GUAPO

Steve Beresford + Angharad Davies, The Stargazers Assistant & Disinformation LIVE

2011-03-03T20:20:00.001Z

Steve Beresford + Angharad Davies, Disinformation, The Stargazers Assistant + David Knight - live at "The Origin of Painting" closing event, Usurp Gallery, Sun 13 March 2011, 3pm to 7pm

Internationally known as a free improviser on piano and electronics, Steve Beresford also composed scores for 3 feature films and numerous TV shows and commercials. Steve has worked with hundreds of musicians, including Usurp Gallery performer Najma Akhtar, and Derek Bailey, Han Bennink, Ivor Cutler, Ray Davies, Christian Marclay, Evan Parker, Adrian Sherwood, Otomo Yoshihide and John Zorn. In 2009 Steve performed "Ephemera" by Christian Marclay, solo at The Louvre, and Steve recently performed "Indeterminacy" by John Cage with comedian Stewart Lee and pianist Tania Chen. Angharad Davies is a violinist active in contemporary, improvised and experimental music, whose freelance projects include work with artists such as Tony Conrad, Kazuko Hohki, Jim Thirwell and Mark Wastell. Since 2002, she has been exploring and expanding sound production on the violin by extending the sounding possibilities of the instrument.

The Stargazer's Assistant is the solo project of artist and Guapo percussionist / founder David J. Smith. Initially born out of the need to incorporate a sound element into David's large-scale sculptural installation "The Other Side Of The Island", since 2007 The Stargazer's Assistant has evolved into a fully formed musical entity, producing a series of highly composed and labour-intensive CD recordings, and live improvisations which focus on eclectic and subtle percussion performances which exude warmth of emotion. David Smith will be joined by David Knight on electric guitar and effects. David and David also perform together in The Amal Gamal Ensemble.

Disinformation is an art project primarily known for pioneering work with electromagnetic induction effects produced by the sun, lightning, the National Grid, and (as currently exhibited at Usurp Gallery) photographic flash equipment etc. Disinformation partly evolved out of its author's involvement (as a ground observer) in the Istochnik-Ariel laser antenna experiment on space station MIR. Since then Disinformation has exhibited in a nuclear bunker, bank vault, trawler and railway tunnel, at The Hayward Gallery (alongside Christian Marclay and Brian Eno), at Palais de Tokyo (Paris) and (for the MTV Awards) in Barcelona's Olympic Stadium, had 12 solo exhibitions, and collaborated with musicians such as Jim O'Rourke (from Sonic Youth) and saxophonist Evan Parker.

Usurp Art Gallery & Studios
140 Vaughan Road
London HA1 4EB
http://www.usurp.org.uk
Admission Free

Usurp Gallery is 2 mins walk turning right out of West Harrow tube, West Harrow is 20 mins from Baker Street by Met Line towards Uxbridge. Usurp Gallery is open Thursdays to Sundays 2pm to 7pm. Please note 3pm start time for the March 13 concert.

http://instituteformodern.co.uk/2011/live-musical-accompaniments-at-usurp-art-gallery-24th-feb-and-13th-march
http://stargazersassistant.blogspot.com
http://www.angharaddavies.com/
http://www.youtube.com/C4eye

Guapo update

2011-03-03T20:03:00.000Z

Following a year's hiatus in 2010 Guapo are currently resuming work on a new album for Cuneiform Records.

It is with regret we announce our split with keyboardist Daniel O Sullivan but are happy to announce his replacement as Emmett Elvin.
Both David J Smith and Kavus Torabi have played previously in Chrome Hoof with Elvin who also plays keyboards in Kavus Torabi's psychedelic band Knifeworld.
Guapo wish Daniel O Sullivan all the best with the many projects he is involved with.

The new album will see a return to the 'long form' composition of Five Suns and Black Oni while covering much ground previously unexplored by the group.

David J Smith has been editing and mixing the footage and audio from the performance of Five Suns at NearFest 2006 with artist & filmaker Tai Shani and engineer Antti Uusimaki. A memorable day in many respects, not least for the fact that the band were rushed through the night in two taxi cabs from Phillidelphia after our van broke down, leaving barely enough time to down a coffee before gracing the stage that afternoon. The results will be available as a bonus DVD with the new album on Cuneiform in 2012

Guapo will be resuming live duties in the Autumn and are planning a number of dates in the UK and mainland Europe in October followed by a short USA tour in November including a performance at John Zorn's N.Y. venue The Stone as part of Cuneiform's festival there.

Dates will be forthcoming when confirmed.

Many thanks for your continued support.

Guapo.

