IF 5 NEW YEAR'S EVE SUPERMUSICFILMSHOWDISCOPARTY TONIGHT....

My Lords, Ladies & Gentlemen …

******** IF 5 ********

*** New Year's Eve 2013 ***
******** (Supermusicfilmdiscogramophoneparty) ********

*** Dedicated to Mr Smith ***

* at the Chapel in the Garden, East Street, Bridport *

8.30 - Lizzie Hornby

tinkles the old Joanna

9.00 - Amie Willingale (and a gentleman)

delivering fresh fish from Falmouth and finely crafted items of musical magick

9.30 - “Jigsaw” by Martha Moopette

Dance-Animation-Flute-Electronic-Performance-Film from 2005. Have a drink.

9.50 - Ergo Phizmiz

the world's worst pop star delivers a set of music from the 1920s, organs & gramophones.

10.30 - Robert Lee

the whirlwind wizard.

11.15 - Elvis Herod

the King of Kings delivers a sermon. Pure filth. Bring Optrex.

All the way from Las Vegas.

11.45 - Marching Band

in which Elvis Herod leads a procession to Bucky-Doo square for further festivities.

There are drums and things galore. Grab them.

Then bring them back, because, there's more......

12.15 - The Pub Band at the End of the Universe

Does what it says on the tin. All your favourite songs, from the end of the universe.

Featuring “Bridport's most famous man” (View from Bridport) FLORA BERTOLLI.

Afterwards, more …. in rooms there and about. DJ-ing and more.

Including Robert Lee and Jane Saunders waltzing the classics.

And who knows what else? Not me, anyway. Do you?

If....

Huge thanks to all the performers, all the folks of the Chapel in the Garden, Kate, Glenys, Rebecca, Simon, Nicky, Talulah, Autumn, and all the marvellous folk of crazy old Bridport. 

Ergo's Winter Record Players

Merry Storm Time...

Vinyl and Print yodeling release on DePlayer

Out now on DePlayer, in an edition of 200, "Public Sound #3: Yodelling", featuring a publication of the libretto for Ergo Phizmiz's "UOEIA: Favola in Jodel" and a green vinyl featuring, among other treats, an 8 minute edit of UOEIA. Add into that combination a new essay by Bart Plantenga, a yodeling score by Myriam van Imschoot, and recordings from Phil Minton, and Doreen Kutzke & Myriam Van Imschoot, then you have a package of yodeltastic stuff that's very lovely indeed.

From the marvellous folks of DePlayer ....

"This Dept. of Public Sound release is related to the UOEIA I event by DE PLAYER, during Operadagen Rotterdam in May 2013 at BAR, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

With soundtracks by Phil Minton, Ergo Phizmiz and Myriam van Imschoot & Doreen Kutzke on a 10" green vinyl/33 rpm.
Includes printwork containg an article on yodeling and avant garde by bart plantenga, a libretto by Ergo Phizmiz of his yodel operina UOEIA and a musical score of her piece Hola Hu by Myriam van Imschoot. 

UOEIA is a program that moves at the cutting edge of experimental sound/music and the phenomenon of yodeling; makes use of the rapid alternation between chest voice to falsetto. Inspired by the books Yodel-AY-EE-OOOO: The Secret History of Yodeling Around the World and more recently, Yodel in Hi-Fi, From Kitsch Folk to Contemporary Electronica, we are proud to bring you the second edition of UOEIA. These books focus on yodeling as a global phenomenon and answer the question: How did an ancient tradition from the Alps find its way into American country music? Yodeling is not just a Swiss thing. From African Pygmies, rhinestone cow-people, avant-garde tonsil-twisters, and Nazi Jugend SS, to pop stars like R. Kelly and Sly & the Family Stone to Bollywood star Kishore Kumar, and many more – all have made use of the yodel. Yodeling projects over great distances, and Tibetan monks, like Swiss cowherds, may have used them for centuries as a communication tool. Explorer Marco Polo may have heard them yodeling in the 13th century. Through him yodeling reached the Alps and from there in the nineteenth century it also reached the American cowboys."

