Dreamed, reviewed
Apr. 11th, 2005 08:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
imomusIf you ask me how I know I'm real, I'll say two things. One, I feel real to myself, here in the privacy of my own body-brain. I know who I am from the direct experience of how it feels to be in here. Two, I get echoes of my existence back from other people. I know that I exist because people react to me. Seeing just how people react can be surprising, though. It's out of my control, to some extent. People are strange! Today I've interwoven two strands of published reactions to me and my work: a set of dreams about "Momus" reported on the ILX thread Recently on ILX dreams and excerpts of reviews of the new Momus album Otto Spooky. When I read these dreams and reviews, I know I am real. But I also feel completely unreal, like a fictional character being written by someone else. Are reviews and dreams really so different?
"I am so ashamed: I had a Momus dream! I dearly hope it was only a coincidence that this happened the night after I saw the nude picture of him. So in my dream I have to give a presentation in front of an auditorium full of people. But the student presenting after me brings his friends up to the podium with him, and they're all dressed in expensive-looking Teletubby-like suits. While my presentation had been more mundane, they start performing these dramatic MrWizard/Beakman/Bill Nye type demonstrations. The audience eats it up of course. In my dream I feel that the suits (for some reason) give them an unfair advantage, and the dramatic demonstrations are also kind've cheating or something, so I go into an adjacent room and sulk about thinking that I'd like to have a cigarette if I were a smoker. Then Momus, who was in the audience, comes in and asks what's wrong, and I confide in him how I feel about the other presenters. But THEN he immediately proceeds to go into the auditorium, directly to the podium, and tell everyone there what I had said. He meant well, and everyone pretended to be sympathetic, but I knew that they all were really thinking what a whiney brat I was." Dan I., May 1st, 2003
Nick Currie reminds me of a French author named Georges Bataille, whose sexual and erotic text often drew more attention than his philosophical and metaphorical overtones. Like Bataille, Nick Currie might be misunderstood, but if you look deeper into his albums, you will either see a genius or a raving lunatic. Or an equal amount of both. Delusions of Adequacy Otto Spooky review
"I dreamt I had started a society dedicated to ridiculing the worst in culture and art. We had become quite popular, ironically, and our meeting was scheduled to be on television. About 300 of us (or more) filled a beautifully designed concert hall/auditorium for the meeting. At the meeting, I met Momus (who had joined the society) who was accompanied by a rather slender, good-looking gay man named Anthony. Momus and I got along rather well and were trading lots of good ideas about art. Then the meeting started. It was totally democratic and non-hierarchical (although I was sort of considered a leader, there were no rules on member rank and no one had to wait to speak in turn). At some point, we brought out a few members of the Eagles (with the exception of Joe Walsh, who was spared because of his involvement in James Gang and his solo records) to answer for their crimes against humanity." hstencil, November 4th, 2003
Ah, Momus, you raconteur, you clever boy, you international pervert, it's been too long, hasn't it? It's been, what, three years since last you confounded me with your music, and here you are again, with a new offering and a new series of frustrations for yours truly. If you're not familiar with the man, you must stop reading this review right now, go to the bottom of this page and click on his website. It's quite possible the man is The Last Gadabout, the rare breed of intellect presumed extinct a century ago, and as he's such a character, his life is worth investigating. Mundane Sounds Otto Spooky review
"I was working for a secret branch of the Environmental Protection Agency under the cover of a Tower Records subsidiary. We were being infiltrated by strange alien children who could do things like fly up the walls and swim across the ceiling. But this song kept playing on the radio that went "Jaaa-panese Hipster Girls Scout For Momus..." It was a great song, I remember the tune and everything. I wish it were real." the river fleet, January 13th, 2004
Otto Spooky feels less jumpy and absurdist than his 2003 album Oskar Tennis Champion, but that doesn't make it less weird. This is, after all, an album that touches on everything from a paralyzed Robin Hood to an impotent feudal lord who sexually harrasses his concubines, from video-game pandas to Mel Gibson's idea of Jesus. Each song seems built around an amalgamation of unique ideas birthed from Momus' mind. For each song Momus could probably write a lengthy explanation about it, laying out all the pieces of each puzzle...yet it's better to feel confused and intrigued. This is curious music in that way; it's always keeping your curiosity piqued and getting the machines in your brain turning. Erasing Clouds Otto Spooky review
