What is the meaning of "Belsona Strategic Schallplatten?"

“Belsona” is an Esperanto word meaning ‘beautiful sound’. ‘Schallplatten’ is German for ‘records’ (we used this outdated term rather than ‘CDs’ or some other more globally known reference to a storage medium, just because it rolls off the tongue more nicely...however we've recently begun reverting back to the English 'Recordings.') ‘Strategic’, of course, is a reminder that we release things with a certain purpose in mind each time, rather than to just “rock out” or feed our collective egos.

What kind of music does Belsona specialize in?

Belsona releases eclectic/chaotic electronic music; music which is informed not so much by a certain style of playing, but by a set of amorphous ideas relating to mutation, dream states, time travel, social invisibility, re-assessment of technologies which we have taken for granted, anti-territorialism and borderless states etc. A good degree of musical chaos, chance occurrence and abrasive noise is employed on our releases to challenge the ‘casual listener’- our intent is never to release pure ambient music or background music.

When / where was Belsona founded?

Belsona was technically founded in Japan at the dawn of the millenium, although plans were underway to do this since the earlier residency in Chicago. The relative friendliness in the Japanese underground towards more 'economical' means of expression (in this case, not having the money for large CD or print runs) probably provided the most invaluable boost towards starting a venture of this nature, and not having to feel 'ashamed' of its extremely limited / fringe appeal.

Is there a Belsona staff?

No. Virtually every stage of music and artistic production is handled by label 'boss' Thomas, from updating this website to networking with distributors to setting up concerts. It's a bit of a strain for an isolated individual- but not impossible. And revolting against the mass entertainment complex provides its own unique rewards.

Can I send a demo of my music to Belsona?

Probably not a good idea at this time. One reason that we do not do deluxe CD pressings of 5,000 or more is that we don’t have the money to have boxes of unsold CD’s collecting dust in the Belsona bunker. If you are interested in doing a collaboration of some kind, though, that’s a different possibility. And, as regards that, friendship with an ackowledged ally or influence of the label will come in very helpful.

 

 

What is Editions Belsona?

Editions Belsona is the publishing wing of Belsona Strategic Recordings.

What type of publications do you specialize in?

Editions Belsona will, time and money permitting, become a repository for info relating to new technology / media, 'fringe' and autonomous culture, new music and all forms of instruction for contented survival in the present congestion culture.

What titles are available / will be available on Editions Belsona?

The first E.B. title, Micro Bionic: Radical Electronic Music and Sound Art in the 21st Century, by Thomas Bey William Bailey, existed very briefly as a digital edition for Amazon's Kindle Reader. However, this title was picked up for publication by a third party with superior distribution- as a courtesy to them, all competing versions (including the Kindle one) have been discontinued.

Another future release in the planning is a multi-media 'magazine', on a flash memory card, entitled "Sponge", which will feature original music, digital artwork, texts and perhaps some innovative computer applications as well.

 

What is The Domestic Front?

The Domestic Front (2000-2008) was the musical solo project of Thomas Bey William Bailey, a multi-media artist, writer, traveler and all-around effervescent freak. This project was preceded by several other solo projects which dabbled in psychedelicized beat music, and a stint as a keyboardist in Chicago no-wave band Zeek Sheck. TDF was conceived in Chicago and activated in Osaka, Japan. TDF play nomadic electronic music, often generative in style, with an emphasis on ultra high and low frequencies, clashing of balmy and abrasive textures, free of sentimentality.

What is the exact meaning of 'The Domestic Front?'

Listeners can make what they want of this moniker, and far be it from us to impose anything on the listener's imagination...but it is usually explained as being a skeptical take on the present obsession with “home”, “security”, and territoriality. Raw sound isn’t and shouldn’t be any of these things. The Domestic Front seemed like a wonderfully ironic name for a project aiming to question the limited potential of “domestic” (provincial, territorial) thinking. Progress, as we define it, seems to come from realizing that neither you as an individual, or even the species to which you belong, are the center of the universe- your body, your home, your nation of origin are convenient anchoring points, but are also the source of much needless anxiety.

What are some influences on The Domestic Front's style?

It’s a fairly massive list, but here are a few of the pointers: Tibetan liturgical music, Balinese gamelan, Moroccan reveries, Bulgarian women’s choir, John Coltrane, Erik Satie, Aleksandr Scriabin, Vladimir Ussachevsky, Throbbing Gristle, Coil, Nurse With Wound, Whitehouse, Hafler Trio, John Duncan, Francisco Lopez, Merzbow, Hijokaidan, Fushitsusha, Keiji Haino, Big Black, Butthole Surfers, Swans, Panasonic, Aphex Twin, Christian Fennesz, Pita, Otomo Yoshihide, Fela Kuti, James Brown, Bootsy Collins, delta blues, 60s girl groups, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Leif Elggren, Åke Hodell, Z'ev, Erkki Kurenniemi, Sun Ra.....ad nauseum. Moreso than recorded music, though, the catalog of experiences on the threshold of normal waking consciousness have been the most reliable fuel for The Domestic Front's creativity.

How does The Domestic Front create music?

