Mad Scientists of Music Documentary

A six part series about Irish Experimental Music. Ireland is home to a variety of underground music scenes, from electro acoustic, to new music to noise to free improv. I've interviewed dozens of Irish experimental musicians who are pushing the boundaries of what music is and can be. This series takes you on a tour of the fringes of music, and introduces you to a world of new sounds. It focuses in particular on circuit bending, chiptune, electroacoustic and collaborative music.

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Episodes

The Life & Work of Roger Gregg – Mad Scientists Bonus Episode

Roger Gregg is a dramatist, poet, musician, actor and performer. Over a long career on radio and theatre, he’s had dozens of plays performed all over the world, and written and recorded numerous radio dramas as ‘ Crazy Dog Audio Theatre ‘. Today Roger continues to record and perform, with his ‘Bee Loud Glade Cabaret’. Bee Loud shows fuse poetry and music, giving new life to verse, mythology and storytelling. Roger appeared in episode one of Mad Scientists of Music , and this episode continues ou...

Dec 28, 2014

Mad Scientists of Music wins Sounds Alive Prize!

So last night I was lucky enough to see the incredibly talented radio producer Roman Mars perform a live episode of his show 99% Invisible , at the ever creepy Freemasons Hall in Molesworth St. The event was a part of the inaugural Sounds Alive festival , which brought together a bunch of radio folks like legendary storytelling collective the Moth , and Belfast’s Sonic Arts Research Centre , as well as curating several rooms of world class radio around the bizarre magical landscape of the Freema...

Sep 07, 2014

Copyright Bonus Episode – Mad Scientists of Music

The Instrument of the Law ‘ examined how changing technology and copyright laws are impacting music. This bonus episode fills in the blanks, addressing additional issues we didn’t get to talk about in detail, like creative commons, the legality of mashups, copyright as a promotional tool, and alternative business models at a time when music sales are in decline. https://garethstack.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/bonus-copyright.mp3 Download: Bonus Episode – Copyright Issues Raised in the Program...

Jul 27, 2014

Postcards from the Edge – Episode 6 – Mad Scientists of Music

The final episode of the series looks at the future of Irish experimental music. We find out how techniques like ‘ Live Coding ’ (where computer programming during a concert, creates the music and visuals in real time), ‘ Geocached Music’ (intrepid explorers following clues to discover hidden caches of music in the real world), and new interfaces like ‘ Leap motion ’ (which tracks users hands as they move through space) will change how audiences can interact with the music. This episode ties tog...

Jul 03, 2014

Chipzel – Culture File Report

Chuffed to be able to present my first piece for RTE Lyric FM’s ‘ Culture File ‘ programme. It’s a short on Chipzel , the Chiptune artist profiled in Episode 2 of Mad Scientists of Music . The piece features much of the same material from that report, but presented in a more straightforward way, which was an interesting challenge. I grew up religiously listening to the incredible BBC Radio 4 arts programme Kaleidoscope , and Luke Clancy’s Culture File is a sort of modern day descendent of that s...

Jul 01, 2014

The Instrument of the Law – Episode 5 – Mad Scientists of Music

This episode looks at how innovative new ways of making and distributing music are coming into conflict with our legal system. Some argue that copyright and patent laws, created to encourage innovation, are no longer in touch with how artists remix and reinterpret our cultural landscape. Part 1 – Piracy We learn about copyright law, the ‘copy left’ movement and new licensing schemes like Creative Commons. Eoin O’Dell corrects some common copyright misapprehensions, Ed Devane and Simon Kenny disc...

Jun 26, 2014

The Hacker in the Gallery – Episode 4 – Mad Scientists of Music

This episode takes us on a tour of workshops and hack spaces, and explores the relationship of outsider electronic music to the fine art establishment. Teaser – Andrew Edgar takes us on a tour of the A4 Arts Collective. Part 1 – Ed Devane talks about the relationship between self taught musicians, hackers, artists and the “new music” (contemporary classical music) establishment. Part 2 – The Dublin Laptop Orchestra introduce us to their own unique take on electronic music. Performing using digit...

Jun 19, 2014

Bonus Episode – Beginnings – Mad Scientists of Music

The is the first web only bonus episode of Mad Scientists of Music . Focusing on interviews rather than sound, these episodes feature clips, topics and artists there wasn’t space to fit into the radio series. We kick off with early experiences in technology, hearing from a host of folks about how early encounters with computers and electronics fuelled their interest in sound. A diverse collection of musicians, from Ewan Hennelly and Simon Kenny to MarQu VR of Gamepak Collective, give us their ra...

Jun 15, 2014

Toys – Episode 3 – Mad Scientists of Music

Episode three takes a journey into the underground world of circuit bending. Circuit benders hack children’s toys and dissect cheap archaic electronics, to produce strange new instruments. Circuit bending lies at the intersection of instrument building, grass roots activism and psychedelia. Listeners will learn about the history of circuit bending, a hobby that grew out of the the microprocessor and psychedelic revolutions in the 1960’s; and how these technological and cultural movements fused i...

Jun 12, 2014

Growing Up Digital – Episode 2 – Mad Scientists of Music

Episode two explores the video game backgrounds of a variety of Irish experimental musicians – how video game culture and ready access to technology influenced their love of music and their aesthetic sensibilities. Chiptune music in particular reappropriates not only the machinery, but also the distinctive sounds of computer games of the 1980’s, and this helps to define its unique aesthetic. Kieran Dold (Karakara) discusses the aesthetic appeal of retro videogame music. Niamh Houston (Chipzel) e...

Jun 05, 2014

Learning How to Listen – Episode 1 – Mad Scientists of Music

Episode one explores how circuit benders, hackers and artists are building teaching and education into their practice. This is a culture as much about sharing as making, and all the artists interviewed run classes and workshops (often at no charge). Children and adults alike attend the ‘maker fairs’ and hacklabs where circuit benders share tips and show off their home brew projects. We look at how the history and technology involved are intimately connected to learning as a democratic horizontal...

May 29, 2014

Mad Scientists of Music is coming out, next week!

So, after a very great while, but still much sooner than expected, my first documentary series ‘ Mad Scientists of Music ‘ is almost here. Quick and dirty promo – featuring the music of Bitwise Operator The final lineup of interviewees is ¡NO! , Deathness Injection , Andrew Edgar , John Leech Siam Collective , MarQu VR , Kieran Dold , Ed Devane (Withering Zithering), Patchblocks , Bitwise Operator , Ewan Hennelly ( HERV / ZPG ), Meljoann , Niamh de Barra , Luxury Mollusc , Primal Barbershop Trio...

May 22, 2014

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