Guapo at RIO via French TV

2009-09-25T22:18:00.004+01:00

Autumn Moths

2009-09-03T00:07:00.003+01:00

Black Metal Jeans

2009-08-31T14:10:00.001+01:00

The Norwegian based design agency ANTI is launching a new black denim label. Working with graphic design, illustration, digital solutions, concepts and identities for others we decided to develop a brand of our own. The brand is built around Norwegian culture of darkness and the origin of True Black Metal. We are naturally influenced by the darkness surrounding us, our nature and the music scene reflecting this. Embracing the dark culture and the visual aesthetics surrounding the genuine Norwegian inspired our first line of Black Denim Jeans. www.antisweden.no / www.anti.as "The Exorcism of.." DIRECTOR Marius Tharaldsen DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Marius Tharaldsen GRIP & LIGHT TECHNICIAN Gripservice / Espen Zubi DESIGN Anti / Fredrik Melby ART DIRECTION Anti / Kjetil Wold PROJECT MANAGER Anti / Kenneth Pedersen KILLUSTRATIONS Justin Bartlett GAFFER Marius Tharaldsen DANCER Vilde Victoria Madsen ASSISTANT CAMERA Frederik Rolfsen STYLING & MAKE UP Marthe Kveli Valeberg STYLING Rico Iriyama ADDITIONAL HAIR Marthe Hov Bjerke EDIT MotionBlur / Erlend M. Knudsen RED CAMERA Motionblur / Espen Horn STUDIO Zone5 MUSIC "Jewled Turtle" by GUAPO

R.I.P Hugh Hopper

2009-06-08T11:18:00.002+01:00

29 April 1945 - 7 June 2009

...AUM...

Blow Up Feature

2009-04-01T20:23:00.005+01:00

Blow Up

2009-03-30T19:04:00.001+01:00

6 page feature on the family... Guapo, Æthenor, Mothlite, Miasma etc...

Guapo vs GMEA

2009-03-23T22:04:00.011Z

Guapo meets GMEA

From the Rock in Opposition website...

"During the Rock In Opposition Festival 2009, GUAPO (UK) will work with the GMEA from September 14th-17th on the sound spalization of their music. (GUAPO vs GMEA). Several performances will take place in the second hall of the "Maison de la Musique" on the 18th, 19th and 20th of September. A fantastic opportunity to discover the meeting of Rock and Sound Research."

Rock in Opposition Festival (Curated by Roger Trigaux of Present and Univers Zero)

Other acts announced:

Magma
Univers Zero
Present
Koenji Hyakkei
The Muffins
Charles Hayward

18th, 19th, 20th September 2009

Maison de la Musique
Cap'Découverte - 81450
LE GARRIC (Carmaux)
France

Are you weird like me?

2009-03-21T12:07:00.001Z

Empire & Daughter Isotope vs Arnolfini

2009-03-19T14:34:00.005Z

Presented by Spike Island and hosted by Arnolfini...

Tai Shani's
"Empire & Daughter Isotope"

Saturday 28th March 7pm
Arnolfini
16 Narrow Quay, Bristol BS1 4QA
Tickets £3/£2
http://www.arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/live/details/300

An Exclusive Ritual Extravaganza performance
An Epic Synthetic Grey Magic Sacrifice and Resurrection of 12 Uncorrupted Virgins!

Featuring a live score by masters of Doom / Avant Prog, GUAPO...

A performance created by Tai Shani: A Minnie Mouse High Priestess conducts the ceremony, while above looms the spectre of notorious Satanist Anton LaVey, re-enacting his famous 1964 Jaybird Magazine poses. With the participation of The Forever Travelling Salesmen, Walking, Talking, Living Sex Dolls and The Messenger Majorettes.

From the dead the 12 shall rise, strangely animate but dead already and dead again, more than ever before, Daughters Isotope: THEY ARE DEAD, WE ARE NOT, WE ARE YOURS.

Guapo ICA

2009-02-11T18:56:00.000Z

Smoke

2009-02-05T23:18:00.001Z

6th February 2009

Pump House Gallery and Implicasphere present a unique happening with live bands, DJs, smoky films, smoked delicacies and lots of smoke machines. Expect sonic and visual spectaculars from 10-piece glam death disco outfit Chrome Hoof and psychedelic compositions by Guapo. Among those spinning smoke-infused records will be DJ/producer Andrew Weatherall, Nick Stroud from JazznotJazz and Muscleheads.

£8 + £1 booking fee per ticket / £6 ICA Members + £1 booking fee per ticket in advance.

All tickets will be £10 on the door.

