Negativland was asked to be guest editor of MAGNET this week, which poses a challenge to such a large collective of members with extremely disparate tastes and obsessions. Members Peter Conheim and Mark Hosler came forward to share what’s been on their minds lately and, indeed, what’s informed their thoughts and work over the years. The group’s new album is entitled It’s All In Your Head and, being entirely about faith, monotheism and why humans believe in God, comes packaged inside of an actual King James Bible. And while religion and intolerance are posing the biggest and toughest dilemmas facing the world today—well, excepting that climate business—Negativland will focus instead this week on such things as sounds, pictures and books. And the impending death of everything due to digital technology.
Peter Conheim: Henry Plotnick is 10 years old. Wait, sorry, he’s 12. By the time I’m done typing this paragraph, he’ll probably be at least 13. No matter; he was 10 years old when he performed this video entitled “Improvisation Part 1.” I stumbled upon Henry at KZSU FM’s Day Of Noise festival, 24 hours’ worth of live performances from their Stanford studio, when Negativwobblyland was on the bill. Henry evidently got clued into Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, et al, when he was about nine years old, and immediately set about composing and performing. His debut record came out at age 11. I presume he’ll be headlining Davies Symphony Hall by this time next year and being commissioned by European car companies to write “edgy jingles.” I particularly enjoy how his parents come in and out of the room in the background, working at a computer and seemingly oblivious to the improvised madness erupting over their shoulders. Just another day at the Plotnick house.
Video after the jump.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zqDJTSUG3s
