◦ c h r i s ◦ c a r t e r ◦

Live Premiere of TG's Desertshore Album at AV Festival

2012-01-12T11:23:00.000Z

Wishful Thinking: In Remembrance of Peter Christopherson.

Sat 17th March 2012, 8pm–12am

Myself and Cosey Fanni Tutti will premiere a selection of live remixes from ‘TG’s Desertshore - The Final Report’. These will be preceded by a rare screening of Philippe Garrel’s ‘The Inner Scar’, for which Desertshore was soundtrack and inspiration.

More details and ticket info available here > http://www.avfestival.co.uk

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A New Year… and the final TG album

2012-01-04T18:53:00.000Z

The New Year dawns and it finds me and Cosey already in the studio since late December working on TG’s ‘final’ studio album ‘Desertshore’. In case you don’t know, our Desertshore project is a cover version of Nico’s entire 1970 seminal Desertshore album. ‘TG’s Desertshore - The Final Report’ (to give it its full title) was conceived by Sleazy on a long flight from Bangkok to Berlin in the winter of 2006, and we’ve been recording elements of the album since then.

And since then a lot happened…
Most of you probably know some of the story and some of you may know most of the story: Genesis walked out on TG at the beginning of the 2010 tour in November (we still have no idea why!) and we three attempted to recover from that disaster with a couple of X-TG shows. Feeling both deflated at TG ending and elated that he didn't have to work with Genesis again Sleazy returned to Bangkok later that month to work on Desertshore using new gear he’d bought for the project and to begin recording the guest vocalists. He died before he worked on a single note.

2011 was probably our busiest year since touring as Chris & Cosey in the 1980s' and 90s' and honestly we're not sure why this should be. You'd think as you get older things would begin to slow down a bit, but they haven't. Ironically we've also had to turn down more offers, projects and shows than ever before - we've felt close to burn-out a few times last year, after all we're only human and there are only 24 hours in a day, but we got through it, just.
All that aside, last year we managed to get all our Desertshore guest vocalists recorded for the album, some were done here at our studio, some in Europe and a few in the USA. Everyone we asked to collaborate said yes and everyone has done a fabulous vocal, Sleazy would be very happy. Sleazy could bluff for England and although when asked "how's the album coming along Sleazy?" he'd appease us with a "fine, I'll have some new mixes ready soon" it transpires that most of the work done on Desertshore was either done here in Norfolk by the three of us or stopped being done by Sleazy in Bangkok sometime in 2009. Oh Sleazy, Sleazy…

Which brings us to now…
All of the Desertshore material that was in Ableton Live (Sleazy's DAW of choice) has been reconformed for Logic Pro (our DAW of choice) - a laborious process! To say these are early days would be a gross understatement, there is still a mountain of work to do - for a start we're still trying to formulate six years worth of existing recordings, audio sketches, rough mixes, scribbled notes, endless lists and recalling things suggested at many, many 'Desertshore discussions' had over a cuppa or three.

Our (self-imposed) schedule is to have the album finished by July for release late 2012 - maybe that's being optimistic, who knows? but we do have a career outside TG and we'd like to get back to it at some point.

The Guardian - Music Weekly Podcast

2011-11-05T09:50:00.000Z

" /> Me and Cosey Fanni Tutti discuss Throbbing Gristle and the remastered album reissues with Alexis Petridis, music critic for The Guardian.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE GUARDIAN WEBITE TO LISTEN

In Conversation With TG, at Rough Trade

2011-11-01T07:49:00.000Z

" /> WED 2ND NOV, 7PM
To celebrate the release of the remastered TG back catalogue Cosey and myself are doing an ‘In-Store’ at Rough Trade East in London on 2nd November. There will be a Q&A chaired by Luke Turner (The Quietus) and we’ll be “discussing the rich and unique history of TG” and we’ll also be available to sign albums.
Get your free wristbands here... www.roughtrade.com

Trying to avoid burning out

2011-10-03T08:22:00.000+01:00

" /> Well after many months of intense work (February to September!) the remastered Throbbing Gristle albums have finally been completed and have gone into production (see the TG website for release dates).
We decided very early on (even before dear Sleazy passed) that the albums would be remastered and rereleased specifically for each format - Vinyl, CD and DDL. So each of the five vinyl albums comes with an 8-page booklet, as do the five double-CD editions - which include different 8-page booklets to the vinyl. The five digital albums also include 6-page PDF booklets, which are different from the vinyl and CD booklets. So as you can see, this project meant the not inconsiderable task of remastering 20 different album masters, compiling, editing and laying out 100 pages of graphics and photos, and reconstructing (visually remastering) fifteen different 20-year old album covers.

In the past this amount of workload for this type of project would have been split between myself, Cosey, Sleazy and Mute (as with TGV, TG24 etc.). But having left Mute last year, and with Sleazy refusing to work from the afterlife, Cosey and myself decided to undertake the bulk of the work ourselves. Although I guess you may be asking yourself why didn’t we ‘farm out’ some, or all of the work to an outside design/production company? Well there are a number of issues to consider that would be familiar to anyone running an independent label. Obviously a major factor for not using an outside company (or even friends/acquaintances) would be the considerable additional costs for so much high quality production work. But also… historically TG (and Chris & Cosey) have functioned independently in as many areas as possible and between us we have acquired an extensive skill-set to cope with producing these kinds of projects. In fact you name it and one of us has probably done it, or would be willing to learn how to do it. But… this approach also has its drawbacks, as we’ve become ‘control freaks’ and any work we do assign to outsiders or non-TG-extended-family ends up going through endless revisions, tweaks, adjustments and rewrites… or is just rejected. Years ago we realised that for the majority of what we ‘do’ it’s often a lot faster and more cost effective in the long run to just “do it yourself”.

Which brings me back to the TG catalogue. Because, the remastered albums aside, there are still a few choice projects left to be released on Industrial Records from our reacquired Throbbing Gristle archive. The first of these will be TG’s Desertshore project in 2012, which me and Cosey (and a few friends) have been continuing to work on this year, between the TG remastering. Hopefully in 2013 we should be in a position to release the ‘TG in Berlin’ project (recorded 2005-06) and recordings and videos from our TG 2009 USA tour.

Well now I say ‘hopefully’ because Cosey and me also have to factor in our own non-TG projects, which are many. Even without all the TG work we’ve done, this year has been unbelievably busy for us - with Chris & Cosey and Carter Tutti performances, projects, collaborations and remixes and of course Cosey’s own successful Art career. Basically what I’m saying is be patient and bear with us, we’re doing the best we can but we’re only human and are trying to avoid burning out to soon.

btw: Genesis’ contribution to the ‘TG Remastered’ project was to offer some photos from his archive, which we agreed to… but he sent us nothing.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by Chris Carter are his alone and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Industrial Records Ltd.

Last Chris & Cosey/Carter Tutti performances of this year

2011-09-29T08:22:00.000+01:00

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Carter Tutti at Sonic City Festival - Kortrijk, Belgium
Cosey Fanni Tutti and Chris Carter will be performing their new CARTER TUTTI/HARMONIC COACTION set at the Liars curated Sonic City Festival, Belgium on 29th October. Please visit the www.soniccity.be site for more details.
______________________________________________________

Chris & Cosey at Unsound Festival - Krakow, Poland
Cosey Fanni Tutti and Chris Carter will be playing their new CHRIS & COSEY set at the Unsound Festival in Poland on 15th October. Please visit the Unsound website for more details.
______________________________________________________

Chris & Cosey at Bodies of Babel Festival - Frankfurt, Germany
We’ll be playing our new CHRIS & COSEY set at the Bodies of Babel Festival in Frankfurt on 29th September.
Please visit the Mousonturm.de website for more details.
______________________________________________________

New Look Chris & Cosey Website

2011-09-22T15:08:00.000+01:00

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The new Chris & Cosey / Carter Tutti website is now up and running. The site contains many new features, including free audio and video clips, extensive discographies, interviews and photos. www.chrisandcosey.com

The Wire - Invisible Jukebox

2011-09-02T15:07:00.000+01:00

" />
Cosey and myself took part in an 'Invisible Jukebox' session for the October issue of The Wire. Details here.

The Wire are also hosting two previously unreleased Carter Tutti tracks, which can be streamed via this link.

S.C.U.M. Remixed by Carter Tutti

2011-08-02T15:07:00.000+01:00

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Me and Cosey have recently remixed the new S.C.U.M. track Whitechapel, from their debut album Again Into Eyes. It is available now on 12" vinyl. Listen to the remix HERE.

The Opiates Remix

2011-07-01T15:06:00.000+01:00

Myself and Cosey have an exclusive Chris & Cosey remix on The Opiates (Billie Ray Martin) new 'Rainy Days and Remixes' EP. For more details click HERE. To hear the track click HERE

Goodbye MySpace...

2011-07-01T08:39:00.001+01:00

From Friday July 1st 2011 my Chris Carter MySpace pages will no longer be updated or maintained. This includes MySpace mailing lists, Bulletins and Blogs - NO further mail-shots or newsletters will be sent using MySpace and emails and messages will NOT be read or answered.

To subscribe to the combined Carter Tutti & CTI mailing lists please visit:
http://chrisandcosey.com/mailinglist/mailinglist.html

For all the latest information on my activities please continue to use my official website right here.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REDISTRIBUTE THIS INFORMATION

Chris & Cosey at MIMI Festival, France

2011-07-01T08:37:00.001+01:00

Cosey Fanni Tutti and Chris Carter will be performing their new Chris & Cosey set IMI Festival, Marsaille, France - 7th July

Festival LINK - and HERE.

Chris & Cosey at Wave Gothic Festival

2011-06-04T11:45:00.004+01:00

Me and Cosey Fanni Tutti (left) will be performing our new Chris & Cosey set at the Wave Gothic Festival in Leipzig, Germany on 13th June - FESTIVAL LINK.

More Chris & Cosey photos here: http://www.flickr.com
and here: http://www.flickr.com

Collaborating With Factory Floor

2011-05-10T18:15:00.002+01:00

As exclusively reported by The Quietus earlier today I am excited to announce that anyone at the Primavera Festival or Chris Cunningham's Roundhouse extravaganza will be lucky enough to see two unique collaborations between myself and Factory Floor. Due to Factory Floor's electronics guru Dominic Butler being unavailable for the two dates, I will be temporarily taking over as the third part of their immovable pyramid.

Of course it's no secret that I am a fan of FF and this weekend at the Mute Short Circuit Festival will see Factory Floor return the favour as they lend guitarist/vocalist Nik Void to Carter Tutti for another one-off collaborative performance. FESTIVAL LINK

Factory Floor play the ATP Stage on the Thursday night of Primavera, and open for Chris Cunnigham's Roundhouse AV performance on June 1st. For information and tickets go here.

Carter Tutti - Harmonic Coaction Three

2011-05-03T09:11:00.001+01:00

Harmonic Coaction Three (live excerpt) by chris_carter

This is a short clip (actually it’s Part 6 of 8) from a live performance of Harmonic Coaction by myself and Cosey Fanni Tutti at the Avatarium Festival in St Etienne, France on 16th April 2011.

The visuals and some of the sounds you hear are edited and manipulated from field recordings and photos made at the location of the performance prior to the concert.