Buy this at DePlayer.

*

Also available, "UOEIA" cassette ....

.... from an edition of 50, a full recording of Swiss Family Phizmiz performing "UOEIA". 

You can buy the cassette here.

*

In 2014 we collaborate with DePlayer making a limited edition UOEIA pop-up book and lathe cut record. Tiny foxes.

Ergo Phizmiz remixes The Gravity Drive

Ergo Phizmiz recently created this remix for the lovely folks of The Gravity Drive, for their "Circles Shapeshifting EP".

IF 5 - New Year's Eve

Close all your doors and windows! Take off your shoes! And the rest of your clothes! Lock up your daughters, and sons, then let them out again! And run, wildly, towards the Yellow Room of the Chapel in the Garden, in Bridport, this New Year's Eve.

And what, in your stupor of unrelenting delight, will you find there that cold, winter's evening?

Fine people, pillars of the community, chortling with the miscreants and the ne'er do wells. A feast of savoury snacks and delectable desserts, made by the hands of peoples. A wealth of live music, excessive entertainment, and beamy delights. 

The fifth of Bridport's popular feast of entertainment so cutting edge that it hurts like a paper-cut but doesn't wound too deeply, because it's just a paper cut, but it really hurts. But you just love to press down on it.

With performances from force-of-nature and King Elvis Herod, whirlwind wizard of ebony and ivory Robert Lee, malfunctioning and factory-reject badly-made pop-star Ergo Phizmiz, Human Christmas Tree Martha Moopette, and Bridport's most famous man President Flora Bertolli. The evening will also feature a performance by the supergroup known only as The Last Pub Band in the Universe, who will play, and perhaps hurt a bit (but they like the pain), all your favourite songs.

Tickets are just £3, the doors open at 8, and close, well, you know ... later.... bring a bottle or 4. Dressing up welcome but not obligatory. Nakedness always welcome.

Ergo Phizmiz Live at the Shacklewell Arms, with Pete Um & Mucky Sailor

We are delighted to announce a most delicious triple bill. The world's foremost musical-miniaturist-poet-and-monger-of-gorgeous-crunks-and-thuds Pete Um, the delicious-synth-and-drum-tastic-pop-noise-odyssey-merchants Mucky Sailor, and lock-up-your-daughters-and-sons-and-block-your-noses Ergo Phizmiz.

Presented by Care in the Community Recordings, on December 19th at the Shacklewell Arms, London.

Roll up! Roll up!

Get yer tickets HERE.

Press Release from Care in the Community Recordings:

"Care in the Community recordings present three music conceptualists

Mucky Sailor: Relentless, distorted and deranged prog-rhythm-rock duo of drums and large keyboard array that includes a bespoke ships wheel oscillator. Phenomenological.

Ergo Phizmiz: “Hailed in some quarters as the missing link between Viv Stanshall and Robert Wyatt”(Uncut) the song-writer,composer and performer opened the year with the album Eleven Songs (Loud and Quiet record of the week ) and his crazed music theatre piece Gargantua touring the UK and Europe .Both were loving detailed in a four page feature in The Wire. Ergo continued his year in typically prolific style with an opera commission from Trinity Laban and Tete-a-Tete, music for a Channel 4 animation series , started a movie soundtrack and has just begun a residency with the Opera Group. Ergo will perform either solo or with his three or four piece band with music from Eleven Songs and his forthcoming LP The Peacock.

Pete Um: A master of the miniature electro-acoustic song-poem, a form he has more or less invented and crystallised himself, his work displays a sardonic wit combined with a healthy misanthropy in micro-collages of voice, instruments, samples, and electronics."

To commemorate this joyous occasion, we decided to release EIN TOKSVIG. It's been a while coming, but here it is.




