Steve Albini Recorded All Wave Movement

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wedge
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Post by wedge » Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:00 am

DrummerMan wrote:I'd feel a little hypocritical stating that technology is only "cool" up to, like, 1979 (or whatever arbitrary year people pick as the end of the "vintage" age).
There may be more in depth opines elsewhere from Kim Deal that state otherwise, but in that blog-blurb that was referenced, there was no language that came even close to that notion. In fact, there's absolutely no qualification of their way versus other ways of recording, at all. It simply says, "this is what we do." Doesn't say it's better, or the other way is worse. No battle cry at all...

Their reasons may be numerous and complex, but it may simply boil down to the pleasure of recording under certain restrictions. Self-imposed boundaries and restrictions can often have, ironically, a freeing effect for artists, and thus make the creation process a lot more fun...

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Post by DrummerMan » Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:45 am

wedge wrote:
DrummerMan wrote:I'd feel a little hypocritical stating that technology is only "cool" up to, like, 1979 (or whatever arbitrary year people pick as the end of the "vintage" age).
There may be more in depth opines elsewhere from Kim Deal that state otherwise, but in that blog-blurb that was referenced, there was no language that came even close to that notion. In fact, there's absolutely no qualification of their way versus other ways of recording, at all. It simply says, "this is what we do." Doesn't say it's better, or the other way is worse. No battle cry at all...

Their reasons may be numerous and complex, but it may simply boil down to the pleasure of recording under certain restrictions. Self-imposed boundaries and restrictions can often have, ironically, a freeing effect for artists, and thus make the creation process a lot more fun...
I guess, looking back at the blurb, I probably misread "everything should be", and took it as "everything in the world should be".



And my little rant was more a general (though slightly OT) statement on the self-righteousness of some people than a specific jab at Kim Deal or her philosophies. I happen to enjoy imposing limitations on myself much of the time, and I record analog, sans autotune and computer editing, often...
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Post by joelpatterson » Tue Aug 12, 2008 4:51 am

cgarges wrote:Well, if you want to get into "dimension of time," then can The Pixies come to my house every time ....
Exactamiento! Truth be told, all recording is a "fraud." Bob Dylan is not really trapped under my dashboard singing "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" even if it was a one-pass first take where he had one hand tied behind his back. Seems like maybe the All Wave idea is to be engaging in this fraud with the trappings of honesty. I mean... did they finish one song and then four seconds later start the next one?
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Re: Steve Albini Recorded All Wave Movement

Post by jonathan » Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:00 am

leigh wrote:
jckinnick wrote:...and Deal has even designed a pretty kickass logo (above) to shine as a beacon from the cases of those albums that would choose to adopt this philosophy as well.
For the record, that page says Deal commissioned the logo, not designed it herself.

Also for the record, Opera doesn't want to show any of the images on that site, so I can't see said logo.

Also, also for the record, this dogma sounds boring, like all dogma. No doubt, some groups can make some great records using this method. However, I would cringe to hear a crappy record from a group that was then backed up with any sort of justification along the lines of, "Well, we could have made the record better, but we're part of the All-Wave Movement." ... *gag*.

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I think it is ridiculous to write off an entire form of media because it enables tinkering. What do they think of Max/MSP?

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Post by T-rex » Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:20 am

Well I don't deal really well on the black versus white thing. I like the "whatever works attitude" but to each his own. I do have two quick points though:

1. Isn't this what Albini has done all along? What's the big deal? (no pun intended)

2. I think it's hilarious that the logo looks (to my untrained eye at least) to be 100% computer generated. That cracks me the fk up.

