William Basinski Interview: Bubbles of Eternity
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- čas přidán 23. 09. 2013
- Breathe, listen and float away in one of composer William Basinski's timeless amniotic bubbles. Let your dreams lead the way, or as Basinski puts it: "Sometimes we all need to take a chill pill."
Interview with American artist William Basinski (b.1958) about his work, and why he feels we all need to turn off the email and the cell phone, and find our way into a meditative listening mood.
Basinksi explains how he works as an artist, and defines his music as "experimental, electronic, ambient music" based on obsolete technology. Basinski makes analogue tape loops with no beginning or end, thus creating "a timeless amniotic bubble that you can float in." He also talks of his live performances, explaining that he is extremely concentrated on listening intensely to the music, the room and the resonance, while feeling the crowd: "The tendency when you are under pressure like that, is to try and do too much, but you have to fight that tendency, in order to listen" he adds.
William Basinski is a classically trained musician and composer who has been working in experimental media for over 30 years. His 4-disc masterwork 'The Disintegration Loops' from 2004 received international critical acclaim. Installations and films made in collaboration with artist-filmmaker James Elaine have been presented in festivals and museums internationally, and Basinksi has recently created music for the Robert Wilson opera 'The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic' which toured Europe in 2012 and North America in 2013.
William Basinksi was interviewed by Alexander Vesterlund at CLICK festival, Helsingør, Denmark, May 2013.
Photographer: Klaus Elmer
Editing by Kamilla Bruus
Music by William Basinski
Copyright: Louisiana Channel, 2013
Supported by Nordea-fonden - Krátké a kreslené filmy
I love him. I live in a very isolated place deep in the countryside of new Zealand. Surrounded by nothing's but miles of rolling green hills forest, rivers,trees, birds and sheep. No people or manmade things. His music is the soundtrack to my existence.
Are you happy where u are?
@@leorrocher sounds like a nice relaxing place
His voice is just as calming as his music
I love this guy. I found the Disintegration Loops by accident almost and have been listening to everything he has done. He's awesome. Seems a thoroughly nice lad too.
His music is profound in its ability to strike something emotionally below the surface of consciousness the way all good art does.
Roman Pellegrino what a way of expression i been searching for this exact expression as weird as it sounds
🚶♂️
He evokes primordial/primitive emotions.
I’ve been an ambient fan for a very long time, I discovered him by accident and it’s been a very deep connection for me ever since. Amniotic bubble is a very accurate description of his loops. It’s so easy to get lost in them and for me an overwhelming flood of emotions. Happy, sad, lost, found. It’s so deep.
It’s humbling to see even a genius and a master in his realm speak so softly.
It was also a little saddening for me to see his insecurity show when trying to validate his method of performing -
It’s okay William, you’re a musical genius and you don’t have to explain how difficult your method and process is. 8 billion people on the planet and no one sounds like you.
Ive been falling asleep to his music for years
wtf i do the same every night
Him , brian eno and aphex twin are my sleep gods
Cascade is my Ambien.
If you are falling asleep then ya don't get it.
Jon Jon, don’t be so pretentious.
The savior of ambient music .
The Shed yes, it literally died on 9/11 and from the ashes it was reborn from within it’s own decay
Ambient never needed saving
A genius and big inspiration for me.
Absolute Genius
I made my first loops after watching this. The journey begins.
i want to hear
I would hope The Solway Spaceman would be proud
Share
But I know the person standing behind you is your mother and not a ghostly entity.
I would like to hear if anything came from your embarking into looping
His music almost puts you back in the womb..
My favourite times to listen to his music are walking at dusk or midnight around a beach or through the suburban streets, city lights in the distance, just wandering and wondering.
Right up there next to Eric Satkie and Brian Eno
and Wolfgang Voight*
and Leyland Kirby
Aphex Twin, Locust Toybox, Burial, Squarepusher
GREATEST OF ALL TIME
Fascinating to hear him speak of his process and his work. I have been chillin' to a few of his pieces over the past year or so..
An absolute genius. For sure one of my favourite artists.
It is incredible how William Basinski manages to capture the sound of the early 20th century of Europe, yet being more post-European New York in sound. Hard to describe, but his ambient works are truly art.
dude, what the fuck?
His music is so sublime. I find it to be fragile and wistful. It gives me the feeling of what is known in Welsh as hiraeth.
