Long before electronic wizard Dan Deacon released his commercial debut, 2007’s Spiderman Of The Rings, he’d gigged with a high-school ska band, earned a computer-music-composition degree from SUNY at Purchase, blew tuba for Langhorne Slim, shredded improv grindcore guitar with Rated R, started a chamber ensemble, co-founded Baltimore’s Wham City arts/music collective and released a series of experimental computer-music/sine-wave recordings. Deacon continues to pursue an eclectic musical course—his Carnegie Hall debut in March was part of a John Cage tribute—but his greatest successes have been in the electronic/dance scene. America (Domino), Deacon’s new album and the follow-up to 2009’s highly regarded Bromst, could cement his status as one of the country’s most adventurous and inspired electronic architects. Deacon will also be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our new feature on him.
Deacon: In Wham City, there is an email list in which we send stupid stuff back and forth. It’s one of the main ways we still exist as a unit. Every so often Alan would post one of his online chats with Bank Of America’s customer support to refund his monthly checking account fee. It was always a highlight of the email list—the absurd way he would argue his way out of the fee and the customer service rep’s incomprehensible response. This book collects those chats in 43 pages. If you’ve ever had a frustrating experience with a bank, it’s awesome to read. I feel like they should hand it out at Occupy rallies.
Video after the jump.