I totally appreciate self imposed limitations and the desire for a more honest representation of music. But this just seems like more elitism disguised as foward thinking. And for the record I totally respect Albini's recordings, just not the rest of the package.
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Post by Jay Reynolds » Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:25 am

T-rex wrote: 1. Isn't this what Albini has done all along? What's the big deal? (no pun intended)
He's somehow managed to get Kim to care about/understand his recording process. If there were a grammy for "communication skills", he'd be a stone-cold lead-pipe lock.
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Post by blackdiscoball » Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:22 am

T-rex wrote:
1. Isn't this what Albini has done all along? What's the big deal? (no pun intended)

He's somehow managed to get Kim to care about/understand his recording process. If there were a grammy for "communication skills", he'd be a stone-cold lead-pipe lock.
Sounds like a classic case of you using a phrase, or teaching something to a client that they half understand, half dont, and then go around applying it to everything related or not.
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Post by dave watkins » Tue Aug 12, 2008 10:06 am

hey, anyone want to start a "recorded with whatever the hell we felt like" movement?

*remembers what board this is, breathes a sigh of relief, sets out to record a full length album in one take with a talkboy*

also i'm wondering why i was just able to pick up the new breeders album on emusic, it seems a bit ridiculous to lobby so much for the analog state and then distribute mp3's. i mean i have no problem with digital distribution as i use it myself it's is invaluble for getting music all over the place, and i have found a ton of great new music because of it (some of which mr albini engineered)... but it seems counterintuitive to trash technology if i is going to end up being used down the line anyway.

+1 on the hilariousness of the logo being computer generated.
the tape is rolling, the ones and zeros are... um... ones and zeroing.
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Post by vvv » Tue Aug 12, 2008 10:59 am

Kinda looks like a flag, no?:

Image

I wanna start an All-Drunk movement where music is written (or almost), performed (sorta) and mixed (with the drinks) when drunk.

Wait.

I (and 25M other home recorders) already did.
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Post by rwc » Tue Aug 12, 2008 11:00 am

albini likes tape for all the cool, trendy reasons. It is almost a parody of the format to have him advocate it.

I wonder if people in the early 70s were screaming for direct-to-vinyl recording because 8 tracks were ruining music.
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Post by @?,*???&? » Tue Aug 12, 2008 11:13 am

vvv wrote:Kinda looks like a flag, no?:

Image

I wanna start an All-Drunk movement where music is written (or almost), performed (sorta) and mixed (with the drinks) when drunk.

Wait.

I (and 25M other home recorders) already did.
No, looks like a SPARS code to me. Those were done away with years ago.

Actually, T-Bone Burnett is pursuing something similar, but pushing high resolution instead of 16-bit, 44.1KHz.

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Post by RefD » Tue Aug 12, 2008 11:18 am

i liked the caption to the photo:
"Manny watches Kim and Kelley at Refraze, riding the faders from a 2″ - 24 track recording to a 1/2″ mix using the soon to be patented on-the-fly technique."

wait, you can patent a technique (riding faders) that's been in use for as long as audio mixing has existed?

you can patent a technique, for that matter?

i hope someone is trying to be funny.
Last edited by RefD on Tue Aug 12, 2008 11:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by T-rex » Tue Aug 12, 2008 11:18 am

It's also funny they mention sequencing. Why do you need to sequence it? Just play the songs in the order you want them on the album. Better yet, just play them all back to back live witha stop watch to get the proper time between tracks. Why in the world would you want to rewind a tape when it obviously degrades the sound the second time it crosses the playback head. Actually just mix it live straight to the metal master for vinyl and be done with it.

For the love of god people, get with the program!!! :x
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Post by dsw » Tue Aug 12, 2008 11:31 am

albini likes tape for all the cool, trendy reasons.
I don't think Albini really gives a shit what's cool or trendy....he's just very opinionated on how he likes to work.

All his hipster poser followers on the other hand....

This logo thing is just a good publicity ploy that will probably garner a fair amount of attention, and possibly increase album sales.

Everybody needs a gimmick.

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Post by RefD » Tue Aug 12, 2008 11:34 am

live to 2-track thru a Shure M67!

melt the edits together with a Zippo, splicing tape is for wusses!
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