VBS.TV - Electric Independence: Chris & Cosey Docu

2011-04-11T10:26:00.002+01:00

text from VBS.TV:
"It’s not everyday you get to meet two of your favorite, honest to god heroes. But on a recent trip to Norfolk in the United Kindom, we got the chance to spend some time at the country house of the music making powerhouse – and long time couple – Chris Carter and Cosey Fanni Tutti.

Not only did Carter and Tutti change the entire electronic music game as founding members of the legendary avant-garde industrial group Throbbing Gristle: they continued their love affair with music, gear and each other over the next 30-odd years with their mind-blowing, ahead-of-the-curve approach to drum machines, sampling and all manner of electronic skullduggery.

Between the electro-pop of Chris & Cosey, the spooky ambience of Carter Tutti or their continuing aural experiments under their mysterious ‘CTI’ moniker, these two epitomize artistic overachievement and we salute and thank them for it.

They took us for a spin around the home studio they’ve been recording in for 25 years, demonstrated some of the bits and pieces they’re using in their current incarnation, performed a special improvised track for us, and taught us how to give an asthmatic cat his daily dosage of medicine."

http://www.vbs.tv/en-gb/watch/motherboard/mbd-vbs-elec-indy-chris-and-cosey

Upcoming Chris & Cosey and Carter Tutti Performances

2011-03-23T16:14:00.003Z

photo by Julie Kane

Throughout 2011 myself and Cosey Fanni Tutti will be performing together as Carter Tutti and Chris & Cosey and also collaborating with other artists and musicians. This page will be updated in the coming weeks with info regarding dates and locations of these performances. . See above...
__________________________________________________
CARTER TUTTI - 'HARMONIC COACTION'
Avatarium 12 Festival, St Etienne, France - 16th APRIL
FESTIVAL LINK

CARTER TUTTI & YANN MARUSSICH - 'CRÉATION'
Electron Festival, Geneva, Switzerland - 21st/22nd/23rd APRIL
FESTIVAL LINK

CARTER TUTTI & NIK VOID
Mute at Short Circuit, Roundhouse, London - 13th MAY
FESTIVAL LINK

CARTER TUTTI PLAY CHRIS & COSEY
Wave Gothic Festival, Leipzig, Germany - 13th June
Festival LINK - ticket link soon...

CARTER TUTTI PLAY CHRIS & COSEY
Tramway, Glasgow, Scotland - 25th June
Tramway LINK

CARTER TUTTI PLAY CHRIS & COSEY
MIMI Festival, Marsaille, France - 7th July
Festival LINK - and HERE

further announcements soon...

Eureka moment

2011-02-14T11:10:00.002Z

Recently while reorganising a studio cupboard I came across an old Korg MS20 USB controller. This reduced sized facsimile of the original MS20 synth was intended as a hardware controller for the MS20 soft synth plug-in that was part of the Korg Legacy Collection, back in 2004. But in one of those classic Eureka moments I wondered if there was a chance it would work with the new Korg iMS20 iPad app. And it does, perfectly.

Actually the reason this remote possibility even popped into my head was by way of a similar occurrence a few weeks earlier, when I found out my new Roland V-Synth XT (while in retro D-50 mode) could be controlled by the original 25 year old Roland PG-1000 controller - sorry to digress.

Anyway... as fascinating as this is to me I think most people find it all a bit too techy and nerdy so I’ll continue it over on my Chemistry Lessons blog.

Quietus Mix008 by Chris Carter & Cosey Fanni Tutti

2011-01-21T07:27:00.000Z

To start the New Year off we have compiled a 90 minute ‘mix tape’ for The Quietus from some of our favourite tracks. You can listen to it on Mixcloud for free right now... right here > The Quietus Mix 008: Chris & Cosey

"Memories! You're talking about memories!"

2010-11-26T09:00:00.000Z

I first met Sleazy in 1975 when we were both in our early twenties. We immediately hit it off - talking endlessly about films, the merits of John Barry or Martin Denny's arrangements, the aesthetics of gay vs straight porn, the why's & wherefores of programming in Basic, or the best place in London to get a decent ice cream sundae. Sleazy was the first person to give me an Abba album, in 1976 - and it being Sleazy it was of course a 'signed' copy.
Over the 30 odd years we knew each other mine and Cosey's relationship with him got closer as we grew older and spent more time together - lately comparing our various ailments and aches & pains, or the latest Apple gadget. There was (there is) nobody else on this little blue rock that I shared such disparate and diverse interests with, no one.

I last saw Sleazy about a week ago, just before he left for home to his beloved Bangkok. He was clutching a bag full of Apple goodies and he never looked happier or, ironically, healthier. He had new schemes and plans for X-TG's future and was looking forward to finishing the Desertshore project and playing us rough mixes of "his baby". He gave Cosey and me each a kiss and one of his infamous 'bear hugs', jumped in a waiting taxi and was gone… forever.

To quote the same movie three times (including the title):

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain..."

"The light that burns twice as bright burns for half as long - and you have burned so very, very brightly…"

c
x

Sleazy...

2010-11-25T08:08:00.005Z

Our dearest beautiful Sleazy left this mortal coil as he slept in peace last night.
Words cannot express our grief...

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Peter ‘ Sleazy’ Christopherson

1955 - 2010

Book of condolence at http://unklesleazy.tv
.
throbbing-gristle.com
.
Statement by Chris Carter & Cosey Fanni Tutti , TG / X-TG
.
Peter Christopherson's final blog
.
thresholdhouse.com
.
flickr.com
.
Wikipedia
.
Guardian Newspaper Obituary
.
independent Newspaper Obituary
.
BBC Obituary
.
Guardian Music Obituary
.

Chris & Cosey Remastered Vinyl

2010-10-30T16:27:00.000+01:00

REMASTERED COLOURED VINYL REISSUES

The first two of four Chris & Cosey remastered vinyl reissues - HEARTBEAT and TRANCE - are now available from all good record stores.
Rather than blow our trumpets here please visit these links and read the fairly extensive press releases.
The second pair of releases - SONGS OF LOVE & LUST and EXOTIKA - will be available from 10th January 2011.

http://www.cargorecords.co.uk/release/13900

http://www.cargorecords.co.uk/release/13901

Read full review of Trance - CHRIS & COSEY on Boomkat.com ©

Read full review of Heartbeat - CHRIS & COSEY on Boomkat.com ©

Announcement Regarding Throbbing Gristle

2010-10-28T17:04:00.000+01:00

In the evening 27th October TG members and their associated managements received two emails from Genesis P-Orridge stating he was no longer willing to perform in Throbbing Gristle and returned to his home in New York.

Cosey, Sleazy & Chris have concluded that once more, and for the time being, Throbbing Gristle has Ceased to Exist, at least as a live entity.

Therefore, and with deepest apologies, TG must cancel their scheduled performance at Archa Theatre, in Prague, Czech Republic on 30th October.
It being too short notice to offer an alternative set.

In order not to disappoint fans of the old quartet, Cosey, Peter & Chris will perform live under the name X-TG at Arena Del Sole, Bologna, Italy on 2nd November & at Casa Musica, Porto, Portugal on 5th November.

We hope fans will appreciate and enjoy this new project and the trio is looking forward to performing exciting new and radical electronic musics together.

Full refunds are available at the point of purchase if required.

Industrial Records Ltd, London. 29th October 2010

• industrial-records.com • throbbing-gristle.com •

Tutti Box

2010-10-16T13:59:00.000+01:00

I have put a short explanation of the inner workings of the Tutti Box experimental sound generator on my CCCL (Chris Carter's Chemistry Lessons) blog - link below.

http://chriscarterchemistrylessons.blogspot.com

The missadventures of Chris Carter

2010-10-16T13:26:00.002+01:00

or Carry On Circuit Bending

For the last week or so I’ve been head down, hard at work building a custom sound generator for Cosey to perform with at the upcoming Throbbing Gristle shows (details at throbbing-gristle.com).

Things started out well, if a little slowly as I haven’t put soldering iron to component for quite a while. Anyway by Monday we had an unfinished but functioning box of sonic tricks that sounded pretty good to us. The penultimate stage was mostly cosmetic, with Cosey choosing the colour of various LEDs, buttons and the type of control knobs. On Tuesday I was finishing it all off and finally putting the last few components in place.

So there I was in the kitchen - no I don’t have an underground lair or mountaintop laboratory... yet, though I do have a snazzy white lab coat. So I’m drilling a small 3mm hole in a nice piece of vintage 1970s’ copper covered circuit board while holding it in place when (and this all happened in a split second) the drill bit snapped, the drill jumped across the board and continued drilling through the nail of my middle finger with what was left of the broken drill bit.

I can’t remember exactly what happened immediately following this mishap, it seems I went into shock from the pain, then passed out. Weirdly I remember standing in the kitchen looking at my drilled and bloody finger then the next moment I was sitting in our car on my way to hospital wondering how on earth I’d got there. That oddly dislocated feeling is how I imagine one would feel when time travelling or teleporting - well apart from the searing pain.

So after being administered the usual x-rays, bandages and meds in the A&E department, and endless waiting around, I was sent home with a diagnosis of “a nasty hole but no broken bones”. Next morning I got a worried phone call from the hospital - by a doctor who was supposed to have checked me over in A&E but for whatever reason didn’t - telling me to return immediately for more treatment as the x-rays showed my finger was broken. Well I could have bloody well told them that!

So fast forward to Thursday... I’m in full-on ‘clearing up’ mode vacuuming, putting away piles of odds n’ ends, spare parts, unused components and attempting to get our kitchen back to normal - basically with one and a half hands.

I have this very nice Italian folding desk that was given to me in the 1970s’, I use it regularly for projects as does Cosey, Nick and many house guests. And although it has a plastic worktop it’s heavy because the frame is made from chromed steel. I’ve unfolded/folded this desk a hundred times but with one hand, and half a hand, it is not so easy. To fold it involves a flipping action so that it goes from being a regular desk to being a completely flat frame you can tuck away anywhere. So I flipped it... but being too concerned about catching my drilled finger in the frame that I didn’t realise my little finger, my pinky, was lying somewhere between the two halves of the frame. With a dull snap and a loud shout my finger was crushed and in a split second it was broken, within 4 hours it was literally black and blue.

Apart from cracking a rib in the 70s I have never broken a bone in my body, then I break two fingers in two days, what are the chances? Well according to the three doctors and half a dozen nurses I’ve seen this week both injuries are apparently classic DIY mishaps and they see things like that all the time, though not usually twice in one week.

In future I’ll be more careful (much more) and even though these are not massive injuries they are bloody inconvenient!

Promo Video

2010-10-04T11:04:00.000+01:00

Here’s a short TG video Cosey and myself put together in an afternoon. It is noteworthy for a few reasons:

• It's a promo video for Throbbing Gristle and the first as far as we are aware - well, officially at least.
• The footage is from the legendary - and as yet unreleased - TG performance at the Volksbühne in Berlin.
• It was compiled and edited in HD, another first for TG.
• It is the first video we have edited on our new MacPro.

Enjoy... and feel free to redistribute.

THROBBING GRISTLE PROMO 2010 from Industrial Records on Vimeo.

Interviews

2010-10-04T10:31:00.002+01:00

To coincide with the re-release of ‘The Spaces Between’ vinyl album (see below) I’ve been doing quite a lot of interviews lately. Although be prepared for me repeating myself a little as some of the interviewees questions were quite similar. Anyway... as I get links to the online versions I’ll be posting them here.