More IntrO)))

2009-01-22T12:53:00.001Z

Grumbling Fur: Under Fur Moon

2009-01-21T10:38:00.000Z

More Eternelle Idole & Chasse

2009-01-15T13:33:00.004Z

January healing

2009-01-13T22:53:00.005Z

Tetragrammaton's Home in the Abyss

2008-12-18T20:46:00.007Z

Tai Shani - Tetragrammaton's Home in the Abyss: Reduced to 6
Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington Gardens W1
21 Dec 2008

Part of Event Horizon

7.30-10pm

With over twenty performers and music by Guapo, Tai Shani’s fantastical and dreamlike installation, Tetragrammaton's Home in the Abyss: Reduced to 6, is a Busby Berkeley-style extravaganza exploring the glitches and folds of the universe’s multiple realities.

Æ January 09

2008-12-16T23:54:00.001Z

1.28.09 ÆTHENOR @ club transmediale CTM.09 - STRUCTURES / Berlin
1.29.09 ÆTHENOR @ Vera / Groningen
1.30.09 ÆTHENOR @ Beursschouwburg / Brussels
1.31.09 ÆTHENOR @ WORM/IFFR / Rotterdam
2.01.09 ÆTHENOR @ Paradiso / Amsterdam

Daniel O'Sullivan / Rhodes, Juno
Vincent de Rougin / Moogs
Stephen O'Malley / Guitar
Kristoffer Rygg / Vox, Electronics
Steve Noble / Traps

The new/third album "Faking Gold & Murder" will be released on vhf in January as well, and the vinyl forthcoming. This album features collaboration with David Tibet.

La Maroquinerie / Tivoli

2008-12-07T14:08:00.001Z

I'm Not Dead Yet

2008-11-17T09:47:00.003Z

"I'm Not Dead Yet" Soundtrack by D::OS::
Screening 10pm 17.11.08 on BBC4

Night Seminar

2008-11-16T00:52:00.002Z

Vice Props

2008-11-16T00:50:00.000Z

The busiest guy in Music... Apparently.

Earfaunal Infinitum

2008-11-09T16:32:00.010Z

Brum brum

2008-11-09T16:17:00.002Z

Arp Ragas for Eternelle Idole

2008-10-30T13:23:00.003Z

Recording at CEM, Rotterdam for Gisele Vienne's "Eternelle Idole".
Arp 2500, Aloe Vera drinks and powerpolm with SOMA...

Flickring around

2008-10-25T20:29:00.009+01:00

Guapo vs Isis

2008-10-22T21:13:00.002+01:00

09.12.08 Paris / La Maroquinerie
10.12.08 Gent / Vooruit
11.12.08 Utrecht / Tivoli

Autumn Earfauna

2008-10-16T11:56:00.006+01:00

James unt Peel

2008-10-12T14:46:00.000+01:00

Guapo unt Bohren

2008-10-12T14:36:00.003+01:00

New Couture

2008-09-16T13:37:00.003+01:00

Europe MMVIII

2008-09-05T10:58:00.002+01:00

Tiny Mix Tapes

2008-09-04T20:07:00.001+01:00

Hialrious review of Elixirs...

Guapo at Supersonic

2008-08-30T21:54:00.008+01:00

Photography by Damon Allen Davison

Mothlite Interviews

2008-08-30T21:38:00.003+01:00

Sonic Dice and Bad Robot.

Mothgloom

2008-07-28T10:25:00.001+01:00

Reminder

2008-07-16T12:06:00.001+01:00

Mothlite are performing with Earth at the Scala tomorrow evening.

From Time Out:

Thu Jul 17
Recommended
The Scala, 275-277 Pentonville Rd, London, N1 9NL

Slowcore grunge, moody, riff-stacked belligerence and monochromatic droning courtesy of Dylan Carson's mighty veterans, Earth. Expect to hear from their hefty back catalogue, plus a good chunk of current album, 'The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull' (Southern Lord), which features some surprisingly pretty and delicate passages and far more harmonic diversity. In support, terrific London duo Mothlite deliver a mix of hypnotic, quasi-devotional spooked folk, eerie drones and ambient electronica, as on intriguing recent album, 'The Flax Of Reverie' (Southern). Playing here with a nine-piece orchestra in what promises to be a very special show.

Supersonic Posters

2008-07-05T16:02:00.008+01:00

Designed & printed by Malleus

From their site:

SUPERSONIC POSTER SERIES 2008
11th - 13th July
Birmingham (UK)

This is a poster series based on the "Apocalypse". The four posters are handprinted and numbered 180 pieces only.

