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Dragon

Knob Twiddlers
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Blog Entries posted by Dragon

  1. Dragon

    Split Pan Genus - The Return

    By Dragon,


    massive introspection and autism
    Coming back to my WATMM Blog after nine years. I have a new interest in the things I was writing about in 2012, and since I hate social media with a passion it just makes sense to pick up where I left off. Here are some of my thoughts:
    I never changed my avatar. It's probably annoying people by now lol My life completely turned to shit in June 2021 and I'm sure I'll have loooaaads of fun writing skyscrapers of text about that I'll be writing about my dreams in here. A journal of dreams is called a "Noctuary", and the Dial M reference ties in really well with upcoming posts (there's gonna loads of little thought connections going on, I guarantee they will be even more insufferable than my dreams). Also the word "upon" is a napkin folded up like a cone. There's a Tom and Jerry short where they're running around on a table with Thanksgiving dinner, and the napkin on the table is "upon". I heard the phrase "once upon a time" banded around with no meaning (in the way the letter "sigma" is used) and I figured the word "upon" was the napkin.
  2. Dragon
    Millions of people all over the world are passionate about music. Throughout history, people have looked to music as one of the deepest expressions of the soul, a way of communicating thoughts and feelings that would otherwise be lost in words.
     
    And while this emotive impulse is one reason to start making music, we should know by 2012 that there are many others. Now that YouTube has officially replaced the MTV generation in terms of sheer cultural explosiveness, we are witnessing many more of these new reasons.
     
    These days, people want to be famous. And they don't care how it's done.
     
    We have an entire culture of people who are rewarded for being weird, hilarious, crazy, fucking awesome, or to use the dictionary word, egregious. People want to be different, they want to step out. They want to be known for something, anything that will get them attention.
     
    This has become such a powerful motive, that for most of today's popular musicians, it has simply replaced the original meaning of music. Forget
    , forget aesthetics, forget . People are becoming incredibly successful for their work, but it has nothing to do with musical talent. 
    It's not simply a case of failing to be a good composer. Indeed, artists such as Skrillex and deadmau5 have achieved exactly what they wanted to do with their music. They're not interested in technical skill, or attention to detail, or any of the priorities of professional music. Their focus is popularity, and figuring out exactly what their fanbase wants.
     
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSeNSzJ2-Jw
     
    And as it turns out, they want bass drops. They want robot diarrhea. They want manic, sugary melodies that make you feel warm inside for five seconds. You don't see people on YouTube looking for deep, emotional soundscapes to appreciate and empathize with. Because that's totally gay, you know? This is a culture that rewards stupidity, outlandishness, and being totally whacked out on crazy sounds.
     
    In fact, the very idea that someone would take this music seriously is hilarious in itself. And that's part of the novelty. They know you're not supposed to treat Dubstep like a Beethoven symphony, and for many people it's refreshing to be able to enjoy music without having to put too much effort into it.
     
    The point is, the appeal of this music is social rather than musical. It's all about popularity, in every sense of the word. This may seem frustrating to many, especially if you focus on musical talent as a virtue, but this is simply where our culture leads when you have all the ingredients.
     
    For what it's worth, Skrillex (and most dubstep artists, to some extent) is very successful at what he does, and he has the hit counter to back it up. He gives fans the entertainment they need, and they in return give him all the attention and praise a celebrity could want. It may not be emotive, but it's music that can be shared and enjoyed as freely as any internet meme. Whether that makes it "real music" is entirely up to you...
  3. Dragon

    Split Pan Genus

    By Dragon,

    Chimpanzees and Bonobos are the two species of the Pan genus, our closest genetic relatives. Together, they share more DNA with us than any other species in the world.
     
    They have a lot to teach us, about our natural behaviour, about how we learn, and how we evolved into our current state.
     
    Since one of my favourite topics in the world is the subject of human nature (and, in turn, evolutionary psychology) I have gathered a lot of information on these creatures over the years. I've read books about their behaviour, watched documentaries about their society, and overall it has helped me paint a better picture of human life.
     
    Most readers will be familiar with the Chimpanzee - the species everybody thinks of when they hear the word "monkey". It amazes us that, even though they are obviously hair-covered animals, they act like us in so many ways. This naturally leads to the sharp, in-your-face comedy value present on any YouTube video with that word in the title.
     
    We know that Chimpanzees are agressive. They are known for their violence, their territorial nature, and everything basic and primative about humans, the stuff we'd rather not acknowledge.
     
    But what most people don't know is that there is another species of ape, the Bonobo, which shares just as much DNA with us as the Chimp. And these apes might just be the exact opposite of Chimpanzees in every way.
     
    First of all, Bonobos have Alpha Females. Rather than male leaders, girls are always in charge. Second, there is no violence. Bonobos rarely use physical confrontations, they prefer to stay peaceful with one another.
     
