In the loop

[imomus]

At the end of next week I fly to Osaka, where I'll spend two months in Hisae's family home at Tennoji. I must say this is tremendously morale-boosting, as I haven't been to Japan in almost a year. I'll continue recording my new album in Osaka before heading off to New York for my three month stint at the Whitney Biennial.



I need morale-boosting because it's been quite a stressful month. Hisae got thrown out of Germany last month after accidentally overstaying her visa by two days. She's been making a film with friends in London, but is now back in Japan. Rusty Santos has returned to New York, and I'm continuing with recording my album on my own. And, to be honest, it's sending me up and down like a yoyo or a bride's nightie.

Records have a will of their own, whatever plans you make for them. Far from the avant Tropicalia I planned, defying the Dogme-like rules I'd made, my album has veered in the direction of "experimental torch". Some days I think what I've done so far is utterly wonderful, other days I think it's rubbish. The usual pattern is for me to be completely in love with a track when I've just finished it, then, next day, to hang it beside something off David Sylvian's "Blemish" or Sufjan Stevens' "Illinois", and think how utterly crappy, trite, small and weak my work sounds. So I work on it some more, taking it somewhere more interesting, more strange, more otherworldly. Then I start a new song, determined to make the most wonderful piece of music ever, and the cycle starts all over again. Joy and despair in an endless loop.

Comments

[beingjdc.livejournal.com]

Mind yourself in Osaka (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4548380.stm)...

[(Anonymous)]

Why? Momus is an attractive man but I don't think he'll quite attract the attentions of the chikan...

Joseph

[beingjdc.livejournal.com]

No, but his suave good looks and liberated sexuality might be misinterpreted...

[frontporchmafia.livejournal.com]

Hi, Momus--

You know, I just sort of became aware of your works only last year sometime, and I'm wondering if there is anywhere online that I could just buy the whole lot of your records?

[mcgazz.livejournal.com]

I got most of them on Ebay, cos they're deleted, but I believe you can buy the non-Creation ones online. Possibly through Cherry Red?

[imomus.livejournal.com]

Yes, Cherry Red sells them direct here (http://www.cherryred.co.uk/analogbaroque/artists/momus.htm) for people in Europe (also here (http://www.cherryred.co.uk/el/artists/momus.htm) and here (http://www.cherryred.co.uk/analogbaroque/artists/momusannelaplantine.htm)), and Darla sells them in America here (http://www.darla.com/catalog/ampatch/). You can also find stuff on iTunes Music Store.

[thunderbox.livejournal.com]

I recognise the wonderful/rubbish cycle, and can only sympathise. At my worst I have been known to delete huge swathes of material in the 'rubbish' mood, and then repent its loss for ever.

[thelostmaverick.livejournal.com]

As Kate once said Peter : "Don't give up!"

[eptified.livejournal.com]

Well-- with thems, there's that element of P*A*S*S*I*O*N, which is hard to summon when one is freighted with all this framing, this design and concept busines. But you can't want to be Sufjan. I've seen his show. There's this ineffable feeling of wrongness that comes off him, like he doesn't quite exist in the same world as the rest of us. Faith, I guess.

[alionunderaw.livejournal.com]

in the middle of all these rejection letters, im right in the middle of the same thing...

[(Anonymous)]

Joy and Despair: je pense que c'est là que se loge un reste de puritanisme 'à la Momus'. C'est comme 'Enfer ou Paradis', les choses morales et celles qui sont immorales.... La cyclothymie est une maladie puritaine. Ce fonctionnement psychique (que je partage en raison de mes 50% protestants, à cause de ma mère), je pense qu'il influe beaucoup trop sur la musique elle-même. Ce n'est pas sain. Enthousiasme/dépression est un critère nécessaire, mais non suffisant pour décider d'une bonne chanson. Be a man, not a puritan! (I ALSO tell this to myself)

Gilles

[imomus.livejournal.com]

Oui, bien sur, mais quelle sont les criteres, sinon enthousiasme/depression? Ou est ce que c'est les autres qui decident? Est ce que je dois sortir tous ce que je fais?

[(Anonymous)]

Giles,

You are a genius. Why must the world reflect this 'Enfer ou Paradis'?