Gravetemple represent "the pregnant" with the destruction of the flood in her belly. Alexander Tucker is the great red dragon coming from the sea. Guapo is the 4 horsemen of apocalypse. Thrones is the prostitute on the beast.

We've worked on the idea of the Apocalypse in a non-religious way, it's been more a oneiric approach to it. They're the demons living in the human nightmares and the free spirits of creativity.

By George

2008-07-05T15:55:00.000+01:00

Guapo in Rocksound

2008-06-23T20:18:00.001+01:00

There is a feature on us in the latest issue of Rocksound.

Portal

2008-06-22T12:09:00.005+01:00

For your own salvations... Go into the Portal.

First Lite

2008-06-19T09:38:00.004+01:00

Mothlite have been confirmed to support Earth next month in London.

July 17th - The Scala

Mothlite will consist of:

Daniel O'Sullivan
Antti Uusimaki
Jaime Gomez Arrellano
Christos Fanaras
Dominic Garwood
Sara Hubrich
Sarah Measures
David Smith
Alexander Tucker

Klaus to the edge

2008-06-16T10:40:00.002+01:00

We recorded a version of Christian Vander's "Klaus Kombalad" for the upcoming Hamtaï compilation on Soleil Zeuhl Records. It'll be out later in the year, but we'll probably put it up on our myspace.

Elixirs on Indie Street Radio

2008-06-11T17:14:00.002+01:00

Featured Elixirs on their recent show (#103). Check out the podcast here.

Nothing wrong with Peter Schmidt

2008-05-27T23:27:00.006+01:00

Bristol on Friday

2008-05-27T11:36:00.001+01:00

Cheesy

2008-05-19T17:05:00.001+01:00

ULU

2008-05-10T00:40:00.002+01:00

Medicine

2008-05-06T00:11:00.004+01:00

You can buy ELIXIRS from a number of outlets. But we recommend this one. Enjoy.

Æthenor at Roadburn

2008-05-04T15:09:00.001+01:00

L'ocelle Mare

2008-05-02T13:28:00.001+01:00

Our friend Thomas is making sweet sounds from across the water. Check it out here.

Empire & Daughter Isotope

2008-05-02T12:01:00.008+01:00

The Institute of Psychoplasmics presents an offsite evening of live art:

Set in the magnificent auditorium of the Shoreditch Town Hall

FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY...

Tai Shani's "Empire & Daughter Isotope".
An Exclusive Ritual Extravaganza performance. An Epic Synthetic Grey Magic Sacrifice and Resurrection of 12 Uncorrupted Virgins!

Starring Mistress of all trades Angie Reed as the Minnie Mouse High Priestess conducting the ceremony while the spectre of notorious Satanist Anton LaVey looms above re-enacting his famous 1964 Jaybird Magazine poses.

With the participation of The Forever Travelling Salesmen, Walking, Talking, Living Sex Dolls and The Messenger Majorettes.

Featuring a live score by the masters of doom/prog, Guapo (members of Æthenor, Chrome Hoof, Miasma and The Carousel of Headless Horses, Mothlite, Sunn O)))).

From the dead the 12 shall rise, strangely animate but dead already and dead again, more than ever before, Daughters Isotope.

THEY ARE DEAD, WE ARE NOT, WE ARE YOURS.

After the performance, Insectoid's hive colonise the stage and execute their own entomological rites, exploring insect behaviour to produce exoskeletal sounds.

Thursday 8th of May
Shoreditch Town Hall
380 Old st.
London EC1V 9LP

Doors at 20:00, performances start at 20:30

Tickets £4 via PayPal to psychoplasmics@yahoo.co.uk or from the Pump House Gallery; £5 on the door.

Further information at www.kollectiv.co.uk/Psychoplasmics.htm

Pump House Gallery
Battersea Park
London
SW11 4NJ

T: + 44 (0)20 7350 0523
F: +44 (0)20 7228 9062

www.wandsworth.gov.uk/gallery
www.taishani.com

Davestock

2008-03-25T15:24:00.004Z

David J. Smith is showing new sculpture as part of a UK artists group exhibition and week of British culture in Rostock, Germany.

"ZEITGENOSSISCHE KUNST AUS ENGLAND"

GALERIE AM ALTEN MARKT 4TH APRIL - 30TH MAY 2008

Alter Markt 19 (Volkshochschule)
18055 Rostock
Germany
Tel: 0381 497 700

Guapo Interview Podcast

2008-03-25T12:41:00.001Z

On The Needle Drop.

Æ DÆS

2008-03-06T11:01:00.001Z

Guapo at Madame Jojos

2008-03-03T17:25:00.001Z

Corsica shots

2008-02-25T00:23:00.004Z

Ice-prog shots courtesy of Otto Amon.

