Mentorship with Robin Minard commences proper

After a few months of e-mail correspondance, my Helpmann Academy/Optus sponsored mentorship with German/Canadian sound artist Robin Minard is about to commence. Robin arrives in Australia today to start work on a radio commision project in Adelaide for the next month. I have half a notebook of research-centric concepts to flight with him as well as a few ideas relating to the eventual project that I will develop under his guidance throughout the year.

Meanwhile I'm a slave to the wage processing government rebates, slowly building a pile of gold to fuel a flight to Europe in September. With that in mind, posting on the blog will a bit sporadic for the next couple of weeks I think.

Stelarc residency

I have been asked by Libby Raupach of the Helpmann Academy to work with prominant new media artist Stelarc during his residency in Adelaide during May this year. It's an exciting opportunity to be offered and I look forward to commencing work with him. Sans meathooks thankfully.

Research updates

THESIS:

Writing a thesis (or thinking you are writing a thesis) is a peculiar thing. During the first half of January steady immaculate progress was being made with the cheerful assumption that a draft of one or two chapters would be finished by month's end. That doesn't seem to be the case now. I have had 7000 words of strangeness before me for the past two weeks that I have taken to periodically scribbling over, cursing at and setting fire to every second day.

A melodramatic and artistic approach to thesis writing, but despite the relative angst this approach seems to be working! I now have 2000 words of sensible prose to pour over.

Violent refinement can be a useful thing occasionally.

WORKS:

Currently working on the installation component of the portfolio with equally measured success and backpedaling, I've recently discovered the merits of open-source software such as Audacity. Mainly because it's free and has a spectral analysis tool.

OTHER:

German/Canadian sound artist Robin Minard arrives in Adelaide next week, as we'll be commencing a working relationship with each other this should provide some serious impetus for the research.

There'll be some good things posted soon.

"Worgrssalk" live

I have posted a video of a live performance of "Worgrssalk" from the Earpoke concert back in November 2007. There is a bit of crowd noise at times, but you should be able to hear what's going on.

Thanks to Jake Morris (video) and Luke Harrald.

"The Sky Is Falling" and "Conversation Piece" live

Recorded at the Jade Monkey in August 07. Appearing as support for Pretty Boy Crossover, video by Seb Tomczak.



Also, more song-writery vids have been posted here: sonferous amphx journal-y thing.