Recorded and processed on microcassette (and in Acid Pro). I am itchy and twitchy and irritable and pissed off. My idea of dance music for the 21st Century. This sounds like the tinnitus in my right ear. Photo by Jen Sandwich. Credits: GEMAfreie-welten Guest Artist, Hal McGee - manipulations

A new avant garde surrealist spoken word piece constructed and sculpted out of spam emails. I have consulted The Oracle, and this is what she spake. Credits: GEMAfreie-welten Guest Artist; Hal McGee - voice and words; Jen Sandwich - photograph

Fuglewicz and I inhaled the smoke deep into our lungs and set out for the Dark Side Of The Sun. Nine minutes and 36 seconds later we exhaled. Credits: David Fuglewicz and Hal McGee synthesizer loops from Free Loop Project 015

Invented in 1919 by Russian scientist Leon Theremin, the theremin was one of the earliest electronic music instruments, and the first musical instrument designed to be played without being touched. The theremin is the only instrument that is literally "played in space".

From Wikipedia:
The musician stands in front of the instrument and moves his or her hands in the proximity of two metal antennae. The distance from one antenna determines frequency (pitch), and the distance from the other controls amplitude (volume). The theremin uses the heterodyne principle to generate an audio signal. The instrument's circuitry includes two radio frequency oscillators. One oscillator operates at a fixed frequency. The other is a variable frequency oscillator, the frequency of which is controlled by the performer's distance from the frequency control antenna. The performer's hand acts as the grounded plate (the performer's body being the connection to ground) of a variable capacitor in an L-C (inductance-capacitance) circuit. The difference between the frequencies of the two oscillators at each moment generates a beat frequency in the audio frequency range, resulting in audio signals.

Inspired by John Cage, Robin O'Brien, Gerard Greenway, and Leon Theremin. Credits: Hal McGee Open Loops; additional theremin and effects by Hal McGee

I constructed the text of the spoken word audio recording which forms the basis of this piece out of word fragments from horoscopes and spam emails. At once abstract and at the same time highly personal, "Momentum Of A New Self-Image" addresses existential issues of self-awareness, doubt, overcoming living death, and many other things. Into this word tapestry I wove acoustic guitar, acoustic bass, flute, bassoon, bullroarer, and tambourine loops by Ed Drury. Credits: Ed Drury Guest Artist; Hal McGee, voice, words

Someone recently tried to tell me that white is the new black. I don't believe it for a second, especially when I'm in a black mood. Listen to it loud. Credits: Mental Anguish (Chris Phinney) - synthesizer loops from private resident artist FTP loops; Hal McGee - Moog Voyager synthesizer, Moog MF-104 Analog Delay

A free form collage consisting of: didgeridoo, voice and guitar loops by Ed Drury; organ loops by Hebephrenic (Scott Carr); sound files by Hungarian audio artist Cjjbrozt; my defective PC sound card; several various collaboration fragments by hometaper extraordinaire Zan Hoffman; a track called "xxxxx" by The Joke Project (long-time Japanese hometaper Seiei Jack Nakahara); a 1986 telephone conversation with the voices of Debbie Jaffe, Charlie Goff and Hal McGee; theremin and Casio VA-10 keyboard, as played by Jen Abell; miscellaneous and incidental snippets and fragments from videotapes of my October and November 2006 live performances, including audience sounds, and the voices and sounds of Charles Smith, Andrew Chadwick (ironing), Brandon Abell (Microwave Windows), Jen Abell (Paramutual Operator), Blast, Gina Vivinetto, Christopher Miller, Tom Miller, poet Ron Palahcik and many others; art by my six-year-old nephew Daniel Carruthers; Hal McGee - mix, electronics, concept. Credits: Ed Drury Guest Artist; Hebephrenic Open Loops; Hal McGee, mix

The M100 galaxy is a large spiral galaxy similar to our own Milky Way, containing over 100 billion stars. It is over 150 million light years away, so the light we see left when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Photo by NASA. Credits: Mental Anguish (Chris Phinney) - Moog Prodigy, Moog Rogue and Korg Poly 800 synthesizer loops from private resident artist FTP loops; Hal McGee - Moog Voyager synthesizer

Dark energy is an unknown form of energy that radiates from deep space. It behaves in the opposite manner from gravity. Rather than pulling galaxies together it pushes them apart. Dark energy makes up the bulk of the universe's mass/energy budget. If dark energy is stable the universe will continue expanding and accelerating forever. If dark energy is unstable the universe could ultimately come unglued to the point where stars, planets and even atoms come apart, a doomsday scenario called the "big rip." Dark energy might also flip such that is becomes an attractive force and causes the universe to implode in a "big crunch." Credits: Mental Anguish - Moog Rogue and Korg Poly 800 analog synthesizer loops from private resident artist FTP loops; Hal McGee - Moog Voyager synthesizer. Photograph and info from NASA and Hubble site.

Hal McGee recorded live at The Atlantic, 15 North Main Street, Gainesville, Florida, Friday, November 10, 2006, during the first night of Solder Fest V (a production of Electronic SubSouth). Hal McGee: voice, Moog Etherwave theremin, circuit bent Casio SK-1 and SK-5, train whistle, shortwave radio, cracklebox, tapes, loops, Moog 104 Analog Delay. Pre-recorded audio contributions by Mental Anguish, Cystem, International Garbageman, David Fuglewicz, M.Nomized, Don Campau, and Charles Rice Goff III. This audio recording is taken directly from the Hi8 videotape of the performance. Video recording by Andrew Chadwick. Introduction by Mr. Spagandy, MC. Thanks to the organizer of Solder Fest V, Christopher Miller, of Electronic SubSouth. Thanks also to Lenny Pearlman, for constructing the gear rack. The first night of Solder Fest V also included performances by Break Change, ironing, The Viirus, and On-tic (with Humans Need Lumens). Credits: Private resident artist FTP loops by Mental Anguish, Cystem, International Garbageman, David Fuglewicz; M.Nomized Guest Artist; Hal McGee

