The summer has also been one of reading: several novels of the type favoured by English departments as friendly to analysis...all set texts (Joyce, Hardy, Conrad ).......a Rimbaud bigraphy (for pure enjoyment)....a book by a well meaning outsider on the didgeridoo. "Afterlife Before Genesis. An Introduction: Accessing the Eternal through Australian Aboriginal Music" by David H Turner; like reading a book on sex written by a boyscout but some interesting information none the less (e.g. It becomes impossible to play the didgeridoo/Yidaki when one looses all ones teeth)........the surprise of the summer was "Orientalism" by Edward W Said; an impressive piece of work although his arguments at time serve his prejudices, overall it was a stunning essay with so much accurate and, as we have seen lately, prophetic content. Reading the account of Napoleon's 1794 invasion of Egypt seemed to contain dialogue from George W Bush's explanations regarding why he is committed to slaughter in Iraq 2003 (something to do with civilisation and democracy).......Then there has been Deleuze, Derrida, Guattari, Lyotard (great stuff from Jean-Francois) and Bakhtin.............for musik there is the new sounds of Jewelled Antler Collective a joyous collage of sound and tune which draws one into other places and other states (search them out as well as Blithe Sons and others as sub-parts of the collective whole). Also the skills of Yamataka eYe as DJ...the lead shaman with Japanese outfit Boredoms turns disks and creates sounds which should not be listened to while driving or opperating machinery...a bootleg "Live at The Metro Kyoto Japan 25 March 2001" is an excercise in transcendence.....There is also Polish group Atman, although difficult to find their records it is worth is...try "Personal Forest".
Tomorrow is the first day of term and after 3 month in psych wards I long for the gentle atmosphere of university......the spirit of enquiry...the well stocked library...the pretty young things and the long lunches....oh academia......I return to your sombulent arms.
All is well. It is going to be a killer of a term with an installation performance planned by yours truly on the 18th September in the HUMlab computer lab as part of a conference on Dynamic Maps . My contribution is entittled "Didgeridoo as Compass. Maps in Sound. Homage to the Spirit Maps of the Australian Aborigines"
Oh by the way if anyone wants to sponser a film documentary on the Kumba Mela in India in April-May next year (12 million expected including 5 million Sadhus) contact me at the above email link............Love and Kaos.............Jim