EIN TOKSVIG. Not a tribute to Sandi Toksvig, this song was written and recorded long before I'd ever heard the News Quiz. Now I have, of course, I think Sandi Toksvig is a marvellous little teddy-bear. The song itself, Toksvig aside, is heavy-metal nonsense. T.S. Eliot described Edward Lear's later nonsense poetry "the blues" - this is my answer. Nonsense metal. The rock'n'roll of non sequiturs and Toksvigs. But if the attitude of Lear's poetry defines it as "the blues", it is necessary for nonsense metal to fully adopt the necessary attitude of rage and testosterone. I recorded this song dressed entirely in leather, and had my nipples pierced for the occasion. The holes have since closed up.

Another press release...

"You lucky folks can catch Ergo Phizmiz at The Shacklewell Arms on the 19^th December playing songs from his forthcoming LP The Peacock due for release Spring 2014. 

Ergo the song-writer, composer and performer opened the year with the album  Eleven Songsand his crazed music theatre piece, Gargantua which toured the UK and Europe. 

He also had an opera commission from Trinity Laban and Tete-a-Tete, music for Channel 4s Random Acts animation series and started a movie soundtrack. Ergo will perform music fromEleven Songs and The Peacock at the Shacklewell Arms and details of this special gig are below.

Care in the Community Recordings presents a night of avant-pop music with “one man movement” (The Wire) Ergo Phizmiz and Leeds based deranged prog-rhythm-rock duo, Mucky Sailor.  They are joined by Pete Um and a stripped down set from Belarusian Sasha llyukevich backed on keyboards by Dave Maric (Steve Martland Band).  DJ support from Nick Name (WFMU) Tickets HERE"

DIK DOK - New album by Ergo Phizmiz

Ergo Phizmiz & Care in the Community Recordings present DIK DOK, the third part of Ergo Phizmiz's IDIOT TRILOGY. 

 

EIN TOKSVIG. Not a tribute to Sandi Toksvig, this song was written and recorded long before I'd ever heard the News Quiz. Now I have, of course, I think Sandi Toksvig is a marvellous little teddy-bear. The song itself, Toksvig aside, is heavy-metal nonsense. T.S. Eliot described Edward Lear's later nonsense poetry as "the blues" - this is my answer. Nonsense metal. The rock'n'roll of non sequiturs and Toksvigs. But if the attitude of Lear's poetry defines it as "the blues", it is necessary for nonsense metal to fully adopt the necessary attitude of rage and testosterone. I recorded this song dressed entirely in leather, and had my nipples pierced for the occasion. The holes have since closed up.

HEAVY METAL PEOPLE. This is what happens when you bring William Burroughs to the mosh-pit.

MERZYBEAT. This is what happens when you bring Kurt Schwitters to the disco.

PUN YOUNG. This is the after party. Schwitters is DJing.

THIRST CLASS. Composed and recorded on a train, on one of those strange occasions where a first-class ticket is cheaper than standard-class. The people in first class didn't like the sounds emanating from my headphones. But that's ok. I didn't like them.

MICKEY MOUSE. Funeral music.

DON'T LET THEM SEE US. Of course. (or, Hassan goes to a much more discreet disco).

THE PLAINTIVE HEATING GRIDDLE. The melancholy of inanimate objects. An abandoned kettle looks forlorn. A product of the Institute for Caressing Machines.

SCRATCH. The sound a very dry back makes.

MR PUNCH FINDS A MACHINE GUN. And does very bad things with it.

SATURDAY MORNING FLEA CORALE. That could be what caused the scratch.

MISER RARER. Dedicated to Cynthia Strings.

ANNA BOOM. This is my "Bohemian Rhapsody". Recorded in the Lake District with Elvis Herod, using Kurt Schwitter's Merzbarn and objects inside it as a percussion instrument. Anna Boom is in the cupboard at a party. Her husband isn't pleased. Anna won't come out of the cupboard. All hell breaks loose.

"Anna Boom" is probably my favourite track from all these piles o' shite I've thrown out.

This track was originally released by Bad Panda Records some time ago, and a marvellous film was made to accompany it by the brilliant collage film-maker Jared Brandle.

And why not dip into the first two parts of Ergo Phizmiz's IDIOT TRILOGY, "IDIOT" and "QUALITY & SERVICE".

Catch Ergo Phizmiz live at the Shacklewell Arms, London, December 19th 2013, with the mammoth line up of PETE UM and MUCKY SAILOR.