"Okay, I had a pretty weird dream this morning... I'd just moved into a new flat that looked kinda like a school classroom, and it was full of bookcases, so kinda like a school library. Then I discovered who my room-mate was, I hadn't been expecting to have to share, it was Momus. I was about to move out, as I thought there had been some sort of mistake, but I decided to stay, though by this time the room was full of Mo's pals all totally ignoring me. However, then he got a book off the shelf "Introduction to Information Management", and I was quite annoyed and asked him if he was taking the piss, then I woke up." jel, February 10th, 2004
Ultimately he has defeated or won over his critics and continues his role as agent provocateur and playful commentator of contemporary existence. In person Momus is courteous, serving green tea, answering all questions at great length and patiently signing copies of his early album Tender Pervert and his book Lusts of a Moron. Now having reached his mid forties he retains his striking looks, his articulate way of speaking and distinctively soft spoken voice making him instantly recognisable as the singer of all those deliciously satirical songs with which he brightened up so many bleak adolescent afternoons. A Scottish Post-Protestant Radical in Berlin, Tangents interview
"Last night I had lots of weird dreams, all fairly horrible (I was shot twice, both by people close to me). When they brightened up a bit I was in Marks and Spencers with an employee showing some £25 vanilla body lotion to me and Momus and Dido." Anna, March 1st, 2004
Momus is one of the few musicians who have continued to evolve over time. Most musicians become consumed by the business and lose all autonomy and independence of character. Through his music, his life and mind grows. In his references, we are privy to the books he reads, the movies he watches, the places he visits, the people he meets, and the thoughts he forms. He is not afraid to change and trusts his fans to understand, or at least try to understand, his art. CD Reviews Otto Spooky review
"This reminds me I dreamed last week I was sitting on a beanbag watching TV with momus and he was surreptitiously trying to hold hands with me. I'm not sure what to think of that one!" Trayce, January 31st, 2005
Momus est un artiste polyetrique -pour utiliser un joli mot qui veut dire à plusieurs facettes- excentrique qui fait des disques depuis 1982. Il a sorti une quinzaine d'albums, et explore sans cesse de nouvelles formes, de nouvelles idées. Il est écossais, il a vécu à Londres, à paris, à New York, au Japon. Il vit actuellement à Berlin. Selon L'Humeur Otto Spooky review
Addendum: This blog gets reviewed today by Nitsuh Abebe in Pitchfork: "My Favourite Band Writes Better Than Your Favourite Band".
"I am so ashamed: I had a Momus dream! I dearly hope it was only a coincidence that this happened the night after I saw the nude picture of him. So in my dream I have to give a presentation in front of an auditorium full of people. But the student presenting after me brings his friends up to the podium with him, and they're all dressed in expensive-looking Teletubby-like suits. While my presentation had been more mundane, they start performing these dramatic MrWizard/Beakman/Bill Nye type demonstrations. The audience eats it up of course. In my dream I feel that the suits (for some reason) give them an unfair advantage, and the dramatic demonstrations are also kind've cheating or something, so I go into an adjacent room and sulk about thinking that I'd like to have a cigarette if I were a smoker. Then Momus, who was in the audience, comes in and asks what's wrong, and I confide in him how I feel about the other presenters. But THEN he immediately proceeds to go into the auditorium, directly to the podium, and tell everyone there what I had said. He meant well, and everyone pretended to be sympathetic, but I knew that they all were really thinking what a whiney brat I was." Dan I., May 1st, 2003
Nick Currie reminds me of a French author named Georges Bataille, whose sexual and erotic text often drew more attention than his philosophical and metaphorical overtones. Like Bataille, Nick Currie might be misunderstood, but if you look deeper into his albums, you will either see a genius or a raving lunatic. Or an equal amount of both. Delusions of Adequacy Otto Spooky review
"I dreamt I had started a society dedicated to ridiculing the worst in culture and art. We had become quite popular, ironically, and our meeting was scheduled to be on television. About 300 of us (or more) filled a beautifully designed concert hall/auditorium for the meeting. At the meeting, I met Momus (who had joined the society) who was accompanied by a rather slender, good-looking gay man named Anthony. Momus and I got along rather well and were trading lots of good ideas about art. Then the meeting started. It was totally democratic and non-hierarchical (although I was sort of considered a leader, there were no rules on member rank and no one had to wait to speak in turn). At some point, we brought out a few members of the Eagles (with the exception of Joe Walsh, who was spared because of his involvement in James Gang and his solo records) to answer for their crimes against humanity." hstencil, November 4th, 2003
