Browse by Artist: DOCKSTADER, TOD

Artist:	DOCKSTADER, TOD
Title:	8 Electronic Pieces
Label:	LOCUST
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.00
Catalog #:	LOCUST 036CD

Reissue of a 1961 Folkways electronic music album. "Tod Dockstader assembled this terrifically unique and fresh collection of synthetic analog sound for release back in 1961. Dormant and nearly forgotten for some 40 years, Locust brings this gem back into print for another go around you won't want to miss out on. Dockstader has been characterized by many as a true antecedent to the techno and ambient electro scenes popularized by the likes of Aphex Twin, a visionary figure who the Washington Post has called One of the Giants in his Field. This brand new re-edition features original notes, newly remastered sound and new liner notes by Jason Ankeny with present-day reflections by Dockstader himself."

Artist:	DOCKSTADER, TOD
Title:	Quatermass
Label:	STARKLAND
Format:	CD
Price:	$13.00
Catalog #:	ST 201

Seminal musique concrete recordings from the early 60s that were first issued on CD in '92/'93. These 2 CDs offer all of Dockstader's principal solo works, including unreleased works and material that has been out of print on LP for over a decade (spread over 3 LPs on the Owl label). Dockstader deserves shelf space next to Schaeffer, Henry, Stockhausen, Varése, etc. -- historically vital, minutely detailed experimental electronic music and tape composition. "My choice of the term 'Organized Sound' for my own work was, in part, a tribute to the 'Poéme' and to Varése. I also chose it because, in the 60s, the term 'electronic music' was coming to mean music made purely of synthetic sound, and I was working in both 'concrete' and electronically generated sounds...my 'synthesizer' for everything on this CD was one or two sine-wave test generators ('oscillators' in those days) which were 'played' by turning a dial. I forced them to produce harmonics (square waves) by amplifying them into distortion, and got pulse-trains out of them by temporarily rewiring them into instability. The 'notes' they produced were achieved by editing tape, note by note (by note by note...)...it had a muscular joy to it. I think a lot of us had fun up on that singing high wire, teetering between control and chaos, trying to push the sound a little farther toward Something we hadn't heard before, working in it...listening." --Dockstader.

Artist:	DOCKSTADER, TOD
Title:	Aerial (1)
Label:	SUB ROSA (BELGIUM)
Format:	CD
Price:	$13.00
Catalog #:	SR 223CD

Tod Dockstader is one of the all-time great figures in the world of musique concréte composition, with his "organized sound" works from the 1960s being amongst the most radical ever conceived -- in league with Schaeffer, Henry, Stockhausen, and Varese. Aerial is a rare new work in the realm of shortwave radio, from one of America's most experimental composers. This release is the first (Volume 1) in a three-part series. "I've written before of my interest in shortwave radio. When I was very young, people got most of their entertainment from radio. They called it 'playing the radio,' as if it were a musical instrument. That's what I've tried to do in this piece. About this time, a few people encouraged me to look into using a computer for this work. I'd never used one, but I saw it would allow me to keep my mixes digital -- no more transfer losses. So, at the end of 2001, I got a computer and an editing program for it, and spent what seemed a long time learning it. I began selecting mixes and loading them into the computer in late March 2002. Out of the 580, I selected 90 'best' mixes -- eventually reduced to 59, the ones included on the CDs. Finally, in assembling the CDs, I followed David Myers' suggestion to allow each piece to flow into the next -- making a continuous journey to the end." --Tod Dockstader, 14 September 2003. [initial pressing of this came w/ a slipcase for all 3 volumes to be filed together, but is no longer available in that packaging, just as a regular jewel cased CD]

Artist:	DOCKSTADER, TOD
Title:	Aerial #2
Label:	SUB ROSA (BELGIUM)
Format:	CD
Price:	$13.00
Catalog #:	SR 228CD

This release is the second (Volume 2) in the three-part Aerial series. Tod Dockstader is one of the all-time great figures in the world of musique concréte composition, with his "organized sound" works from the 1960s being amongst the most radical ever conceived -- in league with Schaeffer, Henry, Stockhausen, and Varese. Aerial is a rare new work in the realm of shortwave radio, from one of America's most experimental composers. Volume 1 was released in March 2005 inside a slipcase. Volume 2 and 3 will be released separately and packaged in individual standard jewel cases that will conveniently fit into the slipcase provided with Volume 1. Working from his interest in shortwave radio, Dockstader attempts to "play the radio," thus redefining this cultural medium as a musical instrument with the help of a computer and a good editing system. Out of the 580 mixes, he selected 90 "best" mixes -- eventually reduced to 59, which became representational of the distilled magic of the radio, as it elucidates the sounds between stations. Finally, in assembling the CDs, Dockstader allows each piece to flow into the next -- making a continuous journey to the end. Ghostly, ethereal, and irresistibly interesting-- like hearing secrets passed over airwaves. Volume 3 to be released early 2006.

Artist:	DOCKSTADER, TOD
Title:	Aerial #3
Label:	SUB ROSA (BELGIUM)
Format:	CD
Price:	$13.00
Catalog #:	SR 233CD

This release is the third and last in the three-part Aerial series. Tod Dockstader is one of the all-time great figures in the world of musique concréte composition, with his "organized sound" works from the 1960s being amongst the most radical ever conceived -- in league with Schaeffer, Henry, Stockhausen, and Varese. Aerial is a rare new work in the realm of shortwave radio, from one of America's most experimental composers. Volume 1 was released in March 2005 inside a slipcase. Volume 2 and 3 have been released separately and packaged in individual standard jewel cases that conveniently fit into the slipcase provided with Volume 1. Working from his interest in shortwave radio, Dockstader attempts to "play the radio," thus redefining this cultural medium as a musical instrument with the help of a computer and a good editing system. Out of the 580 mixes, he selected 90 "best" mixes -- eventually reduced to 59, which became representational of the distilled magic of the radio, as it elucidates the sounds between stations. Finally, in assembling the CDs, Dockstader allows each piece to flow into the next -- making a continuous journey to the end. Ghostly, ethereal, and irresistibly interesting-- like hearing secrets passed over airwaves.

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