New Adrian Belew album

[polmico]

I think? Here's what Adrian posted on FB:

hey world!
for more than 2 years now
Daniel Rowland and I have been working on my new solo project. all of us recording artists are charged with making yet another record, another CD, releasing another download into the massive download universe.
this is not that.
this is something which, to my knowledge, has never been done. that rare entity:
something new. a different way to enjoy music.

it's called FLUX: Music That Is Never The Same Twice.

think about that for a moment.
music that is never the same twice. how is that possible?
what will it sound like?

over the upcoming weeks I intend to tell you all about it but with the limited space of facebook I'll have to break into pieces (kind of like the music itself).
but for now let me say this.
FLUX will be a kind of listening
"experience". each time you hear it, the experience will be unique and surprising. even I will never know where it will begin, where it will end, or what will happen in between.
since FLUX is not meant to be
"commercial" it can and will contain literally anything which appeals to my ears. found sounds, guitar effects, snippets, and loads of bits of music and songs. every now and then a whole song play all the way through, but most of the time songs will come to you in ever-changing pieces like a giant jigsaw puzzle. even the pieces will not always sound the same.
for example, instead of a song having the same guitar solo each time, alternate solos may happen when you least expect it. or a different mix. a different vocal with new words. anything may happen!

FLUX will also be interactive so you the listener can affect the experience and personalize it more to your taste. over time it will include simple but random visuals which you may also have a hand in.

FLUX: Music That Is Never The Same Twice has one more serious difference to a CD/download. it will never be finished. I intend to add to it as often as possible to further insure you'll never hear it the same way twice. FLUX is in fact a living evolving entity.

to read about the genesis of FLUX go to www.elephant-blog.blogspot.com

[trurl]

Sounds a bit like what Todd envisioned for TR-i, realized. Although Todd wanted to put the listener in the driver's seat and that was asking a bit much; this sounds like a more passive but random experience. Interesting!

[100423]

Sounds potentially excellent!

[KingCrimson776]

I dunno how listenable it will be (I didn't like "e" much), but it's an Ade album which is always welcome. It's cool that he always tries to do something novel, but I would actually prefer another set of great pop tunes like his early 90's albums at this point.

[bRETT]

Neat. Kind of like the Crimson DVD that gives you different improv sections during different times through.

[JAMOOL]

Contents: one terribly scratched CD

[Hurm]

Contents: one terribly scratched CD

Heheh! German avant garde techno musician Markus Popp, AKA Oval, actually used that 'mutilation technique' to create his, ehrm, sonic architecture.:-)

[Wah3]

Neat. Kind of like the Crimson DVD that gives you different improv sections during different times through.

Which Crimson DVD is that?

[Jefferson James]

I'm not sure if I would love or hate something like this but the concept is certainly intriguing. Belew is a monster so I'm anticipating this with a willing ear.

[bRETT]

Which Crimson DVD is that?

Eyes Wide Open.

[notallwhowander]

I look forward to this. The only problem will be the limited lifespan of the technology. Audio can be transferred from medium to medium, whatever the current media technology is. What will be the lifespan of FLUX? Will it be an application for our current operating systems? Will it be its own stand-alone technology, like a custom mp3 player, that syncs with whatever Adrian wants to throw on it? If it requires its own hardware, what is the cost?

[JKL2000]

> Daniel Rowland and I have been working on my new solo project.

:huh

[Andre C]

> Daniel Rowland and I have been working on my new solo project.

:huh


Daniel is Adrian's current tech/computer guy and recording engineer.

So when he says "solo" he means Daniel is there facilitating all the rest as AB performs and writes etc.......

and @trurl, yes indeed, Similar idea to Todd Rundgren's "No World Order", which as usual for Todd was way, way ahead in terms of how many people in his fan base had any idea what to do with it.......

But this seems like it would use the software and web as well as whatever content you buy initially...and like AB said...there would be potentially new material added to the blend for as long as he's making music...

[bRETT]

and @trurl, yes indeed, Similar idea to Todd Rundgren's "No World Order", which as usual for Todd was way, way ahead in terms of how many people in his fan base had any idea what to do with it.......
.

No World Order had a lot of problems, the biggest being that the interactive disc only worked on a Mac. Also that fans ultimately had a harder time with Todd doing a rap album than with the interactivity. I did get to play with the CD-I and would up feeling that the standard CD version had all I needed.

[Polska]

Actually it's the deja vrooom DVD that has the interactive options

[No Pride]

I would actually prefer another set of great pop tunes like his early 90's albums at this point.
Same here. I always dig his playing, but I get more mileage out of his Beatlesesque tunage.

[Andre C]

No World Order had a lot of problems, the biggest being that the interactive disc only worked on a Mac....<snip>......


How is that a "problem"?

[bRETT]

How is that a "problem"?

Just that about 1/2 the potential buyers couldn't use it. If CD-I's were supposed to be the future, he couldn't come up with a PC version?

[Andre C]

I know. It was a "Mac vs PC wars" joke.

But Seriously, as Todd is always kinda 6-10 yrs ahead of the curve, he might have been thinking more & more people, especially music heads apt to play around with an application like this, would be adopting Mac machines.
Which has happened.

[Andre C]

Article on Belew Statements re:NIN and his new album

http://www.guitarworld.com/guitarist-adrian-belew-quits-nine-inch-nails-it-didnt-work

[polmico]

I like what I'm hearing, and I'll buy the app, I just don't know when I'll listen to it. I wear my headphones at the gym and when I walk around town, but that's not quite the same as sitting down and digesting an album. But maybe that's the point.

