Instru-mental!

[imomus]

I had a fun time bouncing around at the George and Dragon last night in front of a backdrop of clouds and an audience of artists, curators, queens and cherubs.

A thought occurred to me: since so many people in my audience are creative types, and since I'm getting a bit sick of always playing the same songs (just because they happen to be the songs I have backing tracks for, and since I'm a bit too lazy to make new backing tracks for older songs like "The Homosexual" and "Hairstyle of the Devil") why not send out a request from Click Opera, a sort of karaoke appeal. Why not ask people, those who can use Garageband, Frooty Loops, or other sequencer software -- or even have access to mariachi bands, gypsy accordion troupes, or other mini-orchestras -- to make a backing track of the Momus song they'd like to hear me to play at a future concert?

If such a commission appeals to you, feel free to make your instrumental as close to, or as far from, my original arrangement as you want. Post a link under this entry to an mp3 of the file. I'll check back here on a regular basis, so bookmark the comments thread and use it as a drop box for tracks. I'll credit you as the arranger if I use your instrumental live.

Some of my favourite versions of my songs have been things like Martin White's accordion version of "Heliogabalus", so I'm hoping you'll amuse and delight me -- and anyone else who cares to check back here over the coming weeks -- with something extraordinary. Also, of course, this will become an archive of backing tracks people can use to stage their own unauthorised Momus concerts, anywhere in the world. All you need is an instrumental, a mic and an eyepatch. The possibilities are dizzying! Instru-mental!

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

So when you 'perform', it's basically a karaoke act? No doubt you'll think it horribly rockist of me to prefer people actually playing instruments, but I do think it adds something 'textural'.

[intergalactim.livejournal.com]

I love karaoke acts! Even Chicks on Speed rocked it for me.

Anyway, as a "sound-artist" myself who doesn't know a thing about how to make a song with all those Momusy things like beats and choruses and notes and stuff, I love the idea of bands doing recordings of Momus tracks, and using them.

I'm thinking Maher Shalal Hash Baz naive style, but if anyone is a Primary School music teacher, can you please teach your class to play them & then record it!!! Like the Langley Schools Music Project cd...

I could just about mangle a midi file, if there are any of those floating around???

[rhodri.livejournal.com]

Good idea. I will take great pleasure in constructing a magnificently smooth, Hall & Oates-esque AOR version of "Islington John", and slightly less pleasure in having it rejected immediately by the imomus board of directors.

[desant012.livejournal.com]

Here's what the album cover should look like: http://static.grupthink.com/answer/5/5e5526f6d3b8ce5f1c1cf36ec4449b85

[sarmoung.livejournal.com]

Curiously, I was thinking only a few days ago about something along these lines as I've been planning to further woo my girlfriend (and just conceivably win over her rabbi father) with a performance of Space Jews and was thinking I may as well record an arrangement of it. It'll be in a relaxed Okinawan treatment with sanshin and (just maybe) Yiddish eisa-style yelping/hayashi...

[charleshatcher.livejournal.com]

You may remember an arrangement of I Can See Japan I sent to you back in 2001 (recorded at a time when I still hadn't figured out how to pan tracks). I found a copy lying at the bottom of a folder, so feel free to abuse:

I Can See Japan Cover (http://ia310131.us.archive.org/3/items/icanseejapan/icanseejapancover.mp3)

[(Anonymous)]

Yes, that track could do with being panned

[(Anonymous)]

O how i wish Stephin Merritt could offer something similar with his early material.

ƒ

[(Anonymous)]

Also, of course, this will become an archive of backing tracks people can use to stage their own unauthorised Momus concerts, anywhere in the world. All you need is an instrumental, a mic and an eyepatch. The possibilities are dizzying! Instru-mental!

So you expect free arrangements and a global franchise do you?

Give and take

[222b.livejournal.com]

Ok, we'll all make backing tracks for you. Well, except for me, cuz I'm talentless in that area.

What you, the big-name star, need to do is talk to some movers and shakers in the music/karaoke biz so I have something interesting to sing during karaoke nights with friends. Mr. Bowie can only take me so far, and even he's rare in most Bay Area singing joints. The End of History and I Cat My Hair would be an excellent start. Chop chop!

[auto-nalle.livejournal.com]

that is still

one of them prettiest sleeves of all time.

gloves an' all.

[uke.livejournal.com]

Ooo, I'm definitely going to do this. I love recording covers, but usually dislike doing the actual singing part myself. Picking a track is going to be hard though.

[uke.livejournal.com]

(Are tracks from Hippopotamomus off limits for legal reasons?)

[scottbateman.livejournal.com]

If I can get my back-up hard drive to actually work, I'll link you to some of the cool-ass instrumental music I've done for my animations, in full three-minute, verse-chorus-verse glory.

In the meantime, here's my remix of Deerhoof's "Rrrrrright." (http://www.killrockstars.com/bands/deerhoof/audio/remix/FoghatDance.mp3)

Photos

[qscrisp.livejournal.com]

Okay, I shall now attempt to post one of my photos from the gig:



The whole photo 'album', or as much of it as I have uploaded, can be viewed here (http://my.opera.com/quentinscrisp/albums/show.dml?id=90461).

I'm afraid the quality's not great. I don't like the effect of flash, so I tended to turn the flash off, with the result that the pictures are rather dark. They are also a bit blurry, because of the general bustle of the gig and the sensitive nature of the zoom mode. But I suppose you can just think of them as atmospheric. Anyway, thanks for a great gig.