Hal McGee recorded live at the Shamrock Irish Restaurant and Pub, 1017 West University Avenue, Gainesville, Florida, on Monday, October 23, 2006, as part of The Tom Miller Show. An interesting example of what I like to call an "organized accident". As I was setting up my equipment (after Microwave Windows played) several audience members came up to the edge of the stage and started talking to me and asking questions about my gear. While I was pleased with the very friendly and enthusiastic attitude of the audience, I also got very distracted and didn't set up my gear properly! Early on in the performance the loop players (loaded with Tapegerm loops) failed, as did the circuit bent Casio SK-1, which has a tendency to be unpredictable and crash any way. My audio works often spring to life at the juncture where my intentions meet my technical failures, at the place where my plans collide with mistakes. I was forced to change my performance midstream, and so it became something different, a new creature. Ah! - the joyful chaos of the unexpected - the happy and fortuitous happenstance of improvisation. Emergent music. Dada fluxus free form improvisational collage. After the performance one audience member told me that it was like watching a philosophy professor delivering a lecture in a science lab with a lot of weird experiments going on. The words I read were taken from random text generators, and from "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC. My thanks to Tom Miller, Christopher Miller, Andrew Chadwick, Brandon Abell, and the audience! Credits: Mental Anguish FTP Loops; Hal McGee - theremin, voice, shortwave radio, power chimes, circuit bent Casio SK-1, cracklebox, darbuka, pot lids, metal spoons, glass jar, loops

Live performance recording from Saturday, October 21, 2006 at The Bombshell Gallery, at 2534 Central Avenue, in St. Petersburg, Florida, during the Clamor Music Fest. I played with five other artists that night - Microwave Windows, ironing, Blast, Space Program, and The Uh - to an enthusiastic audience of about 40 people. The Bombshell Gallery, operated by Gina Vivinetto, was the perfect venue for my first live performance since 1987 - a warm and cozy space, with couches and comfy easy chairs, the walls hung with paintings and lined with shelves of books. I mixed audio contributions and loops by Mental Anguish, Cystem, David Fuglewicz, International Garbageman, M.Nomized, Charles Rice Goff III and Don Campau - with live electronics, voice, and percussion - Dada fluxus improvisational live action collage. Live sound assistance by Brandon Abell. Originally recorded on cassette on a Harman Kardon TD 420 cassette recorder. The texts I read were taken from operation instructions for liquid paper and a 3-hole paper punch, and from spam e-mails. Photo by Jen Sandwich. Additional thanks to Jen Abell for videotaping the performance. Credits: FTP loops by Mental Anguish, Cystem, David Fuglewicz, International Garbageman; M.Nomized Guest Artist; Hal McGee - voice, Moog Etherwave theremin, circuit bent Casio SK-1, Casio VA-10, glass jar, metal spoons, pan lids, bongos, shortwave radio, loops.

A collision of two galaxies has left a merged star system with an unusual appearance as well as bizarre internal motions. Messier 64 (M64) resides roughly 17 million light-years from Earth. M64 appears to be a fairly normal pinwheel-shaped spiral galaxy. As in the majority of galaxies, all of the stars in M64 are rotating in the same direction. However, detailed studies in the 1990's led to the remarkable discovery that the interstellar gas in the outer regions of M64 rotates in the opposite direction from the gas and stars in the inner regions. Active formation of new stars is occurring in the shear region where the oppositely rotating gases collide, are compressed, and contract. Astronomers believe that the oppositely rotating gas arose when M64 absorbed a satellite galaxy that collided with it, perhaps more than one billion years ago. This small galaxy has now been almost completely destroyed, but signs of the collision persist in the backward motion of gas at the outer edge of M64. Credits: M.Nomized Guest Artist (Tier 3 Ex Sonic 1 and Ex Sonic 3); Hal McGee FTP loops (Moog Voyager, Octave Cat and Moog MG-1 synthesizers)

Caffeine is a central nervous system and metabolic stimulant, and is used both recreationally and medically to reduce physical fatigue and restore mental alertness when unusual weakness or drowsiness occurs. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system first at the higher levels, resulting in increased alertness and wakefulness, faster and clearer flow of thought, increased focus, and better general body coordination, and later at the spinal cord level at higher doses. Caffeine is a drug that in large amounts, especially over an extended period of time, can lead to a condition termed "caffeinism." Caffeinism usually combines physical addiction with a wide range of unpleasant physical and mental conditions including nervousness, irritability, anxiety, tremulousness, muscle twitching (hyperreflexia), insomnia and heart palpitations. An acute overdose of caffeine, usually in excess of 250 milligrams (more than 2-3 cups of brewed coffee), can result in a state of central nervous system overstimulation called caffeine intoxication. The symptoms of caffeine intoxication may include restlessness, nervousness, excitement, insomnia, flushing of the face, increased urination, gastrointestinal disturbance, muscle twitching, a rambling flow of thought and speech, irregular or rapid heart beat, and psychomotor agitation. Credits: Description and picture from Wikipedia; 8th Day Rebellion Guest Artist; DJ Get Yo Fat On Open Loops; Mental Anguish August 2006 Field Recordings FTP Loops; Hal McGee Open Loops

Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the absence of a corresponding external sound. Tinnitus is usually described as a ringing noise, but some subjects describe buzzing, humming, whistling, tunes, or songs. The sound perceived may range from a quiet background noise to a signal loud enough to drown out all outside sounds. Subjective tinnitus can have many different causes, but most commonly results from otologic disorders - the same conditions that cause hearing loss. The most common cause is noise induced hearing loss, resulting from exposure to excessive or loud noises. The inner ear contains many thousand minute hairs which vibrate in response to sound waves. Receptor cells (hair cells) in turn send signals to the brain which are interpreted as sound. If these hairs become damaged, through prolonged exposure to excessive volume, for instance, then deafness to certain frequencies occurs. In tinnitus, they may falsely relay information at a certain frequency that an externally audible sound is present, when it is not. Credits: Description and pic from Wikipedia; Mental Anguish August 2006 FTP Loops; Hal McGee Open Loops; Hal McGee: theremin, kora, cracklebox, circuit bent electronics, electric guitar, shortwave, synth

the audio corollary of 24 frames per second inside a 4th dimensional cube where its 6 interfaces symbolic are drawn as a box in the key of ever what each frame made of intricately carved varnished bone wood and dried gourd bound with fishing line and colored twine cow hide stretched across with a moving video image on both sides of each frame me tossing handfuls of sounds across a fluid medium of sizzling static and brown noise not just randomly tossing sounds but choosing their pitch duration loft velocity and placement besides the number and density of each turn the frame over and your observation of the reverberations illustration inconclusive horse hair ripples changes the reality of what is being heard in a still pond Credits: Arthur Loves Plastic Open Loops, Mental Anguish Open Loops, Mental Anguish FTP Loops, Hal McGee Open Loops, M.Nomized Guest Artist, Cystem Open Loops

green jade butterfly profiled scoured instructors councilmen descry spectroscopic doping? Wotan? grabbings kingdoms youristical instincts lads insufficiently nestled canonicalizes Baker update exodus transitive wearying Mooney dependably? wife militarily Bolshevik! firepower gables liberated drown Cystem isotopes foray intersects millionaire though exploit limit looming? adhesions cosmos baton game lively! Walbridge axiomatic implementor buzzword: anytime dental? stringed possessors scarce? spiders. greener Dunne Gatsby? mendacious overheard: saloon occupancy implored! severed Ionicization penicillin conjuring. persuader. Oswald! impinges Caputo! domesticate chapel: secretarial scant thrashes Algonquin. adducible redirect foretelling international trashman comparatives pivots Wallenstein fume arrogating? cook statistics internet seconding Phinney ostrich bequests billionth Konrad mounting! wormed. pressuring? autodialer hurdle guaranteeing secluded recreated impinge DeMorgan compromised martini balloons cremates died corrupter! unveil, bancomattic stripper plug bunted buffetings void bloat: dawned gratifying pretended! Terrycloth howl Midwesterner engraves corpse? Davy fuglebugle serpent bivouacs sonar announced aged M.Nomized chrysalis! reinterprets seen impregnable Mussolini Accra practicing Ely. Mouth game idiosyncrasy bootlegger. McGee received an e-mail from his parallel reality self. Credits: Midsummer Nights Germination loops by International Garbageman, Mental Anguish, Heuristics Inc, David Fuglewicz, Giuseppe Bancomatti; M.Nomized Guest Artist; Cystem Open Loops; Hal McGee: piano, PC sound samples

Live improvisation by Microwave Windows (Brandon Abell), Ironing (Andrew Chadwick), and Hal McGee, recorded in McGee's home studio, Gainesville, Florida, on Saturday, July 22, 2006. Credits: Brandon Abell: Fender Stratocaster guitar, Roland MC-303, tapes, effects; Andrew Chadwick: turntable, scratched / manipulated record, radio; Hal McGee: Casio VA-10, live loop mixing -- David Fuglewicz Open Loops and Mental Anguish Open Loops

The song title is derived from a real "news of the weird" event: A blind man, balancing a plate of fried chicken in one hand, and a handgun in the other, accidentally shot his wife in the head. "Blind Man Shoots Wife" was recorded on Saturday, July 22, 2006, at Hal McGee's apartment in Gainesville, Florida, USA, during a live improvisational recording session with Brandon Abell (Microwave Windows) and Andrew Chadwick (Ironing). On this song McGee mixed Tapegerm loops into the live mix as the music was being improvised. Live mixing of Tapegerm loops in streaming internet audio has been done before, such as in the Midsummer Night's Germination event, but this might perhaps be the first instance of live in-studio improvisational mixing of loops as other musicians play. Microwave Windows (Brandon Abell): Fender Stratocaster guitar, Roland MC-303, tapes, effects, live mix; Ironing (Andrew Chadwick): cassette, microcassette and reel-to-reel tape manipulations; Hal McGee: tapes, live loop mixing. Check song lyrics for contact info. Credits: Hal McGee - loop mixing; D. Howse Open Loops, Insecta Sonic Open Loops, Anti-Gravity Workshop Open Loops, Mental Anguish Open Loops, Omnitechnomatrix Open Loops

"Time" is the most commonly used noun in the English language. Credits: Midsummer Nights Germination (Cystem, Code Mango, Heuristics Inc, Mental Anguish, David Fuglewicz, International Garbageman, Giuseppe Bancomatti, Shaud); M.Nomized Guest Artist; Hal McGee - piano, circuit bent electronics, tapes, voice; C. Goff 3 - voice

The greatest challenge to individual liberty is the inability to understand the true nature of the threat. Credits: Majestic Twelve Guest Artist; Hal McGee - circuit bent electronics

Play It Loud. Credits: Fever Spoor Guest Artist; Hal McGee, electronics

This song is dedicated to the memory of Doug Walker (Dr. Synth) of Alien Planetscapes, who departed this earthly plane on April 4, 2006.... XXX --- >>> Phinney and I were on a two-month journey to Venus to chart and analyze greenhouse effects on that planet. It wasn't a long journey compared to many of our other space voyages, but still, eight weeks was a long time. Being the seasoned space travelers we were, we made liberal use of sound-making gear to pass the time and indulged heavily in our supply of sativa modules. We were getting really really zoned out on a fine jam, when all of a sudden there was a blinding flash of light and a deafening roar. And then all was silent. I whispered to Phinney in the pitch blackness, "Dude, are we dead or something?" "Yeah man, I think we might be", was his reply. The next thing we knew we were standing in a brightly-lit hall, and we could hear the sounds of music off in the distance. Icy chills passed up and down our spines. For some unexplained reason we felt compelled to run as fast as our legs could carry us in the direction of the music. We came to a large chamber spiked with glowing purple and green stalactites, and there, standing at a bank of what looked like analog synthesizers, stood a bald brown-skinned man, wearing an iridescent cloak. He turned around and smiled with a wide toothy grin and shouted "Welcome To Space Station Studio!". Credits: Original performance and recording by Doug Walker and Hal McGee, Space Station Studio, St. Albans, New York, August 1990. Synthesizers and sequencer by Doug Walker; Mental Anguish Open Loops; Hal McGee Open Loops (Moog Voyager). Photograph by NASA.