Here are the first...

LINK

LINK

LINK

more to come...

The Spaces Between Pre-Order

2010-09-15T17:38:00.002+01:00

My remastered ‘The Spaces Between’ vinyl LP is due for release on September 20th and now available for pre-order. Follow this link to order it:
http://www.piccadillyrecords.com/

This is the Optimo press release:
Originally recorded between 1974 and 1978 at Industrial Records studio in London ‘The Space Between’ album was first released as a 90 minute cassette in 1980 on Throbbing Gristle's Industrial Records label. It wasn't until 1991 that it was again released by Mute Records on CD. Although tracks from "The Space Between" have appeared on numerous compilations since its release, the album has never been available on vinyl until now. This new vinyl edition on Optimo Music, now retitled ‘The Spaces Between’, doesn't include all the tracks of the original album but has been enhanced and remastered from the original two-track master tapes and has new cover artwork especially for this release. JD Twitch has this to say about the release; 'The original release featured 15 tracks. As I wanted to have a reasonably loud vinyl pressing, I have picked my favourite six to appear here (not an easy task to narrow it down). In addition there is a bonus track ‘Climbing’ which was recorded around the same time that was released by Coil's Geoff Ruston on his ‘Men With Deadly Dreams’ cassette in 1981. One of the first ever recordings to use an 808 drum machine, it still sounds as if it is from tomorrow. In my opinion, these are some of the key recordings in the history of electronic music. They were made using very basic equipment at a time when there was no blueprint for what electronic music could and should be. There is a beauty, an emotion and an imagination present here that is lacking in a lot of modern machine music. This music is as vital and wondrous today as it was four decades ago.'

All tracks have been remastered by Chris Carter in 2009 for this release.
Musically, it's an electronic soundtrack for a sleazy sci-fi movie, with moments of uplifting beauty combined with bits of claustrophobic mania. Amazing stuff.

‘The Space Between’ is also available here... http://www.kompakt.fm/releases/the_spaces_between

A change of direction... & some remastering

2010-08-05T14:45:00.000+01:00

Live Performance:
Well our schedule for live performance for the first half of this year is finished. We have some more events toward the end of the year but you'll have to wait a few more weeks for details on those.

If you were one of the many that got to see us performing - either solo or as Carter Tutti you'll be aware how much we've changed our live sound this year. In fact everything we've done in the last 9 months or so has been entirely instrumental and electronic - and on most occasions about 50% improvised. We are really enjoying this change of direction and instrumental emphasis and from the feedback we've been getting so do many of you. At the moment we're pretty much making this up as we go along and we are not entirely sure how it will all work out. But we have also been doing a lot of new recording using the same techniques we've been using on stage so expect to see some new Carter Tutti releases later this year.

Remastering:
I am about to start remastering our early Chris & Cosey catalogue for vinyl. This is quite an undertaking as I'm not only tweaking the audio - from the original master tapes - but I'm also reconstructing the cover artworks from what remaining negatives, print films and parts that still exist or aren't lost. Which to be honest there isn't that much of around anymore - which alone should make it an interesting project. All being well we are hoping to get these re-releases out before the years end...
watch this space.

Performing at Acusmatiq Festival

2010-07-08T10:51:00.004+01:00

Myself and Cosey Fanni Tutti will be performing a version of our new live audio/visual improvisational piece ‘Harmonic Coaction’ at the
Acusmatiq festival in Ancona, Italy on the 31st July.

'Harmonic Coaction - Part Two'
A live audio assimilation of person place and time.
'Harmonic Coaction' is a series of sound works constructed from audio field recordings relating to the performance site. The work is created live in situ using those recordings as key components, deconstructing and manipulating the sounds in juxtaposition and harmony. The accompanying visuals consist of images inspired by the site to create an audio visual continuum.

Link to sound excerpt of previous 'Harmonic Coaction - Part One' performance.
http://soundcloud.com/chris_carter/harmonic-coaction-part-one-live-excerpt

Some shots from the trip are here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chris_carter_/4863343486/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chris_carter_/4862721407/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/coseyfannitutti/4853056618/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/coseyfannitutti/4853069554/

Performances & Exhibitions

2010-05-19T07:57:00.000+01:00

Me and Cosey have been rushed off our feet for the last few months - remixes, my Dirty-Carter project, Cosey Complex, numerous exhibitions, Cosey’s Tate Modern solo performance and our up-coming audio/art performance in Brescia, where Cosey is also exhibiting new works and doing an ‘in conversation’ in Faenza. More details on the CARTER TUTTI site

When we return to the UK next week we are taking a few days off before completing some other outstanding projects, which includes remastering some of our early Chris & Cosey back catalogue for vinyl reissue later this year.

Site Technical Problems - UPDATE

2010-05-19T07:56:00.000+01:00

I’ve semi-permanently fixed the previous blog entry problems on this site (and TG's and Cosey's sites). We (well me, the plug-in developer and a few tech chums) couldn’t actually trace (or fix) the route of the problem but the most likely culprit seems to be some recent undocumented changes that happened with Google’s Blogger backend. So for now I’ve moved my blog entries on www.chriscarter.co.uk over to a non-Blogger system and all is well again, it just takes me a little longer to sync up the pages.

SITE TECH PROBLEMS

2010-05-13T08:42:00.005+01:00

We've recently discovered a technical glitch with this blog page on www.chriscarter.co.uk where visitors see the raw HTML code... while on its Blogspot mirror page it's business as usual. We are attempting to track down the problem asap but in the meantime please bear with us. If you are viewing this on www.chriscarter.co.uk please use the Blogspot link above to view a clean version of this page.
We are also experiencing similar problems with Cosey's site and the TG site.

Technology is great... when it works!

2010-05-03T08:52:00.002+01:00

As a follow-up to the footnote in the post below I'll mention that after Tweeting my frustration at not finding a simple non-Flash (mobile iFriendly) solution to SoundCloud playback on my blog I got a lot of (what seemed to be) useful tips. Unfortunately non of these were nearly as simple or as elegant a solution as I'd hoped - or even assumed - would be out there. Chief amongst the respondents was fellow musician and all round tech genius Chris Randall - who had some really good laterally thought-out ideas.

So... unfortunately there isn't an immediate available, widely compatible solution and we have to wait for SoundCloud - and BandCamp - to update their webpage players to HTML5.
If you are a web developer, web designer or are just interested in this subject Chris Randall has posted a detailed blog on his thoughts resulting from attempting workarounds to this unusually complex and (to me) unexpected web problem. It and the many replies make very interesting reading.

http://www.analogindustries.com

Live Recordings

2010-05-02T15:20:00.001+01:00

When I was in Leicester for the Dirty-Carter project I recorded two live tracks while killing time in my hotel room. They're not Dirty-Carter tracks, although they are related somewhat - it's just me improvising using some of the gear I later used for the Dirty-Carter performance. The voice and ambience on 'This Train...' is from a nearby train station and was recorded out of the hotel window and played back on my iPhone. The inclusion of the Tannoy station announcements on the same piece was partly inspired by listening to the album 'Music For Real Airports' on the journey to Leicester.

This Train... by chris_carter

While Waiting by chris_carter

OOPS...
I've just realised these audio clips are in Flash format- my apologies. As soon as it's technically possible I will try to replace them with a mobile iFriendly format. See above

First Dirty-Carter Performance

2010-05-02T14:52:00.000+01:00

Our first Dirty-Carter performance took place in Leicester on the 28th April and went exceptionally well. We played - we being myself, John Richards and the twenty-five piece Dirty Electronics Ensemble - six challenging experimental pieces to an appreciative full-house. Though in fact I only actually played in three of the sections, well I improvised if being pedantic. I have to say how enthusiastic and knowledgeable the ensemble were, without exception. It makes a refreshing change to come across such a disparate range of artists, musicians and technicians who can work together (and with an 'outsider' such as myself) with such a positive attitude.

John and myself will be participating in another Dirty-Carter workshop and performance at STEIM in Amsterdam between June 01 and 03 and if enough interest can be found we will stage the project at other locations later this year.

http://www.steim.org/
http://www.dirtyelectronics.org/

I have posted some photos of the Dirty-Carter rehearsals and performance on my Flikr pages, follow this link to view them: Dirty-Carter on Flikr

There's also a short review and interview with me & John here:
http://mikistrange.blogspot.com/2010/04/chris-carter-dirty-electronic.html

CC and Dirty Electronics Live Performance

2010-04-27T16:47:00.005+01:00

Tomorrow I'm teaming up with the twenty-five piece group Dirty Electronics Ensemble, led by noise doctor John Richards, to perform our piece for the 'Experimental Sound Generating Instrument' (E.S.G.I.). As you may already know the instrument also features an copper etching artwork designed by me... expect random sequences, distortion with noise coalescing in a hand-held instrument the size of a postcard. The performance takes place at Phoenix Square in Leicester on Wednesday April 28th.

Tickets: £8/£5 concessions.
Booking: To purchase tickets please call the Box Office on 0116 242 2800
or Book Online at http://www.phoenix.org.uk/index.php?cms_id=287
Box office closed.

New 'Guest Mix' on Vessel

2010-03-31T11:40:00.000+01:00

I have a new 'Guest Mix' now available for all to hear at VESSEL. The 40 minute mix includes 20 disparate tracks from various sources and time periods that you may (or may not) have heard me DJ with before. Enjoy...

www.vesselmusic.com

Cosey Complex Photos

2010-03-31T11:01:00.000+01:00

I've uploaded a selection of my photos from the recent Cosey Complex / Cosey Club events at the ICA to my Flikr pages.
More shots (and video of the afternoon event) were taken by the ICA, if/when I can I'll post a link to them here.

>Follow this Flikr link<

Dirty Electronics with Chris Carter & John Richards

2010-03-17T22:46:00.000Z

In a collaboration project with John Richards Dirty Electronics Ensemble I will be participating in two experimental electronic music workshops and performances in April and June this year.

The first is at De Montfort University, Leicester in the UK - April 27-30 and the second is at STEIM in Amsterdam, Holland - June 01- 03.

The workshop project is to build a specially designed DIY Dirty Electronics experimental music instrument and perform with it as an ensemble. The instrument will feature an original copper etching artwork and circuit concept by me and has been designed and built by John. Expect random sequences, distortion and noise coalesce in a unique hand-held instrument the size of a postcard. Anti-Social noise for all!

More details and some photos soon... but in the meantime follow these links:

http://www.dirtyelectronics.org/
http://www.steim.org/

Parallel Voices 2010 - Missing Link

2010-02-17T09:48:00.000Z

Myself and Cosey (Fanni Tutti) will be participating on one of the discussions panels at Parallel Voices 2010 - MISSING LINK on 18th March at the Siobhan Davies Studios in London. Also taking part will be: Blixa Bargeld, Carsten Nicolai and Ben Borthwick.

Website Link

Slow News Day

2010-02-10T16:11:00.001Z

There we were: me and Cosey sitting quietly waiting for the London bound train to depart on our way to Cosey's lecture at the Red Bull Music Academy in London.
Hang on a minute... there seems to be a lot of police in the station for a Monday morning, usually there are none. Oh they've got sniffer dogs too, and here come some more police in flak jackets with sub-machine guns, and those guys at the end of the carriage must be spooks or plain clothed cops - well they're definitely not civilians, civilians don't usually wear those single earpieces. And that woman coming down the aisle wearing a dark suite and a humorless expression has a pistol peeking out from under her jacket. OK, so the carriage we're sitting in at the front of the train - the 10.55 from King's Lynn - is basically swarming with constabulary, uniformed or otherwise, who are giving everyone the once over.