Ah, Momus, you raconteur, you clever boy, you international pervert, it's been too long, hasn't it? It's been, what, three years since last you confounded me with your music, and here you are again, with a new offering and a new series of frustrations for yours truly. If you're not familiar with the man, you must stop reading this review right now, go to the bottom of this page and click on his website. It's quite possible the man is The Last Gadabout, the rare breed of intellect presumed extinct a century ago, and as he's such a character, his life is worth investigating. Mundane Sounds Otto Spooky review
"I was working for a secret branch of the Environmental Protection Agency under the cover of a Tower Records subsidiary. We were being infiltrated by strange alien children who could do things like fly up the walls and swim across the ceiling. But this song kept playing on the radio that went "Jaaa-panese Hipster Girls Scout For Momus..." It was a great song, I remember the tune and everything. I wish it were real." the river fleet, January 13th, 2004
Otto Spooky feels less jumpy and absurdist than his 2003 album Oskar Tennis Champion, but that doesn't make it less weird. This is, after all, an album that touches on everything from a paralyzed Robin Hood to an impotent feudal lord who sexually harrasses his concubines, from video-game pandas to Mel Gibson's idea of Jesus. Each song seems built around an amalgamation of unique ideas birthed from Momus' mind. For each song Momus could probably write a lengthy explanation about it, laying out all the pieces of each puzzle...yet it's better to feel confused and intrigued. This is curious music in that way; it's always keeping your curiosity piqued and getting the machines in your brain turning. Erasing Clouds Otto Spooky review
"Okay, I had a pretty weird dream this morning... I'd just moved into a new flat that looked kinda like a school classroom, and it was full of bookcases, so kinda like a school library. Then I discovered who my room-mate was, I hadn't been expecting to have to share, it was Momus. I was about to move out, as I thought there had been some sort of mistake, but I decided to stay, though by this time the room was full of Mo's pals all totally ignoring me. However, then he got a book off the shelf "Introduction to Information Management", and I was quite annoyed and asked him if he was taking the piss, then I woke up." jel, February 10th, 2004
Ultimately he has defeated or won over his critics and continues his role as agent provocateur and playful commentator of contemporary existence. In person Momus is courteous, serving green tea, answering all questions at great length and patiently signing copies of his early album Tender Pervert and his book Lusts of a Moron. Now having reached his mid forties he retains his striking looks, his articulate way of speaking and distinctively soft spoken voice making him instantly recognisable as the singer of all those deliciously satirical songs with which he brightened up so many bleak adolescent afternoons. A Scottish Post-Protestant Radical in Berlin, Tangents interview
"Last night I had lots of weird dreams, all fairly horrible (I was shot twice, both by people close to me). When they brightened up a bit I was in Marks and Spencers with an employee showing some £25 vanilla body lotion to me and Momus and Dido." Anna, March 1st, 2004
Momus is one of the few musicians who have continued to evolve over time. Most musicians become consumed by the business and lose all autonomy and independence of character. Through his music, his life and mind grows. In his references, we are privy to the books he reads, the movies he watches, the places he visits, the people he meets, and the thoughts he forms. He is not afraid to change and trusts his fans to understand, or at least try to understand, his art. CD Reviews Otto Spooky review
"This reminds me I dreamed last week I was sitting on a beanbag watching TV with momus and he was surreptitiously trying to hold hands with me. I'm not sure what to think of that one!" Trayce, January 31st, 2005
Momus est un artiste polyetrique -pour utiliser un joli mot qui veut dire à plusieurs facettes- excentrique qui fait des disques depuis 1982. Il a sorti une quinzaine d'albums, et explore sans cesse de nouvelles formes, de nouvelles idées. Il est écossais, il a vécu à Londres, à paris, à New York, au Japon. Il vit actuellement à Berlin. Selon L'Humeur Otto Spooky review
Addendum: This blog gets reviewed today by Nitsuh Abebe in Pitchfork: "My Favourite Band Writes Better Than Your Favourite Band".
