D i s c o g r a p h y

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[Grayfolded CD] plunderphonic Gray Folded (Swell/Artifact 1969-94, Canada) 
Disk 1:
Transitive Axis
 (1993-94)
 -in 9 movements:
 1.Novature (formless nights fall)
 2.Pouring Velvet
 3.In Revolving Ash  Light
 4.Clouds Cast
 5.Through
 6.Fault Forces
 7.The Phil Zone
 8.La Estrella Oscura
 9.Recedes (while we can)


Disk 2:
Mirror Ashes (1994-95)
 -in 6* movements: 
 1.Transilience 
 2.73rd Star Bridge Sonata
 3.Cease Tone Beam
 4.The Speed of Space
 5.Dark Matter Problem -
  / Every Leaf is Turning
 6.Foldback Time
*each track is joined by Astroludes and there is an additional mystery track concealed on the disk that will not play unless you search for it (and that's a clue).

This 2 disc set is the latest plunderphonic album and was commissioned by the Dead, or as Phil Lesh put it, "David Gans and I sort of talked him into it"."It" is composed exclusively of live recordings (from the Vault) of the Grateful Dead's "Dark Star" and was originally released as a single disc, "Transitive Axis". It was originally proposed that Oswald make something "very short".
"What interested me most about the Grateful Dead was their extended playing style", explains Oswald. "I wrote a counter-proposal to David saying, 'Well, I've been thinking about it and all I can hear is the opposite - something very long.'"
So, in addition to the original 59 minute 59 second composition released as Transitive axis, Oswald decided there was still enough territory to explore in another composition which would be released as a second disk. Those who managed to obtain Transitive Axis were encouraged to send in $11.00 to receive the second disc when it became available. When Oswald completed the second disc, "Mirror Ashes", they were put together in a package that features cool visual time maps and extensive liner notes by Rob Bowman that centered on interviews with Lesh and Garcia.

Latest news on availability -thanks to Fritz Hoepfner- is through CDNOW under "Artist: Grateful Dead" or try this link. It may also be available in stores but if you have trouble finding this one, or if you know of any other sources, please write - vacuvox@6q.com for the latest info.







 
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[Plexure CD] 
plunderphonic Plexure (Avant, 1993, Japan)
-in 12 movements & 21submovements
1.Open	- Suck
	- Rip
2.Urge	- Slow
	- Slice
	- Blink
3.Manifold - Philosophy
	- Phase
4.Blur	- Moment
	- Wow
	- Nest
5.Zoom	- Alone
	- Gogh
6.Cyfer
 
 7.Compact - Phase2
	- Snap
 8.Worse
 9.Mad Mod
10.Temperature
	- Tempus Amoré
	  (Hyper Love Time)
	- Tempo Pact Massive
	- Hazzard
	- Warning
	- Treacherous
11.Velocity - Tremendous
	- Tremulous

Published by Disk Union Japan (on CD only), it should be in stores but is often hard to find or expensive. It is currently availabe from WFMU who also provide a short sample (193K).Plundered are over a thousand pop stars from the past 10 years. Rather than crediting each individual artist or group as he did in the original plunderphonic release, Oswald chose instead to reference morphed artists of his own creation (Bonnie Ratt, etc) It starts with rapmillisylables and progresses through the material according to tempo (which has an interesting relationship with genre).
Oswald used several mechanisms to generate the plunderphonemes that make up this encyclopaedic popologue. This is the most formidable of the plunderphonics projects to date.









 
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[Discospere CD] 
Discosphere (ReR/Cunieform JOCD, 1991, England/USA)

 1.Skindling Shadés (1989)
 2.Amina (1990)
 3.Bell Speeds (1983)
 4.Field (1988)
 5.Nothing  (1989)
 6.Short Attack (1990)
  -(co-composed with Holly Small
 7.Angle (1990)
 8.Melody  (1987)
 

 9.Shane (1987)
10.Prey (1986)
11.Soine (1988)
12.Touch (1990)
13.Fence (1991)
14.VT (1973)
15.Beat (1981)
16.Code (1988)
17.The Case of Death (1991)

This is a variety of Oswald's soundtracks for dance (on CD only) and is available in stores though it may require some detective work to actually find it. Oswald uses his sampling and editing skill-saw-genius to create this work and draws from diverse sources. Some of the compositions are based on samples of audio recordings made by Oswald himself but he has also plundered things like "talking books". Those looking for his trademark pop-piracy will have to settle for a single track,"Angle", commissioned by Hal Willner.
The pieces are quite different from each other yet very much Oswaldian at the same time. A favourite is The Case of Death which is a murder mystery - an Agatha Christie oratory duel to the death . Lots of very interesting and educational material here.
ReR/Cuneiform also has Oswald &/or plunderphonic tracks on some of their other releases.







