About evilSpins ...
Rather than explaining the "artistic" approach of evilspins in too formal a manner, I prefer to freely share the notes and sketches as a testament to the project's long genesis (2019 -> 2024) :
"The idea of the name comes from Anton Newcombe, who defines music as something that must remain independent,
hence his quote "keep music evil", from which 'evil' and 'spins' refer to music as an object that turns (cassette,
vinyl, CD...), music is a living object in perpetual motion and it's 'evil' / independent / unmanageable because
it makes you dance, it takes the listener without even realizing it.
Each compilation is the original soundtrack of a non-existent film. It must leave room for imagination and
reflection.
A compilation tries to produce the effect of a film, to provoke imagination.
It's an opportunity to decontextualize forgotten, outdated, or unconsciously caricatured musical genres
(bluegrass,
punk, folk, hip-hop...) or simply to discover new genres.
Approach music without thinking about the stylistic references of the piece, like in a film.
A compilation can therefore offer several readings,
- a panel of characters,
- several versions (short, long like a director's cut, side A/B (side B could be a parallel version with the same
artists in the same order but with different titles very close))
- several possible reading modes (mode 1: only the mixed sound and artworks (only play/pause is available),
mode 2: portraits and names of the protagonists, anecdotes, quotes, and web links (possibility to go to the
next/previous track and to 'seek'))
- an artwork (square format (vinyl) or 16/9 + black band (cinema)) - vocal samples to make characters speak?
(samples of artists in interviews, for example)
- a mix must follow this order:
List of quintessence sound :
1. accessible but instrumental
2. more researched and instrumental
3. more rhythmic instrumental
4->7. rhythmic sung
8. rhythmic instrumental
9. Instrumental
10. bluegrass final Evils spins from the idea that music needs the imagination of its listener.
11. hidden track
Design: timeline of the player like the itinerary of a journey on a map OR like a display board at a train
station/airport "A problem created cannot be solved by thinking in the same way it was created." "God only depends
on the imagination of men" Drawing situations where you meet someone you think you know well but who doesn't have
the same vision of things as you. Example: discussion about music and completely divergent points of view, (Nick
Waterhouse = completely inaccessible jazz) Going to see local labels inventing a religion and therefore a god, is
only a way to personify one's conscience. The projects converge on the concept of a "cyber residence of artists"
drawing a face to one's morality. Dreams are nightmares, nightmares are dreams. Starting from reflections on the
use
of new technologies; questioning one's use of the internet on one's computer, phone, etc., allows one to wonder
what? when? why do I need the internet, to watch a movie, to listen to music... In my case, the answers to these
questions propose a use that mixes tools and methods from different eras. TOOLS & METHODS FROM DIFFERENT
ERAS/CONTEXTS Just like in the film 'La fille du 14 juillet', it can be very interesting to play on the contrasts
between different eras by mixing them in the same visual and sound realization. Idea of realization graphic novel
or
comic book: Observation: with the revolution of the internet and new technologies, cinema has become a major art
that everyone masters more or less. The public's gaze is sharpened and everyone knows how to apprehend
cinematographic realization. The plans, camera movements, sound effects are a language that everyone knows how to
read (cinema is carried by all through downloading & streaming) ... and even write (I can make a film with my
phone,
reflex cameras have become affordable). How to draw cinema? Try to take key scenes from cinema, draw/paint them
and
animate them. fixed plan? traveling? zoom? panoramic? plunge? counter-plunge? wide-angle? long focal? work on the
Wikipedia of 'film noir' re-watch film noir link with the polar noir? film noir has a pretentious approach at
first
glance. so we need to find a technique (visual? sound?) to disarm this bad image. to do this we need to start by
isolating and understanding the possible pretentious aspect of film noir.
The solitude of the character? The
voice-overs that narrate the thoughts? The appearance of the protagonist? The cliché (visual & script) of the
polar
noir too worn out? (the detective alone in his thoughts, in his apartment smoking a cigarette on the balcony) the
cigarette can still be a more powerful visual element than a cliché transition with animation of the cigarette?
cigarette = huge filmographic symbol == we find it in most films especially in the era of film noir == commercial
influence tool == influence of American culture (cowboy), == symbol of the ephemeral, like life, like the
characters
of a film, like a film. the 2 mega clichés: Nicholson/Polansky in Chinatown & Ridley Scott in Blade Runner How to
integrate the cigarette? = 3D animation? (often ugly, technically very difficult, aesthetically difficult) =
hand-drawn animation? (long... very long to do but good pretext to train) = vector-drawn animation? (technically
moderately difficult but aesthetically difficult) = film excerpts? (technically easy & aesthetically very easy BUT
not really creation (montage), and illegal... to check) = animation of the spin (film zoom in Cassette, CD, Vinyl,
the plates of a hard drive (joke -> why not make a montage effect), find an equivalent for digital (server bays,
server fan? (joke))) why not call the box to meet at Slift to turn it properly and start a collaboration?
otherwise,
a lot of material to Bellecours photo + ... Fnac? no, much more interesting to go through a collaboration. Take
out
the rushes of films.
The thinking of Jack Nicholson in Chinatown No visual drawing during the reading of the piece,
only why not the log / cover / artwork of the album the reading should not look like a PowerPoint, the
counter-example is everywhere on YouTube. On the other hand, a drawn and animated artwork in parallax why not. See
3D js cover -> at the mouse movement: preview with animation -> At the click fade of the box zoom on the cover the
animation is no longer manual but automatic (linear movement? random?) after the cigarette... the smoke... too
cliché? possible but the smoke can make a transition between 2 listens / animations. the listening ends the smoke
arrives brings us to the cigarette which brings us to a protagonist who brings us to a film excerpt. why
evilspins?
The spin obviously refers to the movement of music both by its format (cassette, vinyl, CD) and by its effect
(membrane, air movement, dance) possible sound effect: end of the piece Purple Mercy - Purple -> the end of the
piece ends with an abrupt snare with a subtle reverb -> effect felt: conclusion on an impression of grand space ->
effect analyzed / symbolic: grandeur of the proposal but above all empty room -> no public -> therefore call to
the
public -> idea expressible: maybe too pretentious again. film noir has a pretentious image at first glance. we
need
to find a technique (visual? sound?) to disarm this bad image. to do this we need to start by isolating and
understanding the possible pretentious aspect of film noir. The solitude of the character? The voice-overs that
narrate the thoughts? The appearance of the protagonist? The cliché (visual & script) of the polar noir too worn
out? (the detective alone in his thoughts, in his apartment smoking a cigarette on the balcony)"
