State of Things 13

The second issue of the journal Abraxas (Summer Solstice 2011) published by the fine people at Fulgur is now available. Alongside pieces on the likes of Ira Cohen, Barry Hale and Brion Gysin, it includes my lengthy interview with Adi Newton, whose experimental piece the Denizens can be seen below. Recommended reading.

A little biscuit tin, to keep panties in...

My good friend the filmmaker Angelique Bosio, who made Lick Your Idols about the New York downtown underground film scene and The Advocate For Fagdom about Bruce La Bruce (both of which I appear in), is working on her a new movie Fifi Chachnil: Pretty en Rose. This documentary is about designer Chachnil who is famous for her sexy lingerie. Angelique has completed shooting, and is now looking for completion funds via crowd funding, you can donate money via KissKissBankBank. 

Gysin Recordings: UbuWeb

The ever excellent UbuWeb have a vast collection of Brion Gysin recordings available online, varying from ambient sound pieces to permutation poems as well as various songs. The classic - and broadly familiar - pieces such as Kick The Habit Man, Pistol Poem and Junk Is No Good Baby, are included alongside songs recorded with Ramuntcho Matta, Steve Lacy, Don Cherry and Lizzy Mercier Descloux, and released as Self-Portrait Jumping. Also featured is a selection of ambient and street noises entitled Bruits de Beaubourg and the rare album The Pool. But, perhaps the most interesting discovery is a 1958 piece Poem of Poems a recording of very early cut-up works by Gysin designed to demonstrate the use of the tape recorder in cut-up methodology to William Burroughs. Many hours of illuminated pleasures are to be had exploring these recordings. 

State Of Things 12

I am presenting a film session at Sydney Underground Film Festival and a selection of screenings under the banner of SUFF+PLUS. Now celebrating their 5th year, Sydney Underground Film Festival runs at the Factory from September 8th until 11th, with my session of extreme cinema, called From Eye Candy To Head Fuckage, screening on Saturday 10th at 10pm. 

SUFF+PLUS takes place on Saturday 17th September at Sydney College of the Arts, the first screening kicks off at 11:30am and the last ends at 7:30pm. The program features the premiere of the Table of the Elements Film Series, and East Coast premieres of All My Friends Are Funeral Singers and Of Dolls And Murder as well as a talk with Jon Hewitt about his movie X. Full programs for both events can be found by following the links. 

Sydney Underground Film Festival is also screening some great underground movies, these include The Ballard of Genesis and Lady Jaye, Profane, Heaven and Earth and Joe Davis and Dragonslayer. There's many other features (including Super, which is rumoured to be great) as well as numerous sessions of shorts, Stefan and Katherine have a sharp aesthetic and their program is never less than essential, so it's recommended that people attend the entire festival if they can.