BricoLodge020 - James Schidlowsky

what is a guitar? a block of wood with some wires on it. if it's
electric, then there's an electromagnetic pickup or two. but it's still
a resonating board with vibrating strings. what would we hear if we
could listen to the object itself vibrate, rather than the air that it
causes to vibrate? what if we could listen to both at the same time?

what kind of sounds would be produced if one were to weave a spoon into
the strings just so? and then what if we were to rub those strings with
an aluminum rod, or the bottom of a jar? what about bringing the effects
pedals in intermittently? what if one were to try to blur everything so that when
you hear these sounds, you don't think of a guitar, nor even wood &
wires?

i had been playing prepared guitar for a few years, and then upon
hearing Klaxon Gueule's album "Grain", was inspired to develop a more
"electronic" style. perhaps a meaningless term, but i was searching for
something that was less about droning and repetition and more about
bursts and bubbling of sound. it wasn't entirely about changing
preparations or effects, but in attitude. some new objects, like the
spoon and smooth aluminum rod were added, but most importantly a contact
mic. using a mixer, i could create a sound based on the usual pickup on
the guitar as well as the more physical sounds of the guitar body via
the contact mic. both of these had differing amounts of effects and EQ.

i sat down every evening and limited myself to one object for 30
minutes, as opposed to my usual constant changing. this forced me to
discover new sounds. when i found some interesting ones, i would write
the parameters in a notebook and record a little improvisation around
it, as an example.

at some point i felt i really needed to get something out, and i enjoyed
listening to these short improvisations which i felt could stand on
their own. a selection of them thus became _Wood & Wires_, which i
released on a limited blue CDR in March 2003.

i was intending to record a second album, which would utilise a more
mature version of the techniques learned, as well as exploiting
2-channel sound. a few pieces were recorded, but, due to various
circumstances, i was tired of prepared guitar. for this reason and
because _Wood & Wires_ received a poor response, i was no longer
motivated to finish the album. in fact, i stopped playing for a year.