This is Not ‘Rolling Stone’!

Every Picture Tells A Story…

These pictures are from the Castings (an experimental band from Newcastle I have mentioned previously) MySpace page. I feel they reveal a great deal about experimental music, the way it is composed and performed.

There are many parallels that can be drawn between the defining features of the photographs and the characteristics of experimental music. In looking at the photos, there appears to be a certain amount of disorder. Instruments are everywhere, all over the floor, cords are running everywhere, tangled up. The room is messy and untamed and consists of a mish mash of objects, including musical and decorative and functional.

This can be likened to the unorganised nature of experimental music. Sounds cover sounds, things clash and there is a distinctive feeling of unorder, which is heightened by the use of improvisation. The multiple instruments reinforce the multitude of sounds possible within experimental music. The music can be seen as a journey in itself where the final product or the end destination isn’t known. The eclectic appearance of the room emphasises the unique and diverse qualities of experimental music.

The multiple instruments emphasise experimental music’s fascination with sound combination and sound production. The whole space has a feel of creativity and communication, which can be seen through the music – the music is the mode of communication. All the instruments and members of the band are connected in some way by the cords on the floor. This can be seen through the music and how it is created through musical experimentation within the members of the band.

The black and white tonal qualities of the photographs can be likened with the rawness of experimental music. The gradation of shading demonstrates the possibilities of light and shade within the music – there is an absence of colour which I think indicates how some people see experimental music. The pieces classed as experimental music are often long and revolve around gradual and seemingly untraceable changes in sound. The photos, through their black and white tones, reinforce this as well as the sometimes seemingly uneventful quality of the music.

I really love these photos and I believe they capture not only the band perfectly but reinforce the qualities of experimental music. I believe they are a great reflection of experimental music.

Millie