It wasn't ‘that’ unusual to see activity around our little train station. Living in this part of Norfolk we've got used to seeing the odd dignitary, or celeb. I would think it's much the same in many English rural towns with picturesque views, castles and quaint tea rooms. We get a a couple of movies and a few TV shows shot around here each year and it’s not unusual for the odd actor and politician dropping by. I even saw Al Pacino once, sauntering around the market - surrounded by 'minders'. And of course everyone around here has seen Stephen Fry shopping in town at some time or another, he's a local. I know it’s probably hard to believe - and I’m not blowing our own trumpets here (well not much) - but me and Cosey even get recognised and stopped for autographs in town at least a couple of times a year: see... I told you it was hard to believe? But I suppose our inconspicuous market town's biggest claim to fame must be our famous neighbour: HM Queen Elizabeth II, whose winter residence Sandringham is a couple of miles up the coast road.

So we're waiting on the train putting two & two together and thinking it will probably be Prince Philip (HMQ's hubby) going down to London again, we've seen him plenty of times... so no big deal. Or maybe it's some terrorist related exercise or other, who knows? But the train is ready to go and we're all just sat there waiting with restless flatfoots in abundance, when this petite, white haired figure in blue, wearing a silk headscarf bobs past our window and ducks into the (only and empty) 1st Class compartment in our carriage. The passengers (well those who saw her) do a double-take and the penny drops and everyone is like "oh... right, that's what all the dogs and bodies and hardware were for". The scenario was vaguely surreal to say the least.. we were to be accompanied on our journey by the Queen of England and her Royal entourage.

Once we'd set off, well we'd set off... that was that. It seemed mildly inconvenient with all the plods everywhere: eyeballing, taking up seats and wandering up and down and generally lounging to attention outside the 1st Class compartment - although unfortunately I saw no marching and saluting, is that inappropriate on a train? Maybe... anyway a few people joked that we'd bound to be on-time (ha ha!) and that the driver seemed to be driving the train a bit smoother than usual (is that even possible?), then - as you do on a 90 minute journey - we checked our emails and went on Twitter and of course we did a few Tweets about HMQ - as you would - and thought little more about it really. Although... it was fun ‘gun spotting' the plain clothed cops who went up and down the aisle. "he doesn't have one, she has a big one, he has a small one, that guy looks like he has two".

About 30 miles down the line we stopped at Ely station and a family of Americans got on board - we have a lot of 'US cousins' in this part of England, because of all the US air bases around here in East Anglia, so it was not an entirely unexpected addition. They sat next to me and Cosey - actually they sat down on either side of us - and were all gushy and full of "OMG! we just saw the Queen of Enger-land in the front compartment" and "it can't be the Queen of Enger-land, what's she doing on the 10.55 from King's Lynn?" Good question. Then the conversation went along the lines of: "why doesn't she go by State limo? why doesn't she fly to London - surely she has her own jet, like Air Force 1? or in her own helicopter, or her own train, surely her own train carriage?” All perfectly reasonable questions but we only knew the answer to one: she used to have her own train but stopped using it long ago due to 'Royal cost-cutting', or something, but don't quote me on that it could just be an urban myth. But their best quote had to be: "I've lived my whole life and never seen a US President in the States, I come to the UK and The Queen of Enger-land is on the first train I get... wait till I tell the folks back home". Cosey pointed out that as Britain is much smaller than the USA the the odds of bumping into Royalty were much higher here, which kind of went over their heads. But they did seem quite concerned that our dear old HMQ was traveling by public transport. So we told them not to worry as she was on a train full of highly trained armed guards and sniffer dogs to look out for her. But the 'sniffer dogs' comment got them worried about 'terrorist threats' and that maybe the train would be a ‘terrorist target’. So we let them worry and went back to our emails and Tweets. Until... they decided this was a Kodak moment, a photo opportunity not to be missed. Out came the cameras, flashes popping and, as we were only 5 or 6 rows from Her, not very discreet. Of course we got a visit from a stern plain clothed plod, who takes the two adults to one side for a wrist slapping and a dressing-down, and we overhear 'disrespect' and 'privacy' bandied about. All very funny - well it was for us at least.

As predicted by the wags at the beginning of the journey we did actually arrive on time at Kings Cross, and came to an unusually gentle halt, definitely none of the usual lurching and stalling. But once we'd disembarked we were all held on the platform by a line of police while HMQ - now looking all spick and span and sans head scarf - toddled off to a waiting limo outside the station.

There is no point to this story - well it's not even a story, more an anecdote - I'm just relaying what happened on one of the slightly more interesting trips we regularly take to London. But to bring this tale to an end... the next day The London Evening Standard decided to run a quarter page piece on our trip with HMQ: 'Her Majesty's close encounter with industrial anarchy' (LINK). They mention the Tweets (word for word) and lie about attempting to contact me and say “how tame they look nowadays”. WTF? They also refer to me as a "rocker & DJ" - which is very funny because anyone who knows me would agree that the "rocker" tag is about as inaccurate a description of me as you could make. But I'm still trying to figure out though why they decided to use an ancient photo of Genesis in a piece about me and the Queen. Unless it's some ironic reference to another old queen!
(no offense meant Gen...)

Site Updated

2010-02-07T17:18:00.000Z

This site update - the first substantial rebuild for quite a few years - took a lot longer than I expected (don't they always?), but perseverance, determination and a few nasty headaches ultimately got me there. There are probably still a few gremlins, odd bits of duff spelling, bad grammar, rogue code and broken links scattered around so bear with me as those bugs are ironed out. If you spot anything please drop me a line and I'll start making a 'to do' list of fixes. I've checked all 90 or so pages on the site using the current versions of: Fireforx, Safari, iCab, Flock, OmniWeb, Opera, Camino, Navigator, IE5-8 and iPhone... and 95% of the time the pages load as expected. The exceptions are that the randomly generated Flikr badge (a Flash badge) in the left-hand column does not display on an iPhone or some versions of Opera and IE... and the layout can often look odd in IE, although as far as I'm concerned that's bloody IE's problem. But I am looking for another non-Flash solution for the Flikr badge problem though.
So now I'm taking a few days off from coding HTML - I also just did some updates to my CCCL site, Cosey's site and the various TG sites too - because later this week I begin tackling the Carter Tutti/C&C website - which is long overdue a major overhaul and restructuring and which is probably at least three times as big as my own site!

Testing, Testing...

2010-01-31T17:08:00.000Z

This new blog hasn't been publicized or 'officially' gone live yet and you've probably got here via another blog page. Currently it's a work in progress and the content is being transferred from my old blog as and when I get the time, which should be by mid-February.
While I have still to decide on the final layout and design - this layout is more of a 'holding page' - it is liable to undergo some changes in appearance and content and may even disappear occasionally. But please bear with me and it will eventually all get sorted.

Looking for an EMS Synthi

2010-01-23T16:53:00.005Z

For some time now, well since I sold all my analogue and modular synths back in 2007-8 - a moment of madness I'm still trying to live down - I've been hankering after another EMS Synthi... specifically a Synthi AKS, or Synthi A. I used to have an EMS Synthi VCS3 back in the mid-late 70s' and I loved it, but had to sell it just before we started TG (that's another story).
But since selling much of my old analogue gear last decade I've been looking to buy a self-contained analogue synth that I could travel with and the Synthi AKS would be ideal for my purposes. I've come across a few over the years, some utterly knackered (technical term), some pristine and some outrageously overpriced but I've always missed out in some way on a sale. The market value of EMS synths has risen exponentially over the last 10 years and some currently go for crazy prices, usually in bidding wars on eBay. Where frankly these things can get totally out of hand in the heat of the moment. Which is typical of most auctions I've attended, virtual or not. When I was in LA a couple of years ago my friend Lustmord mentioned that he was selling his Synthi AKS but at the time I wasn't in a position where I could make a decent offer for what was a really nice unit. As is happened he sold that AKS last year for $7k, on eBay. Like I said, some sell for outrageous prices.
Well I think i've waited long enough now so I'm putting the word out there that I'm 'seriously' looking to buy a Synthi... though I can't go to $7k and I don't really want to bid on eBay but I will consider most sensible proposals for a decent unit. Also I'd rather buy from the UK, or maybe Europe, but no further.

Update: I’m no longer actively looking for an AKS. See this post:
http://chriscarterchemistrylessons.blogspot.com/2010/03/my-little-synthi-aks.html

Equipment brochure scans

2010-01-21T10:43:00.000Z

I recently found some scans of equipment brochures and catalogues from my extensive 30 year old collection. Some of the scans were done about 10 years ago and, to be honest, weren't very good as many were made up of stitched images or suffered moiré effects. The problem I've always found with scanning is that many of my brochures and catalogues don't fit into a standard scanner A4 or 'legal' window.
So yesterday I took some quick shots of a few sales brochures with my DSLR, from above, and the results are quite good.
I've published the first batch up on my Flikr pages but as there are so many (probably well over a hundred) and the process of copying/shooting, then trimming and uploading is quite long-winded I won't be doing any more until the later part of 2010. You could say this is a primer for what is to come...

Looking back, while moving forward

2010-01-13T13:12:00.000Z

As I’ve said before, 2009 was extremely busy for us and to be honest we probably took on too much work and too many projects and we have to learn how to say "NO" more often, and mean it. Of course the bills still have to be paid and it may seem odd to be talking about turning work down but ultimately our health comes first, well Cosey's more specifically, particularly with her heart condition, which isn't any worse but is definitely aggravated by stress and overworking.

End of the year

2009-12-12T00:00:00.000Z

Bloody hell, it's been two months since I posted anything on here. So I think my apologies are the order of the day... for being so outrageously lax. But to say I've been busy would be an understatement, of the greatest degree. There have been various ongoing (and unfinished) Carter Tutti projects, filming and remixes - assisting Cosey in her many solo endeavors and of course the ever present enterprises of TG. Of which the release of our new little musical box 'Gristleism' has been the most time consuming. But I'm not going to go on at any length, yet... as I'm in the process of designing and building a new website to replace this one you are on right now and I'll be updating my blog in the process. Check back here sometime in January 2010.

Gristelism update

2009-10-16T00:00:00.000+01:00

GRISTLEISM - So that cat is out of the bag: you can see some of its colour, its ears and the top of its head but it's not meowing yet and you don't know what kind of cat it is, so to speak. All I can say right now (am allowed to) is that it's a Throbbing Gristle product and it will be released by Industrial Records (cat no. IR2009005). An 'exclusive' edition will be available for pre-order in September from the TG Web Store and a regular edition will be available shortly afterwards Worldwide.

I can also tell you that we've been secretly working on this project for many months with Christiaan Viarant. I'm making an educated guess that many of you will figure out even more from these basic details I've given. But anyway you won't have long to wait... in the meantime go here: http://www.gristleism.com

Flikr photo set http://www.flickr.com/photos/chris_carter_/sets/72157622568217418/

Better the Devil you know (?)