    Thirdly, if Bonobos could be summarized in one sentence, it would be, "Make love, not war." And I mean that literally. Bonobos make love in all possible permutations and combinations: males with females, males with males, females with females, and even infants with adults. They figure, just as their reproductive organs were made to give life, they can give pleasure, too, whenever it is needed.
     
    http://www.gaia-web.org/philosophy/sexuality/amicable.html
     
     
    Can you imagine living in a world where humans behaved like this? There would be no wars, no rape. No sexual tension, no confusing blockades on what is and isn't acceptable. People would be at peace.
     
    Of course, in reality it doesn't work that way. Humans are a different species, after all, and since we split from the Pan genus around 5 million years ago, we must accept that if we are anything like apes, we're a combination of two relatives, Bonobos and Chimpanzees.
     
    Those two species have always lived in Africa, divided by the Congo river. But ever since our ancestors left the jungle, we have covered new ground faster than any living thing before. Oh, the things we have achieved. We've mastered space travel. We've started thousands of religions. We created the world wide web.
     
    However, life is far from perfect, especially in some parts of the world.
     
    The Democratic Republic of the Congo, the only place in the world where our relatives are still alive in the wild, is also covered by human ground. And it is a place of conflict. An intense, violent, non-stop struggle.
     
    http://www.globalissues.org/article/87/the-democratic-republic-of-congo
     
     
    What is really disturbing is the nature of this violence. A far cry from the Bonobos on the other side of the river, using sex to resolve their conflict peacefully. Not only do these armed forces use rape, they use it as a weapon of war. To destroy.
     
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/08/AR2007090801194.html
     
     
    This kind of conflict has many, many consequences. It tears communities apart. It has caused all kinds of epidemics, from sexually transmitted diseases to emotional trauma.
     
    All kinds of people are directly harmed as a consequence of this turmoil. But it also creates more unexpected situations, as not just people, but other species are effected...
     
    http://www.worldcrunch.com/culture-society/when-chimpanzees-attack-10-killed-in-possible-quot-revenge-quot-for-past-human-brutality/tongo-chimpanzees-congo-virunga-attacks/c3s9750/
     
    According to this article, large numbers of Chimpanzees have begun attacking villagers in the Congo. It seems, after all the conflict they have endured, they now see humans as a threat.
     
     
    Very disturbing news. What would happen if there was a full Chimpanzee uprising? Would they cause serious damage to the human population? Would they show the same, terrible behaviour as us?
     
    Well, given that humans outnumber chimps on this planet by a factor of about 700,000, and know how to use firearms, I don't think we need to worry about going extinct ourselves. But that sheds more light on the second question.
     
    We have seen how some groups of humans can use sadism during conflict. We have seen how they use rape and sexual violence. Not just to relief tension, sexual or aggressive. Not just to excersize control over others. But, simply, to make other people suffer. Just as guns were created to kill, these people use sex to inflict misery, as an organized, calculated weapon of warfare.
     
    Would Chimpanzees do this, given the chance? Well, here is some discussion on the subject by PhD Frans de Waal, taken from Our Inner Ape.
     
    Chapter 3, Part 6.
     
     
    So, Chimpanzees are capable of forcing sex, and even using weapons as a means of coercion. But how does this compare to the armed forces of the Congo?
     
    Well, first of all, these Chimpanzees are not using sex for the same purpose. Here, in the example given, they are most likely looking for sexual pleasure outside their own group. While their behaviour is coercive and, indeed, abusive, what we are looking at here is their exact motivation.
     
    They are described using wooden weapons (branches and sticks) to attack their victims. Again, this is barbaric behaviour. But we need to understand what their real motivation is. It seems they don't intend to kill or injure their victims, only to make their demands possible.
     
    Again, "The males could also use rocks, but this might actually harm or kill their mates, which is not in their interest."
     
    So, as far as Chimpanzees are concerned, this is about as bad as it gets. There are many examples of non-consensual sex in the wild, but when it comes to the many thousands of rape victims at the DRC, nothing comes close.
     
    http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/18/world/africa/18congo.html?_r=2&pagewanted=2&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1291950203-UcWVlAWT41oo3aT5XNQHGQ
     
     
    http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/transcript-of-are-vaginas-in-house.html
     
     
    http://www.vday.org/node/1118
     
     
     
     
    This may be a devastating topic, but one very important thing to consider is that this only covers a vast minority of human beings, when compared to our seven billion strong population. This doesn't happen all over the world, ands it is certainly not a part of human nature. Let's hear another quote from Frans de Waal.
     
     
    Frans de Waal's Our Inner Ape is available on Amazon. Well-written, humourous and fully engaging throughout, it offers a fascinating look at human nature.
     
