THE LOWEST FORM OF MUSIC: The Los Angeles Free Music Society in London

[bitewerksMTB]

What did John Duncan do? Haven't seen a mention of him at all.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

He played good set soundwise. It was great listening of simple drones, slowly drifting ambient, deep rhythms and in end powerful distorted drone. But when you actually went to see how he played, it was little turn off. 4 DJ cd players, with the guy flipping cd folders, picking up discs and then playing them. Little adjustments on mixer. Basically mix of source cd's, done from mixingdesk. Not from stage. But it was good sound, and he was perhaps the ONLY guy who took whole soundsystem in use. Having speakers on stage and also back of the room. Bombarding sounds from all corners of the room.

[Henrik III]

But when you actually went to see how he played, it was little turn off.

Great soundwise, sure nothing to spectacular visually but still enjoyed it all the way. I was wondering that (outside his performance art stuff) how has his gigs been over the years? Mix of pre-prepared stuff in a dark room?

[heretogo]

The John Duncan set was good but not great. Some of the individual parts were extremely nice but the transitions between passages were unsatisfying to my ears. Very abrupt changes and no finesse in changing from mood to another. In enjoyed it quite a bit but was expecting still a little bit more from him. I didn't bother watching him flip discs, I just sat down in some corner and let the sounds come to me.

[bitewerksMTB]

When I saw him in the early '90s, he showed films & played a dat tape (harsh feedback/static).

Are any of those LAFMS producing new works? I haven't seen anything new rel'd by Smegma. Is Airway active? I know pretty much nothing about most of that 'scene' & barely have heard anyone over the last 20+ years mention anyone other than Smegma or Duncan. The Japs were guests simply b/c they were influenced by LAFMS?

[kettu]

full set of hijokaidan is on youtube.
first some noodeling then jojo shouts something in the mic and boom. looked and sounded neat.

[MT]

Junko looks like Nico of noise.

[Pete Johnstone]

Are any of those LAFMS producing new works? I haven't seen anything new rel'd by Smegma. Is Airway active? I know pretty much nothing about most of that 'scene' & barely have heard anyone over the last 20+ years mention anyone other than Smegma or Duncan. The Japs were guests simply b/c they were influenced by LAFMS?

Actually nearly all LAFMS artists have been active in some form or another since they started, with Smegma being the most high profile. Airway and Le Forte Four were the only groups that recently reformed but the individual musicians that make up the groups have been active beforehand.
Check the Melon Expander label if you're curious about more recent LAFMS works and I also highly recommend the Joseph Hammer LP on PAN.

And yes, the event was also showcasing the influence of the LAFMS hence the non-LAFMS acts.

[Haare]

I haven't seen anything new rel'd by Smegma.

They've released LOTS of stuff in the recent years. A new lp appeared on Important rec's just about a month ago.