#phillip mayer

[vichenderson-blog]

I'll always belong to you. @Mayerson

Caminhou pelos corredores de St Judes, confiante. Sabia que os olhares de todos estavam em si. Era estranho ver uma garota por ali, especialmente dentro da escola. Fora fácil fazer com que a deixassem entrar. Seus poderes eram superiores à vontade de qualquer humano, especialmente a de um estúpido porteiro numa escola. E, mesmo sem eles, duvidava que não conseguisse o que queria. Era quase surreal o que um rostinho bonito e inocente conseguia por aqueles dias. Podia ver todos à sua volta simplesmente se derretendo por ela. Mesmo sem a possessão, Victoria Henderson era uma das pessoas mais manipuladoras que New York já tinha conhecido. Parecia saber exatamente o que dizer e fazer para que todos ao seu redor a obedecessem, seguissem suas ordens sem nem a questionar um segundo. Fora o que chamara a sua atenção para aquele corpo em primeiro lugar. A garota era jovem, mas já tinha aquela capacidade de cativar todos ao seu redor, manter uma máscara cuidadosamente talhada para não deixar ninguém ver o quanto cruel era de verdade. Quase que merecia sua admiração. Apenas quinze anos e já demonstrava tanto potencial. Mesmo sem a intervenção dela, não duvidava que a garota já tivesse o seu lugarzinho reservado no inferno nem por um segundo.

Tinha escolhido aquele receptáculo cuidadosamente. E, a verdade, a qual nunca admitiria para ninguém, é que fora as relações de Victoria Henderson que a fizeram tomar sua decisão final. Em especial, uma delas. Phillip Mayer o namorado da sua própria irmã. Se já tinha ficado interessado no garoto antes de possuir aquele corpo, o seu interesse só tinha duplicado depois. Era apenas sua segunda vez numa missão térrea. Se tinha sido difícil separar os seus sentimentos dos da primeira humana que possuíra, daquela vez estava sendo trezentas vezes pior. Victoria era mais forte, mais decidida. Podia sentir o afeto pelo garoto e, aos poucos, começava passando para si mesma. Era horrível. Nunca sentira nada assim e se recusava a deixar aquilo continuar. Tinha uma missão e pretendia cumpri-la. Sempre tinha desprezado qualquer um que se deixava levar por aqueles sentimentos humanos, achando impossível que isso fosse acontecer com ela. Era um demônio. Agiria como um. 

Mas apesar de sua decisão, ali estava ela. Caminhando para o laboratório de fotografia de St Judes, o único lugar que tinha certeza que acharia Phil. Era inevitável. Sentia uma atração natural por ele, uma vontade de estar na sua companhia incontrolável. Claro que mentia para si mesma. Phillip tinha uma alma pura, bondosa. Tudo o que ela queria era corrompê-la o suficiente para terem um novo aliado. Um pequeno desafio pessoal. Não estava em nada relacionado com os sentimentos dela pelo garoto. Nem um pouco. Finalmente, alcançou o lugar que procurava. Bateu na porta, esperando uma resposta do outro garoto para entrar. Sabia que se entrasse no momento errado, podia arruinar a revelação de qualquer foto dele. Quando ouviu um 'Entre' um pouco distraído, não o hesitou em fazê-lo, abrindo a porta e colocando o seu melhor sorriso no rosto. "Phillip!" Exclamou, dando alguns passos apressados em direção a ele e entrelaçando o seu pescoço, abraçando-o com vontade. Podia sentir o odor característico dele, fazendo-a sorrir involuntariamente. Era algo almiscarado e o doce que ela simplesmente não conseguia evitar se não adorar. Se afastou dele, o mesmo sorriso nos lábios, colocando ambas as mãos atrás das costas, cruzando seus dedos, na sua melhor pose de inocência. "Eileen me falou que você ia passar o dia todo aqui sozinho." Uma mentira. Eileen não tinha dito uma palavra para ela, mas não se importava. Não era como se ela fosse descobrir. "Decidi te fazer um pouco de companhia. Espero que não se importe. Você sabe que eu adoro te ver trabalhar."