The music in the clip below sounds great, though, and I really need to get on getting tix for that Durham show.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/249210776/flux-music-that-is-never-the-same-twice

[3RDegree_Robert]

Sounds a bit like what Todd envisioned for TR-i, realized. Although Todd wanted to put the listener in the driver's seat and that was asking a bit much; this sounds like a more passive but random experience. Interesting!

Exactly! I remember going to a record store in NYC to see Todd explain what CD-i would...."be". He went so far as changing his freakin' name to TR-i for 2 albums as well!

[JKL2000]

Exactly! I remember going to a record store in NYC to see Todd explain what CD-i would...."be". He went so far as changing his freakin' name to TR-i for 2 albums as well!

He did a signing at Sam Goody then, and I got him to sign my copy of No World Order, but he signed it TR-I. Aargh! :)

[trurl]

He did a signing at Sam Goody then, and I got him to sign my copy of No World Order, but he signed it TR-I. Aargh! :)

Oh wow, that stinks *lol* Although it's kind of cool too.

[arabicadabra]

... like watching Jesus surf backwards on rainbow sherbert at the intergalactic zoo.....

[gojikranz]

thought I would resurrect this to ask if people have had a chance to try it out and how it is. i was a backer but i still haven't downloaded it cause i keep forgetting to when i am home with WiFi.

i did receive the twenty track cd signed by Adrian. it is numbered out of 173 but i can't imagine there not being some more out there and maybe it being produced for wider release sometime. here is the track list if you are interested.

big blue sun
men in helicopters
burned by the fire we make
i remember how to forget
here
looking for a ufo
I am what I am (not listed on the cd confusingly)
people (a solo version)
on
bad days
this is what i believe in
man in the moon remix (it is only 2:12 not sure where it is from or if it is exclusive here)
young lions
Vy (is listed next but doesn't seem to be here swapped for i am what i am at the last minute?)
house of cards remix (runs 3:31)
time waits
birds
one of those days
fly
postcard
1967

enjoyable cd. still have not received my exclusive download from flux whatever that means anyone know? there was some space left on the cd would have been nice as a bonus track.

[No Pride]

^
Interesting that most (maybe all for all I know) of those tunes are from earlier AB albums. A bunch of them are from his album, "Here."

:huh

[gojikranz]

ya i wish there was some notes about song selection or even just what album they are all from. I don't have his entire catalogue so it is a nice comp for me as i mainly have the early albums on vinyl.

i was trying to figure out what the track Vy was but can't seem to find it anywhere(anyone know what it is?). now i am sad it isn't on this cd if it was something never released before.

[Spiral]

i was trying to figure out what the track Vy was but can't seem to find it anywhere(anyone know what it is?).
He did say he was going to keep continually adding bits and peices to the Flux library. It could be all new.

[gojikranz]

we got our exclusive download from flux the other day. it is a sort of spiritual successor to prozak blues a crazy little song about food. good fun, and evidently will not be put into flux completely. he also mentioned if the song was too ludicrous we could ask for one more song i figured i would ask despite enjoying the song and was given rocketship which is a nice song that you can hear on flux.

while i had them on the email i also asked about the track Vy and was told this:
It doesn't exist. I have no clue how that got on there (or why someone didn't catch it). I'm guessing it was an intern labeling error (always blame the intern) and it just slipped by Adrian(?). No clue, really. Needless to say, the next run of those will have that issue fixed!

so that seems to imply there will be copies for general purchase someday.

[polmico]

so that seems to imply there will be copies for general purchase someday.

Meaning the tracks from Flux? Or are you still talking about the best of whose tracklist is posted above?

[gojikranz]

thats in relation the the best of. sounds like it will be released with the correct tracklisting on it.

[polmico]

Rats. I guess should download Flux already. Again, it's a cool concept; I'm just not sure how much use I'll get from it.

[gojikranz]

i finally downloaded the app it is pretty fun and the ability to favorite tracks means you can pull out your favorites and hear them when you want (in the app) so it doesnt have to be random.

[Dusty Chalk]

It probably shouldn't be called Flux then. Perhaps, 'Static'?

[notallwhowander]

Only as Fluxed-up as you want.

[polmico]

New track:

https://soundcloud.com/adrianbelewflux/adrian-belew-idiom

[miamiscot]

Sounds like a lot of work.

[Haruspex Carnage]

Since he announced and showed us at TOAPP camp i still haven't heard ANYTHING from FLUX...if this is any basis for it, not sure it's for me.

[Mister Triscuits]

New track:

https://soundcloud.com/adrianbelewflux/adrian-belew-idiom

The first half sounds kinda like Adrian doing Tom Waits, but without the raspy vocals. The second half sounds kinda like a rewrite of "Dinosaur."

[Haruspex Carnage]

The first half sounds kinda like Adrian doing Tom Waits, but without the raspy vocals. The second half sounds kinda like a rewrite of "Dinosaur."

Only vocally? Otherwise my problem is it's just not very interesting to me?

[Dok]

The first half sounds kinda like Adrian doing Tom Waits, but without the raspy vocals. The second half sounds kinda like a rewrite of "Dinosaur."

It made me think of Robbie Robertson on the spoken word part.

[Polska]

New track:

https://soundcloud.com/adrianbelewflux/adrian-belew-idiom

I like it a lot! Reminds me of all the best parts of his solo music. Good stuff!!

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

fun tune!

but... is it gonna be different next time I play it?

[gojikranz]

that new song and some others totaling 28 minutes apparently (including a portion of the exclusive kickstarter tune I mentioned earlier) are available to be added to the flux app now. I did it and have been enjoying the somewhat more random experience (I actually found the original app got a little static after a few tries with certain songs coming up too often). though I am a bit annoyed my favorites were reset and I have not stumbled across my favorite song yet to add it to my favorites again hope it wasn't removed for some reason.