This Barbie is...
a meme machine and it’s stupidly hilarious.
From the start of QOHELETH, my hope has been that we’d be able to exist in these in-between spaces: purposeful yet not numbingly serious, biting critique while self-deprecating, sarcastic and genuine. This life is full of absurdities and contradictions. My favorite art tends to dive headfirst into those elements, inhaling and exhaling the inherent tensions within.
There is no way in hell that our band mascot/icon, Horace the Marshmallow will ever be famous, let alone ubiquitous, like Barbie. Which makes that juxtaposition above all the more ridiculous. At the end of the day, the meme generator is all about advertisement, making this particular PR tools incredibly successful, if only based on all the variations I’ve seen over the past few days. All of us participating in it are basically giving the Barbie marketing team free labor. But there’s also a level of subversion at work that colors the Barbie brand too…and at a certain level of saturation, might even overwhelm or at least defang the marketing aspect of this thing.
I made a series of these images last night celebrating my deep love of Freaked, and when it came time to put in the description text for Worm, who just desperately needs someone to wipe his ass, the Barbie meme generator did not like that and turned it into asterisks. But add a third S and voilà, corporate safeguarding is thwarted. Dumb? Yes. Immature? Most definitely. Crucial to maintaining our humanity in the face of inhumane power dynamics and systems that seek to grind us down on a daily basis? You bet your sweet asss.
I promised in the last transmission to share the rest of the bands highlighted in Episode 2 of C-6, and so I shall. If you missed the episode, go here, hit play, and read along.
SHOW NOTES, Part Two
sp00ks: My buddy Cunabear is one of the hardest working, most prolific guys I know in the rap/hip-hop world today. Between his own work, collabs, and guiding the artistic/music community he started known as BearTooth Collective, the dude is everywhere. I love his craft and it’s an honor to be just a small part of BTC by way of my Aint Pancakes mixtapes. The track featuring him on this album is just a small taste of what he’s capable of.
ЯΛDIӨ FЯΣΣ Цᄂ-QЦӨMΛ: When he’s not handling bass for Waheela, Andrew Gladstone-Heighton is living in the liminal spaces of noise, ambience, and post-rock with this solo project. With over 20 RFU releases available, there’s plenty to explore, with a richness and depth that is stunning. I’m stoked to call AGH a friend and a collaborator (more on that in the future).
Score: From a couple of guys I know well, to someone I don’t know at all, outside of the music itself. Chris Tate’s work via his Score project is often mesmerizing and comforting…and in the midst of all the chaos that I often spend time with sonically, it’s a real haven for my ears and mind. This new track is off a massive new Cruel Nature compilation, celebrating a decade of the label being in existence.
Drumm Chimp: When I fall in love with a band, say like, Part Chimp, I want explore everything they’ve ever created, including as many offshoots as I can find. Case in point, Drumm Chimp, the electronic solo project from Part Chimp’s drummer, Jon Hamilton. Synths, drum machines, and more. He also has a deep catalog going here, so you’ve got a plethora of goodness to explore in the coming days.
Commander Smileyface: This project keeps a foot in multiple genres, anchored in rap but mixing a ton of influences from experimental rock and trippy electronica. I can’t quite put my finger on it yet, but there is something special happening here and more people need to be aware of it. Tune in ASAP.
Telepathetics: These are some of my favorite hometown dudes from the Charlotte area. Their style of spazzy punk with surfer rock undertones is a blast. They’re hardworking, constantly playing shows, and they have their full-length debut almost wrapped up. I’ve heard some early mixes and it sounds fantastic. Check out this demo EP to get acquainted. I’ll be sharing more when that record drops.
Tilts: If there were any justice in the world of music, these guys would have been huge. With connections to Riddle of Steels and Torche, their style of riff and solo-heavy rock honors the heroics of guitar gods of the 70s and 80s, while laying claim to their own piece of the (pizza) pie. They put out a couple of full-lengths and both are a blast from start to finish. Sadly their drummer, Ken McCray, passed away from cancer in 2016. So put this on in his honor this weekend when you’re grilling some burgers and dogs.
SIGNING OFF
And finally, a gift for those who made it this far. The first of the Black Kite Broadcasts spinoffs, Territorial Pissants, came out a few weeks back on Euphoriadic.
Tapes are still available, so if you’d like one, go grab a copy tomorrow for #BandcampFriday. Or today, whatever floats your boat and fits your budget. But if you want a taste of what’s in store, here are some free Bandcamp download codes:
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ENJOY. We’ll talk soon…