EMP Pop Conference 2010

Call for proposals announced:

Call for Proposals
The Pop Machine: Music and Technology
Experience Music Project|Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame
Seattle, April 15-18, 2010
 
Popular music might be narrated as a story of sounds and the machines that make them. From the talking drum and parlor room piano to the Gibson Les Paul, from the Edison phonograph to Roland 808 beatbox and Antares Autotune software, how have pop’s contraptions reflected, inflected, and mediated musical history? What changes when we start with the technology that makes the ineffable material, and its shaping of modes of production and consumption? As we close out a decade of momentous change at all levels of popular music, this is a salient moment for rethinking the continual dialogue in pop between the new and the traditional. Note: this call is not aimed only at gearheads. What counts as human is produced in and through the use of technologies. We need to hear the voices that wrap flesh around the wiring. 
 
Topics can cover any era or style of music and may include, but are not limited to:
Hardware:  the effect of equipment on how we make, record, disseminate, and fetishize music.
Business: economies of scale(s), the demand for profit in changing technological contexts.
Identity: how youth culture, Afromodernism, and transgender/transsexual personas, manufactured divas and real fem-bots, among other pop categories, deploy technology.
Technology in the 2000s: iPods, computer game music, music and war, digital technology exhuming analog artifacts.
Aesthetics: "perfect sound forever" to pixelation and lossy file formats; Computer Love erotics; power chords from amplified blues to Guitar Hero.
"The street finds its own use for things": working class, global, racial, and other subaltern appropriations of technology, from sound systems to rock camps for girls.
Bodies as technologies: the "natural" as a response to changing artifices; the voice as a modifiable tool.
Music writing and the technological formations it rests upon.
Anxieties and doubts: folk revivalists, roots rockers, and other tech-refuseniks.
 
The Pop Conference at EMP|SFM, now in its ninth year, joins academics, critics, performers, and dedicated fans in a rare common discussion. The conference is sponsored by the American Music Partnership of Seattle (Experience Music Project, the University of Washington School of Music, and KEXP 90.3 FM), through a grant from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. This year’s program committee members are: writer and filmmaker Raquel Cepeda, Jasen Emmons (EMP|SFM), musician Sean Nelson, Tavia Nyong’o (New York University), Lauren Onkey (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum), Ann Powers (Los Angeles Times), Jody Rosen (Slate), Barry Shank (Ohio State University), Tyina Steptoe (University of Washington), and Tim Taylor (University of California, Los Angeles).

Please send proposals of 250 words, with 50 word bio, to organizer Eric Weisbard (University of Alabama) at E✧✧✧.Weisb✧✧✧@gm✧✧✧.c✧✧. Deadline for proposals is Tuesday, December 15. Panel proposals, for either three presenters (90 minutes) or four (105 minutes), should include overview language and individual proposals, plus panelist bios. We welcome unorthodox proposals and proposals aimed explicitly at a general interest audience.

In case that address gets wiped, Eric dot Weisbard at gmail dot com

It begins.

Speaking of music tech, did y'all see Wayne Marshall's posting on mobile music and bass culture and treble culture (trying to feel the bass through an ipod or iphone).

http://wayneandwax.com/?p=2332

One week to the deadline for submissions. I hope you're all cooking up something good.

Yup. Now I just need to actually write it up...

Same here. I don't usually focus on the tech involved in music so it took forever to come up with a topic that fit the bill. Good luck!

when i see these threads i get anxious and think should i try and come up with something for this cuz it was so much fun that time i went to seattle but how could it be better maybe i should leave well enough alone and just have a great memory of a great time but it WAS a lot of fun and it was nice to hang out with people but what if...

cuz i'm crazy like that.

and i would have to go for a reason to go all that way. which means i'd have to use my brain to come up with somethinng cool to read. and my brain isn't what it used to be. but it would be nice to see ned cuz i like ned!

the metal thing i read there is gonna be in some sort of emp book.

Deservedly so. It ran in an issue of Yeti already, didn't it? (And thanks for the kind words!)

Even if I don't submit a proposal, I plan on attending. You should come, Scott!

Ann Powers (Los Angeles Times)

Christ, if this isn't a c-o-i, I dunno what is.

Theoretically speaking, she could also just make hubby Eric look bad through her selections, although yea maybe her position on this year's program committee does hurt a little. Although some might say her marital status doesn't matter here, since she is the LA Times pop music critic.

Even that comes with <A HREF="http://www.dickdestiny.com/blog/2009/10/proper-care-and-feeding-of-upper-crust.html";>an asterisk</A>.

Two days to go. Proposal is mostly written though I'm going to let it rest a bit before polishing up a final draft.

Powers used to work at EMP so wtf at sour grapes for having her on the committee. Everyone should send in a pitch & attend regardless, this is an awesome time. Sent mine in, got a quick reply that I think means they're making decisions in January.

That's the usual time the responses roll out.

I'd love to participate, but the ideas just aren't coming. Except I think Eyedea & Abilities should be invited out to demonstrate the Vestex Controller 2000.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY9Zun4u7W8

Whoops, "One," not "2000."

