | Inspired madness. Capable of playing on either turn table with or without the other tone arms. |
| I | Power cords. | Provides power once plugged in. The cord from the center of the table goes up to a small light with an on/off switch. |
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This is a picture of a Dreamachine. Developed and designed by Brion Gysin and Ian Summerville in the late 1950's/ early 1960's. It's intent is to place the viewer into a mentally relaxed state, a dream state. One of those states without fences where borders don't apply. Below is a brief description of the parts: A) A light bulb hung within the Dreamachine creates a flicker pattern As the Dreamachine spins. The pattern is important in several ways. It not only looks very cool in the dark, but it creates a pulse pattern dirict on the brain when viewed extremly close, eyes closed, staring at the machine. Some people experience a mildly hallucinatory feeling, some people feel like they have motion sickness. Whatever it is that the viewer experiences stops when they open their eyes and look away. B) The Dreamachine is created with a template of shapes laid onto a grid sketched onto the heavy paper. The shapes are cut out, the paper assembled into a tube, the tube placed onto a turntable capable of spinning at 78 RPM. C) The Zenith Cobra-Matic. A worthy vessel of transport for this noble endeavor. |
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On occassion, I will bring and set up a DREAMACHINE. Here is a link to a