OCR Text |
Show No, music listening itself is not really a social activity .unless you're listening to Zaireeka by the Flaming Lips. Originally released in 1997, Zaireeka is a four-dis- c set in which all four discs are to be played simultaneously. Or as it says on the J U by Dan Thomas Let's ten to the music, or it fills up the background as you and your friends discuss the pros and cons of safety tabs on lighten. And if you re a music face it, listening to music usually a social activity. Yeah, you can go club with friend s, but as long as the band is playing, things are too loud for any deep conversation. The same goes for listening to records. Either you actively lis- - geek like me, you really prefer to zone out in a dark room with headphones oa - -- 1 J fK3m- -- ...jin ii m ; .. album cover, an "experiment with multiple sound sources, listener participation and new dimensions of sound." That means you have to get four separate stereo systems and at least two people to cue up the discs. It is a music experience unlike any other, and if you're hicky, it will change the way you think about music Lips lead singer Wayne Coyne describes the evolution of the Zaireeka experiment in great detail In the album's liner notes. The project was first conceived as "the parking lot experiments," in which 50 cars or so were strategically positioned in a covered parking garage and given cassette tapes to play. Each tape contained specific recorded material everything from orchestral melodies to mosquitoes buzzing. "What resulted," Coyne writes in the liner notes, "with varying degrees of was a sort of surround sound, inner sound, tape deck performaa kind of mutated symphony nce-well, where the musicians are just tape decks." Coyne's next ambition was to translate the parking lot experiments on to a recorL.some way. , At one point he realized that different CD players play at different speeds. If you put two copies of the same album into two different play er s, they will e v entually go out cf sync with each other. This is an Interesting phenomenon itself and I recommend trying it with some of your favorite albums. This discovery was the crucial element non-succes- t random-precisio- 3 o 7' 1 - &m 1 I Dn trsvtly trks t$ start three cf the four Lips disks hfcjtffwiih m cutsUe eld. ; 1 1 A ...... it .... ....... 1. format that led to the idea of the four-dis- c "I would try to present music that was both clear and confusing," writes Coyne, "music that would be unfamiliar even after a thousand listens. Music that according to the normal ideas of what music Is, doesn't work-Instof listening to a song and passively being either entertained or boi ed, the listener would be engaged and agitat-ed-Ia state of suspended anticipation." When my friends and I have "Zaireeka parties (laugh all you want we know we're dorks) we try to get four full stereos with good speakers. This is rather important as the album Is sonically dynamic. There's even a warning on the front cover that reads, "WARNING:.This recording also contains frequencies not normally heard on commercial recordings and on rare occasion has caused the listener to become disead n s, n, oriented." It is no lie. Pack some AdviL While Zaireeka Is best heard in its full form, it can also be listened to with one, two or three discs. Hearing bits of the album gives the listener insight into how the different instruments fit together as pieces of a puzzle. For example, Disc see mps, page 113 I Where it matters most i 0 ...'" f s, ."1 ! As one of the world's leading diversified technology companies, we're breaking new defense and commercial electronics to business aviation and special mission aircraft. As a Raytheon ground in everything from employee, you'll contribute to the development of exciting, revolutionary technology designed to make life better, easier and safer throughout vrr- STARS air traffic control system. And our - But it all starts with you. future. In return, opportunities. award-winnin- the world. Such as our NightSightTM technology. Your creativity. Your knowledge. And enthusiasm we offer exceptional A supportive, down-to-eart- h training and professional work environment. about the development And incredible benefits including flexible schedules designed fo respect your quality of life. Visit our Career Booth on Wednesday, March 27 So, you can still show off all those great qualities of yours outside work, too. Please your resume to: resumerayjobs.com (ASCII text only; no attachments). U.S. citizenship may be required. We are an equal opportunity employer. Opportunities are available in the following areas: Computer Science Computer Engineering Electrical Engineering Mechanical Engineering Math rJ Ar Ur J ) I f c I J Physics Chemical Engineering Aeronautical Engineering FinanceAccounting Human Resources Check out our Website at VWAV.rayjobS.COmCampilS for further information including a calendar of recruiting events. At Raytheon, we strive to be the employer of choice for a diverse workforce by attracting, retaining, and recognizing the most talented, resourceful and creative people. Bringing technology to the edge U jt: y.f i RED Magazine ii march 27, 2002 7 |