Why does everyone think Derek Bailey (and his fans) are po-faced?

Derrick Bailey once said in Wire words to the effect, "Why do people listen to recorded music? What do they do while it's playing" He was genuinely puzzled. The interview shyly suggested that the listener might make a cup of tea while the music was playing. This was a classic Surreal Wire Moment.

the rest of us just smile

When Keith Rowe did a solo set a couple years ago in Chicago, he asked gave a very short, humble introduction in which he asked the crowd not to applaud, and invited members of the audience to come up and play after he was finished. Afterwards, everyone applauded, and no one took him up on his offer.

oh and for the record I love Bailey, and everyone should read the interview with him in John Corbett's book, blah blah blah

C'mon, Bailey recorded a feedback blowout with Buckethead - and it was one the greatest things he's ever done!

(julio told me that b.wats0n's book on bailey is out this autumn: haha pigeons meet cat)

then there is the record with tristan hosinger where he barks as well as play the cello. that again is funny to me.

last week I watched alan wilkinson and some other guitarist at ryan's bar (the venue is below this bar/restaurant). they both play very loud at times. I sit at the front. there is this big window and I can see that ppl drinking outside are puzzled abt this sound and they look toward the window and then some guy is standing right next to it and he starts pointing at and covering his ears. I find this incident funny as well.

I have seen derek live once. it was polite as i recall.

ppl sometimes miss when the ending of an imporvisation and might clap early or if the improvisation ends badly for some reason that is a source of amusement too.

I think keith has a point abt reviews etc. derek releases many recs a year and they are reviewed by the same group of ppl who only review free improv/avant garde recs so after a while you can't expect much.

the wire has too many reviews.

but keith wants a slagging off (on the issue w/yo la tengo one reader asked for similar letters abt AMM etc) it seems to 'balance' things. damn reviewing a record on its own merits, apparently you need to keep a scorecard of bad:good reviews.

do scroll down

Derek bailey Milo fine duo on wednesday 26th, Leo smith (w improvisers) (and J pierce) on the 29th march

but yes, for the un-initiated, han bennink is quite the stge show to watch, let alone the noise he makes,.. maybe explains the laughter on Han

peter brotzmann seems to live out the more euphorically absurd qualities of his playing as he moves himself complete with instrument of whatever size all over the stage -- when i saw him live i really could not contain myself laughing, which just added to the hysterically speed zonk intelligent reclessness of the music he was playing

oh and cecil taylor verbally and physically addressing the piano, interrogating it, stalking it, attempting to seduce it, etc.. all part of that (they call it) "free form poetry" that often accompanies his perfomances (and maybe he's wearing a purple clown costume for a special occasion) -- don't tell me that stuff isn't meant to be laughed at

they're all great all round entertainers

bailey's ideas about how there cannot be any point to pre-conceived compositions, his book on improvistaion,.. all his school of thought i suppose -- to me he's more, a bit like coltrane, stuck within a range of harmonics, or perhaps a range relative harmonic dissonances

all these guys stick to their guns, but po-faced, i dunno -- certainly bailey seems to have produced the smallest crop of followers

me agreeing w.gosset re schools of thought/followers in ref the avant g. (except i think DB would agree w.this also)

A case in point, the first time ever i saw AMM (cue for a song) was a free gig at an art gallery in Glasgow - this was open to the public and so had kids and old age pensioners and all sorts milling around. I was there with two of my friends who had no idea who or what AMM were. We were standing directly behind Keith Rowe (AMM were playing in the middle of the room encircled by the audience). At one juncture, Keith Rowe started playing his guitar with a scouring pad, at which point one of my friends burst out laughing (and why not it was funny)- hearing this, a guy who was sitting in front of me jumped up and turned round and said (to me), "Do you mind, some of us take this music very seriously". To which I replied, "I take this music fucking seriously now sit down you little prick and shut the fuck up". Exeunt little prick. Of course, after the gig, my laughing friend ended up nattering away to Keith Rowe and asked him what brand of scouring pad he preferred...

Generally, improv is often very funny to witness, which is one of the sweetest things about it. However, Derek Bailey isn't one of its funniest practitioners, it must be admitted!

I have seen AMM a couple of times (the last time a couple of weeks ago) and Keith had all these toys or whatever and he'd shove them in amongst the strings and I found it funny bcz I don't think he's pluck those strings with his fingers once. Though i didn't laugh out loud.

from what you're saying dada there are ppl who take music incredibly seriously and forget their manners in the process. that's v unfortunate but not all ppl who like this kind of music are like that (at least that's what i'd like to think but i don't talk to anyone at gigs).

Mark S is TOTALLY OTM abt Bailey's sound being diff. in the 60s/70s/80s/90s, which apart from deliberate stylistic modifications/variations, also comes out of his need/desire to put himself in new playing situations.

Well neither do i unless its to tell them to sit down and shut the fuck up

The only person who can get away with the slapstick stuff is Han Bennink just because of the man's sheer unstoppable power and momentum. Especially when he's in duet with Misha Mengelberg, one of the great straight men in all of jazz/improv.

that new cdr with the 19 string PHWOARR!!

as to carla bley, see this thread