Mothlite flickers

2008-02-22T19:48:00.000Z

Elixirs rising

2008-02-15T15:58:00.003Z

Elixirs is now due for release on Neurot Recordings (CD) and Aurora Borealis on (vinyl) in May 2008.

Æthenor Tour 08

2008-02-15T15:38:00.001Z

Date : Wed 16th April '08
Country/City/Venue : Switzerland / Geneva @ Theatre de l'Usine
Other acts: tba

Date : Thu 17th April '08
Country/City/Venue : Switzerland / Martigny @ Les Caves Du Manoir
Other acts: Marc Ribot + Lucien Dubuis Trio

Date : Fri 18th April '08
Country/City/Venue : France / Paris-Montreuil @ Instants Chavires
Other acts: Keith Rowe

Date : Sat 19th April '08
Country/City/Venue : Belgium / Hasselt @ Kunstencentrum Belgie
Other acts: Witch + Grails + Graveyard

Date : Sun 20th April '08
Country/City/Venue : Netherlands / Tilburg @ Roadburn Festival
Other acts: Current 93 + Baby Dee etc

Conspiracy records / booking
Pobox 269
2000 Antwerp 1
Belgium
Ph: +32/(0)3.225.19.29
Fax: +32/(0)3.295.39.49
www.conspiracyrecords.com
www.conspiracyrecords.com/booking

Roadburn Festival

2008-02-03T12:43:00.001Z

The Flax of Reverie

2008-01-19T13:38:00.000Z

Mothsite

1848. The Industrial Revolution spewed darkness across English skies. An era ended; great wheels turned. Blankets of choking soot swept the lichen-covered trees that sheltered Biston betularia, the peppered moth, during daylight hours. Then, as its world began to change, so too did the moth. Its dappled markings made betularia easy prey against industry's coal-black tide and so, over time, the peppered moth virtually disappeared while its darkened, camouflaged form flourished. A subtle triumph of simplicity over complexity, or was it the other way around?

We long for the simplicity of childhood: a world of night and day, black and white, light and dark. Some never emerge from this world of innocence and ignorance; others retreat back into it, a shelter from the complication and the pain. The rest of us move on, but what we have lost remains with us forever as shadow.

With one eye reflecting the dark of the underground and the other the colours of day, Mothlite bears this loss downstream: beneath crooked trees where wild eyes watch unseen; across open fields where we frolic beneath the stars and smoke curls from metal mouths; through thirsty gullies where stones chatter and falcons cry, before, finally, releasing us into the enormity of the ocean.

Pre-ATP

2008-01-11T23:45:00.000Z

Perils vinyl out now

2007-12-30T23:32:00.001Z

Limited to 666 copies. You can get it here.

O))) Forum

2007-12-18T23:36:00.001Z

O))) Line up: Greg Anderson, Stephen O'Malley, Attila Csihar, Steve Moore, Daniel O'Sullivan, Oren Ambarchi & Bill Herzog

ALTAR in London

2007-12-18T11:13:00.000Z

Sunn O))) & Boris performing ALTAR

Greg Anderson, Stephen O'Malley, Atsuo, Wata, Takeshi, Steve Moore, Daniel O'Sullivan, Bill Herzog & Jesse Sykes

Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928-2007)

2007-12-15T02:30:00.000Z

Miasma Interview in Rock-a-Rolla

2007-12-14T20:41:00.000Z

Black Oni on vinyl

2007-12-03T00:35:00.000Z

On Hlava Records. Distributed by Conspiracy. Released 12.12.07

Here at last, GUAPO´s "Black Oni" on hand-numbered limited edition 180g white vinyl. Originally released on CD by Mike Patton´s Ipecac Records in 2005, this record is the second in a recondite trilogy which began with "Five Suns" and will be concluded by the release of "Elixirs" on Neurot Recordings in February 2008.

Here´s what was said about Black Oni first time round:

With this, their sixth album, Guapo have conjured a harrowingly complex and unflinchingly epic piece of work. Heady and hypnotic, driving and relentless, tumultuous and visceral, sonic and serene, the odyssey that is Black Oni encompasses many paradoxes in its massively dynamic scope. Picking up where they left off from their previous Cuneiform Records release Five Suns (2002), the band continue to expand on their palette of dexterous chamber-rock anomalies, modal transcendence, and apocalyptic death marches, and like it's predecessor, Black Oni is one singular piece of music, making it the second record in a trilogy of large-scale symphonic forms. Incorporating elements of prog, avant-garde jazz, kraut-rock, minimalism and a range of folk mediums from Britain to Indonesia, Guapo take their que from a disparate array of influences including Magma, King Crimson, Boredoms, Goblin, Sun Ra, Charlemagne Palestine, Univers Zero, This Heat, Olivier Messiaen and Popol Vuh. The assembly of Dave Smith's explosive drum assaults, Matt Thompson's brazen and prowling bass throb, and Daniel O'Sullivan's ethereal keyboard reveries telepathically collide in an augury of rich and cinematic musical ceremony. Black Oni is Guapo's most monumentally unreserved offering to date.

