Chris Burke was originally interviewed by Chaos Control way back in 1994, when he and his brother Dan comprised the band Glorified Magnified. Chris is still doing music, notably chiptune under the name Glomag, but he’s also doing a very unique ‘machinima’ series called ‘This Spartan Life.’ It’s a talk show where interviews are conducted within networked Halo games and shot by virtual cameramen. Guests on the show have included filmmaker/video artist Peggy Ahwesh, ‘The Raiders Guys’ (who as kids did a shot-for-shot remake of “Raiders of the Lost Ark”) and former Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren. In an email interview, Chris told us about the show and the process behind it.
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Chris Burke interviewed about the machinima talk show “This Spartan Life”
May 14, 2009 by adminCategory: Gameboy / 8 bit music, Music Interviews, Pop Culture, Technology, TV/FilmComments Off
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Queen Bohemian Rhapsody Old School Computer Remix
April 17, 2009 by adminFound on YouTube, here is a video of “Bohemian Rhapsody” being played on various pieces of old electronic equipment. While some of the items could be considered at least semi-musical (Atari 800XL and Texas Instruments TI-99/4 computers), it’s crazy to see/hear floppy drives used as ‘bass’ and HP Scanjets as ‘vocals’!
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Blip Festival 2007 hits New York
November 28, 2007 by admin
Tomorrow (11/28) marks the beginning of Blip Festival 2007, a 4 day event spotlighting music and art created on old video game and computer equipment. Held at Eyebeam in NYC (540 w 21st St), the festival will feature 40 musicians and visual artists from around the world, as well as workshops, screenings, an “8 Bit Open Mic,” and more. Among the performers will be Bit Shifter, who we interviewed last year ( click here to read ). Admission to the event is $10 a night, or $35 for a festival pass. For more info, check out the Blip Festival 2007 website.
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8-Bit Operators – An 8-Bit Tribute to Kraftwerk
January 30, 2007 by admin
“8-Bit Operators – An 8-Bit Tribute to Kraftwerk” is a new collection of Kraftwerk covers created primarily on old computer equipment and gaming consoles. It was conceived/compiled by Jeremy Kolosine, who under the name Receptors contributed a rendition of “Trans-Europe Express” to the disc. In an email interview, Kolosine explained a bit about the release:1) Kraftwerk are definitely a fitting subject for a release like this, but what specifically led to their music being chosen as the theme?
well the 1st thing that comes to my mind when i saw a gameboy show was Kraftwerk’s Computer World tour from 1981, where 4 of them played various handheld devices during pocket Calculator. plus it came up in print from a Glomag quote, and an 8-Bit Weapon April Fool’s joke that backfired..
2) What would you say the balance is between tracks specifically created for this release, versus Kraftwerk covers that artists had already done?
only one track was previously recorded before i asked, Role Model’s version of “Showroom Dummies”
3) Did any of the tracks particularly surprise you in terms of what was done with the Kraftwerk material, or the types of sounds that an artist got out of their low-bit instruments?
yes, i can think of an example this happening in every song.
4) Has there been any feedback on the project from Kraftwerk on the project?
because it was to be on Kraftwerk’s U.S. home label, we ran the finished tracks by them.
5) Besides covering Kraftwerk and the use of old gaming systems and/or 8-bit computers, was there any criteria that went into the selection of artists for the collection?
i wanted as many of the new wave of 21st century chipmusic/bitpop scene originators/inventors to take part.
6) Why do you think that this type of equipment wasn’t originally taken as seriously in terms of musical creation?
i believe it’s because at the time, the marketing approaches used for synths were still assuming that users wanted realistic emulation of traditional instruments, which may be true, but in that respect, lo-bit technology doesn’t excell so it may have failed because of that (talking synthesis and not sampling technology of course).
“8-Bit Operators – An 8-Bit Tribute to Kraftwerk” also features Bacalao, Glomag, Covox, Role Model, Nullsleep, David E. Sugar, Oliver Wittchow, 8-Bit Weapon, FirestARTer, Neotericz, Herbert Weixelbaum, Bubblyfish, Bit Shifter, GwEm And Counter Reset. It will be released by Astralwerks on February 6, 2007. There’s also a 12″ single/download release (out now) featuring a multi-artist mega-mix of “Pocket Calculator” and an exclusive version of “The Robots.”
• Click here to order the CD from AMAZON
• Click here to visit the 8-Bit Operators myspace pageCategory: Gameboy / 8 bit music, Music Interviews, Music News, TechnologyTags: chiptune | Comments Off
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Blip Festival coming to NYC
October 13, 2006 by adminBeginning on November 30 THE TANK in New York City will be presenting the Blip Festival, “a four-day celebration of over 30 international artists exploring the untapped potential of low-bit video game and home computers used as creative tools.”
Familiar devices are pushed in new directions with startling results — Nintendo Entertainment Systems and Game Boys roaring with futuristic floor-stomping rhythm and fist-waving melody, art-damaged Sega hardware generating fluctuating and abstracted video patterns — and that’s only the beginning. An exploration of the chiptune idiom and its close relatives, the Blip Festival is the biggest and most comprehensive event in the history of the form, and will include daily workshops, art installations, and nightly music performances boasting an international roster larger and more far-reaching than any previous event of its kind. Small sounds at large scales pushed to the limit at high volumes — the Blip Festival is an unprecedented event that is not to be missed.
For more information on the event and the performers, check out the Blip Festival website at : http://www.blipfestival.org/.
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Gameboy musician Bit Shifter interviewed
April 2, 2006 by admin
Thanks to independently developed software such as Nanoloop and Little Sound DJ, the Nintendo Gameboy has turned into the instrument of choice for a growing number of electronic musicians. While the Gameboy’s 8-bit soundchip is somewhat limited, it has a warm, crunchy sound that works well when taken beyond the context of simply supplying video game soundtracks. Musically, Gameboy tracks run the gamut from energetic electronic pop to weird, often scary-sounding experimental stuff. On the more danceable end of the spectrum is New York’s Josh Davis, aka Bit Shifter, who will soon embark on a world tour with fellow NY Gameboy artist Nullsleep. In an email interview, Josh explained a bit about what goes into making music on a device only intended to play games. Category: Gameboy / 8 bit music, Music, Music Interviews, TechnologyComments Off