2009-10-08T00:00:00.001+01:00

I can't remember the last time Cosey and I were this busy, probably during our early to mid Nineties period. But then it was recording, performing and working on projects almost exclusively related to Chris & Cosey. And although we've always had Cosey's solo Art career running in parallel with what the two of us work on together it's since 2002 that we've had to factor in ever increasing amounts of Throbbing Gristle and Industrial Records related work and projects. But during the last 12 months TG & IR has at times almost taken over our lives (well mine & Cosey's at least) and has impacted our own solo and CarterTutti projects pretty drastically.

Even if you haven't read the TG book 'The Wreckers of Civilization' you may know that the core of TG/IR (the TG four) has always been run as a democratic co-oprative cottage industry. In as much that everything we do is decided by a majority vote, all our income is shared equally and we try keep as much as possible of what we do and how we do it 'in-house' - or 'in the family'. No matter what it may appear like to outsiders the realm of TG/IR is not a dictatorship, and it never has been. In the early days: the 1970s' & 80s', that literally meant everything, well except physically pressing records. We even ran our own cassette duplication facility, churning out thousands of cassettes and covers from a converted kitchen in Hackney. I used to rent or borrow vans and Genesis and me would deliver vinyl, cassettes, t-shirts and merch in person all over London. This was apart from all the equipment building, recording, editing, mastering, filming, videoing, performing and self-promotion we did. And for most of that period we all had regular day-jobs too.

So here we are in 2009... and there are obviously still aspects and areas within TG & IR that we individually excel at or specialise in, or are sometimes co-opted into out of necessity. But it seems a lot of what we do nowadays, to keep TG running smoothly (or at all) falls on the shoulders of Cosey and me. And if we didn't 'step up to the plate' as often as we do (which is pretty much all the time) I honestly think TG would fade out of existence and cease to exist as a living, working collective.

Just telling it like it is....

A=P=P=A=R=I=T=I=O=N in Glasgow

2009-09-09T00:00:00.000+01:00

A=P=P=A=R=I=T=I=O=N, our TG sculptural collaboration with Cerith Wyn Evans is now on exhibition at the enormous Tramway gallery in Glasgow. If you get the chance please visit this for a truly unique TG audio experience. A=P=P=A=R=I=T=I=O=N is TG being restrained and ethereal... delicate almost. It is very hard to describe an encounter with the sculpture: it uses multi-channel, highly polished, highly directional audio spotlights to project sound in a slowly, ever moving collage that seems to appear and disappear in mid air and from many directions simultaneously.

Like I said totally unique. We are all hoping that A=P=P=A=R=I=T=I=O=N will travel next year, and although there's no definite info yet as soon as we do know we'll make an announcement. - More Tramway details here.

A=P=P=A=R=I=T=I=O=N photos on Flikr.

Excepter 12" Remix

2009-07-02T00:00:00.000+01:00

Excepter 12" (a future now series).
A project we've been working on with the band Excepter which is being released by Rvng, a small Brooklyn-based record label. This limited edition 12" is the first release in the series and features collaborations from NYC's industrial pranksters Excepter with Chris Carter and Cosey Fanni Tutti (of Throbbing Gristle, Chris & Cosey, Carter Tutti), JG Thirwell of Foetus and his many alter egos, and Jack Dangers of Meat Beat Manifesto. exceptor.com

Flikr site update

2009-06-01T00:00:00.000+01:00

I've recently deleted all my photos from this site and moved most of them onto my Flikr pages.
I have had a Flikr site for a year or so and any photos (or videos) I wish to share have lately been posted straight onto it, and viewers can leave comments (unlike here), so it didn't make sense having my photos spread across two sites any longer. I still haven't moved some of the travel, international and architectural images, but I will as soon as I get the time.

You don't need a Flikr account to view my photos but without a Flickr account you cannot leave comments, send me messages or access my fetish & bondage photo sets (link), which are tagged as 'restricted' by Flikr. Also if you wish to view my 'restricted' images and you have a Flikr account you may need to reset your preferences. My 'restricted' images are also not accessible if you are located in Singapore, Hong Kong, Germany or Korea: sorry, It's not my fault, that's just how Flikr works.

I can tell from my Flikr stats figures that a lot of people are viewing my photos (another good reason for moving my images from here), this includes the 'restricted' fetish & bondage sets, which is only to be expected I guess but PLEASE do not berate me for using Flikr as I'm happy using it (and I don't care what you experience is with it) and don't ask me to host my' images ('restricted or otherwise) on another 'photo sharing' site (way too much hard work) or to send copies to you by email as I don't (or will ever) have the time.

I hope you enjoy them... (link)

CCCL project

2009-05-18T00:00:00.000+01:00

As part of my ongoing CCCL project I recently recorded a short video of some experimental sounds as a 'tribute' to the experimental work of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop who staged a performance in London on the 17th May, that I couldn't attend. All the sounds and loops originate from a BC8 synth, a Gakken SX-150 synth and BugBrand Weevil synths. All the effects and processing is done with Boss pedals.
Longer HD clip on Vimeo: www.vimeo.com/4706722
Shorter lo-res clip on Flikr: www.flickr.com/photos/chris_carter_/3541773057/
Photo still with notes on what was used: www.flickr.com/photos/chris_carter_/3541773771/
An audio only MP3 edit of the track can be heard > HERE <

TG USA tour

2009-05-01T00:00:00.000+01:00

So the TG USA tour is over and here I am back in front of my computer screen (not my laptop screen). The tour was fantastic, although the schedule was a little gruelling at times. I don't think Cosey & I have traveled quite so much in so little time since touring as Chris & Cosey in the 1990s'. Still, we all had a fabulous time and the shows were great and the response was overwhelmingly positive. We met some amazing people, reconnected with many friends we hadn't seen for a long while and made some wonderful new friends along the way.

During the trip I was documenting as much as possible with my cameras and feeding a (fairly constant) flow of information to Twitter for fans to keep up with our progress. The photos can be seen on my FLIKR pages, videos can bee seen on my VIMEO pages and here is my Twitter page

Right now I am going through all the live audio recordings I made of each show on my portable recorder, which we'll hopefully be making available as downloads from our web store, along with a few other merchandise items remaining from the tour.

Preps for TG 2009 tour

2009-03-27T00:00:00.000Z

Here's a short (very short) video clip of my ongoing/current preps for the forthcoming TG 2009 tour:
FLIKR video. Longer version here Vimeo video.
And here is a photo of what gear I will and won't be taking on the tour: FLIKR photo.

Descriptions and info are on the individual Flikr pages. More to come in the following weeks...

COH plays COSEY

2009-03-25T00:00:00.000Z

I've posted some photos (and a video clip) from Cosey's recent COH plays COSEY performance at the Brussels Electronic Music Festival on my Flikr pages.
Follow this link to view them: FLIKR

The Lure of Twitter

2009-03-09T00:00:00.000Z

OK so I've succumbed to more technological doodabbery, namely Twitter. Honestly I'm not sure how long I will be able to keep up a constant, or even steady stream of Twits (is that the right terminology?) but I should be able to post a few a day (is that too hopeful? probably). As I'm mostly tied up with TG and Cosey FT related activities from now until we leave for the States mid-April most of my Twits (?) will be focused those activities.
My Twitter link: twitter.com/chris_carter_

J.G. Ballard Tribute / Carter Tutti

2009-01-16T00:00:00.000Z

A project I'm working on at the moment is a tribute to the late J.G. Ballard. This will (hopefully) take form as a double-sided 12" vinyl release featuring a track by myself on one side and a track by Richard H. Kirk on the other. My track is about 75% complete, more release details when I have the info.

Cosey and myself are still (yes still!) working on our Feral Vapours film, currently re-shooting and re-editing various parts but ultimately getting there. I'm hoping for an early 2010 release, but then again I said that this time last year. Ho hum...

I've been getting inundated with collaboration requests lately, well since the TG tour. So if you are reading this and you've written to me with a project proposal please bear with me and I will get back to asap, I promise: even if it's to say "sorry but no".

I really can't remember a time when we've been this busy, and so consistently throughout the year. Not that I'm complaining (much) as I guess we're lucky to be earning a living in a recession. But some time off for even a short break would be nice once in a while.

My London studio circa 1981

2009-01-01T00:00:00.000Z

I recently found this shot in our archive on a strip of TG negatives.
It's my studio in our apartment in Crouch End, North London and was taken shortly after TG split-up (first time) in 1981. This was the TG / Chris & Cosey crossover period and a few weeks before I got my Roland MC-8 MicroComposer.
Everything in this photo was used on later TG material and early Chris & Cosey releases and while I no longer own the majority of the gear I still have the Boss pedals, the Auratone speakers and the chair.

The modular system on the right consists of three Roland 190 racks and two 191J racks containing: two 182 Step Sequencers, 121 Dual VCF, 130 Dual VCA, 112 Dual VCO, 150 Ring Mod/Noise/S&H/LFO, 110 VCO/VCF/VCA, 172 Audio Delay/Phaser/LFO/Gate Delay.
Also included in the Roland racks were a number of my own self-built modules, including a: Digisound Dual VCO, Digisound Dual VCF, Digisound Dual VCA, Digisound Dual ADSR, Digisound Dual RM, Blacet variable clock/divider, a Gristleizer module and (in the top rack) a flanger/delay and a dual phaser/flanger/delay.
Under the modular system is a Boss DR-55 Dr. Rhythm (sitting on top of) a Roland CSQ-600 Digital Sequencer, a Roland TR-808 (one of the first in the UK I might add), a Sinclair frequency meter (for tuning) and a Roland 181 Controller Keyboard.
To the right of the modular (top to bottom) are a small sub-mixer, a Sinclair mutli-meter, a Leak power amp, s Boss KM-4 a Leak FM tuner and a custom digital delay line and a custom 10-band EQ unit (both self-built). In front of those are two Seck 6.2 mixers.
On the far right of the desk are (top to bottom) three Accessit compressors, a Roland SRE-555 Chorus Echo, H&H Slide Echo.
In the foreground are a couple of Roland Flanger pedals, a Boss micro Amp pedal and an Electro-Harmonix Gate pedal.
Also in shot are a Tandberg stereo reel-ree, a Tandberg cassette deck, a Warfdale cassette deck, a pair of self-built 8" speakers and a pair of Auratone 5C Super-Sound-Cubes.

Techy photo note: the photo was taken with a Nikon F2 using a 50mm 1.4 lens on Ilford FP4 film using available light.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chris_carter_/3263010726/sizes/o/

"Ying Tong Merrily On High", to all!