Limited to 500 copies!

O))) Dear

2007-11-28T00:21:00.000Z

Sunn O))) Line-up for ATP and The Forum...

Greg Anderson
Stephen O'Malley
Attila Csihar
Oren Ambarchi
Daniel O'Sullivan
Bill Herzog
Steve Moore

All Tomorrows Parties w/Portishead, Julian Cope, Glenn Branca, etc
7-9 December
Butlins Holiday Centre
Minehead

The Forum w/Boris and Earth
10 December
9-17 Highgate Road
London

Guapo unt Circle

2007-11-25T12:13:00.001Z

Age of Aquarius

2007-11-20T23:52:00.000Z

Courtesy of Aquarius Records:

We haven't heard from these guys in a while, not since their Perils disc on Mimicry from a few years back. And now they're back, as part of the ever expanding Latitudes series. Featuring members of long time AQ faves Guapo, Miasma are equally as progtastic as Guapo, but where Guapo channel the hard and heavy side of classic prog, Miasma, are more dramatic, with a gipsy folk flair, an Eastern European vibe, jaunty, and playful, cinematic and a bit over the top. Like the soundtrack to some Edward Gorey cartoon come to life. Dark and dangerous, but wild and weirdly wonderful at the same time.

The opening track here begins with a moody gipsy folk hoedown, stings and horns, woven in an intricate dance, before the drums kick in and the song is transformed into epic and intense krautrocky prog. Warm wheezing keyboards, angular riffing, wild octopoidal drumming, intricate arrangements, super dramatic keyboards and strings
A bit of a Goblin vibe, the song builds and builds and builds, a frenzied musical pagan ritual, it's hard not to imagine the band in all black, flowing robes and witches hats, performing in front of some huge stone circle on the top of a massive hill. The second track is a creeping dark ambient sprawl, lurching "Boris The Spider" bassline over whispering winds, clouds of cymbal sizzle, deep cavernous rumbles, haunting organs, mysterious effects that drift from speaker to speaker...

The final track begins like a simple piano and violin chamber music piece, with a definite Eastern European flair, before about halfway through, when the drums and bass kick in, and we're back in the prog, the drums complex and intricate, the bass, lumbering and minor key, the piano more and more frenzied as if trying to keep up with the drums, finally all the parts coalescing into a massive moody riff, bordering on classic doom territory, before everything drops out once again leaving just the piano and strings, until the drums come back in, then finally the bass and the guitar, the climax, intense and dramatic, epic and majestic!

Comes packaged in a super intricate hand screened die cut fold over sleeve with a full color insert. The cover has a sticker affixed to the front and each copy is hand stamped and numbered. Limited to 1000 copies worldwide, 500 of which made it to the United States, we got about 25 copies...

Heavy

2007-11-19T15:49:00.000Z

Mothlite

2007-11-09T01:13:00.000Z

Featuring Daniel O'Sullivan...

Debut album "The Flax of Reverie" will be released on Southern Records in April 2008.

Listen here.

Die Nacht

2007-10-30T10:17:00.000Z

White Heat presents:

Miasma & the Carousel of Headless Horses
w/ Trencher + Invasion

at Madame Jojo's
8-10 Brewer St
Allhallowmass MMVII: October 30th
Admission: £6

Out of the Manfauna

2007-10-09T18:39:00.000+01:00

From the Southern Website:

3 tracks 21 minutes. With much inspiration from the occult, they craft complex instrumental works full of twists and turns with the collision of victoriana and prog, incredible.

Tracklisting:
01. Manticore
02. Taus
03. Garp Gadriel
Total Running Time: 21:18 mins

Miasma & The Carousel Of Headless Horses were a must-have for the Latitudes series. An essential live band on the London underground scene, Miasma have wowed many an audience over the last year with their virtuoso performances.

With much inspiration from the occult, they craft incredibly complex instrumental works full of many twists and turns with the collision of Victoriana, prog, an abundance of intelligence and respect for musicianship. It was no surprise when Daniel told me that he was working on the Latitudes material some time before the studio date "scoring the woodwind section". In many ways this material is their most accomplished to date. All the instrumentation has progressed from their debut recording, the excellent Perils LP, and the addition of the bassoon is genius creating new layers and a whole other dimension to the Miasma vision.