Buzzsaw, Great High Astronomer of the Empire of Germania, was a learned man, well-versed in the writings of the ancient astronomical authorities. Like his father before him, The Astronomer had devoted his life to the study of the Heavens, and he had always taken personal satisfaction in the knowledge that all of his observations confirmed the ancient wisdom about the nature of the universe. Recently, however, doubt had invaded the citadel of his certainty... Buzzsaw presented evidence to His Majesty The Emperor in a lavish display that included charts, graphs, and even actors dressed up in costumes representing the Celestial Bodies, that perhaps the ancient assumptions were merely that, and had no basis in fact. The Emperor, whose emblem was the Earth circled by a constellation of the Sun, the Moon, the planets and stars, stroked his beard, and thought deeply... After a moment, he spoke, and said, "Great High Astronomer Buzzsaw, what you have presented shows great wisdom and insight into the Mysteries of Creation. But I fear that it would not be politically expedient to widely broadcast this information. The People would become frightened and would rise up in revolt."... That evening it was with a heavy heart that Buzzsaw The Astronomer ascended the circular staircase to his observatory. The voices of The Ancients echoed in his head. He seated himself at his telescope, distractedly sipped red wine from his favorite gold goblet, and sighed deeply. Peering through the telescope he espied a large glowing object. "Hmm... that's odd...", he said out loud to himself. In the next moment, the room exploded in a ball of light. Standing next to him were two men in shining metallic suits. "Be not afraid Buzzsaw The Astronomer, for I, Phinney, and my comrade, McGee, have traveled through time and space to bring you comfort and hope." McGee addressed Buzzsaw, "Will you go on a voyage with us in our starship? We will show you the mysteries of the Solar System and the Universe"... Credits: Voice loops by Buzzsaw & The Shavings; Mental Anguish Open Loops; Moog Voyager loops from Hal McGee Open Loops; art by Jimmy McCullough.

Crab Nebula. They do not have what they call "emotion's oxygen" in the atmosphere. The medium in which animal life breathes is not in that soulless place -Yellow plains under white hot blue sky - Metal cities controlled by The Elders who are heads in bottles - Fastest brains preserved forever - Only form of immortality open to the Insect People of Minraud - An intricate bureaucracy wired to the control brains directs all movement - Even so though there is a devious underground operating through telepathic misdirection and camouflage - The partisans make recordings ahead in time and leave the recordings to be picked up by control stations while they are free for a few seconds to organize underground activities - Largely the underground is made up of adventurers who intend to outthink and displace the present heads - There has been one revolution in the history of Minraud - Purges are constant - Fallen heads destroyed in The Ovens and replaced with others faster and sharper to evolve more total weapons - The principal weapon of Minraud is of course heat - In the center of all their cities stand The Ovens where those who disobey the control brains are brought for total disposal - A conical structure of iridescent metal shimmering heat from the molten core of a planet where lead melts at noon - The Brass And Copper Streets surround The Oven - Here the tinkers and smiths work pounding out metal rhythms as prisoners and criminals are led to Disposal - The Oven Guards are red crustacean men with eyes like the white hot sky - Through contact with oven pain and captured enemies they sometimes mutate to breathe in emotions - They often help prisoners to escape and a few have escaped with the prisoners - Credits: Mental Anguish Open Loops, Fever Spoor Guest Artist, Moog Voyager loops from Hal McGee Open Loops; text from the book Nova Express by William S. Burroughs, copyright 1964; photo by NASA

Phinney and I set out toward The Helix Nebula, the planetary nebula closest to Earth. The remnants of a dead star, this geometrically complex structure lies 700 light years distant from our Sun, toward the constellation of Aquarius, and spans about three light-years. On this exploratory voyage Phinney and I were accompanied by crew member Cystem, a cybernetic organism whose specialty is time-warp conversions. We wanted to witness the creation of this awesome phenomenon in order to understand what the future might hold for our own Sun. We traveled at maximum velocity toward the dying star, and as we drew nearer, Cystem turned back the pages of time, like a film running in reverse... Here is an audio encoded document of our experiences. Credits: Photograph by NASA; Loops by Cystem and Mental Anguish from Free Loop Project 014; Mental Anguish Open Loops; Moog Voyager synthesizer loops from Hal McGee Open Loops.