I think I must suffer from depression of some form and IT IS a constant state of heaven and hell.

But I tell myself it is not that I am puritan but it is because we are all just animals in the end.
We construct arguments to justify the needs of our bodies. We forget being human is a point of view that obscures everything.

[nickink.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear you're going back to Japan. I most enjuoy your writing about Japanese culture, and, though obviously I have no idea really, I get the feeling you're happiest there.

Osaka

[(Anonymous)]

Have you ever been to the Osaka Aquarium? It's great. I live one stop away. There's an excellent okonomiyake place near that as well. I'd be glad to guide you if you're interested. Justin Lincoln

[tassellrealm.livejournal.com]

It's all part of the cycle of English Self-Deprecation.

[mizutama.livejournal.com]

Osaka is changing a lot. Even Tennouji Zoo got nicer.
Have you ever been the flea market at Shitennouji temple on 21st?

[lord-whimsy.livejournal.com]

So sorry to hear about all the problems with Hisae's visa.

"Some days I think what I've done so far is utterly wonderful, other days I think it's rubbish."

That's how you know you're on the right track. Trite, but true.

Safe journey, Nick.

[lord-whimsy.livejournal.com]

Wait--those nighties go down?

[anglerfish96.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the Sylvian link! And good luck on your album-- what Whimsy said.

Cheeks and sleeves

[(Anonymous)]

Nick, in my opinion you do your best work when your intentions are clear i.e. when you have your tongue in your cheek or your heart on your sleeve ! Play to your strengths melody and lyrics, the other stuff is perhaps just clouding the issue.

I am sure it will work out, nothing good comes easy, good luck

Richard

[cap-scaleman.livejournal.com]

Experimental torch, eh? Can you namedrop any artist from experimental andtorch you can combine to be able to compare it to your own work?

Hmmm, a torch revival?.... Hmmm..... Hmmmm.... NAAAAAAH!

[imomus.livejournal.com]

Can you namedrop any artist from experimental andtorch you can combine to be able to compare it to your own work?

Well, I did in the entry: what David Sylvian did on "Blemish" is something I'd call experimental torch. I don't include Antony and the Johnsons, because I don't think he's doing very much experimental with sound, though Antony is certainly torch.

[cap-scaleman.livejournal.com]

Oh, thought you meant that you compared your works to David Sylvian as if he is a .... Lowwater mark of sort

[cap-scaleman.livejournal.com]

WAIT! HUSH! STOP THE PRESSES! I remember that I actually have a David Sylvian Cd on my computer.... "Secrets of the Beehive"!

Now, isn't David Sylvian more close to ambient than actual torch?

[imomus.livejournal.com]

You have to hear "Blemish". I mean, he croons, and the backing tracks are often electronic drones and washes, but there are also subtle, rough guitar lines by Derek Bailey. It's sort of abstract. And actually, it's nothing like what I'm doing, I'm basically making pop songs. Very catchy ones.

[cap-scaleman.livejournal.com]

I read about "Blemish" on allmusic and to be honest it sounds interesting and if you are now turning your "catchy ones" into a direction like the one described on Blemsih I wonder if you can pull off the task on making it all catchy and yet quite like blemish. Though, "Secrets of the beehive" doesn't sound like "Blemish" it seems to have more ambience to it with those cellos , pianos, ambience etc.... In fact it does even have that touch of 80's as I am listening through it right now.

[anglerfish96.livejournal.com]

He's done a lot of different stuff. His vocal delivery and lyrical sentiments are definitely on the torchy side...

"Secrets" is okay. I've never heard an album he did where he didn't do something I liked and then right after it something I felt embarrassed for. Which, blame that on whatever. But I haven't heard much of his new stuff, either.

Microgenres! Pshaw! Haven't we evolved past that yet*?

*rhetorical question

[cap-scaleman.livejournal.com]

Hmm, of course we need those "microgenres", there is even 'macrogenres', and those are the genres small unknown bands make up to describe their music most of the time. Like "Mambohambosambatjoflöjtrock" for example.