Maybe Trent Reznor would be a good guest, if they could get him?

My pitch isn't about her, but this line

Bodies as technologies: the "natural" as a response to changing artifices; the voice as a modifiable tool.

got me thinking about Laurie Anderson in general and this bit in specific:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOl2DBIrBPs

Sent! Good luck everyone!

I'm v. pleased to say my proposal has been accepted!

Congratulations! What is it on?

very cool, ned! i hope you have a lot of fun with it.

Thanks very much! The title is "The Listener as Electronic Librarian," and I already have a slew of ideas for it. Working for a library will definitely help there!

Oh man, that's fantastic Ned! Hope there'll be a way for those of us who won't be at EMP to read your paper.

Oh trust me, there will be.

Congratulations Ned! My proposal was turned down, sorry I won't be there this year.

A bummer! V. much enjoyed yours last year.

It wouldn't have been the same without you (& your Disco Inferno). Not sure if I ever properly thanked you for that, so - thanks!

Hey no worries! (I did tell you that the bandmembers themselves enjoyed that, yes?)

Well, that makes my day.

Schedule now up.

And YES I'm on Friday and in the morning. I love getting things out of the way early.

I saw that last night and was sad because I'm not going and it looks like it'll be great. I hope they put stuff up on iTunes.

Also, being on a panel with Douglas Wolk, Tim Quirk and Nick Minichino = cool!

Also, being on a panel with Douglas Wolk, Tim Quirk and Nick Minichino = cool!

Uncool = being on a panel in the exact same time slot as that one!

Get everyone to crash our panel. Though I suspect there would be complaints.

are these ever filmed or recorded or anything?

will plug my buddy's presentation here ... wish i could make it! http://www.empsfm.org/education/index.asp?categoryID=26&ccID=127&xPopConfBioID=1295&year=2010

It seems like they always talk about filming these or video-streaming them and then it never happens. :(

The Conference should just pay Ned. What stamina – he sits there tap-tapping away.

If there were four of me I could cover the whole thing but alas.

i can't believe chuck is finally going to one of these. awww, now i really wish i were going. oh well. what can you do?

and now that this is written down in public i can cut and paste it:

"He lives in Austin, Texas, and is currently putting together a collection of his best writing for Duke University Press."

Paging Ned:

so what is jump up in the air actually called

"jump up in the air and stay there"
"jump up in the air (and stay there)"
"jump up in the air (stay there)"

― لوووووووووووووووووووول (lex pretend), Thursday, February 25, 2010 6:27 AM (7 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

it's when i ask questions like those that i reflect on how last.fm has ruined my life

― لوووووووووووووووووووول (lex pretend), Thursday, February 25, 2010 6:28 AM (7 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Um, context?

Oh wait, I get it. I thought you were asking me to answer Lex's question.

And thank you, yes, that's the kind of thing I'll be talking about!

haha

i think it was tracer hand who said recently that our brave new digital future sometimes feels a lot like unpaid data entry work, also cf rtc and i at Teedra Moses

Congrats Ned and co.

If I wasn't going to be in Holland at Roadburn on these exact dates, I'd totally be in Seattle rooting for you.

Ned, your topic reminded me of this old article by Chris Fujiwara (film scholar/journalist/Cul de Sac's first bass player). Thought you might like the way he frames some of the issues (at least until he breaks out the Bakhtin). Enjoy!

Will you be liveblogging your own presentation as it happens?

so mad I had to miss the conference this year

Definitely a bummer you weren't here!

Coverage complete, overview and the clip of my presentation to come...

I will probably never ever get to attend one of these things so really appreciate the coverage, Ned. And glad to hear your presentation went well.

Yeah, thanks Ned--I'm enjoying living vicariously through you.

Never a problem! Always good to do but I do admit I'm glad I'm done for this year, starting to feel the post-conference crash. Glad I'm not going back to work until Tuesday!

Ned - did you go to the panel with Xgau Eddy, Powers, Wolk, etc, didn't see that on your site.

In some years past the New York Times and others have had writeups of this on Monday. We'll see...

xpost -- Was at another panel but it was covered on Twitter by about fifty people. Search #EMP2010

http://twitter.com/randlechris/statuses/12369638561

same thing, worded a bit differently: http://twitter.com/tbquirk/statuses/12369530418

No way do I look as young as this fellow says (and I also smile more, and didn't mention AC/DC), but I kind of like his writeup anyway:

http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2010/04/18/emp-pop-con-day-one-part-two-and-day-two-part-one-church-girls-rooms-radio-kills-the-vaudeville-star-lady-sound-gloves-and-the-dude-etc-etc/

Was very fun being there, and meeting and re-connecting with people.

Lots of folks were tweeting your line about wanting to send the Animal Collective guy far away.

Yeah, that would've been a difficult wisecrack not to make, given the perfect setup.