I wish I could create a backing track, but that, I'm afraid is not where my talents lie. It would be nice to hear something like Little Lord Obedience live, though. Or... MC Escher, Ventriloquists and Dolls, Ice King... The list goes on.

Re: Photos

[(Anonymous)]

Good pics - they do capture the atmosphere pretty well (I am playing some of the stuff from the concert - "The Lady of Shalott" - on Folktronic, I didn't bootleg it - coincided with the pics of the lad singing it, or posing in the instrumental bit. Good stuff.

[cityramica.livejournal.com]

oooh now this is a task I can do at work that will really look like I'm doing work! [i was just making kill rock stars ringtones and i'm also waiting from Matthew from le grand magistery to come by :)] i'm on the case!

[lord-whimsy.livejournal.com]

Give Matthew my best.

[alphacomp.livejournal.com]

I feel tempted to do an instrumental of "The Last Communist", vocal overdubs included!

THE WICKER MAN

[(Anonymous)]

http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/thewickerman/trailer1/

BAD BAD REMAKE WITH THAT HORRIBLE ACTOR NICOLAS CAGE

[freesurfboards.livejournal.com]

ill do a version of "sensation of orgasm" cuz its a fun song

[jimmyandfriend.livejournal.com]

Jimmy here. This is very exciting!

I'd love to do a few myself. I've never heard backtracks for these ones but let me know if any of them are unnecessary or unwanted:

Electrosexual Sewing Machine
The Laird Of Inversnecky
The Last Communist

Stefano Zarelli

Appalachia
Finnegan the Folk Hero
Robocowboys
Folk Me Amadeus

Those are some of my favs which I thought would be fun for you. On that note do you have any specific requests? Songs you regret not being able to perform?

-Jimmy

[samuellsamson.livejournal.com]

Whoa... now you're tempting me to stop working on my songs and arrange one of yours... *bookmarks* let me think about this.

How far back are you talking??

[(Anonymous)]

How far back does the stuff you have recordings for go?? I want to do a cover, but i don't want to do one you have . Is it pre-japan-influence stuff you want? Or pre-90s? Let us know!!! - Sarah

How old is Old?

[der-hut-geist.livejournal.com]

Is folktronic up for game?

Re: How old is Old?

[imomus.livejournal.com]

Basically I started making instrumental backing tracks from 1993 onwards, so I have pretty much everything from "Timelord" on. But I'd like to hear other versions...

In terms of what I simply don't have, though, it tends to be the earlier stuff.

[(Anonymous)]

Momus, this isn't related to any of the above, but I'm doing an article about west-east migration in Europe, especially that of artists, and especially focusing on Berlin.

What would be the best email address to write to you to explain a bit more about it and who and what i'm doing it for, and to ask you for an interview?

Thanks,

Eli

[imomus.livejournal.com]

momasu@gmail.com

interactivity

[svenskasfinx.livejournal.com]

I like the ideas you have put out with this one.. funny thing is I would love to hear some things done with "talking drums" and Balinese bells.. a total wall of sound effect on a less "noise" level.. but it could leave ears ringing anyway..

Then there is the other method- while I was away in the woods I sat with my Wav. recorder (borrowed) recording wind, rainfall, and the plunk of the water by the lakeside, but also stones plopping in the water.. I was thinking of intergrating the "musical sound" around me in my own songs..

The sound quality is 24bits Wav. but I still have to edit and bring it over to my computer in small sizable files since I can't directly pull it up from the recording devise on this computer.

Re: interactivity

[(Anonymous)]

WOW THIS IS SOUNDS ORIGINAL

[cap-scaleman.livejournal.com]

Very tempting. I just need to decide which one to use and what I should ad. Hmhm.

And what would be the best musical style to use? Breakbeat-klezmer? Free-form tuntabling with jazz? Not? Oh.....

[(Anonymous)]

I imagine that I am banned from this funtime task.
-John /Fashion Flesh

www.fashionflesh.com

[telephoneface.livejournal.com]

Heheh....it is so tempting now to tape an uptempo "Maggies Farm" version of "Tape Recorder Man". But that would be wrong..

karaoke tracks

[(Anonymous)]

Before the MOMUS concert in Barcelona a karaoke set was done by fans, a part from the karaoke tracks from the Little Red Songbook we made karaoke tracks of....

RADIANT NIGHT
http://www.austrohungaro.com/momus/index.php?id=karaoke_genis.jpg

GIAPPONESE A ROMA
http://www.austrohungaro.com/momus/index.php?id=karaoke_carlos_y_elisa.jpg

Audio Sculpting

[instant-c.livejournal.com]

Nick, I have some super important questions for you ( for me) to finish your custom performance program. Please send your answers via e-mail to David@instantcontemporary.org

1. I believe you have a smal/portablel midi keyboard controller. If so, what is the make/model & would you be willing to use it live? if not, any other midi anything that you prefer to use? This is for mapping the control objects, very important. I can look up the controller info as long as I know the model info. In fact, if you have a spare moment, I can send you a tester to tell you the control numbers!
2. would you prefer to use your ibook keyboard, even purchase a thrift usb one to "abuse"?
3. As I am a novice with the ivories, is it possible to get the chords for Beowulf, frilly military, and is it because I'm a pirate. I understand if you don't want to share these directly, but it would greatly help, as I am focusing mostly on the sound design aspects of the tracks.

Thanks for your help with this, as I said previously, I am putting a humongous amount of effort into this and really can't wait to send you the finished product. VERY EXCITED!-David