[anglerfish96.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm just being silly, of course. It's sort of like saying "why can't you just accept the apple for what it is without putting a name to it?!" Yet I've heard this argument countless times from artists who should know better. We need labels in order to communicate. Much like irony or earnestness, they have their place, and the hatred of these things is probably more a matter of refinement/balance in their use than anything.

[cap-scaleman.livejournal.com]

Something quite irritating lately was the labeling of the Neo-electro movement that plopped up earlier during the 00's and now on that was "blip-blop" because it sounds so close to video game music and occasionally had a sort of blip-blop sound. But still though, I refuse to call it blip-blop and prefer the term "Neo-electro" and everytime I say that I get a "What?" and have to explain why I said that.

[anglerfish96.livejournal.com]

Yes, sometimes language evolves faster than we can keep up. Which is perhaps why so many simply give up at a certain point saying "I'm too old!" or start making the accusations outlined above. Personally, I enjoy the challenge. Although I suppose I should admit I've never had the opportunity to reference blip-blop in a conversation. Uh, until now, I suppose.

[(Anonymous)]

you chide marxy for keeping his private life secret and it takes you a month to tell us that your long time significant other has been deported?

[imomus.livejournal.com]

I don't want to portray it as a terrible tragedy for either of us. We were planning to winter in Osaka anyway, and Hisae had to shoot a film in London with her friend Joji, so all it's really meant is that she's gone a couple of weeks early to Japan, and spent a little more time in London than she would otherwise have done (the UK isn't a signatory to the Schengen agreement, so it's outside the Eurozone Hisae can't now come back to for a couple of months). And it's our fault, we should have looked into the visa regulations more closely.

[cheapsurrealist.livejournal.com]

Joy and despair in an endless loop.
It's the shits, isn't it?

I'm trying to think of the exact quote from, I think Yeats. Something like - My life has been filled with a deep abbiding sadness interupted by temporary bouts of joy. ( Can anyone help me out with the exact quote and author?)

Anyway it doesn't sound like your in that boat. Just that normal life yoyo stuff. Although Hisae getting thrown out of Germany sounds bad but she is still alive and apparently well and you'll see her soon.

Take it from someone whose life more resembles the Yeats(?) "quote" - Everything will work out fine. Maybe.

Can't wait to hear the new record and read your book. Get to work.

[lord-whimsy.livejournal.com]

Cast a cold eye
On rock, on skulls.
Hipster, pass by!

[iamcoreyd.livejournal.com]

BAHAHAHA

[petit-paradis.livejournal.com]

I have not heard any of his music, but he looks torch hot!

[imomus.livejournal.com]

His music sounds to me like Paul Simon jamming with Steve Reich!

[reflejos.livejournal.com]

I've been hearing a lot his album lately and thought about your "friendly" notion. I found it lovely in a strong sense, very emotional, it's a whole experience listening to it.

[intergalactim.livejournal.com]

hmmm, yeah I'd heard of Sufjan Stevens, but just needed a trusted reccommendation - I've just reserved it at my library.

[(Anonymous)]

I'm not much a fan of 'Blemish', but I'm a huge Sylvian fan, and Japan's (the band) #1 fan, so when you say you want it to sound like Sylvian but it has actually turned out very poppy, that's what I like to hear!

What do you think of the new Nine Horses album?

Looking forward to hearing advances (hopefully) of the new tracks.

Patrick

[iamcoreyd.livejournal.com]

I don't want to admit how much I've listened to Gentlemen Take Polaroids ._.

[(Anonymous)]

I've been reading your blog for a year now. You're a wonderful writer. I have yet to listen to one of your albums, however, and I'm thinking perhaps your new album will be a starting point for me (hopefully this will compel me to tentatively work my way into up your massive ouvre).

I hope not to hate your stuff, I really like your writing and want to come back.

[luckyclone.livejournal.com]

lol

hang it beside something off David Sylvian's "Blemish"

[akabe.livejournal.com]

but this seems as unlikely as the reverse: mr sylvian doing a parody album. like woody allen wanting to do not a bergman parody movie but an actual bergman movie. interesting though. revealing.

About composing

[palux-negro.livejournal.com]

How do you do your music? First lyrics? or music? I'm making some tunes but i'm so stressed about this. About if my music will reject lyrics when finished and separately my lyrics will reject music when finished, it's annoying.