Btw, a couple panels that I got a lot out of that I haven't seen anybody mention were Charles Hughes on how FDR's Rural Electrification Act changed music in the '30s and Melanie Morgan on Regional Mexican Radio (the latter only attended by four people, which was sad, but there was definitely a lot of stuff going on Thursday afternoon.) Lots of other good panels, too, of course, and Nile Rodgers at the opening keynote thing was a laugh riot.

And here's Chris Estey on some Thursday panels:

http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2010/04/17/day-one-of-emp-pop-conference-2010-at-the-emplsfm-they-don%E2%80%99t-call-it-the-bleeding-edge-for-nothing-or-standing-on-the-shoulders-of-longing-for-the-past/

So it's moving to Los Angeles next year?

Apparently they're talking about that; don't think that's been finalized yet.

did you have fun, chuck?

Yeah, lots! But I spent too much money and drank too much beer. (Also, I was a nervous wreck most of Saturday, waiting for my panel to start. Was worried I wouldn't have anything to say! I swear I'm not joking.)

It was very great meeting Chuck at last! A good soul.

that basically sounds like my experience when i went. lots of fun, beer, money spent, and some dread about the thing i was there for. and meeting ned, of course. LOTS of dread there.

xp So is Ned!! Great meeting him, too! Honestly, there were so many people I've been talking to for decades but had never met in person (or maybe had only met for five minutes once when they stopped by the Voice office years ago, like Kembrew McLeod); that was really cool.

one of the reasons i kinda fear the idea of going to another one is that i had such a perfectly perfect experience when i went. what are the odds of that happening again? or maybe i'm just a weirdo. that could be it.

I had a great time my two years (although I did want to see more of the city on the second trip). Would have loved to get beers with xhuxk and catch Ned's presentation.

Well the latter I can help you with! I've reviewed the file -- thanks to Jaq again! -- and all I have to do is download and split it for YouTube when I get home. Hopefully all up by tomorrow, along with the actual text.

Okay, so:

http://nedraggett.wordpress.com/2010/04/19/video-and-text-of-my-emp-pop-conference-2010-presentation-the-listener-as-electronic-librarian/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddp-QlqDtpo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOB0Vzh6ee4

oh man, PSYCHED. gonna watch 'em now. thanks Ned!

(apologies for gorillapod slippage around the 1:18 mark in the first half, 15 secs of shakiness while I got it straightened back up)

awesome speech

looool @ the Wolk part too

I loved that part, I love it even more now. So brilliant.

So what was the deal with that nekkid guy dancing to Alanis Morisette?

One of those 'best left obscure' things, I suspect.

xp I really enjoyed that, thanks for uploading it!

A few qs: Have you done any other EMP talks...and is the submission criteria open to everyone, so a uni undergrad like me could possibly pitch something? Wishful thinking hehehe

You're most welcome!

This was my first presentation to EMP but I've attended four or five of them now. Anyone is welcome to submit. The call for proposals usually goes around in September/October with a December deadline.

Thanks for posting those clips, Ned! As a first-time presenter/attendee I loved last weekend - there were great papers on every panel and fun times in between them. I'm glad Nile Rodgers is apparently writing a memoir.

Thanks for recording/posting that! Good presentation.

Hey, thanks everyone. I'm my own worst critic so I'm v. pleased to know it went over well!

Loved the line about 'the digital revolution' being more akin to unpaid data entry.

Ha, that came from here! Read upthread!

ILM...is there anything it can't do?

My paper is up: http://thediscography.tumblr.com/post/536754097/heres-the-paper-i-delievered-on-sunday-at-the-emp-pop

Nice, Matos! I see Todd Edwards paired with Marc Leclair when people talk about that stuff. I'm personally less familiar with DJ Koze, but his work makes for an interesting compare/contrast in your paper.

And @Ned across many xposts, thanks for posting the videos, I enjoyed hearing the full paper after getting an overview during your San Francisco visit.

Ha, I can't imagine how I was trying to sum it up then, now that I think about it!

Oh psych, you used the Hermenaut piece! Great job all around.

Thanks -- meantime I've gone through and updated all notes to include links and to clean up glitches in spacing and the like, plus links to full papers as I hear about them (thus Matos's).

And that said, one last post:

http://nedraggett.wordpress.com/2010/04/21/and-final-thoughts-on-the-emp-pop-conference-2010/

And...scene.

kexp blog wrapup

http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2010/04/19/2010-pop-conference-at-empsfm-the-pop-machine-wrap-up/#more-37046

http://amusicology.wordpress.com/2010/04/26/2010-pop-conference-at-emp-review/

I likeed reading on this blog entry about how Daphne Carr's paper got presented on cassette tape because she could not attend.

ooooooooooo, I wanna go to Los Angeles next year!

http://www.afropop.org/multi/feature/ID/940/African%20Music%20Breaches%20American%20Rock%20(Banning%20Eyres%202010%20EMP%20Pop%20Conference%20talk)

I posted this on the Global Whirled World 2010 thread also--Banning Eyre's "Not Your Daddy's Rumba" presentation

Semi-related to Banning's presentation, I saw in Rolling Stone Magazine a little blurb where Vampire Weekend's singer says he reads about reggaeton on Wayne Marshall's wayne and wax blog.