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
Directed dreamings.
Date: 2005-04-11 06:34 am (UTC)Re: Directed dreamings.
Date: 2005-04-11 06:40 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 08:04 am (UTC)Could you tell us more about the colourful mural/collage?
(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 08:18 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 09:33 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 09:54 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 09:48 am (UTC)To end the first paragraph with that sentence is just SO Carrie Bradshaw!
(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 09:58 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 10:53 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 10:55 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 11:18 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 11:25 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 11:17 am (UTC)1. Nick Cave is so cool. Of course he doesn't read reviews. He doesn't even listen to the records he makes himself, after they're finished. But he lets us listen, thank God.
2. "We just make music that we want to hear, and if anyone else likes it, it's a bonus."
3. "Morrissey used to be my hero, but then one day I saw him jumping out of an expensive car and running into Tower to check if they had his record."
4. Momus cares what every little website writes about him, and responds to every last comment on his blog. What a loser!
(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 11:31 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 11:38 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 12:05 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 12:32 pm (UTC)The only reason you think there's any conflict there is that you cling to this music biz notion of "an indie artist". One of the little websites you speak of disdainfully above has a much better frame: "un artiste polyetrique -pour utiliser un joli mot qui veut dire à plusieurs facettes". An indie artist doesn't spend January in Hokkaido as "indie artist in residence" at a technology university, and although he may spend February releasing an indie album, he doesn't then spend March writing a book about photoblogging for Thames and Hudson, April writing design journalism, and May setting up June and July's art show at a Chelsea, New York, art gallery.
I'm currently pitching a book about Japan to some Chinese publishers, but as soon as I tell them that I'm generally pro, they start screaming at me and waving weapons...
(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 12:01 pm (UTC)*although honestly I can't say I blame you, granted where it took place.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 12:04 pm (UTC)It May Be Worse Than That Or, Sorry to Subject You To Abandonment Issues
Date: 2005-04-11 12:06 pm (UTC)Re: Cleveland
Date: 2005-04-11 12:11 pm (UTC)Re: Cleveland
Date: 2005-04-11 01:56 pm (UTC)Re: Cleveland
Date: 2005-04-11 02:01 pm (UTC)Re: Cleveland
Date: 2005-04-11 02:08 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 01:52 pm (UTC)Patrick
(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 02:08 pm (UTC)Moriarty, the Napoleon of CrimeJohn Darnielle! (Must go and read his "über-humanist" essay on "authenticity in music" (http://lastplanetojakarta.com/archives/2005/03/authentic.php), though... wonder if he has any thoughts on copyleft (http://www.livejournal.com/users/imomus/2005/04/10/) in there?)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 02:10 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 02:15 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 02:38 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-11 02:53 pm (UTC)Precisely! Precisely!
Date: 2005-04-11 03:10 pm (UTC)Re: Precisely! Precisely!
Date: 2005-04-11 03:34 pm (UTC)SnoozeScan Review #1
Date: 2005-04-11 02:51 pm (UTC)I'm walking around, a part of a large tableclothed banquet or Easter feast of some sort. Everyone's very Stepford Wife. Actually, everyone's a she... except for me of course. But, for some reason the sky curves from horizon to horizon like the inside of some large coffee can, and it's reflective, like a silver mirror. The longer the dream goes on, the less space I feel between me and this "sky," which keeps shrinking, coming down to touch me. At the moment just before the silver surface hits my face, I wake up to the sound of the tornado siren. Then, of course, a few seconds later, to the first few notes of "Siempreverde."
One thing's for sure... this record's much more 'spooky' than I realised. I am going to have a very interesting day. :)
Re: SnoozeScan Review #1
Date: 2005-04-11 03:45 pm (UTC)Momus as an Attempt to Ignore the Possibility of Nuclear Holocaust in Northern Michigan
Date: 2005-04-11 04:28 pm (UTC)Bataille and Oprah
Date: 2005-04-11 05:51 pm (UTC)A quick question: Did you adopt the name Momus after Alberti's character? It certainly seems fitting.