    I hope this has been an interesting read, for all its light and dark.
  4. Dragon

    Permanent Jetlag

    By Dragon,

    Hey bleeps,
     
    You may have noticed two days passing since my last post. But I have only slept once. Why? Let me tell you.
     
    For most of my life, I have lived with a medical sleep disorder. As simply as I can put it, my sleep cycle is longer than 24 hours, like it's set to some other planet.
     
    According to Wikipedia, it's called "Non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder", which is the worst name I could possibly imagine for a medical disorder. Basically, it goes like this:
     
    Usually, a person will wake up in the morning and go to sleep at night, and the whole journey takes around 24 hours. But with me, for some reason, this journey takes around 40 hours, maybe longer.
     
    This pushes my body clock out of sync with the natural pattern of night and day. As a result, I spend just as much of my time in the early hours of the morning as I do during daylight.
     
    I would best describe it as "Permanent Jetlag". Most people only get this when they visit a new time zone, and once they take a few days to adjust, they get back on their feet and the journeys continue right as rain.
     
    I have yet to find out what that would do to me, as I've never been on a plane or left the UK. But I'll tell you this. I love waking up and finding out the sun is just about to rise. It's a rare treat, like a Bank Holiday or an extended TV special. The morning is the best time to wake up, for sure.
     
    I usually don't feel tired until I've been awake for 18-20 hours. After that, I'll stay up until the 24-28 hour mark, or longer if I feel restless or unusually stimulated. Once I've fallen sleep, I'll be interrupted a few times, but I'll usually get up and stay up after about 14-18 hours or rest.
     
    The whole cycle could last anywhere between 36 and 60 hours. As you can see, it is very hard to think of "my day", or "what happened yesterday" when referring to our human calendar.
     
    If there is an upcoming event that demands my attention, I simply have no way of knowing whether I will be awake for it. Usually I'll try to plan my sleeping time days in advance - but still, this is very unpredictable. Like I said, I could stay awake much longer than planned if I feel stimulated.
     
    The social impact, here, is very unique. It's hard enough to stay friends with people when they live in a different timezone, any long-distance partner will tell you that. But when you're completely phasing out of sync, when you could sleep through an entire day of sunlight without seeing anyone, it gets harder. Human society lives during the day. Good thing it only covers half the world at once...
     
    How this disorder affects education, employment, and creative work is another matter entirely, but I won't go into that.
     
    So, the next time you wonder how my web activity gets so evenly spread across the clock, or ask me why I'm up so early for someone in the UK, now you know. I'll leave you with this exquisite piano piece by Steve Reich, a pioneer of American Minimalist music.
     
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGsmv_irhE8
     
    "Piano Phase" is a 20 minute composition with huge masses of detail, but one very simple idea. It's amazing. It's two identical melodies, one faster that the other. The way they move in and out of sync causes all sorts of.................damn.
  5. Dragon

    Mania

    By Dragon,

    I've mentioned a few times on WATMM that I have Manic Depression. I prefer this name to "Bipolar disorder" because, aside from my sweet tooth for ironic names, it doesn't have that negative feeling of the word "disorder". I think MD is a gift, a wonderful way to see the world.
     
    I could write pages about what this really means to me, about the creativity it inspires every day, about how much I appreciate things like contrast and irony. But for now I'll tell you a story, about what happened a few hours ago, right here. C'mon, this is a blog, after all.
     
    These last couple of months, I've been on a high, and I've enjoyed some of the good times. I come up with new ideas every few seconds. From little things ("Which song should I play next, now that I'm thinking about the Neo-Nazi movement?") to bigger things ("It should be a trilogy. But the first film should have no dialogue.") to insane things ("If the number four represents death, does that mean twelve is a composite number that unifies the Holy Trinity with its ultimate demise?").
     
    I could literally go through that stream of ideas, and still have time to hear the reverb in Pigeon Street. But the shitty thing is, I can't create things in real life anywhere near as quickly as that. Yesterday I did a storyboard for a Bogdan Raczynski music video, a keyboard riff inspired by Roald Dahl, and wrote a draft for a story about Pagan gods. I just wish I had the hard-working attitude of Sean Booth:
     
    "We don’t get lazy. It’s really easy to, especially if you’re getting a bit older and you’ve bought a lot of equipment."
     
    So true. And I'm only 20.
     
    As well as having this continuous stream of thought, I can also get very, very stimulated. Simply by listening to music, or looking at images, I can tune myself into an even greater high. The "Equation track" by Aphex Twin is a good example of this. When I listened to it earlier, I could feel the hairs growing on my chest. I saw my future. I saw my past. For a few minutes
     
    Shit, sorry, that was last week. No. It was like being on a rollercoaster, I suppose. I'd eaten some of those energy bars where they mix caffeine in with the chocolate, and the bottle of Pepsi is still right here, nearly finished now.
     