Any opportunity to see this band live and to be carried away by their sheer ability should be grasped with both hands. In the meantime let this document serve as your key to their otherworldly realms.

Andrew Hartwell, Southern Records, June 2007

Buy it here.

Hallowmass MMVII

2007-10-09T14:53:00.000+01:00

Earfauna

2007-10-02T12:23:00.000+01:00

Listen to a track from the upcoming "Manfauna" release by Miasma & the Carousel of Headless Horses on Southern records' Latitudes imprint.

Here.

Get Hustle / Miasma

2007-09-14T12:58:00.001+01:00

MONDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER:
GET HUSTLE (USA/31G)
MIASMA & THE CAROUSEL OF HEADLESS HORSES (FEAT MEMBERS OF GUAPO, CHROMEHOOF & CATHEDRAL)
SILICON VULTURES (LOCUST UK TOUR SUPPORT)
HANDS ON HEADS (UTR)
PLUS DJS @ POOL ROOMS, SHOREDITCH,
8PM-ONWARDS

Manfauna rising

2007-09-04T21:09:00.000+01:00

Miasma & the Carousel of Headless Horses
"Manfauna"
Southern / Latitudes
Released: October 8th 2007

Deep Time

2007-08-29T12:02:00.000+01:00

Aurora Borealis is proud to release the debut album by THE STARGAZER'S ASSISTANT. Entitled "The Other Side of the Island", the album is the soundtrack to the sculptural works collected under the same name, both being the work of David J Smith. In addition to his percussion duties with Guapo, Smith has spent the last two years bringing his visions to life; life that emerged slowly, painstakingly, out of wax, coal, copper and lead. In much the same way, the soundtrack itself slowly writhes organically before the listener: the groan of the motherlode, the shifting of tectonic plates, the song of the Earth's crust. In collaboration with longstanding musical cohort Daniel O'Sullivan (with whom Smith plays in Miasma & The Carousel of Headless Horses and Guapo) and audio engineer Antti Uusumaki (Mothlite), Smith has created a strange work comprising of layered vocals, percussion, electronics and prepared strings. The Stargazer's Assistant offer up the soundtrack of eternal, elemental labour.

Recent collaborators in his live improvised performances, two of which took place at a gallery, the sculptures bearing mute witness to the spectacle, have included Daniel O'Sullivan, Alexander Tucker and Mark Pilkington (better known for his work with Strange Attractor magazine).

The CD was also available in 2 highly limited gallery editions sold at the exhibition, one in a silk screened cloth bag, the other in an additional lead slipcase. Please email if you are interested in these editions, we may be able to get some still.

1. The Other Side of the Island pt 1 (22:09)
2. The Transport (2:50)
3. The Other Side of the Island pt 2 (13:02)

Grumbling Fur

2007-07-24T16:47:00.000+01:00

Live at Corsica Studios

DOS: Voices, Harmonium, Electronics
Alexander Tucker: Voices, Strings, Electronics
Jussi Lehtisalo: Voices
David Smith: Percussion

Photos courtesy of Mark Pilkington

Miasma vs Supersonic

2007-07-21T17:18:00.000+01:00

Courtesy of Mission Photographic

Equine Supersonica

2007-07-18T23:02:00.000+01:00

"And now for something completely different: Miasma and the Carousel of Headless Horses are made-up for the breakdown, and when the split hits it’s gonna be bloody. Many hands may well make light work, but while there are a good few men on the Arches stage, this music is anything but easy-going. It’s old-world of feel and gothic of look, eleven parts Tim Burton and a dose of future folk, progressive yet entirely rooted in convention, albeit a convention that lurks only at the edges of squinted eyes. Truly unique, in a malformed nutshell."

Courtesy of Drowned in Sound

Supersonic Intr O)))

2007-07-17T12:13:00.000+01:00

SOMA: Guitar
LORD: Bass
DOS: Rhodes & Moog
JKB: Guitar
ATILLA: Voice

Miasma at Supersonic

2007-07-17T12:00:00.000+01:00

Thanks to all those who posted these various clips from our show...

O))) in NME

2007-07-08T15:00:00.000+01:00

Last Chance

2007-07-07T11:45:00.000+01:00

to see the monsters on the "Other Side of the Island" at the Horse Hospital gallery this weekend.

More Shepherding

2007-07-04T22:14:00.001+01:00

Photos courtesy of Damon Allen Davison.

Shepherding

2007-07-02T23:48:00.000+01:00

Some shots from the Neurosis show courtesy of Bartolomy.