Ergo Phizmiz & The Pub Band at the End of the Universe - now available for bookings

- Ergo Phizmiz & The Pub Band at the End of the Universe -

Now available for bookings

Ergo Phizmiz & The Pub Band at the End of the Universe, a raucous, unkempt, ramshackle, and eminently danceable troupe of maestros or ne'er-do-wells or both, present all your favourite songs from the 1950s to the present.

Over the past twelve years Ergo Phizmiz has developed some of the most unforgettable and unique cover versions and re-inventions of the history of popular music ever made, which have been downloaded by in excess of 500,000 people. 

Beginning with the notorious "Ergo Phizmiz & his Orchestra plays Aphex Twin" (2002), eaten up with relish by Richard D. James but loathed by the Aphex Twin community, through his cover of the entirety of the Velvet Underground's "White Light / White Heat" (2004). 

"Arff & Beef" (2005) and "Dadaphone" (2009) presented a cross section of pop music fed through a style-mincemeat-machine.

In 2010 he took on the task of covering the entirety of The Prodigy's "Music For the Jilted Generation" on UpItUp Records.

"Now That's What We Pump at the Party" (2010) & "Nic Blu and the Travoltings" (2012) took Ergo's unique take on cover versions and fed it to an unrehearsed band of musicians, artists, and DJs.

Ergo Phizmiz & The Pub Band at the End of the Universe continues in this vein, but as a live act more entertaining than a pirouetting rhinoceros. 

No one performance or version of a song will ever be the same, rather the history of pop music is taken on exciting little rides where no particular member of the The Pub Band at the End of the Universe quite knows where it will end up but it will get there in the end. 

All this time Ergo Phizmiz brings his inner pub band frontman to the core, and struts about like a demented peacock, juggling with melodicas and cheap synthesisers.

The Pub Band at the End of the Universe are available to play at your disco, pub, party, club, house, clubhouse, boat, house, boathouse, downstairs bathroom, concert hall, stadium, festival, vestibule, or prison.

Drop us a line at ergophizmiz at gmail dot com and ask nicely... you know it makes sense.

The Pub Band at the End of the Universe are Robert Lee, MC You Do The Mathewson, Kung-Fu Zen, The Travelling Mongoose, and Flora Cavalino Bertolli. Or permutations of the aforementioned. Give or take a few.

Photographs by Rebecca Vaughan

New visual pieces by Ergo Phizmiz, November 2013

"An Echo Flagrantly Attempting to Pass Itself Off as an Original Sound" - Wood, bass-drum pedal, toy dartboard, pen, poster-paint, and acrylic on canvas.

"OPERA en DEUX actes" - Staticopera in two acts. Wood, collage, acrylic, watercolour. "Billiards" work-in-progress.

"The Rubber" - Excessive Entertainment Tint of Vintage Print. Acrylic.

Ergo Phizmiz & The Pub Band at the End of the Universe - VIDEO

Ergo Phizmiz & The Pub Band at the End of the Universe filmed live at The Ropemakers by Rebecca Vaughan.

Ergo Phizmiz & the Pub Band at the End of the Universe - Photographs by Rebecca Vaughan

The marvellous Rebecca Vaughan got jiggy with her lens again last Friday at the Ropemakers, documenting the first ever performance of Ergo Phizmiz & the Pub Band at the End of the Universe. Here we are in action...

Ergo Phizmiz & The Pub Band at the End of the Universe

Ergo Phizmiz "THE NOEL COWARD TRILOGY" (2011-2013)

"The Noel Coward Trilogy" (2011-2013). 

Collage Operas. 

Media playing games with itself, with Ergo Phizmiz as slightly cruel ringmaster. 

Image as music, sound as image, re-filming films, personalisation of the past. 

Adventures in intermedia storytelling, and the use of chance to "grow narratives" from the collision of media and time. 

Carousels of images, circles of sonic juxtapositions, slapshod re-contextualisation, silent music, discovery of rhythms hiding in the gaps and the creases.