[superfinemag-blog]

Convo: The Living Earth Show

The Living Earth Show’s first major feat was to formally change the Urban Dictionary definition of “Ballsagna”. The second was their inaugural show as a group at the Community Music Center in San Francisco, where they presided deftly over five new works for percussion and guitar. And their third and perhaps mightiest feat is this very interview with Super Fine Magazine—the group’s first ever with any publication.

From my time spent with Andy Meyerson (percussion) and Travis John Andrews (guitar), I discovered a group cascading towards a post-classical aesthetic encompassing very broad influences and artistic trajectories: the group’s name is taken reverently from the lyrics of a Ween song, yet the group gladly slaves away at the notorious arduousness involved in learning Ferneyhough. While others merely speak of overhauling classical music’s traditions, The Living Earth Show has taken the matter of the continuance of their specific art into their own hands; they perform works written only for their instrumentation (and almost entirely commissioned by them), by composers with the fattest of CVs. While even Andy and Travis claim that what they are doing is “not anything new,” the conviction and steadiness says otherwise. This is to be applauded especially in the face of a Californian cultural environment that often enjoys pooping on the arts for cheap laughs, and is totally indicative of the sort of nascent ensemble that is utterly determined to change the status quo and redraw the borders of classical music’s obstinately static artistic territory. I managed to sit down with The Living Earth Show in their heavily-carpeted rehearsal room in San Francisco, amid heaps of amps and enough percussion to last the winter. And this is what I learned:

  Me: First of all, congratulations on a dangerously good inaugural show. But let’s first focus on how you got into chamber music. How was it that you two acquired a taste for the aural? Travis: When I was younger I saw the MTV, and I freaked out and badgered my parents and they got me a guitar when I was like 7. You know, that’s where the cool music was, or at least that was the stuff that was fun to learn. So I sought it out. Andy: I guess that’s sort of identical for me. I started playing drums because I heard Green Day on the radio. Me and every other fucking percussionist. The music that got me into it is the music that always resonates with me the most. That type of [mid 90s alternative rock], I never stopped listening to it. The way I measure every show I play, every show I watch, is from that spectrum. Travis: Well I agree with that too. I think nothing is more loathsome than when people kind of take a fickle stance and turn their back on music that got them interested in the first place. I think that’s a despicable characteristic. Me: So you don’t think there’s such a thing as thinking of your past musical self as naïve? Travis: Yeah, on one hand, I don’t want to be the last guy at the party all the time, you know, still thinkin’ something’s cool and really enjoying it. But you don’t turn your back on old friends, so why are you going to do it on music? Andy: I’ve actually made it a point never to have a guilty pleasure. If there’s ever anything I’ve liked, I’ll steadfastly own up to it forever. Travis: This is like the most I’ve agreed with you...ever, like actually right now.

Andy: Really?

Travis: Yeah, this is really the most we’ve ever been on the same page. Me: Wow, I’m glad we brought this out. Andy: Yeah, I never really change what I like. If artists change, I’ll dislike their change, and then probably dislike them as people. But the music that I liked back then I’ll always like.

  Me: “Living Earth Show”. Quite the vivid name. Can you give us the story of the title of your group, from conception through final product?