Fuglewicz, Phinney and I stood on the shoreline of a dusty frozen sea. Credits: Loops by Dave Fuglewicz from Free Loop Project 014 and David Fuglewicz Open Loops; Hal McGee: Moog Voyager synthesizer, mix, effects; photo by NASA

The Giant Monsters were gathered on the outskirts of Washington, D.C., preparing to attack the nation's capital. This was a perfect time to attack -- both Houses of Congress were in full session; the Supreme Court was hearing cases on abortion and by an ex-stripper claiming her deceased octogenarian husband's fortune; and the President was at the White House, entertaining heads of state from Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China; The Giant Monsters were chilling out, kicking back, drinking plutonium punch, smoking big radioactive stogies, and in general partying down in celebration of the big monster mash to come. All of a sudden the night sky was filled with laser beams and strobing green lights. The sounds of whooshing aircraft could be heard overhead. The Giant Monsters all jumped up from where they were sitting and started cursing, snarling and gnashing their teeth in anger and disgust. "Damn those Martians! They are attacking Washington before we do!!!" "They are always trying to upstage us and steal our glory!" "Are we gonna let those freaky geeky green antenna-head dorks destroy Washington before we do?!" In unison they all responded "Hell no!" And the Giant Monsters rushed off to save Washington, D.C. from destruction... so that they could destroy it. Credits: Loops by Mental Anguish, Omnitechnomatrix, Insecta Sonic, and Buzzsaw & The Shavings from Free Loop Project 014; Electronic sounds by A.M. Salad (Keith Childress); Fever Spoor Guest Artist; Hal McGee: circuit bent electronics, theremin, ring modulator

Astronauts Chris Phinney, Patrick Parent and Hal McGee departed Earth on this day, February 20, 2006, bound for the red planet, Mars. Before we departed we stocked up on Sativa modules and coffee >> and a large arsenal of electronic sound machines >>> for propulsion and to help us endure the 3-month journey. Credits: Photo by NASA; Synthesizer Loops by Mental Anguish from Mental Anguish Open Loops and Free Loop Project 014; Etat Des Stocks (Patrick Parent) -- Korg MS10 and Juno 60 synthesizers; Hal McGee -- Moog Voyager synthesizer

Most people call me The Orbital Garbageman. I don't think that it accurately describes me or what I do, but since everyone calls me by that name, I've adopted it. I think that it is more accurate to say that I am a collector and purveyor of rare artifacts. Now, in the year 2099, there are an estimated 2,000,000 pieces of "space junk" or "space trash" in orbit above the Earth. In my tiny dual-seater orbital spacecraft (which is itself constructed of cast-off and discarded parts) I cruise the skies with my beagle Waldo (who has a good nose for smelling out valuable pieces of trash), looking for items to sell in my shop back at Orbital City. You wouldn't believe the stuff we have found! Everything from items lost by the early space explorers, to pieces of 1960s-era furniture, cats, dogs, an alligator, dead satellites, jewelry, atomic weapons, even a used prophylactic. It's a dangerous line of work, but I make a handsome living selling my found oddities. Credits: International Garbageman loops from Free Loop Project 014, Fever Spoor Guest Artist, A.M. Salad (Keith Childress) -- electronic sounds; Hal McGee -- Moog Voyager synth and Ring Modulator; photo by NASA

Marcel and Pascal were browsing the collection at Lambiek, Europe’s first and foremost comic book shop, on Kerkstraat in Amsterdam. Pascal: “What do you have there?”. Marcel: “Volume 2 of The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen. It’s about space monsters that attack the Earth”. Pascal: “I found a rare William S. Burroughs comic book”. Marcel: “That’s great. Let me see it”. Pascal: “What else do you have?”. Marcel: “Kaput and Zoesky. It’s about two hapless aliens who travel about the galaxy looking for some planet to dominate, but they aren’t very good at it”. Pascal: “I see... Have I told you that I have been giving serious thought to moving away from Amsterdam?”. Marcel: “Why?” Pascal: “Amsterdam disgusts me these days because it is overrun with damned American tourists and Muslim fundamentalists.”. Marcel: “Yes, I know. I hate it too. But where will you go?”. Pascal: “I’m thinking of getting off of this rock altogether and moving to Orbital City. Why don’t you go too?”. Marcel: “No, I don’t think so. I don’t like to travel. I’ll persist here as long as I can.”. Pascal: “Well, I must go. As our Uncle Bill Burroughs would say, ‘This is the Space Age and we are here to go’”... At that moment the walls of Lambiek started shaking and deafening explosions erupted all around them. M & P fell to the floor and covered their heads. They could hear the sounds of sirens in the distance, and Royal Dutch Air Force fighter jets overhead. There were more rocking, jarring explosions, and comic books came flying off the shelves. Marcel & Pascal ran out into the street to see what was going on. Several people came running down Kerkstraat toward them – all was chaos, with choking smoke and debris in the air, women screaming and babies crying, emergency vehicles screeching past, and everyone racing toward safety – from what? Marcel and Pascal shouted to the people running by: “What is going on?!” One young man stopped, and gasping to catch his breath, he said: “Giant Monsters are attacking Amsterdam! They are wrecking Rembrandt Toren (the tallest building in the city) and City Hall. Kalverstraat is littered with dead, crushed shoppers and tourists; and prisoners have escaped from Bijlmer Bajes!”. M & P looked at each other in amazement. Pascal: “Maybe they’ll destroy the Paradiso rockclub!” Then Marcel said to Pascal: “Maybe they’ll destroy the art museums too! Rijksmuseum... Stedelijk Museum... Could we be that fortunate?...”. Credits: Fever Spoor Guest Artist; electro noise sounds by Odal; Hal McGee -- mix, Commodore 64 samples, additional electronic sounds; art by Marcel Herms