Animation, composition, found-video, found-sound, found-text. Paper, Scissors, Stones.

The production of the Noel Coward trilogy was assisted by contributions from Martha Moopette, Simon Mathewson, The Travelling Mongoose, and Flora Cavalino Bertolli.

- Part One -

"Aria For Cowards"

- Part Two -

"The Impulse to Shoot at Every Shadow"

- Part Three -

"Every Hitch and Every Hold Up"

"EVERY HITCH and EVERY HOLD UP" - a Collage Opera by Ergo Phizmiz

Ergo Phizmiz Live at The Ropemaker's, Bridport

Ergo is delighted to be playing at his favourite local pub The Ropemakers, Bridport this Friday.

The first part of the evening will comprise a performance of Ergo Phizmiz & The Ramshackle Swank, playing music from Ergo's back catalogue.

The evening continues with a performance by a S U P E R G R O U P comprising some incredibly fine musicians, including Robert Lee, Simon Mathewson, The Travelling Mongoose, Simon Hartung, and Bridport's most famous resident Flora Cavalino Bertolli.

The aforementioned S U P E R G R O U P will play a set of cover versions including 1990s club classics, a spot of Beyonce, a spot of Missy, and a Sister Ray.

From 9.16pm, Friday November 15theth.

FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE for ERGO PHIZMIZ at the ROPEMAKERS

And to wet your appetite, here's Ergo Phizmiz & The Ramshackle Swank performing "Time To Think It Over" at Islington Mill, Salford





And performing "Ophelia" at The Lexington, London

UOEIA - the histories of yodelling - cassette now available

The cassette release of "UOEIA - the histories of yodelling" is now available to buy online. 

This is the first of a new series of limited edition cassette releases by Ergo Phizmiz which will be released through his label Chinstrap Globlal Enterprrises Limitited.

Why cassette? In these days of total media saturation it seems to be becoming interesting to release music and art into the world that exists in non-digital formats, in small amounts of copies. This recording is not available anywhere online, and never will be. By buying cassettes from Chinstrap Globule Enterprisses Limmitted you are investing in little nuggets of unique information that only you and 49 other people in the world will have.

Yes, but still, why cassette and not vinyl? Oh, don't you worry about that. There are vinyl releases of other material also in the works on Chinstrap Globlall Enterplises Rimiteded. But cassettes are accessible and cheap to manufacture, and they make a nice sound when you shake them.

The cassette release of "UOEIA * the histories of yodelling" (Chintape01) is £7 including delivery. Thanks.

"Yodelling: the crack in the human voice when pushed to its limit, the plaintive wail of man against mountains. From the Pygmy tribes in the jungles of Africa, to the mountains of Switzerland, or the plains of the Wild West, to frantic Persian ululations and yelps, yodelling is a worldwide phenomenon that betrays its perceived image as a benchmark of kitsch.

In “UOEIA: Favola in Jodel”, Ergo Phizmiz presents the history of yodelling through music, masks, puppetry, collage, and animation. Based on the books “Yodel in Hi-Fi” and “Yodel-Ay-Eee-Ooo” by Bart Plantenga, and performed by Swiss Family Phizmiz, UOEIA invites you through time and culture, yodelling from cavemen to the modern age."

Ergo Phizmiz Live in the Boudoir for IF4

Ergo Phizmiz Live at IF4 from Ergo Phizmiz on Vimeo.

UOEIA preview - photographs by Rebecca Vaughan

Huge thanks to Rebecca Vaughan for these delicious photographs of "UOEIA * the histories of yodelling" at the private preview performance in Bridport.

UOEIA

* the histories of yodelling around the world

by ERGO PHIZMIZ

UK mini-tour October 2013

18th LIVERPOOL Mellomello Buy Tickets *** Facebook Event page

19th WHITBY Musicport Festival

21st GLASGOW The Old Hairdresser's Buy Tickets   *** Facebook Event page

22nd LONDON The Old Dentist's (33 Chatsworth Road) Buy Tickets *** Facebook Event Page

A production of DePlayer, based on books by Bart Plantenga.