100 Revolutions

It's fairly unlikely you'd have made it here without ever having heard of Jason's previous incarnation. So here you go, talk away...

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The Breeze
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100 Revolutions

Post by The Breeze »

How good would it sound to have as many guitarists as possible playing Revolution in sync, somewhere outside this summer? What would be the logistics? Portable, pig-nose amps? Or would that sound really crap? Generator on a truck would be obvious but if that were not possible...?
I'd be interested if anyone likes this idea/has done it before or could give me an idea of how it could practically work.
norrin radd
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Re: 100 Revolutions

Post by norrin radd »

I'M IN
Sim
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Re: 100 Revolutions

Post by Sim »

Nice idea.

Rhys Chatham, kind of a mentor to Band of Susans and Thurston Moore amongst others is known for his guitar compositions involving 100+ guitars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Aa9T73Y ... re=related
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Sim
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Re: 100 Revolutions

Post by Sim »

Sorry, that was totally useless as it doesn't help with your main question which was how to get the logistics sorted. Does illustrate that a huge number of guitars can sound good though.

I guess you'd have to limit the size of amp to stop the huge rigs from drowning everyone out? So I guess practice amps would be best. Although it depends on the size of the venue /space you'd be trying to fill with sound. Anyone know what size generator would be required to power 100 or so 5-15W amps?

Location? Rugby would be fitting and pretty central (for those in the UK that is). But culturally possibly not the best location if you want to attract an audience?
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jesus son
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Re: 100 Revolutions

Post by jesus son »

Sim wrote:
Location? Rugby would be fitting and pretty central (for those in the UK that is). But culturally possibly not the best location if you want to attract an audience?
Have you never been to the Benn Hall? :shock:
runcible
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Re: 100 Revolutions

Post by runcible »

Sim wrote:Nice idea.

Rhys Chatham, kind of a mentor to Band of Susans and Thurston Moore amongst others is known for his guitar compositions involving 100+ guitars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Aa9T73Y ... re=related
I saw The Brood in the Henry Purcell Room (I think) in London many years ago, which featured Sonic Boom, Justine Frishmann, plus Robert Poss and Susan Stenger (Band of Susans) - all on guitar playing the same piece as is in that You Tube clip. Robert Gotobed from Wire was on drums. The first half of the performance was all honking and farting sax and brass with warbling random female vocals - it was so poor I succumbed to a fit of giggling I couldn't stop while around me people left in droves. The 2nd half was all guitars though - with Guitar Trio as the climax - and rather enjoyable. I believe our own Ian plus missus was at the show too.
The Breeze
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Re: 100 Revolutions

Post by The Breeze »

Sim wrote:Nice idea.

Rhys Chatham, kind of a mentor to Band of Susans and Thurston Moore amongst others is known for his guitar compositions involving 100+ guitars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Aa9T73Y ... re=related
Thanks for the clip (and everybody's comments). Maybe it's because I'm listening through youtube but that 100 guitar piece sounds like about 7 guitars until the climax. I do like it though.
What I'm thinking of is a completely ear-bleeding aural assault drone ....as I shall be naming it. Two chords, played in synchronicity with the amps up to 11. I think the challenge will be to prevent it turning to 'mush' too early.
Sim
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Re: 100 Revolutions

Post by Sim »

Probably wasn't the best recording to illustrate what he does. This one (for 200 guitars) sounds much more impressive in the last 5 minutes, particularly as it builds up towards the end.

I think a lot of the guitars are being played clean, with maybe a little overdrive from the amps as they build up the volume. That would play a big part in preventing it turning into a mush, you'd probably need to limit the amount of overdrive/distortion/fuzz that people use until you want it to build up into full on aural assault.

EDIT: Such a sap, a link to what I was talking about above might help - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIutow2Lf6A
Last edited by Sim on Sat Jun 25, 2011 7:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Ian
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Re: 100 Revolutions

Post by Ian »

runcible wrote:The first half of the performance was all honking and farting sax and brass with warbling random female vocals - it was so poor I succumbed to a fit of giggling I couldn't stop while around me people left in droves. The 2nd half was all guitars though - with Guitar Trio as the climax - and rather enjoyable. I believe our own Ian plus missus was at the show too.
We speak of it to this day... First half highlight had to be when the vocalist turned a page in the score (yes, it was scored), paused for a few seconds, and then let out a mouse-like "Eeh! Eeh! Eeh!"."Eeh! Eeh! Eeh!" is still a catchphrase in our house.

The main guitar bit was quite good, actually. The thing I liked about it was that, despite it being one chord, the respective guitarists were doing it in their style - Pete in a locked-off Spacemen groove, Justine in a languid Elastica pose, etc. Helps, of course, if you like both bands, which is where I may have scored over Runcible in the appreciation stakes!
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runcible
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Re: 100 Revolutions

Post by runcible »

Ian wrote: We speak of it to this day... First half highlight had to be when the vocalist turned a page in the score (yes, it was scored), paused for a few seconds, and then let out a mouse-like "Eeh! Eeh! Eeh!"."Eeh! Eeh! Eeh!" is still a catchphrase in our house.
Yes I remember it well. The start featured all the musicians looking at each other carefully timing the beginning of the opening and then Terry Edwards, sax and Tindersticks buddy, letting out a horrific tuneless skronk on his sax while the singer screamed and everyone else joined in chaotically.

And do you recall them playing THREE John Cage pieces simultaneously? Man I thought I was going to piss myself laughing. People were walking out all the way through. Still, a lot of fun and the 2nd half was good. I think we met up for a beer if memory serves me well. I have a fully signed programme somewhere which is rather spoiled by Justine asking me who to sign it to.
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