The song creation process usually begins with a single word, phrase, or captured sound which is then fleshed out….TDF songs tend to “bloom”, with new sonic elements appearing almost exponentially, or 'unfolding' rhizomatically rather than progressing in the straight line you’d expect of a pop song. Usually some kind of simple rhythmic base, austere drone or loop is made from which all kinds of deviations and sonic ornamentation occur. TDF music is intentionally made to produce a kind of disorienting effect- so no ‘groove’ is carried on for too long without some kind of counterpoint or interruption….a lot of the music is still not complex enough to be compared with, say, the fractal theory, in which every single interruption spawns a whole new set of sonics, but it is something we strive for eventually. There aren’t any verses/choruses/breakdowns in TDF music to speak of, but there are plenty of changes in dynamics from quiet to loud, abrupt changes in mood from sinister to silly, that kind of thing.

The Domestic Front is also violently opposed to the fetishization of equipment, and relies on no specific studio setup- to blatantly rip from the sentiment conveyed in a recent music / drama film, "the sword is only as strong as its master." The vast majority of TDF's compositions are composed on home computers with digital editing suites, but that is maybe the only 'constant' in our varied approach to recording.

What are some key releases of The Domesic Front?

Although CDr releases of TDF date back to 2000, the first release to really crystallize all the better ideas of the project was 2003's Mutual Surrender, released in an edition of 55 copies and slated for a more 'deluxe' release at some point in the future. The releases prior to this (Decaying Florescence, The Smashed Holograms Sing, and Doll Forge) were released and distributed in unorthodox ways- copies were 'drop-lifted' into the bins at Japanese record stores (in keeping with the frequent 'guerrila theater' pranks that TDF might engage in while in the Tokyo and Osaka metro areas) or given away for free at concerts. Anyone believing they have an original of these releases should contact Belsona to authenticate it. Some source materials for these releases have survived the numerous relocations and computer crashes that have plagued TDF to the present day; but it would be nearly impossible to reconstruct them- and, what's more, unnecessary given the vastly superior material now available. Also adding to the misfortune of the 2000-2002 period is that some of the better work was contributed to one-off sound installations or live improv events that were not recorded.

The first professional CD release by the band is 2006's Having Achieved Balance, You Cannot Be Moved Sideways...So You Rise. This features an all-out assault of digital techniques capable of, at higher volumes, truly obliterating the listener's sense of place and time. TDF's contributions to the net-release world should also not go unnoticed: the releases Time-Binding Animal and Versteht Mich Nicht Falsch are fine exhibitions of this project's recurring themes. Finally, TDF releases recorded for non-Belsona labels are plentiful enough: Constrictor and Datenschutz (released in 2006 on TIBprod and Dirty Demos, respectively) are part of a new trend towards basing a full-length release on a single audio phenomenon: Constrictor may be tthe world's first album of manipulated 'asthma attack' recordings, while Datenschutz deals with the sounds of raw data pertaining to highly personal hard drive contents.

Why was The Domestic Front terminated?

This was done for a number of reasons, but mainly because T. Bailey was experiencing more success and recognition for works done under his own name than those of this musical project, and decided to consolidate all efforts under one banner, as it were. This does not mean any full-stop cessation of recording, rather it means a much more refined quality to future proceedings.

 

 

Who is Thomas Bey William Bailey?

Thomas Bey William Bailey (1977-) is a multi-disciplinary artist with heavy emphasis on sound, and a pervasive interest in the problems of overloaded culture as well as the Utopian impulse. He has previously been based in Chicago, in several urban centers of Japan and in Central Europe. His reduction of uncomfortable personal defects to pure, ‘neutral’ audial phenomena has been one recent aspect of his work: he has recorded a CD (as The Domestic Front) of electronically-manipulated sounds resulting from asthmatic breathing, and participated in a Stockholm installation in which the sounds of his sleep-talking were brought front and center. His other work includes co-production of some episodes of the Chicago experimental radio program Blind Spot, as well as submissions to electronic arts festivals, such as Madrid’s ‘Punto y Rayas’ exhibit of short films and Istanbul’s ‘ctrl-alt-del’ festival. He has exhibited a slightly humorous side in his radio plays for the 'Blind Spot' experimental radio program in Chicago. Thomas’ interest in sonic culture has most recently been condensed into his first non-fiction book, "Micro Bionic: Radical Electronic Music and Sound Art in the 21st Century."

He has also written extensively on sound culture, 'outsider' art and social dilemmas for journals such as The Wire, Hz, His Voice, A2 Cultural Weekly, Altar, Rhizome, Outburn, etc.

Why the fake surnames..."Transparent," "Kurotenshi," etc.?

There are a number of reasons for this. In some performance situations, all the other performers are performing under the names given to them at birth, so it seems like a stupid attempt to upstage the other musicians if playing as “The Domestic Front.” Whether to play as Thomas Bailey or Thomas Transparent depends on a whole other set of criteria- for example, if Thomas knows somebody who is trying to kill him might be in town (and these things DO happen! Thom has been stalked on at least two occasions, and attacked for reasons as trivial as what it says on his passport)- many know Thomas by his given name but have no idea about his musical activities. The previous nom de guerre, “Kurotenshi”, was an affectionate nickname given to Thom by a former friend which stuck.

That said, the era of quirky pseudonyms has more or less ended.