simonsound

I’ve been presenting a series of lectures at Ravensbourne College, London over the last two weeks, exploring the history of electronic music and the evolution of the technology that has made the music I love possible.  From Edison’s Phonograph, which though staggeringly important, offered no more than recording and playback, to magnetic tape, which allowed manipulation of sound (backwards, forwards, slowed down, sped up, re-sequenced) and gave birth to music concrete and some of my favorite music, through to the voltage controlled era of synthesisers such as Moog, Buchla and EMS.

Even with a world of virtual studio tools at their finger tips in the form of laptops, it is encouraging to see the students interest in some of the pioneering techniques and how these might be used in combination with new technology to create exciting new sounds. No-one wants a world filled with sound-alike Logic Pro/Pro Tools virtual instruments! Even a cheap reel to reel tape recorder can be used to add a bit of texture to the other wise cold digital world.

Just wanted to let you know about an event that I will be appearing at this Saturday at the BFI in London. Earlier in the year I (under my The Simonsound guise) was invited by Musicity to create a composition inspired by a London landmark. I chose the Skylon, a futuristic structure created for the Festival of Britain in 1951. Sadly the Skylon never got to see the future it aimed to represent; it was torn down shortly after the festival ended and its ultimate demise is a confusion of myth and mystery. Did it end up in the Thames or was it broken up and turned into ash trays??? Anyway, my piece ‘In the Shadow of the Skylon’ celebrates its short optimistic life. So that’s the background -  at this Musicity event I’ll be speaking on a panel alongside Paul Morley, Fiona Talkington, Maija Handover and Melodie Leung, and I’ll be playing a selection of records, including ‘In the Shadow of the Skylon’ too.

Musicity is an ongoing, city by city curated music program that explores the intersection of music and architecture created by DJ and broadcaster Nick Luscombe (BBC Radio 3/Flomotion) and Jump Studios co-founder Simon Jordan. Recording artists are commissioned to compose original music based on an aspect of the city that inspires them. Through a purpose built app, people can visit these locations to hear and download the music. The idea is to inspire people to explore and discover the city, musically, architecturally and experientially.

Full info and tickets here

Under the Radar is the name of  a multimedia lecture which explores the avant garde electronic music that crossed over to the mainstream through its use in TV, Radio, Film and advertising in the 50’s and 60’s. I presented the lecture at Ravensbourne College in November 2008 and I’m keen to bring it to other learning establishments. Download the PDF to find out more, and if you are interested in booking me to visit your college or university please get in touch.

UPDATE - I’ve been invited to present Under the Radar to fine art students at Central St Martins in London at the end of January.

Go to the Under The Radar page for more info

Under the Radar PDF

Really enjoying this website full of magazine covers with a space age theme from a time when the future was something to be truly excited about. I just presented a lecture on electronic music from this period and the same optimism and excitement seen in these covers was equally present in the music. The development of electronic music went arm in arm with and soundtracked the scientific breakthroughs reported on in these titles.

The lecture, titled Under the Radar, explores the often strange and otherworldly music that developed through the late 50’s and into the 60’s and found its way into the home through TV and radio. A time when the avant garde entered the mainstream. A unique moment that could have only happened during this period of intense technological advancement. Its a far cry from the safe wallpaper music that fills our media now as broadcasters carefully avoid doing anything unusual that might scare off the audience.