 
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[Elektrax CD] plunderphonic Elektrax (Elektra PRCD 8247-2, 1991, USA)

1. The Doors: O'Hell (1990)

2. Metallica: 2Net (1990)

3. Tim Buckley: Anon (1990)

4. Carly Simon & Faster Pussycat: Vane (1990)

5. MC5: Mother (1990)

To prove they were truly hip, Elektra commissioned Oswald to plunder artists on their label for a special anniversary EP they planned to release as part of the Rubáiyát package (Oswald prefers the title "Elektrax"). Unfortunately Elektra failed to obtain permission from the Morrison estate for use of Doors material and also failed to inform Metallica of their involvement (although, reportedly, the band thought it was "cool"). The result: it was distributed only to DJs and radio stations and is now almost impossible to find.
One more thing. The artwork here is not John's original but an Elektra facsimile that sort of misses the "point".







 
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[plunderphonic CD]   plunderphonic (no official distributor/not for sale 1989, Canada) 
 1.George Martin: Beatles (1989)
 2.Michael Jackson: Dab  (1989)
 3.Lennon/Harrison: Way (1983)
 4.Don Van Vliet: Replica (1988)
 5.Bing Crosby: White (1989)
 6.Elvis Presley: Dont (1987)
 7.Dolly Parton: Pretender (1988)
 8.James Brown: Black (1989)
 9.Public Enemy: Brown (1989)
10.Dick Hyman: Fabulous  (1982)
11.Franz Liszt: Prelude (1987)
 
12.Metallica: Net (1989)
13.Paul McCartney: Birth (1989)
14.Count Basie: Pocket (1987)
15.Cecil Taylor: Mirror (1988)
16.Bix Biederbecke: Mist (1982)
17.Anton Webern: Ten4 (1986)
18.Verdi/Ligeti: Tune (1988)
19.Igor Stravinsky: Spring (1988)
20.Ludwig Van Beethoven: 7th (1988)
21.Glenn Gould: Aria (1989)
22.101 String Orchestra: Rainbow (1989)

1989 - The CD that started it all. The plunderphonic CD (never-for-sale, remaining stocks destroyed by Michael Jackson & CBS) became an underground cult classic. The realistic cover photo of a nude Michael Jackson revealed as a white woman paralleled the musical transformations depicted on the disc. Other electroquoted artists included Bing Crosby, The Beatles, Glenn Gould, Public Enemy & (consequently) James Brown. The samples Oswald used to create these pieces were studiously footnoted with all due credit given to the source artists. The disk was not sold but distributed freely to radio stations, libraries, critics and musicians. Despite this approach, prudes in the "Recording Industry" representing Michael Jackson destroyed the remaining copies and prohibited Oswald from distributing or reproducing the CD.

However, through the miracle of the internet, this incredible collection of work is no longer unavailable. For more details on the plunderphonics CD, press here.







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collections
(not including re-releases of material on albums listed above)
  1. ReR Q (v.2, 1991, England)
  2. Klangfarbenprobe (1987)
  3. CMCD (ReR, 1991, England)
  4. Parade (1986)
  5. Kronos Quartet : Short Stories (Elektra Nonesuch 9 79310-2, 1993, USA)
  6. Spectre (1990)

This list does not include appearances in recordings as an improviser, nor discs produced or edited by Oswald. All titles are CD only. plunderphonic and Elektrax (Rubaiyat) are no longer available from the source. John Oswald is constrained by a legal agreement with the Canadian Recording Industry Association, Sony, Michael Jackson, et.al., from manufacturing or distributing any copies.

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