Guapo unt Neurosis

2007-06-29T21:13:00.000+01:00

Neurosis
Final
Guapo

Saturday June 30th

Shepherds Bush Empire
Shepherds Bush Green
London
£16.50

We're on early... around 7.20pm

Sunn O))) at Supersonic

2007-06-29T13:02:00.000+01:00

Attila Csihar / Vocals
Holy McGrail / Electronics
Daniel O'Sullivan / Rhodes & Minimoog
Justin Broadrick / Guitar
Greg Anderson / Bass Boss
SOMA / Guitar

Meltdown

2007-06-23T11:38:00.001+01:00

Dann O)))

2007-06-22T12:19:00.000+01:00

Stargazing

2007-06-17T23:44:00.000+01:00

The Stargazers Assistant: Daniel O'Sullivan, Alexander Tucker and David J. Smith. Live soundtrack to "The Other Side of the Island" at the Horse Hospital, London...

Limited Soundtrack recording available on Aurora Borealis Records.
Exhibition runs 18.06.07 - 07.07.07

More Corsica Aktions

2007-05-30T14:24:00.001+01:00

Sunndown O)))

2007-05-26T19:17:00.000+01:00

So here's the MELTDOWN at Queen Elizabeth Hall lineup for SUNN
O))) ... all confirmed

Attila Csihar / Vocals
Steven Stapleton / Electronics
Daniel O'Sullivan / Rhodes & Tympani
Justin Broadrick / Guitar
Greg Anderson / Bass Boss
SOMA / Guitar

Monday, 18 June 2007
Queen Elizabeth Hall

The Stargazers Assistant

2007-05-23T15:01:00.001+01:00

David J. Smith: The Other Side of the Island

2007-05-23T12:08:00.001+01:00

Exhibition runs at the Horse Hospital
The Horse Hospital
Colonnade, Bloomsbury,
London WC1N 1HX

June 18th - July 7th 2007
Mon - Sat 12-6pm

Private View: Saturday June 16th 7:30pm
PLUS Exclusive live soundtrack performed by The Stargazers Assistant (feat. Daniel O'Sullivan, Alexander Tucker and David J. Smith)

"We find no vestige of a beginning, no prospect of an end"
James Hutton, Theory of the Earth, 1795

Deep underground, life moves slowly.

Once teeming with insect and amphibian life, the great swamps of the Carboniferous era were buried under the weight of 300 million years, eventually returning to the surface as coal. In this new form they would be consumed in fires and furnaces for three thousand years before blackening the lungs of Empire and driving the Industrial Revolution. It was then that James Hutton, the first geologist, began to consider the depths beneath our feet and the unimaginable abyss of time that they represent.

This is the world that David Smith's imposing, unsettling, yet somehow sympathetic sculptures inhabit. Entering their domain, we are submerged in a fully-formed environment that is very much alive - not life frozen in time, but life moving so slowly, so imperceptibly, that, were we to watch and wait for years, even centuries, we might never see it in motion. This is the forge of the Earth. This is deep time.

Whether we read his creations as extrusions from the id, some entirely alien life form, Northern European kobolds or perhaps, given Smith's native lands, Welsh coblynau, these beings embody lives devoted to and consumed by eternal, elemental labour. Such notions reflect the two years of work sunk into bringing his visions to life; life that emerged slowly, painstakingly, out of wax, coal, copper and lead.

On considering Smith's visual style, as well as his own stated influences - Edward Kienholz, Malcolm Poynter, Jan Svankmajer - we might also pick up echoes of HR Giger, Rene Laloux's La Planete Sauvage, Jean Giroud (aka Moebius), Philippe Druillet and other contributors to the pages of Metal Hurlant magazine; fitting enough given Smith's parallel existence as a rock musician.

The current work is Smith's first to combine both visual and musical disciplines: for the piece he has composed an original soundtrack in collaboration with longstanding musical cohort Daniel O'Sullivan and audio engineer Antti Uusumaki.

Welcome, then to The Other Side of The Island. It may feel like an alien land, but really, it's not so very far from home.

About the artist
Born in Stourbridge, 27th August 1970, David J Smith studied fine art between 1986 and 1988 before gaining his BA at Cardiff in 1991. He moved to London in 1994 and concentrated on musical projects, including the avant rock group Guapo, which he co-founded.

Although he has had no formal musical training, Smith has been playing drums since 1986 and is regarded as one of the UK's most spectacular and imaginative percussionists. As well as Guapo, he is a member of Miasma and the Carousel of Headless Horses and the Amal Gamal Ensemble.