The Durians

The Durians

Genres: spoken word, psychedelic

Similar artists via Last.fm

Alan Moore, David J and Tim Perkins Alan Moore Matinkylän Slobo Timothy Leary Holographic Myth Language

About The Durians

The Durians are an Atlanta four-piece whose quest is the sound of the absolutely immediate. Within this quest nests something new: the poem as musical instrument, the evocative values of text neither greater nor less than those asserted by music. Narrative, or the lack thereof, completely informs their improvisations. Or not. The result? A sonic pinwheel of horseplay, utter conviction, and the carefully crafted in advance, creating an aural experience that rewards the careful listener. The Durians have been recording audio works since 1994 and performing live on radio shows and occasional microtours throughout the Southeast US. They have recently released their first CD, “Music Is A Problem For Everyone” (recorded live at Eyedrum and Bull Moon Digital Studios), and are one of the ten bands featured on “Live at Eyedrum,” a CD anthology of live performances at the Atlanta gallery/performance space. History: The Poet was a favorite in the Atlanta poetry scene of the early 80s. In the late 80s and early 90s Stuart Hoffmann, Steve Powell and later Mark Morse were working on original and increasingly experimental pop music under a variety of monikers. With the suggestion that The Poet (whom they had recently met) join them on a live radio show on WRAS in November of 94, the Durians were thrust onto live radio to begin figuring out their sound. Sound: At the heart of the Durians’ sound is the evolving Durian process. Hoffmann elaborates: “Initially, Durians performances were based on barebones arrangements developed collectively about what mood or key changes should occur , but we began to notice that musically the more energized stuff was coming from our studio jams that were free improvs.” An evolutionary leap came when The Poet began to contribute to the improvisational process. The first session of this sort was a watershed event. Says Morse, “It was like watching a great suspense flick, with plot twist after plot twist you didn’t see coming, but they all made sense when taken in context. “We were beginning to combine a lot of different techniques that we were all kind of interested in—found sound, the conductions of Butch Morris, totally free improv, John Zorn’s index card pieces, the Surrealists’ “Exquisite Corpse” ideas and other chance music… all of that began to gel and form something else entirely” explains Morse. “Things really changed when we let the poem become the entire structure and stopped trying to impose any explicitly musical structures on it” Powell reveals. The process used for the live shows documented on “Music Is A Problem For Everyone” works as follows: musicians are given the poems well in advance, but are forbidden to discuss any ideas of how the poems might be interpreted. Says Hoffmann: “the first time anyone hears anyone else’s interpretation is when the piece is performed live, and initially the only relationship between the musical parts is the poem.” The Poet, as the reader, adjusts his delivery to the improvisational landscape. Powell adds, “The words are strong enough to stand on their own and to move the band in identifiable but unspecified directions.” The results are a sound that is alive with the spontaneity of improvisation and has a higher, more focused sense of narrative than one might otherwise find. “That’s not to say we might not embrace more structure to force a change,” suggests Powell. “One of our most important tenets has been a willingness to let go of established formats – even the ones we establish.” Shane Harrison in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “The Durians ----- Experimental Atlanta foursome combines free ranging keyboard, guitar and sax with the poetry of The Poet, which he intones over the improvisational soundscapes. Members cite influences as disparate as Chopin, Blue Oyster Cult, Derek Bailey.”

Taken from Last.fm

53 listeners  ·  3,635 plays via Last.fm