2008-12-23T00:00:00.000Z

As you've no doubt noticed it's been quiet on these pages for the last month, so my apologies if you dropped by seeking regular news, updates and gossip.
Apart from the hectic preparations and the eventual launch of Thirty-Second Annual Report (and simultaneously relaunching Industrial Records Ltd.!!!) we've been finishing off various Carter Tutti projects, collaborations, remixes, filming, editing etc. and traveling a fair bit (although nowhere exotic, shame!).
So... now Nick has returned home for Xmas we are essentially hibernating for a week, or so. With: brief forages to the supermarket to replenish the fridge, movies and TV on tap via AppleTV (as usual there's nothing worth watching on terrestrial TV), a big Xmas tree that looks as if it has landed from another galaxy (one of Cosey's many talents) and friends/neighbours popping round bearing festive and/or pagan cheer we are pretty well sorted. Well as long as we don't get any power cuts or run out of gas for the central heating!
As the wonderful Goons once said... "Ying Tong Merrily On High", to all!
Normal transmissions will resume sometime in January 2009

Lens Babies

2008-11-26T00:00:00.000Z

I recently bough a Lensbaby Composer lens for my Nikon. I guess I was taking a gamble as it wasn't exactly cheap, what with all the accessories and add-ons and stuff, and I'd heard the build quality could sometimes be suspect and they can be quite difficult to use, successfully. Well I found the build quality to be fine, maybe the earlier versions of it weren't so good but using it does indeed take a fair bit of practice and I'd say it's definitely not intended for novice photographers. But luckily with a DSLR I can just keep taking shots and adjusting the camera exposure and trying different aperture discs until I get the effect I'm after. I haven't taken any prize winning photos yet (not even close), just a bunch of shots from around the house and the garden, but even after a couple of days use I'm completely hooked on this lens system. It's amazing, quirky, sometimes frustrating but highly creative and utlimately very rewarding.
Of course I've heard the argument (a lot): "why use a Lensbaby when you can get a similar look using Photoshop?". The answer is that while the PS method has it uses (in post pro, for example) I feel it's a lackluster imitation of the real thing. That's not to say I won't be using Photoshop with my Lensbaby shots, I'll still be using it for further exposure adjustments, colour balancing, cropping and other such image tweakery.
But I'm also I'm pretty excited at the prospect using the Lensbaby with my D90 for HD video, something that would have been out of the question until recently. Shooting HD video with a Lensbaby looks far better than doing a simulated 'split focus' effect using a video application in post production. Even having to reshoot video to get the effect 'just right' it's still a lot quicker and better quality than hours spent experimenting, composing and then rendering in After Effects or FCP.
My first Lensbaby attempts are up now on my Flickr pages:

Return from Wroclaw

2008-11-14T00:00:00.000Z

On our return from Poland me and Cosey both went down with bad head-colds and generally feeling shitty. I have a theory that the stale recirculated aircon on Ryan Air flights is responsible for laying us low. Though it seems that every time we fly with any 'low cost' airline we get ill shortly after. Anyway... the Wroclaw trip was interesting. The city was quite sombre and grey, as were many of the people but the festival organisers were great: friendly, enthusiastic and very professional. We also did the usual touristy stuff, wandering and snapping. It seemed as though there was a gothic church at every corner, so lots of photo opportunities.
The acoustics at the venue were a little off kilter because of the extremely high ceiling but the show sold out and there were lots of hard core fans screaming for their fave songs. The atmosphere was pretty charged and everyone had a great time, including us.
Flikr images from the trip are here

Frieze Art Fair/Liverpool Bienniale

2008-10-26T00:00:00.000+01:00

I've posted some photos on my Flikr pages from our recent trips to (and Cosey's subsequent 'talks' at) the Frieze Art Fair and the Liverpool Bienniale.
I've been a longtime Nikon SLR owner, actually when I think about it I was (occasionally) using Cosey's Nikon F back in 1974 and later her FE, until I got my own FE2 in the early eighties, followed by an F301 and various lenses I've collected over the years. I continued to use my F301 until a couple of years ago, when I bought a digital Sony DSC-F828. The F828 was OK (ish), it handled well and had a good lens and even infra-red capability but had some annoying 'quirks' as far as image handling and image quality goes. And it definitely was not DSLR. I almost got digital Nikon a few of years ago (a D70) but I wasn't totally convinced by the picture quality/features/price ratio, well not enough to splash out more than a £1000 or so. Anyway what with one thing and another (coincidently a PRS cheque arriving the same week as the Nikon announcement) the D90 pretty much fulfills my needs, and like I said I'm extremely pleased with it. Feel free to comment on the photos... don't be too brutal though
Link to photos on Flikr
All these photos were taken with my new Nikon D90 DSLR - which I'm very happy with.

The Gristleizer

2008-10-15T00:00:00.000+01:00

The Gristleizer (or Gristleiser) is making a comeback...

To find out more go here >> from-which-gristlizer-came << and scroll to the bottom of the comments.
The original TG Gristleizer - via this link

How we've changed!

2008-10-14T00:00:00.000+01:00

I've been a little lax keeping up to date here over the last few months, what with one thing and another. We (Cosey and me) decided that some long overdue DIY jobs around the house needed doing before autumn sets in, and as they were all outside jobs it took longer than we expected due to the variable weather here lately. But it's all pretty much completed now, I just need to replace one large interior window pane inside our studio, which I cracked while being a bit too handy when chipping away at some paintwork.

Also... we've been setting up, or rather re-activating, Industrial Records as a fully fledged Limited Company again after leaving it dormant for more than 25 years. This is to coincide with our new TG release on IR: 'The Thirty-Second Annual Report of Throbbing Gristle'. Lots more details on that are HERE. But it was a major undertaking (by our terms anyway), registering IR as a company (again), registering for VAT, getting a registered office address, making a business plan for the bank, and a ton of other boring legal stuff that's needed these days! Then we (actually it was mainly Cosey) had to put the 'product' into production. Which translates into having to cope with various suppliers, manufacturers, printers, distributors, shippers etc. etc. etc. All the screamingly frustrating stuff Mute usually to do for us for a 'major' release. Not that they've stopped, they just aren't involved in this release.
In between running Industrial and DIY we've also been recording with Millimetre and producing a dance remix for Excepter, but more on those projects later.

Next week we are both at the Frieze Art Fair, where Cosey is on a discussion panel, and where we are launching 'Thirty-Second Annual Report'. In a couple of weeks we'll be at the Liverpool Biennial where Cosey is 'in conversation', and on November 7th we are playing at the Wroclaw Industrial Festival in Poland. After all that lot we are taking some time off, as Spring 2009 looks to be busy for TG. Can't say more right now but we could be flying west, then west again.

BTW:
I've recently posted some really old TG photos on my Flikr pages. Even if you're not a TG fan they're definitely worth checking out. My, my... how we've changed!

More A=p=p=a=r=i=t=i=o=n

2008-08-17T00:00:00.000+01:00

Fashioning a workable (and practical) realisation of the TG multi-channel audio for Cerith Wyn Evans' A=p=p=a=r=i=t=i=o=n sculpture took far longer than I expected. Admittedly, I knew it would probably be challenging working on such a complex large-scale project, co-ordinating with a lot of (talented) people and getting it all finished to a tight deadline. But not that it would mean to the exclusion of almost everything else I was working on with Cosey. Which now puts us in a position of being at least a month behind on completing all our current non-TG activities: outstanding remixes, various collaborations, solo work and of course our (now) overdue FVotSE film.
The upside (yes there IS an upside) is that A=p=p=a=r=i=t=i=o=n is truly astounding and something you just can't appreciate unless you experience it 'in situ'. We ran our first A=p=p=a=r=i=t=i=o=n test last week in a warehouse in London, well about 90% of the finished structure was up and running and the Audio Spotlights still needed polished metal covers, but everyone present was completely blown away by the TG sound track and how well it works with Cerith's sculpture.

• here's a link to short video clip of the test run •

Because of the technology used, the way the TG soundtrack is configured, the fact that the Audio Spotlights are at different heights and that the highly directional sound reflects off any nearby surface (including the backs of adjacent Audio Spotlights, which all slowly turn at the slightest gust of air, or movement) the sound has the impression of NOT coming from the structure at all but from the space surrounding it. It's a totally unique work and something you have to interact with in all its TG 3-dimensional audio glory to really appreciate.

So... right now we're time managing and juggling hours in a day, trying to prioritise a whole bunch of delayed, unfinished solo and Carter Tutti projects and even trying to complete some long-needed DIY around the house before Autumn sets in.
But no more TG... for while at least.

A=p=p=a=r=i=t=i=o=n

2008-07-07T00:00:00.000+01:00

Unfortunately our summer break was cut short. The audio project TG are working on for our collaboration (A=p=p=a=r=i=t=i=o=n) with artist Cerith Wyn Evans reached an unexpected level of complexity after the initial recordings. Being TG's resident geek/boffin I've been attempting to find solutions for some demanding logistical (not to mention cutting edge) sound configurations. If we can pull this off the way we'd like to then the sculpture is going to be astonishing, unique and very 'TG'.
So here I am (yet again) ensconced in the studio in the middle of summer. At least this week it's been raining a lot, so we haven't missed out on too much.

CarterTutti photos

2008-06-29T00:00:00.000+01:00

I've put up some recent CarterTutti (& TG) photos on my Flikr pages, feel free to make comments on them.
Sorry this entry is so short but we're now taking some time off for a long needed summer holiday.
More updates next time...

Flikr Link

Busy writing, jamming, recording, editing & rehearsing

2008-05-24T00:00:00.000+01:00

Sorry for a lack of posting/blogging/whatever here lately but for the past 5 weeks or so we've been busy writing, jamming, recording, editing and rehearsing Throbbing Gristle and CarterTutti material for our forthcoming live shows in Europe and the UK. We're now at a stage where 95% of our sets are ready to go, just a few tweaks here and there. It's been very intense working on two new and completely different sets at the same time but it ALL sounds (and looks) wonderfully fabulous. As usual I'll begin taking photos while 'on the road' and will post selections on my Flikr site.

Unforeseen setback

2008-04-08T00:00:00.000+01:00

Despite the unforeseen setback of Cosey's ill health earlier this year we can now announce that Carter Tutti will definitely be doing some live performances during 2008.
See above or GO HERE for more details. Check with the venues for ticket info and availability, sorry we don't have more details right now.

Gear sales on eBay

2008-03-18T00:00:00.000Z

I've been getting concerned emails and comments on the interweb about my 'gear sales' on eBay.
Basically saying: "are you mad?, why?, please don't, are you short of cash?, they should be in a museum, keep them, don't sell them" and so on and so on. I'm sure you get the drift.
They are all valid points, and yes I can absolutely see where these concerns are coming from and no I'm not doing it for the cash, well not at the moment at least. I have kept back some 'unique'ish' TG items: the Gristleizers, some other hand-made fx units, a Bolex movie camera, a 'blood-stained' microphone and a couple of battered TG flight-cases. But I have a history of 'off-loading gear and moving on' every 5-10 years or so and previously I'd sold (my personal) TG and C&C gear to private collectors and through specialist auction houses. This time it's through eBay and it's generated a certain amount of interest and forum chatter. I'm not going to attempt to justify what I'm doing, I don't need to but I will explain my reasoning.
Well, apart from (the not inconsiderable) space considerations, I just don't use some of this gear anymore and I'd like other musicians to 'take up the mantel', so to speak and carry on using it while it all still works (and hopefully in new and interesting ways). One of the main reasons I started selling my old gear 10-15 years ago was that much of it was failing, malfunctioning or broken and I was spending a small fortune trying to keep it all going. So I sold it to buyers who could afford to repair, cherish and use it to make music for a few years more, as it deserved. I'm not the only member of TG who's passed on 'retired' gear so that others can get something else out of owning it either.
Also one of my morbid fears is that Cosey and I (or even all TG) will die in a plane crash and our TG and C&C archive, which even apart from the gear is MASSIVE (it literally fills a whole room in our old 'school' house) will be dumped in a land-fill never to be seen or used by anyone ever again. Irrational and possibly quite improbable I know... but hey! that's me.
Now... if someone from a museum or gallery wants to take this lot off my hand's I'm sure we could come to some arrangement but they'd better hurry.