Travis: Ween Andy: It’s a lyric from a Ween song. Me: But was that the original name for the group? Travis: Weeell...it was Ballsagna. Spelled, you know, like lasagna. And then for a brief moment it was Man Hours, which I was really into. Andy: It’s funny because every time we’ve played a show, like 5 minutes before we go on stage, we’re like, we should just change our name and be Man Hours. Travis: It’s so indicative of what we do. Every time you’re handed a new piece, you’re like fuck, how many man hours is this going to take to learn? And then you think about, well we spend a lot of time together… Andy: It’s a lot, a lot of man hours. *giggles*...man hours... Me: *More giggles* So back to your current name, is there any particular significance to that lyric? Andy: Eh, a fair amount. Do you know the band [Ween] at all? Me: Not very well. Andy: Remind me and I’ll send you some. They’re wonderful. Travis: It was just another thing we agreed upon. Me: That’s two! *Giggles from Andy and Travis* Me: But in this process [of choosing a name] you actually got the definition of ballsagna changed? Travis: [Andy] did, because you, like, urban dictionary bombed the definition. Andy: That was one of the things that was negative originally. I forget what the definition was...I think it was something pretty vulgar, you know, because duh. Travis: Well it is ballsagna. Andy: Because we couldn’t really have it so the first Google thing...Because oh! The urban dictionary was the first Google hit. And so, if we’re applying for grants, that’s not the coolest thing. Travis: Ok, I just want to say this now, since we’re in the process of it. It is really cool, and then you made it a little bit more pg-13. Andy: That was the point. Travis: Yeah I know that is the point. But you did take something that was once really cool, and then bowdlerized it a little bit. Andy: That was the point, yes. Travis: And I just want to say for the record right now that like, that I was pushing for the group to be called “Molten Hot Smegma”. Andy: You were not pushing that hard! *laughs* Andy: The list of names we both brought to the table for this discussion is sooo good. Me: So there’s an actual list that’s there for posterity? Andy: Yeah, there is there is. And I’ll use all of them. So, I will, before I die, be in a band called Larry King and Queens. I will. Me: Ok Andy: I will be in a band called Tom Petty and the Fartmakers. Just...that will happen. Travis: Big Dick and the Foreskins Andy: Sarah Palin’s Gay Friend Me: *Laughs* You memorize everything, don’t you? Andy: There were some other good ones. I feel like this is one of the things we’re both quite good at. Me: Well, you’re musicians. You have to know when you see a band name. Travis: Yeah, I think there was like a desire to do something that was at least slightly subversive, so it would still be kind of funny down the line. And the fact that [The Living Earth Show] comes from a song called “She Fucks Me” was still kinda…giggle worthy. Andy: Giggle worthy. Yeah, we essentially talked to a few people who we trust. Like, composers who are pretty established.

Me: Which name are you talking about now? Andy: Ballsagna. We were dead set on it. Todd Reynolds was like, “honestly, no you can’t get away with this...there’s no reason to drive your audience away.” Travis: I think it inspires loyalty, frankly. Me: So there still might be a Ballsagna in your future? Travis: A record... Andy: Or something. The best of.

  Me: It is rare to witness two “classical” performers have so much fun on stage, which probably couldn’t have been accomplished without total memorization of the music. Will this aspect of your playing be a trademark of the Living Earth Show? And do you think that in general it’s time chamber groups stop bitching and start memorizing?

Travis: I mean that was from the get-go. We were like, we’re just going to memorize everything…It’s more enjoyable. At least I think I’m more capable of playing better in an ensemble if I’m not really worried about the page or if I’ve internalized the music to the point where I can just really focus on what the sound is in the room. Andy: Me too. There’s a tendency for me anyway to mentally hide behind a music stand. It’s less my responsibility if it’s on a page in front of me. So I feel more responsible for what I’m doing if I’m just there and there’s no music stand, so I can see what’s going on and communicate. You can use every second visually in some way to make the music better, and if you’re spending that looking at music, it’s wasteful. Me: Yeah, people are always complaining about how performers aren’t connecting with their audience in the classical world. Maybe the music stand is just a big old metaphorical barrier? Travis: Yeah, it extends the clothing too, because I can have those dreams, like the naked school dreams without any trepidation whatsoever. *laughs* Andy: But groups do [memorize music]. I don’t think we’re doing anything that’s unheard of in any way. Travis: Most people that come up playing nowadays--they’ve either done a little bit of jazz or done some rock before they actually matured into playing chamber or classic or whatever the fuck you want to call it. But you kind of look like a jag-off if you show up at the rock gig with a music stand. You know what I mean? So if you don’t do it there, why would you do it here?