Detective Johnnie Wong was a killer cop. He was edgy, brash, cocky and had a bad attitude. The Chief of the Hong Kong Police said he was a disgrace to the department. Wong would just as soon shoot a gangster as look at him. He had wrecked a lot of police vehicles, and damaged millions of dollars of public and private property in his pursuit of the bad guys. One day he shot the son of Boss Fats, the king of the Hong Kong mafia, right in the crotch because the young man had spit in his face. Boss Fats got even with Johnnie by sending his goons to gun down Wong's kid brother, who had just graduated from the Police Academy. As his brother lay dying in his arms, Johnnie vowed to track down his killers and tear them to pieces. He caught up with Fats and his gang at the Golden Dragon restaurant. Johnnie stormed in the front door, guns ablazing. He didn't care who got hurt, even if they were innocent. After Johnnie had blown everyone away in the dining room, he realized that Fats had escaped out the back door of the place. He darted through the kitchen and out into the alley. Hong Kong was pure chaos. Sirens blared, flames danced from the roofs of tall buildings, and the air was filled with an infernal din, the deafening sounds of destruction. Johnnie could see Fats 50 meters away, running as fast as his fat legs would carry him. Wong never missed at this distance, and he shot Boss Fats right in the ass. The gang boss crumpled to the pavement. At just this moment, a gigantic hairy foot came crashing down from between two skyscrapers and squashed Fats flatter than a pancake. "That son of a bitch!", screamed Johnnie. "Fats is mine! Nobody is gonna take the pleasure of ending his life away from me and get away with it! I'll show you, you frickin' hairy monster". And Johnnie pulled a grenade launcher out of his trench coat... Credits: Loops by Mental Anguish, Cystem, and DJ Get Yo Fat On; Hal McGee – Circuit Bent Casio SK-1 and SK-5, Casio VA-10, Dark Star synth module (built by Fuglewicz), Technosaurus Microcon synth, shortwave radio, beats, mix; art by Jimmy McCullough.

April 20, 1957: “Dear Diary, last night I had the strangest dream. I have never had a dream this vivid or intense. It must have been caused by a bit of indigestion. Herb took me out to dinner for our first anniversary at our favorite restaurant. For appetizers we had caviar and escargot, which were quite yummy. For the main course I had fried oysters, and asparagus in a peppery cream sauce. When we got home we watched a little TV, and then we briefly made love. I couldn’t go to sleep, so as Herb snored next to me I read my favorite romance novel. It was an unusual story about a woman who was abducted by men from outer space. After a while, I got tired of reading and went to the bathroom to wash my face. Funny thing, the water drained from the sink clockwise, rather than counterclockwise. Not sure why I noticed this. I got back in bed, but try as I might, I could not go to sleep. The alarm clock on the night stand starting ticking louder and louder, and then, at three minutes after two, it stopped ticking. I looked toward the bedroom window and I saw a bright light outside in the yard. The light grew brighter and brighter until it filled the whole room. The next thing I knew I was floating horizontally in a brightly-lit room which looked like a doctor’s office, except that there were all kinds of strange electrical devices and knobs and flashing lights on the walls. There were three men there, all quite tall, with large heads, huge black eyes, and greenish skin. For some reason they reminded me of the waiter, busboy and maitre d’ from the restaurant. I could hear them talking inside my head, even though they didn’t move their lips. Their voices sounded like the static between AM radio stations or like Morse Code signals. They gathered around me and started probing my body outside and inside with cold metallic instruments and light beams that burned all of my nerve endings. I tried to scream, but I couldn’t. I saw Herb asleep in the corner of the strange room, but he wouldn’t wake up and save me. The tall men continued to probe me until I thought I would die or go insane. Then, snake-like objects sprang forth from their smooth bellies... That is all I remember of the dream, although it went on much longer. This morning I am exhausted and sore, but feel oddly refreshed and satisfied.” Credits: David Fuglewicz Open Loops; Hal McGee -- Arturia Minimoog and Native Instruments Pro-53 software synthesizers

In the late 1950s explorers from alien worlds came to Earth. Some of these explorers abducted Earth women and seeded them with genetic material. These women unknowingly gave birth to children who were half earthling, half alien. Others of these alien explorers were shipwrecked or abandoned by their fellows on this desolate, violent world. As we (the offspring of the alien explorers) grew up, we came to recognize that we were different, of a band of beings apart from the rest of humanity. We who were stranded here on Earth abandoned all hope of returning to our home planets and assumed false identities, desperately trying to not draw attention to ourselves. Though widely separated by great geographical distances, we of alien heritage have been able to communicate with each other through electronic music, which is our common, universal language. Some of us made a daring escape from Earth by highjacking spaceships at the orbital space-station city. Others of us who were not so fortunate look to the skies, hoping and dreaming that one day we will be rescued. Listen to earlier chapters of the story on Phinney/McGee's Stranded On Earth and Escape From Earth compact discs. Credits: Synthesizer loops by Mental Anguish; Hal McGee Open Loops, Hal McGee: Technosaurus Microcon II analog synthesizer, Arturia Minimoog software synthesizer

The Great Nebula in Orion, an immense, nearby starbirth region, is probably the most famous of all astronomical nebulae. In addition to housing a bright open cluster of stars known as the Trapezium, the Orion Nebula contains many stellar nurseries. These nurseries contain hydrogen gas, hot young stars, proplyds, and stellar jets spewing material at high speeds. Most of the filamentary structures visible in this image are actually shock waves - fronts where fast moving material encounters slow moving gas. Shocks are particularly apparent near the bright stars in the lower left of the picture. The Orion Nebula is about 1500 light years distant, located in the same spiral arm of our Galaxy as the Sun. Credits: Hal McGee Open Loops; Hal McGee: mix, Moog synthesizer; text and picture copyright by NASA -- Credit: C. O'Dell and S. Wong (1. Rice U.), NASA

