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| :: 'This Mortal coil', 'It'll end in tears' album cover, 1984 :: |
Have arrived in Vienna, dragging bags of microphones, socks, spools of copper, power adapters and a relentless ache of focus on sound. It's so easy to submerge yourself in creating and your medium of choice but such a nightmare pulling yourself out again. For now, I'll let myself live the dream and continue deepening the dive....
Preparations for the Moozak Festival (from my end) are well underway. Last post was written from the equator between imagined plans and actual reality. Thankfully, I made it to the other side, ironing out buggs and familiarizing myself with my new programmed controllers so as to work on intuition and ignore the thought of body process. Let's see how it comes together.....
I have met two of the men behind the Moozak legacy. Clemens Hausch and Gerald Krist. It's been humbly touching to meet fellow artists, halfway across the globe who are as consumed by similar passions as yourself - who have that look of absolute conviction behind their eyes that you know so well. I like not having to explain what I do and why - it's an unspoken code - a shared disposition that keeps me ticking over in the day to day and one with common struggles.
The first night of Vienna was spent with Gerald, his loungeroom tropical underwater ecosystem, a bottle of wine, what could possibly be the 'best' custom-built stereo system I have ever experienced and his vinyl collection. 'Do you want to choose something to listen to,' he says. The three of us walk to his wall of records. I see a familiar album cover and pull out a Spezialmaterial compilation, 'I have this' I say. He grins at the wall and keeps searching. I don't try to find the sounds but leave it to him. I could point out what I know and every now and then I let out a 'Ahh' but there is no need for me to search and really, I am not sure what to look for. He grasps a handful of records and says, 'now we listen'.
The first and last album I remember is by, 'This Mortal Coil'. It cuts to the bone and reminds me that I am allowed to use more than just raw sounds in my music. I envy those who have the nerve to put words to melody...... We keep talking about our common passions. Music, speakers, the hardships of creating events such as 'Moozak' and the joys that make us do so regardless. Len and Gerald talk to each other in German and the lilting rhythm of their voices merge into room and my experience is complete. The memory is sealed - not to be altered - senses are filled and the time and place has become a uneditable past that will morph with my memory but always stay the same. Gerald says goodbye and leaves and i hear the words of, 'This Mortal Coil' fade with him and the click of the door latch.