Me: It probably won’t be long before the guardians of musical nomenclature begin assigning labels to what you do. Would you like to right now, right here preempt these critics and label yourself? Or do you in fact wish to remain label-less?

Andy: *Indiscernible string of words* Me: Can you say it slower? Andy: Chill wave. Glitch-hop.

Travis: Apple Core. *laughs* Me: Chill wave? Glitch-hop? Andy: Glitch hop. Apple Core. Eh...that can’t be the last one. Chill Wave Apple Core Glitch Hop. Travis: Gultch Rock Andy: Glo-fi, bedroom...hop. Me: Would you like to leave it at that? Andy: Yes.

  Me: Ok. The questions get harder from here on out. Guitar and drums, in the context of art music, are still a fairly new invention. What sorts of timbral advantages are offered by the guitar-percussion combo?

Travis: It can really be like zeroed in to just electronics, because it’s much easier for the two of us to electronically manipulate what we do. Andy: I’d say there are just as many disadvantages as advantages. Because it’s such a stereotypical rock combination, there’s I think a pretty big tendency to write like that. We’re sort of fortunate in that everything we’ve gotten has been out of that realm, like very much interesting music that happens to be for the instruments we play. We’re not the first group to put an electric guitar and a drum set in chamber music, and a lot of the things that come of that can sometimes be like pretty stereotypically rock-influenced classical music. Me: But you guys aren’t going in that direction? Andy: No. It’s just the instruments we happen to play. Travis: I don’t mind though. I’m not going to like hold a banana and then tell everybody this is not a banana. Andy: I don’t know if there are any timbral advantages... Travis: I have a shit ton, really. Just because I can more easily I think than any other instrument just change my sound. Andy: And I can just hit other shit. Travis: Well that’s true too, yeah. So I think there are plenty of advantages. Andy: Yeah, plenty of advantages.

  Me: If you could tattoo the name of one living composer/artist anywhere on your body, who would it be and where?  

Travis: Ooohhh god that’s a good one.

Andy: That is. Gimme a sec. Me: If a living one is too hard, you can go with dead. But, let’s go with living. Travis: You know what would be really good? Is like you know the Tommy Lee “Mayhem”? Like that one kind of arching on your stomach? I would get a Wolf Mother one, just because it would be eternal motivation, because like, you look down at your stomach, and just get really pissed off. *laughs* Andy: So I’m going towards like iconic tattoos that bands have. So like Bradley Nowell has Sublime tattooed on his back. Travis: Yeeah! But that’s...his band, obviously. Andy: That’s true. Travis: So that’s kind of... Andy: Well he’s dead. Travis: I wonder what that looks like now? Andy: It’s been a while. Travis: I mean, for what purpose would you...I mean would it be for glorification of said band, or are you the type of guy who would just do it because you think you would like them forever? Like that episode of The Simpsons where Homer had Starland Vocal tattooed on his back. Andy: I don’t know. There’s a couple different ways I would do it. Like one would be because I think it’s really funny right now, which is a bad idea. One would be a band I will always like...I would be much more inclined to do album art, from albums I like. Travis: Yeah, but that’s not the question. I mean, that’s like...you’re removing one of the defining parameters of the question. Andy: Exactly, exactly. So it has got to be an artist I’ll always like...um... Travis: I think it’s really safe to select a band or an artist that has already had kids. Because that’s the most disappointing moment in an artist’s career arc. Andy: Yeah, then it’d have to be like a Wilco logo or something. Travis: I felt that way about Sky Blue Sky. I was like “God damn, someone had a kid, didn’t they.” Andy: They’ve had kids for a loong time. Travis: Yeah I guess so, but...your tattoo please. Andy: So going that way, maybe Wilco. Like that’s a band I will never dislike. Travis: You do like Methods of Mayhem though, so maybe you should get a Mayhem... Andy: So that’s the other thing--I don’t trust myself to do that. There’s a lot of things I think would be really really funny. Like any sort of Methods of Mayhem tattoo would be reeally funny. Like just hysterical. Um, yeah yeah...I don’t know. *laughs*  