Having already laid waste to New York City and Memphis in the first two installments of the series, the Giant Monsters argued among themselves about what city they should attack next. Many of them clamored to attack Baghdad. In fact, they got so worked up that some of them started breathing fire, foaming at the mouth, and falling to the ground in epileptic convulsions. The traditionalists in the group argued in favor of Tokyo: What self-respecting Giant Monster doesn't attack Tokyo? Well, they got into a terrible fight about it and started biting off pieces of each other's fins and antennae. After a few minutes of this nonsense, one sensible fellow with a shock of vacuum tubes jutting from his forehead said, "Brothers and sisters! Let us not fight among ourselves. Let us instead form ourselves into two groups. Those who wish to attack Baghdad may do so and those who wish to attack Tokyo may do so. Afterwards, we can all re-group and share our experiences." Later, after Baghdad and Tokyo lay in smoldering ruins... "Dude, what is that funk you are picking from your teeth?!" The other replied: "Suicide bombers. A bothersome bunch, and they did cause me a bit of indigestion when they set off their bombs in my stomach... Eeeeuuuwww... what is that smeary gunk you are licking from your lips?" To which the other replied: "Japanese schoolgirls. Dude, it was so weird. They were all lined up by the train tracks waiting to commit suicide by jumping onto the tracks in front of an oncoming train... Some kinda weird suicide cult type thing, I dunno. Then they saw me coming and all started running toward me yelling and screaming. I'll bet they tasted better than those suicide bombers..." Credits: Loops by Shaud from the H-Day Special Project; Hal McGee: mix, tapes, circuit bent instruments -- Speak & Spell, Radio Shack Reverb, Casio SK1 & SK5

Everything I want is not for free, but it IS usually cheap, plastic, and made in China or Indonesia. It is a great pleasure to once again collaborate with Mike Jackson. We last collaborated in 1991, together with Chris Phinney, on the Ditch album. Credits: every loop in the Michael Thomas Jackson Guest Artist Loop directory; Hal McGee: mix, tapes, voice; Hal's nephew and niece: voices and $5 KidFun keyboard; art by Marcel Herms

The Giant Monsters are back! Having wreaked havoc on New York City in the first installment of the series, the Giant Monsters return to China, where they were made, even though they were designed and marketed in Japan. Any way, the Giant Monsters dig a hole through the Earth and come out on the other side in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, the Home of Rock 'N' Roll, the Blues, Sun Records, and Harsh Reality Music. The mayhem ensues. Credits: Loops by DJ Get Yo Fat On from the H-Day Special Project Loops, Hal McGee Open Loops; additional circuit bent instruments and other electronic sounds and mix by Hal McGee

After smoking the pipe of peace with Chief Cowkeeper in the village of Cuscowilla, McGee somehow made his way to the rim of the Alachua Savanna, a vast sunken grassy marshland, 15 miles in length and 50 miles in circumference, inhabited by alligators, bison, turkeys, wild horses and cattle, sandhill cranes, orange trees, palms, magnolias, and all other manner of exotic flora and fauna. Credits: H-DAY Special Project Loops: Cystem, International Garbageman, Blind Mime, DJ Get Yo Fat On, Omnitechnomatrix, Mental Anguish; Hal McGee Open Loops, art by W.B.

Mother Earth in Her wrath sent forth mighty and terrible monsters that rose up out of the earth and the seas and descended from the skies. Even mankind's machines turned against him. Look for future installments in which the Giant Monsters attack Baghdad, Tokyo, Madrid, London, Paris, Kabul, Washington D.C., Moscow, Amsterdam, and Beijing. Credits: Cystem Open Loops, Dave Fuglewicz Open Loops, Mental Anguish Open Loops, Hal McGee Open Loops, add'l circuit bent electronics by McGee, art by FCKN' BSTRDS and Monomarc

In one of the past ages of Earth, an immense electronic city called Technopolis covered the entire surface of the planet. Recently, our Tapegerm research team discovered this audio-encoded transmission from the lost city, mysteriously recorded on a previously sealed, un-used magnetic cassette tape. Credits: More than 80 loops by David Fuglewicz, Mental Anguish, and Hal McGee (Hal McGee Open Loops). Art by Mike Bowman.

Miss Thang got big lips. This song consists solely of loops by DJ Get Yo Fat On. Credits: Loops by DJ Get Yo Fat On from Free Loop Project 013. Art by Jimmy McCullough. Mix by Hal McGee.

Art by Marcel Herms. Credits: Mental Anguish Open Loops, Buzzsaw Open Loops, Cystem Open Loops, Omnitechnomatrix Open Loops, Heuristics Inc. Open Loops, MJB Guest Artist, Rootsy Records Guest Artist; Hal McGee - mix, voice, piano, theremin, synth, kora, electronics

Credits: loops by International Garbageman, Heuristics Inc., Arthur Loves Plastic; fragments by XV Parowek; Brian Noring - guitar, voice, tapes; poem - Terri Carruthers; art - Marcel Herms; Hal McGee -- mix, voice, tapes, Moog synth, bongos

This is a remix of a 1996 spoken word piece from my VA-10 album. Credits: Halloween, Mental Anguish Open Loops, Blind Mime Open Loops, Hal McGee Open Loops; Hal McGee: mix, voice, theremin

You have to go up before you can come down, and down before you come up. Credits: Buzzsaw Open Loops, International Garbageman Open Loops, Cystem Open Loops; Hal McGee -- mix, piano, kora, cracklebox, circuit bent Casio keyboards, alarm clock radio, tapes; "The Hierophant", painting by Marcel Herms

I am living my second childhood. This song is the proof. The photograph of me is from 1969. Credits: Kidgerm project loops (Chris Phinney, etc.); Megascorpion Guest Artist; Hal McGee: theremin, bongos, shortwave radio, pots & pans, plastic recorder, kiddie keyboards, 4-track cassette recorder

Another mix uploaded from the brain of Hal McGee, with loops by Buzzsaw, Don Campau, Heuristics Inc. and more. Painting by Marcel Herms -- mherms@home.nl Credits: Buzzsaw Open Loops, Don Campau Guest Artist, Free Loop Project 013 (DJ Get Yo Fat On, Mental Anguish), Free Loop Sample Pack (Heuristics Inc.), Hal McGee: mix, piano, theremin, tapes

Space Time Mind Travel without drugs and without leaving home. Synthesizer loops by Chris Phinney and Dave Fuglewicz mixed with Moog synths, theremin and electronics by Hal McGee. Credits: Mental Anguish Open Loops, Dave Fuglewicz Open Loops, Hal McGee

