Sunday 24 April 2016, 8pm
Unmissable, mind-frying, fuzzed out psychedelics from three masters of the medium, with Neil Campbell (Vibracathedral Orchestra), Noel Meek (End of the Alphabet) and Alexander Tucker (Grumbling Fur) performing solo and in a very special trio set.
Neil Campbell has been active on the lunatic fringe of underground music since at least 1979. In that time he has performed and recorded widely as solo performer, ad hoc collaborator and core member of groups such as Vibracathedral Orchestra, A Band and Astral Social Club. His collaborations are myriad, including Richard Youngs, Campbell Kneale, High Wolf, Grumbling Fur, John Clyde-Evans, Filthy Turd, Oren Ambarchi, Ashtray Navigations, Spider Stacy, David Larcher, Blood Stereo, John Olson and Matthew Bower. Writers have described him variously as "a one-man subculture", a "grandfather figure" with "hallucinogenically inclined pallet". Neil shares his birthday with Grace Jones, Malcolm X, Ho Chi Minh, Pol Pot and Joey Ramone - LOOKOUT!
Noel Meek is an improvising electronic musician from Wellington, New Zealand. His solo work has been described as “sheer joy . . . unexpectedly bottled in analogue gizmo rituals.” (The Wire), “chaotically playful noise music,” (The Quietus) and “pretty whacked,” by Byron Coley. He has played and recorded with the likes of Sun Araw, Lasse Marhaug, Richard Youngs, Mette Rasmussen, Neil Campbell, Alexander Tucker, Tetuzi Akiyama and Bruce Russell.
A trained ethnomusicologist, Meek contributes regularly to The Wire and other underground publications, focussing on experimental music from far flung parts of the world. Through his label, End of the Alphabet Records, he promotes underground music from New Zealand and other unusual parts of the world through tapes, lathes and musicians’ publications.
“Pedals, synths, and drum machines snapping away at each other like kids in a playground . . . If anything can be described as a "symphony of noise", this tape is surely it.” – The Quietus
“Meek’s freakouts loop like a worm into your cortex and control your movements.” – Tiny Mix Tapes
Alexander Tucker is an artist working across music, assemblage, painting, comics, collage, sculpture, film, and live performance. Formally trained as a painter at the Slade School of Fine Art, Tucker went on to produce a series of solo albums for Chicago-based label Thrill Jockey, and for ATP Recordings, before recording as MICROCORPS for Alter. Bridging the gap between his fine art background and his work as a singer-songwriter, improviser, and electronic producer, Tucker continues to collaborate with both visual artists and experimental musicians. Collaborative projects include avant-pop electronic duo Grumbling Fur, the Grumbling Fur Time Machine Orchestra with Charlemagne Palestine, drone concrète trio NONEXISTENT, and modular duo Brood X Cycles w/ Nik Colk Void.