Me: A lot has been made recently about how classical music must cross genres and get out of its comfort zone to survive in today’s genre-crossing, uncomfortable musical ecosystem. Even in your own concert, you crafted a finely balanced program with pieces commissioned by composers young and old written in pretty disparate styles, from ballet to electro-theater battle music.  Given this viewpoint, where does TLES go from here? What conventional or unconventional performance spaces would you like to perform in? What sorts of collaborations/commissions do you see yourself taking on going forward?

Travis: One thing that I think is interesting about that question was about what spaces would you like to play. You ever go down to the Academy of Sciences? And I’m not joking--you go down to the Academy of Sciences, in the aquarium there’s this gigantic sea bass, and it is like prehistoric. It looks like it’s made out of clay. And my dream—I’m not saying this as a joke, like I’m not saying this in a jocular fashion--I really just want to rock that fish. Like I really wanted to be the fish musician-- I wanted to be the fishician. Andy: The musfician? Travis: I didn’t care. I would clean up the floors at the Academy of Sciences, if just like, you know, when we shut down, I could just kind of wheel my half stack up next to that fish--just fire it up, all low and sludgy and slow. Honestly, that would be my favorite place to put on a show is actually next to that fish tank at the Academy of Sciences. That’s like one of those things where I could take a year off, if I got to do something that cool in an environment like that. I really like the Academy of Sciences. I think it’s a great space. Andy: It is. Me: Andy? Any place you’d like to play? Andy: Naw. Um...I don’t know. Honestly, the places I want to play? Anywhere people can hear us. There are venues I think would be fun to play at...I’ll think of a more interesting answer because I’m sure I have one...well, my view on weddings is similar to this. For like wedding planning and ideal gigs, anywhere that’s not on solid ground. So either in an airplane, on a boat, underwater, outer space. Anywhere that’s not solid ground. *knocks on the floor* Travis: A barge... Andy: Well the barge--there’s that Bargemusic. That would be a fun fucking place to play in New York. Bargemusic—it’s a venue in New York, under the Brooklyn Bridge. Travis: Ha! Andy: They host chamber music. Travis: Really? Andy: Yeah. Travis: All right. *laughs* Bargemusic... Andy: It’s called Bargemusic. Travis: That’s really sweet. Andy: It is. Travis: Do you have to play like Barcarolles? Because that seems like that would be the appropriate music for a barge...would be a Barcarolle. Andy: No, they play like chamber music there. Like Morton Feldman and shit. Travis: That seems unfitting.

  Me: By the way you guys did a phenomenal job at your show. I didn’t get to say it when I saw you, so you accrued a lot of dick sucking interest these past few weeks Travis: Really? Me: Well, figuratively

Andy: That’s why we do what we do, Phil.

    The lively banter you have just experienced is translated directly into musical form in performances by Andy and Travis. The Living Earth Show YouTube channel may be perused here, or, if geography plays to your favor, you can see the group live in San Francisco on June 10th at the Blender 2.0 (1592 Market St) or in Oakland on June 20th at the Garden of Memory (4499 Piedmont Ave.). As the world begins to witness major reforms in how classical music is performed and disseminated, be sure to keep an ear out for two guys plucking and banging at its forefront. You don’t want to be the last person at the string quartet concert when everyone else has moved on to a more…earthy instrumentation.

Interview conducted by Phillip Mayer.

Image via http://thelivingearthshow.com/