Thursday, 23 January 2014

HOLLYWOOD: A BESTIARY

HOLLYWOOD: A BESTIARY

Broadcasting on BAYERISCHER RUNDFUNK, live studio performance
Ursendung: 06.06.2014, 21.05 Uhr
„Im Innersten gehört das Kino zur Kosmetikindustrie, zur Industrie der Masken, die ihrerseits nur eine winzige Filiale der Lügenindustrie ist“, erkannte Jean-Luc Godard, der schon 1967 das Kino tot gesagt hatte. Bezugnehmend auf diese Worte sammelt Phizmiz Tierlegenden der frühen Jahre Hollywoods in einem Bestiarium, dokumentiert in alphabetischer Reihenfolge die damit verbundenen Lügen und Wahrheiten einer Unterhaltungsindustrie und lässt zugleich spielerisch den Mythos Hollywood wieder aufleben: Mit dem immens großen Elefant aus Pappmaché des Kinopioniers D.W. Griffith oder Laurel & Hardy, die sich vor einem Löwen mit Namen MGM auf ein Klavier retten. Phizmiz entwirft eine phantastische Welt, in der schielende Schildkröten als Orakel für potentielle Filmproduktionen genauso ihren Platz finden wie Charles Gemora, Hollywoods „king of the gorilla men“. Ergo Phizmiz beschäftigt sich in seinen Arbeiten vielfach mit den Mythologien vergangener Epochen und der dünnen Linie zwischen Wahrheit und Fiktion. Er behauptet, von der Vorstellung besessen zu sein, Bilder in Klang zu verwandeln und damit etwas Unmögliches heraufzubeschwören. Phizmiz weiß die Suggestiv-Kräfte und Traditionen des Radios zu nutzen, er spielt mit den Elementen des Dialogs, der Collage, der musikalischen Komposition und des Sounddesigns und schafft zahlreiche Querverweise zwischen Film und akustischen Medien: Ausgestattet mit einem Plattenspieler, Megaphon, drei Mikrofonen und einem Klavier, wirft Phizmiz – als Regisseur, Darsteller, MC, DJ – in der Live Performance von Hollywood: A Bestiary die Illusionsmaschine an und geht der Frage Godards nach, was von der Traumfabrik geblieben ist, inwieweit Hollywood nur die Erinnerung an einen abgenutzten Traum ist, der nur noch in den schwarz-weiß Filmen des frühen amerikanischen Kinos zu finden ist. Neben der deutschen und der englischen Sprache, lässt Phizmiz Fakt und Fiktion des frühen 20. Jahrhunderts verschmelzen. 101 Nicht zuletzt, weil er die alten Hollywoodsoundtracks neu komponiert hat, die er dann in der Radio-Show auflegt.
Info HERE

Saturday, 4 January 2014

IF THE END WAS NYE



This thoroughly marvellous evening occurred at the Chapel in the Garden, Bridport, New Year's Eve 2013 .

Featuring Elvis Herod, Martha Moopette, Ergo Phizmiz, Robert Lee, Flora Cavalino Bertolli, Caroline Stupnicka, Marie Mucky Mints, Jesus Henderson, Jo Saffina Ballerina, Mike the 'Moon' the Baptist, Amie Willingale, Talulah & Autumn, Jane Saunders, Simon Hartung, and many more of the marvellous folk of Bridport who joined the debauchery. 

Filmed by Martha Moopette & Caroline Stupnicka on their respective portable device things. Edited by Ergo Phizmiz & Elvis Herod. 

All music recorded at the event. Music by Robert Lee, Elvis Herod, Ergo Phizmiz, and an improvised music trio of Jane Saunders (harp), Simon Hartung (saxomophone), and Amie Willingale (violin). 

Special thanks to DJ North by Northwest for his assistance in the development of the art of belly dance.

If5: The End Is Nye was dedicated to the Amazing Mr Smith.

How long has this been going on?

Tuesday, 31 December 2013

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. 

Thursday, 12 December 2013

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".

Tuesday, 10 December 2013

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.