Chemistry Lessons update

2008-03-11T00:00:00.000Z

I recently posted a Chemistry Lessons update: HERE

eBay woes

2008-03-01T17:56:00.000Z

I mentioned last month that I was intending to put my unsold gear (below) on eBay but try as I may I've yet to creat a 'Seller' account. I must admit that a year ago I was very anti eBay, as I'd been ripped-off (twice) some years ago. But I gradually got drawn back in during 2007 and ended up with some really good buys last year, mainly effects units and pedals.
But here I am still trying to set up a Seller account but ebay won't play ball (after 4 weeks!). Various eBay technical departments have tried to reassure me that there shouldn't be a problem setting up my account to sell stuff BUT it basically boils down to this: they are aware of a problem, they don't know why there is a problem and they don't currently know how to fix the problem.
So in leu of finally (if ever) setting up an eBay Seller account I am putting ads in various places with a link to my 'Gear Sale' page and a PayPal 'Buy Now' button.

UPDATE:
OK I've managed to set up a temporary eBay account that will let me sell stuff for the time being: this is the link.
I've also added a few more items for sale.

Illness

2008-03-01T00:00:00.000Z

Some of you may already have heard, or not, but Cosey has been very ill since the begining of the year. This meant the majority of our upcoming projects and all our current activities were rescheduled or put on hold. Cosey's health has improved somewhat in the last week, although she still has a way to go before a full recovery, but we are now in a position where we can attempt to slowly begin catching up with our most pressing or outstanding work.
Number one on our 'to-do' list has been starting our Feral Vapours film, which will now be released on DVD much (much) later in 2008 than we originally planned. We have also completed contributions for a number of compilations and collaborations that will be released in the coming months (details when we have them). We will definitely be playing some Carter Tutti shows in Europe this year but are waiting on final confirmations before we make any announcements, which will be soon. In a couple of weeks we will also begin preparations for a few European Throbbing Gristle shows this Summer.

Gear for sale

2008-02-01T00:00:00.000Z

I'm selling my Monome 40h USB controller (actually now sold) and my DS Evolver desktop synth as I just don't use them quite as much as I'd like to anymore. If anyone is seriously interested in making an offer for either unit then please drop me a line. But if no one does I'll be putting them up on ebay next week (4th or 5th Feb).

Online interview

2008-01-01T18:11:00.000Z

For anyone that might be interested there a new(ish) online interview with me at: www.ikonenmagazin.de
BTW: the picure accompanying the interview is ancient, I don't currently look anything like that.

TGV is in the wild...

2007-12-13T18:15:00.000Z

Well we've done it... an actual, finished production copy of TGV is sitting here in front of me on my desk... and it's bloody brilliant!

Hat's off to Paul Taylor (in particular) and all those at Mute and Technicolor who really (and I mean REALLY) pushed the boat out over the last month or so to make this beautiful package a reality.
But as Paul said earlier today: "I'm not sure I can watch it again for a little while though".
I know exactly what you mean mate, I guess you know when you've overdone it (especially on something as intense as TGV) when even your dreams (mine) start including TG gigs, TG people, TG graphics, TG sounds (you name it!) that you've been working on for so long.

Time for a festive TG break I think. ;-)

BTW: Pre-ordered copies are being mailed as I write this.

Stockhausen

2007-12-10T18:21:00.000Z

I was saddened to hear about the death of Stockhausen. A true genius and a hero of mine for many years. Myself and Cosey last saw him perform in London in 2005 when he staged Kontakte and Octphonie. It was a wonderous, enthralling evening of sublime experimental music.

By coincidence this week I recorded the first piece for my CCCL project, details are HERE I am dedicating the recording the Stockhausen.

And another milestone

2007-11-18T00:00:00.000Z

The inception of TGV started after our TG 're-grouping' performance at the Astoria in May 2004 (on disc 6, I think). That show alone was a major milestone for TG as, apart from being 'free', it was our first show for 25 years or more, started the TGV ball rolling and we somehow accumulated a paid crew of around 40 people. Which was a big change from the 1970s' & 80s' when we just had a handful of volunteer helpers.
Naturally there was a film crew: consisting of a dozen or so camera operators dedicated to filming the whole thing on stage and back stage, the 'FX Rentals crew': who were recording everything onto 24-track and binaurally, a 'second unit / just in case' crew from Mute studios: who were piggy-back recording onto another 24-track, a hardcore FOH 'seen it all before' PA crew (TG's first encounter with Charlie Poulet, who's now become our regular FOH engineer). Plus of course, what was to become the current 'TG entourage' made up from: TG ourselves, our manager, tour manager, onstage & road crew, the Mute PR & merch teams and various but essential friends and family. And it's this entourage that has been our ongoing 'TG support structure' since the Astoria. So if you've ever wondered why TG don't perform live quite as much as you'd expect us to it's because (apart from following our own non-TG careers) this 'not so little lot' costs an absolute fortune in transport, airline tickets and hotel bills. Plus there's the matter of a TG fee of course! That's why we have yet to play in the USA this time around, partly because most of TG and our entourage are based in the UK and there don't seem to be (so far) any US promoters prepared to cover our substantial costs, plus the continuing demise of the Dollar exchange rate has to be factored in too. So, so far we've only played festivals in Europe or large or unusual venues like Tate Modern and the ICA where things like 'finance budgets' aren't such an issue. I guess a re-grouped TG playing in the USA would be another milestone wouldn't it?

Another milestone

2007-11-17T00:00:00.000Z

I've put up the pre-order pages and links for the new Throbbing Gristle TGV, 7-disc DVD boxed set. Which roughly equates to... TGV has almost reached its final milestone and is now 98% closer to being a real-life physical product, and a major step-up from what seemed like the eternal limbo of compiling, editing, mastering, authoring, beta testing, bug fixing, tweaking and test viewing. TGV pre-order page.

A Milestone

2007-11-16T00:00:00.000Z

Last week our new Carter Tutti album Feral Vapours of the Silver Ether... was released in the USA by Divine Frequency. It's hard to believe but this is our first US 'domestic' release since we were signed to (the now defunct) Wax Trax in the 90s'. Between then and now all our CD releases were exported from Europe by (the also now defunct) World Serpent. Of course the most obvious consequence of this is that the CD will (should) be a available in more US stores, so our music gets to by a wider audience and our fans and admirers won't have to pay inflated 'import CD' prices. Which has to be good news for everyone. www.divinefrequency.com

Feral Vapours of the Silver Ether album released

2007-10-15T10:35:00.000+01:00

OK, so I'm going into blatant self-promotion mode::::
Our new CarterTutti album Feral Vapours of the Silver Ether is now available from iTunes and will be available on CD from next week in UK/Europe and in a couple of weeks in the USA. This album has taken us over two years to record, the longest it's ever taken us to finish a mainstream project. And even though I say so myself (I know your thinking "he would say that wouldn't he") it is definitely our most acomplished album... ever. But judge for yourselves, if you go to our MySpace page, or even better visit iTunes, you can hear clips of all the tracks. If you like what you hear please buy a copy... because this is how we make a living. Actually, in a couple of days we'll be opening our new CTI Web Store so if you prefer physical product you can order a CD directly from the artist (us).

Oh... and over there in the left-hand column is my CCCL tab, where you will find a couple of recent updates.

98% done

2007-09-19T10:38:00.000+01:00

Wow! it's been almost six weeks since I posted any updates here, very remiss of me I must say.
My excuse is that we've been busy finishing our new album (and its variations) and adjusting and tweaking it for final release... i.e.: so it is ready for the various production facilities, factories, printers and pressing plants etc. Which is now about 98% done. In fact as I write this I'm waiting for the door bell to ring with a delivery of the first batch from the CD factory.
We've also been gearing up for the inevitable (but essential) promotional push... which translates to: new photos, press releases, promo lists, advertising (web, viral and print) AND setting up our new mail-order site. Yes, after three years or so we're going back into the mail order business. Which means from October (ish) you'll be able to buy Carter Tutti, C&C and CTI physical product directly from us (new and back catalogue CDs to you and me).
Plus we're updating the Carter Tutti / C&C web site with a makeover.

TTFN

TG at Donaue Festival & the I.C.A.

2007-06-10T10:51:00.000+01:00

Krems was great, the Tate was amazing and the I.C.A. installation was brilliant, productive and exhausting. But now we are all back in our respective homes: Sleazy has returned to Bangkok, Gen to NY, we two to Norfolk and the intensity and madness of TG has subsided... almost.

The I.C.A. 12 CD wallet is pretty much done, just a few tweaks left then it goes into production early next week. Sleazy will be returning to us in Norfolk in a couple of weeks so (amongst other things) we can complete the final stages of TGV... hopefully for an Xmas release!
Cosey and myself have a batch of Carter Tutti projects to finish (new tracks & mixes for compilations mainly) and Cosey has some work to complete for some upcoming exhibitions. Then we are taking a well earned break. More news, titbits and updates in the coming weeks.

New photos from Tate & I.C.A are now available on my Flikr pages.

In the next few months I will be transfering all my photos from this site to my Flickr account.

Photos from TG at Donaue Festival

2007-05-01T10:57:00.000+01:00

Some new photos from our recent TG trip to the Donau Festival are now available to view on my Flikr pages.
Flikr LINK

I have also posted the same Donau photos on my MySpace pages for those without a Flickr account.
MySpace LINK

Deep in preps

2007-04-20T11:06:00.000+01:00

Cosey and myself are deep in preps for the upcoming TG events (first up are the two shows at Donau Festival) and it's all sounding fabulous. Sleazy arrives at our place on Monday, so things will notch up a gear once the three of us begin seriously working out a final TG set.
A couple of things to note:
We three have all changed significant elements of our performance set up (again) and TG will not be playing material from the new album. Think 'new retro'....

For info and pictures on the current renewed 'Gristleizer' interest please go to:
Matrixsynth blogspot: HERE
The new 'Official' Gristelizer page is: HERE
MySpace Gristelizer photos/info: HERE (this link only works for MySpace friends)

4298607

2007-04-02T14:43:00.000+01:00

I've posted some photos on Flikr from the recent 24-hour (and what will probably become legendary) Mute '4298607' party. FYI the '4298607' numbers refer to (in this order) the Mute building number in the Harrow Road, the year Mute moved into the building and the year they move out (and go to EMI).

And what an utterly weird experience it was walking through the doors into that building again. It had been transformed from busy record company offices into what looked like a twisted post-apocalyptic 'industrial party' film set. Bunches of severed cables hanging out of ceilings and walls, discarded odds & sods and paperwork on the floors and dozens of empty offices. The place had no signs of fixtures, fittings and furniture, just lots of bean bags, old sofas, spot lights, strobes, video projectors, make-shift drinks bars, a barbecue in the car park, 3 or 4 DJ systems on different floors, a fully equipped stage in the warehouse and people, kids, drinks, food, more people and cameras everywhere you looked (plus the presence of a slightly menacing security crew constantly wandering around, I guess to stop anyone walking off with what little 'Mute souvenirs' were left).