Thats cool, i have seen that term on vaporwave tapes before!
I love his music. And I like him. He seems nice and sweet and funny.
That was great . He explains it so well ...When you go there you are taking us with you . Big fan also ...
He is absolutely amazing. My kind of person.
Fantastic music and art. I had the privilege to see him play at Way Out West in 2016. I actually went in to a bobble and time stoped for a while. For real.
got into his music a few days ago not heard much yet but it's just beautiful - melancholia II is my favourite thing ever i think. glad there are interviews up here too was scared he was gonna be some kind of spooky ghost but he seems a nice guy (8
I love his music, genius... I feel it deeply...
Your voice harmonizes with the music you make.
Had an awesome conversation with him a few years ago just about food haha
I met William in London this January, he was such a wonderful beautiful and sweet man. He was very kind.
Nice account picture
He's a very accessible artist. I've had a few email exchanges with him. I just wish that he would come to Glasgow.
Any Tim Hecker fans here?
@@alexleonard397me!
Love him, love his music, loved the interview!
i know exactly what he means by a loop becoming a bubble of perfection
Pure brilliant sound making genius. We are fortunate William Basinski makes us feel such great emotions.
thank you William, I hope you know that we and I appreciate your effort and prose take on ambient.
What a BASEinski voice he have
Love his music and approach to sound
Every great artist can articulate his manifesto.
Yes.
I'm catching this years later. This is still good years later.
Mhm so nice to listen to him talking
breathe and dream
love it x
Thanks.
Oh man. The amniotic bubble. That resonates.
Loop-a -zoola! A great artist in his pomp.
Yo lo vi aquí en Mexico en la noche, en un lago y fue una experiencia única
This is my bg music when I work.
Great composer
Amo a este sujeto
I would've loved to have heard a conversation between him and Mr. Rogers.
magician.
Going to see him next Sunday in London Kings Place.
John Ayres I was there, I loved the new piece and met him afterwards!
ghettowinnebago Yes I enjoyed it as well, Alva Noto next concert for me, at the Barbican in March.
¡¡¡Gracias Maestro!!! solo una pregunta ¿hacia donde va esta música?
When is he coming to australia?
what are these reel to reel's ?
what model are they ?
sweet
put this man's music and a Rothko painting with some fresh.... er.... apple juice, and you gots yourself a good time!
G.E.N.I.U.S
Watching the hit sitcom Taxi in reverse brought me here.
serio muito foda
Good
I love this comment section
Existence is a loop
Interesting and articulate man, sort of like an effeminate Iggy Pop. Good composer, "The Disintegration Loops" is one of the best Experimental recordings.
3:52 What's the name of that loop?
+Piotrek Czyński think is The Deluge (Denouement) From his last album
The guy reminds me of my high school litterature teacher
must've been a great teacher
tell me the title of track at 4:05 please
The Deluge (Denouement)
Anyone know the track at 3:55?
I drink coffe and I loop things.
"It takes me into the alpha zone"
Heineken.
Far out. Far fucking oooout
@ 3:15 he had to force himself to get out of his creative mind try to be and explain his methods for the vicarious sojourners. William is definitely a gracious mind that just enjoys where his creative stems take him; moreover, when passion touches you, the creations become harder to explain. Stuff like this allows you to wander in your thoughts, and maybe, just maybe through the ephemeral wandering, you accidently find yourself in your self in a singular place where the self needs no explanation. Right where you started.
ambient music is something that's easy to listen to in the background. Nail on chalkboard screeching and scratching like a radio that won't tune in isn't that. Music isn't the same things as a series of awful noises that sound like you have water in your ear after getting your eardrum blown out
His music is a thing of absolute beauty.
His sweater in this interview ... Is not
Great music. But w/ this artist it's best not to look behind the curtain.
Why? Because he doesn't fit the idea you had of him in your head?
“Experimental ambient electronic music” - So just dark vaporwave
Ambient is way older than vaporwave XD
Try again.
"I don't actually have the skill to play any instruments and I don't have the talent to come up with an actual song so I just make bullshit noises and call it 'experimental'".
What you just wrote is a bullshit noise if you pronounce it loudly :) What Basinski manages to do is sometimes magic ;)
so make noise, whats the problem
He can play the clarinet mate, nice try though.
you are not allowed to understand, so go home
@Josh Lavigne He also plays the saxophone which is probably more than you can do.