    And to top it off, I was looking at this completely insane website created by Lord Steven Christ. You don't have to click, basically he thinks the sky is made of glass and the world will end in five weeks. The images on that page, oh my.....
     
    So once I decided I'd had enough, I switched off my monitor and lay down in bed with my MP3 player. I think it's nice that, even when I'm all revved up, I know when it's time to chill down and turn off the braindance.
     
    The track I chose was "Two Pages" by Philip Glass. It was already set to that track, I fell asleep to it last night. It's a very still, very calming piece of music, and I urge you to look it up for those chaotic moments.
     
    As I was lying there, I thought of so many vivid things. I began to shake at the atmosphere of Part 3, thirteen minutes in. I guess that's just a testament to my sensitivity; this could easily be the most minimal piece of music ever written, yet here I am absorbing its simple melodies like it was the Mona Lisa.
     
    As I thought about the year 2005, the timing of the full moon, and my music video idea for 'Sixtyniner', I began to ponder the meaning of the title "Two Pages".
     
    Originally, the piece was physically written down on two pages, because that was all Glass needed to notate this 18 minute piece of work. It is based on a single melody that repeats itself in five different ways, and he simply writes "Repeat one. Repeat two. Expand to twenty", and so on.
     
    This got me thinking about the number two. I usually think of it as a divisible number, something that can be cut exactly in half. It always has some kind of twist to it, I thought, like a pair of opposites clashing into each other.
     
    But as I continued, I realized. And I calmed down. Two Pages doesn't have anything like that. It is a single, whole piece of music. It's only called "Two Pages" because that's how much paper it takes to write it down. That's arbitrary. Here is an example of the number two, where the amount doesn't matter, and the real thing is one, complete body of music.
     
    It was a very comforting thought. Oneness. This music was whole and complete. And, like the buzzing, creative mind I was, I was reminded of something I read in one of my favourite books.
     
    Two Trees One Root
     

     
     
    What a beautiful idea. The Language of Symbols by David Fontana is an amazing book about symbols that have appeared throughout human history, from ancient gods, to cave paintings, to doodles in your notepad. It amazing how he combines history, psychology, human evolution and all-out artistic beauty in one book. Hah, I guess that's four trees.
     
    So, just as the music ended, I lay there feeling completely reassured. Whatever worries I had before just dissolved, and this was an idea I could use whenever I wanted.
     
    Now everything is back to normal, and I just realized that fiftheenth paragraph had another joke in it, which I didn't notice. So that's three BoC references. lol.
     
    I think that's enough for today, but I hope to write again some time. I'll never run out of ideas, I'm a modern day Ian Maxtone-Graham.
  6. Dragon
    Many fans of Aphex Twin's 1994 album Selected Ambient Works vol. 2, have spent years wondering about the origins of its enigmatic track titles.
     
    As many of you know, SAW2 was released without a tracklist, and to this day all official references to its content are numbered "SAW2 CD1 TRACK 1", and so on. Instead of a conventional tracklist, the album artwork includes a series of images, meant to accompany each track.
     
    Fans of the album have interpreted these images in a number of ways. As a result, there now exists a complete tracklist for SAW2, with names deriving from impressions of the 25 images.
     
    Naturally, this has led to some confusion. While the images featured on the album are indeed beautiful, their origin (and indeed, their connection to the fanmade track titles) is not always clear. Some fans have tried to explain this mystery with interpretations of their own:
     

     
    Of course, there is one simple explanation. You see, the Sire Records release of Selected Ambient Works 2 (the US version) does not actually include the same images as the original UK version. This means there are two full sets of artwork, only one of which has been seen by the majority of fans.
     
    When you see the original artwork, or course, the track titles make perfect sense.
     

     

     
    Once the images had been named, people were so used to using them that they simply didn't feel it necessary to change them. As a result, YouTube users and blogging authorities everywhere have been perplexed. But I hope, thanks to this post, things will become clearer.
  7. Dragon

    A bit of poetry

    By Dragon,

    Hey sticks. This is my WATMM blog. I've never been good at committing to a blog before, so I don't know how often I'll update this.
     
    I wrote a short poem yesterday. It's about a certain someone who saw Music With Changing Parts being performed for the first time.
     
     
    David Bowie sitting
    there at the 1970's
    premier and thinking
    wryly with a stare
    'There's no way he
    can top this piece
    it FLUTTERS in the
    evening air like
    Yoko Ono's velvet
    hair and and only
    Philip Glass would
    dare to raise the
    bar on such a feast
    How COULD a man
    pull off a thing
    He cannot dance
    He cannot sing
    The only way of
    following would
    need the magic,
    twelve times over!
     
     
     
    He really was at that premier (source) along with Brian Eno. I think the Heroes Symphony may have been a little more than good luck...
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