I think the idea was to give what could have been a maudlin event a really positive spin, and it worked. Everyone was really buzzing and there were a lot of smiling faces and a lot of hugging going on. We were just Mute 'artists' and yet we bumped into quite a few 'former Mute employees' we hadn't seen for years. But Mute has employed a lot of people over the last two decades and it was great to see so many people turning up and seeing old friends and work-mates. Daniel (Miller, head honcho) even did the old 'meet and greet' routine on the door, classic! Never thought I'd see the day. We went along with Andria Degens (aka Pantaleimon), who used to be Daniel's PA and we all did a short contribution for the 'Mute video diary' that had been set up in the former studio on the top floor, the studio where TG recorded the TG Now album back in 2004. They also had a great room (actually I think it was Daniel's old office) with hundreds of 'Mute' photos covering 20 years pasted onto the walls. Nostalgia overload! But great. As we left dozens of people were still turning up and you could hear the noise way down the street.

Footnote:
The following week the building was demolished (and Mute were going to time-lapse film it for posterity). There's also talk of one of those blue memorial plaques going onto the new apartment block that's replacing it.

End of an era, new beginnings and all that...

New album 90% complete

2007-03-15T14:58:00.000Z

Feral Vapours of The Silver Ether (our new Carter Tutti album) is 90% completed and everyone we've played it to so far loves it. We're just agonising over one last track as we're not happy with how it has worked out. So do we re-record it and include it, or do we just dump it and move on? Hmmm...

Anyway... for those who may not have heard, Cosey's adventures in LA went well but ended on a downer. She was 'removed' from her Virgin Atlantic flight home while the plane was waiting to take-off by ultra paranoid flight attendants and an armed security guard afraid that she 'might' have an in flight heart attack. In fact there was no risk of her having any kind of attack at all, but the Virgin staff wouldn't listen her (or the Doctor sat next to Cosey, who tried to calm their unfounded worries). Four days later and after a many calls, emails, faxes and documents had changed hands she was passed 'fit to fly' (which we all knew anyway!).

Back home we immediately started (and completed) our ColorField Remix contribution, ,which looks and sounds gorgeous.

Ensconced in the studio

2007-02-10T15:21:00.000Z

We've been ensconced in the studio and recording continuously this month to complete our long delayed new Carter Tutti album. Cosey is off to LA for a couple of weeks to install her show at MOCA and visit friends while I stay behind to tweak the final production and finish the mastering (stereo & 5.1).

Numerous TG live events (and the release of the Part Two album) are looming very large on the horizon (see above) so I guess in some ironically mental way even our current intense workload could be considered the calm before the storm that is/will be TG in 2007. Oh what was it I once said many years ago about being in TG? ah yes.....
"it was the best of times, it was the worst of times". And I tell you it's never been truer!

CCCL - Chris Carter's Chemistry Lessons

2007-01-28T15:25:00.000Z

Well, as a few people have asked here's a tiny glimpse of what I have been working on in my spare time between my various day jobs (Carter Tutti, recording, performing and TG etc.)
This project currently involves a fair bit of audio circuitry R&D, prototyping and building (click on the pic above) and a certain amount of retro circuit modification, although NO circuit bending is involved!
The ongoing results are interesting to say the least (IMO). Without giving too much away (because at this early stage it could all change direction completely) think along the lines of... a collection of original 1970s' analogue Gristleizers and TG noise units battling it out with a bunch of 21st Century sonic generators and manglers. But as I say the fruition of all this work and final outcome are still to be determined. Stay tuned, audio clips will folllow... - CCCL website LINK - CCCL MySpace LINK

Disclaimer: This project has no connection with Carter Tutti, Chris & Cosey or Throbbing Gristle.

2006 was an odd year

2007-01-01T15:33:00.000Z

2006 was an odd year for us, with some real highs (like our Carter Tutti gigs and Cosey's exhibitions and so on) but there were also a lot of unfinished and unresolved aspects to it. And it ended on a real emotional downer, with Nick (our Son) rushed into hospital. But... after a few setbacks he's finally on the road to a full recovery and his nurse says should be OK to go home next Sunday (Jan 7th). By the way, thanks again to all of you who sent wishes etc. they were very much appreciated.

This year should see some interesting developments. We're determined to get our long overdue second Carter Tutti album completed (well over a year late!), Cosey and I are working on a number of interesting 'collaborations and projects' that we'll be announcing soon, there are some 'significant' TG announcements (and releases) imminent and Cosey is in a major exhibition opening in LA, in the Spring.

Detailed updates on all these soon'ish...
Happy New Year...

On hold...

2006-12-30T15:43:00.000Z

Much on hold at the moment as our son Nick is still very poorly after a burst Appendix.
Regular updates will return after Xmas/New Year.
In the meantime here is a newly posted online interview with me | LINK |

Madrid was short but sweet

2006-10-24T15:50:00.000+01:00

Our trip to Madrid was short but very sweet... The people at Experimenta Club were wonderfully friendly and helpful and very professional. The venue (a massive state of the art cultural centre!) was equally impressive and the only venue we've ever played with pink carpet, both on the stage AND throughout auditorium. Plus we sold it out, played a blinding set and went down a storm!

ExperimentaClub'06 photos can be seen here

Meanwhile back home: Well no matter how much you think you're on top of things there are always those unforeseen circumstances, random problems and plain old human errors lurking in the background just waiting to confound you and bite you on the arse. Yes of course I must be talking about TG and yes the release of long awaited TG DVD boxed set will be delayed, just a bit. But it'll be worth it AND it WILL be out before the (near legendary and even longer anticipated) Part Two album. Oh no don't get me started on that sore point again!........

TGV Mastering

2006-09-10T16:12:00.000+01:00

Wow.!. I can hardly believe it but the audio mastering is finally completed for the new TG DVD live boxed set. Weeks of mixing (and what ultimately turned into a rescue job for some of the newer material) is now en route to Mr Christopherson, who is still beavering away on the final video edits and menus. But it's all looking and sounding glorious, I just wish it wasn't all so fucking time consuming! More TG news coming soon....

Taking a few days off now...

Busy, busy, busy...

2006-08-20T16:25:00.000+01:00

I'm mixing and mastering the recent TG live performances in stereo and Dolby 5.1 for the new TG DVD boxed set. Sounds amazing but it's bloody intensive work!
I really, REALLY need a break after this but (and it's a big BUT) those CARTER TUTTI gigs are just around the corner and we need to start preps for them soon...

So onto other things

2006-07-31T16:42:00.000+01:00

Well I'm sorry to say that the new (and still untitled) Carter Tutti album will definitely not be released this year, (2006, for any time travelers reading this). As I've said previously we had been making good progress with the album and it's sounding wonderful but what with one TG thing and an other it's just not going to be possible to get it finished anytime soon. This is an important project for us and not something we're going to rush so it will be released when we're happy with it, but just not for a while yet.

So onto other things...
We bought a nice new Toyota VersoTR a couple of weeks ago. Its our first new car in 7 years (well strictly speaking Cosey bought it, but we both drive it) although we've been so busy lately we've hardly used it yet. I finally got my faulty Korg Kaoss Pad 2 returned (after 3 months!), well it's a brand new one as Korg's shippers lost my original 'repaired' KP2. The weird thing is that the replacement sounds completely different to my original KP2, I guess it was a lot more faulty than I thought. Just as I was writing this I heard about the new Korg KP3, I've got to get hold of one of those for gigs and improv! I've also just bought myself a Monome 40h unit, originally just to experiment with and for some interactive looping fun alongside the Kaoss Pad2 but we've already used it on two tracks for the new Carter Tutti album. The funny thing was that unbeknown to me Sleazy also bought one at the same time too, synchronicty or what? If you use max/msp and don't flinch at dabbling with some pretty arcane application interfacing you should definitely consider trying one, they're great. You'll need to be quick though, only a few left and they're not going to make any more.

Slow but productive

2006-07-07T16:44:00.000+01:00

Slow but productive... this would describe the current progress of our new (still untitled) Carter Tutti album. We were hoping to have it finished by September and in time for our upcoming performances, but this looks to be increasingly unlikely, in fact it would be a miracle!
And the reason? Well I put the blame squarely on TG shenanigans. This time last year we delayed starting the (long overdue) Carter Tutti album so myself, Cosey and Sleazy could complete the new TG 'Part Two' album. Which turned out to be an intense project and which the three of us put a lot of time and effort into. We were under pressure to deliver final production parts in time for a Decemeber 2005 release (in Berlin). And even when the three of us (and Mute) thought the album was finished, I had to spend another month rerecording parts and remastering the whole bloody thing a second time ('Part Two' couldn't be a more apt title!). And then to cap it all it didn't get released in 2005! In fact I doubt it will even get released in 2006, how ridiculous is that? So this whole sorry TG affair has whacked us with a double whammy... no new TG album and no new Carter Tutti album. That I might be feeling a little frustrated right now is an understatement!

And another thing...
I'm sick of wankers and nere-do-well's emailing me about the TG 24-track recorder. I've had time-wasters (many), fans using it as an excuse to find out where we live, cheapskates making laughable offers and lately Nigerian ("I'll pay you twice the asking price") scammers. To all of you: if you going to waste my time just FUCK OFF... because I won't be replying. If this carries on I'm going to donate it to a charity, seriously I am.

Update: the TG24-track is now OFF the market and no longer for sale.

Ken Russell was sweet

2006-05-06T17:17:00.000+01:00

Spent the weekend in London: I went with Cosey to the Tate Britain symposium. Her 'Confessions' film was very well received: as usual, Ken Russell was sweet, and very eccentric. Later we met up with friends and Portion Control & Neon Judgement at the monthly Cosey Club all nighter. It was funny really... on the dance floor were all these industrial/gothy 'twenty-somethings' getting it on to classic 80s' & 90s' EBM tracks originally played by these middle aged musos (us included) backstage. With conversations about "aches, pains and ailments", "did you know so and so was dead" and "I'm not usually up this late" it was like a (slightly scary) 1980s' twighlight zone. We all had a bloody good time though!
If you live in (or near) London I highly recommend a trip to Richard Clouston's Cosey Club, fantastic atmosphere, amazing DJ sets and some inspired choices of bands. I've posted a few photos from the evening in my Flikr pages.

The new (as yet untitled) Carter Tutti album is coming along slowly but sounding wonderfull. We're toying with the idea of posting some mp3 'teaser clips' on the C&C site when we have some finished mixes. We'll see...

TG are selling the Throbbing Gristle 24-track HD recorder. It's only been used a couple of times but for various reasons it's now "surplus to our requirements".

Jolly jaunt

2006-04-10T17:25:00.000+01:00

Just returned form our jolly jaunt to Italy during which we had a wonderful time in Venice and Pisa. Venice is an amazing city, plus we met up with some friends there which made our stay even more enjoyable... and the show completely sold out too! I have posted a few photos on my Flikr pages. The performances were very well received, even though we changed our Carter Tutti set slightly (from our previous LA 'quad' show) and decided to play it as an hour-long continuos set, without any breaks. Which was a bit of a gamble as it doesn't give the audience a chance to applaud between songs, but hey... we're not a rock n' roll band. Our 're-tweaked' video projections also got a very positive reaction and looked amazing. And yes... we will be releasing the visuals on DVD, hopefully this year.

Our CTI (Conspiracy International) back-catalogue has finally started to appear on iTunes and a few albums are now available to buy: click this C&C iTunes link. It's a vast catalogue of albums and we have no control in what order they appear but one of the first is a new Chris & Cosey compilation: COLLECTED WORKS 1981-2000, it features rare & hard to find C&C tracks from the last 19 years: full details are on the CarterTutti.com site. My own solo albums will also be available soon too. Click this link for what's currently available.