Last week I had a strange dream. I was in Jamaica for a conference on quality assurance in tertiary education in the Caribbean regions (which makes sense as I actually did attend this conference last November). Anyway, the Minister of Education from the Bahamas was speaking about his initiative to get the population of the Bahamas to spend more time reading. His initiative was to start a national book club, of which he is the leader. This too is true, you can see the site for it here, http://bookclub.bahamaseducation.com/ After the day's sessions I was back in my hotel room with a co-worker and my husband. I was sitting at one of the round tables you always find in average hotel rooms, talking about the Minister's speech. I turned to my left and there was Oprah sitting next to me. "Don't worry Oprah," I said, "I made sure to point out Sears (the Minister's name) was ripping off your idea." At that, Oprah and I high-fived in a "you go girl" sort of way. The notion was so absurb I actually woke up before the dream could go any further.
Delayed April Fools Comment
Date: 2005-04-11 07:48 pm (UTC)You've got a good gig going - this "Japan" thing.
In fact, I saw you in Shibuya four? weeks ago, outside Tower Records, sitting on a railing, drinking some random beverage.
When I saw you, it struck me that Japan gives you validity, simply because few people within European artistic circles understand Japan (most just have stereotypical views, perpetuated by Japanese pop culture), and therefore Japan makes you unique, and since most people are too blind or too undereducated to contradict you, you can say whatever you want concerning Japan, and further razzle-dazzle everyone with your uniqueness.
That's a win/win situation, if I ever saw one.
Pity is, to anyone who's ever lived here, your uniquness is only worth a sideways smirk, because, well, misguided Japanophiles are so common, and so goddamn boring.
So dude, sorry, but when it comes to you, I just shrug my shoulders, yawn, and move on.
Re: Delayed April Fools Comment
Date: 2005-04-11 08:00 pm (UTC)Yes, I was waiting for a Susan Ciancolo performance to begin at Tower.
Happy yawnin', pardner!
Re: Delayed April Fools Comment
Date: 2005-04-12 06:33 am (UTC)This brought forth an odd, singular memory amongst the grab-bag of odd singular memories I have from my first few days in Japan.
It would have been an afternoon in mid January 1996. January 20th (Sa) or 21st (Su) to be more precise. While crossing a street somewhere in Harajuku, I think, I walked past a tall, odd looking foreigner with a kind of mad-hatter hat and a diminutive Japanese girl on his arm. Could that have been Momus? Of course this could probably describe a significant percentage of the foreigners in Harajuku on that afternoon.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-12 01:02 am (UTC)You know a thought occurs - we perhaps dream of you easily because, even among the camwhore gallery that is ILX (self included, natch), you're visually known by many, perhaps that makes it easier to dream a little dream of you?
(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-12 06:03 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-12 06:14 am (UTC)Thanks
Date: 2005-04-12 07:42 am (UTC)DAISY
http://daisypopp.skynetblogs.be/
(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-12 07:54 am (UTC)In gallery I walk by
Date: 2005-04-13 01:28 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-04-13 09:17 am (UTC)this world is too small..i have the feeling sometimes..
actually i just found you via google cuz i was searching for some pics of the artist patrick wolf... so i found this journal... first i was wondered cuz i saw your picture coupled with writings of you and others.. you kinda reminded me to a guy from sweden.
so i just were lurking what´s about you...
few minutes later i saw that big tv tower of berlin.. i thought "whatta fuck!?"..hahaha.. i continued reading and yeah, you´re from berlin as well... hello neighbour!
i hope your new place of living in friedrichshain is pretty good and that you enjoy it!
but the most funny thing.. concerning this post and the pictures of artsyfartsy with funky socks.. i saw that too! ..but in a parking lot at potsdamer platz... hahahahaha...
shit.. i am sooo confused.. this all is weird!
take care! :)
sincerely, sophia*
momus deamer
Date: 2005-04-13 11:26 am (UTC)big room in a cool blank modernist house. i wanted to show you a painting or some art that i thought you'ld like, you accused it of being "cromophobic," and i felt really bad.
i think it was when you were talking about your disagreement with Christopher Alexander, which made me think to myself, "but i dont understand WHY Momus?"
You are my favorite celebrity. I wish others would take your lead. Every song (on these last two albums) is annotated before they were even released by your awesome blog. When I listen each song regesters and reminds me of these long and dense blog posts. I've already begun antisipating what your new album will be like. Boy!
Re: momus deamer
Date: 2005-04-13 11:42 am (UTC)are you a rat killer??
Date: 2005-04-18 12:26 pm (UTC)Jane