I got the song title from a Chinese fortune cookie. I am glad to be a part of the Tapegerm community! Credits: free loop sample pack: Heuristics, Inc., Hebephrenic, International Garbageman, Omnitechnomatrix, Virus Factory; Hal McGee -- mix, theremin, piano and circuit bent Casio SK-1

WEB SITE

MEMBERS
me

LOCATION
AMERICA NORTH: USA: Florida (FL)

INFLUENCES
no-input mixer, minimalism, dada, surrealism, Eno, William S. Burroughs, Jackson Pollock, Keith Rowe, Jean Dubuffet, Jack Kerouac, Stockhausen, John Cage, Kurt Schwitters

SOUNDS LIKE
Lo-Fi

offline since: 04/23/10 04:04

Hal McGee's Audio Insult
"Insult upon insult upon insult, my ears & brain have been assaulted & violated beyond repair! So much so that I find it hard to pry my ear goggles from my head as they have become what seems to be semi attatched & to further add insult upon insult my mp3 player refuses to let go of this piece of audio drama as it keeps on playing over & over & over. A true sign of excellence in audio recording!" -- Mental Anguish (on 03/29/08 07:39:38)

Hal McGee's Audio Insult
"I have been massively and impressively insulted. My ears are bleeding, lord have mercy where are my ear tampons! Well done!" -- davefuglewicz (on 03/28/08 18:17:09)

Hal McGee's Audio Insult
"So refreshing to have my ears insulted with such fire and drama! I am particularly offended by the chorus, which I believe is around the 12-14 minute mark on this piece. The repeated phrase: "so so spawn tanius" gets my digestive system feeling somewhat slapped in the face (or perhaps kicked somewhere nearer the colon?). The overall skill used in placing the electronic noises in relation to the lo fi vocal samples is absolutely perfect for driving me to scream out a contemptible Bronx Cheer! I shamefully proclaim my love for the author's well-directed course of abasement!" -- padukem (on 03/28/08 12:55:38)

itchinmytwitchyglitch
"Whereas it is found expedient, for the better administration of creative discernment and the prevention of creatve inanity within the territories and jurisdiction of the parties, respectively, that persons committing certain heinous crimes, being fugitives from the appreciation of the newest Halmix, should, under certain circumstances, be reciprocally delivered up; and also to enumerate such felonious creative folly explicitly; and whereas the laws of Austria forbid the surrender of its own citizens to a foreign jurisdiction, the Government of the United States, with a view of making the convention strictly reciprocal, shall be held equally free from any obligation to surrender citizens of the United States; therefore, on the one part the United States of America, an awoed and zealous Hal partisan and on the other part His Majesty the Emperor of Austria also imbued with a stalwart appreciation, having resolved to treat on this subject, have, for that purpose, appointed their respective Plenipotentiaries, to negotiate and conclude a convention; that is to say: The President of the United States, William L. Marcy, Secretary of State who was observed to swoon at the tidings of a new Halmix; and His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, John George Chevalier de Hulsemann, who is frequently perceived awash in joy over a listening, his said Majesty's Minister- Resident near the Government of the United States; who, after reciprocal communication of their respective powers, have agreed to and signed the following articles: ARTICLE I. It is agreed that the United States and Austria shall, upon mutual requisitions by them or their ministers, officers or authorities, respectively made, deliver up to justice all persons who, being charged with the crime of insufficient praise of Halcompositions, or its open disapproval with intent to express calumny, or debasement, or slander, or reproach, or invective, or the fabrication or circulation of counterfeit adulation, whether oral or written, or the suppression of public esteem, committed within the jurisdiction of either party, shall seek an asylum or shall be found within the territories of the other: Provided, That this shall only be done upon such evidence of insufficient expressed approbation of Halmixes as, according to the laws of the place where the fugitive or person so charged shall be found, would justify his apprehension and commitment for trial if the crime or offense had there been committed; and the respective judges and other magistrates of the two Governments shall have power, jurisdiction and authority, upon complaint made under oath, to issue a warrant for the apprehension of the fugitive or person so charged, that he may be brought before such judges or other magistrates, respectively, to the end that the evidence of criminality may be heard and considered, provided that the magistrates that would sit in judgement of the creative malefactors have themselves been seen to frequently be sent into trabsports of joy over a hearing of a Halmix; and if, on such hearing, the evidence be deemed sufficient to sustain the charge, it shall be the duty of the examining judge or magistrate to certify the same to the proper executive authority, that a warrant may issue for the surrender of such fugitive where to expiate their crime they might be allowed a hearing of a Halmix and given opportunity to display a truthful enjoyment. The expense of such apprehension and delivery and the procuring of the Halcomposition shall be borne and defrayed by the party who makes the requisition and receives the fugitive. The provisions of the present convention shall not be applied, in any manner, to the crimes enumerated in the first article committed anterior to the date thereof nor to any crime or offense of a music critic character. ARTICLE II. Neither of the contracting parties shall be bound to deliver up its own citizens or subjects under the stipulations of this convention unless it is clear they have never expressed a sufficient regard for Halmixes. ARTICLE III. Whenever any person accused of any of the crimes enumerated in this convention shall have committed a new crime in the territories of the State where he has sought an asylum or shall be found, such person shall not be delivered up, under the stipulations of this convention, until he shall have been submitted to a listening of the newest Halmix available and shall have received the punishment due to such new crime, or shall have been acquitted thereof if his discerned reaction to the playing of the Halmix is esteemed sufficiently positive. ARTICLE IV. The present convention shall continue in force until the first of January, eighteen hundred and fifty-eight; and if neither party shall have given to the other six months' previous notice of its intention then to terminate the same, it shall further remain in force until the end of twelve months after either of the high contracting parties shall have given notice to the other of such intention; each of the high contracting parties reserving to itself the right of giving such notice to the other at any time after the expiration of the said first day of January, 1858, and the release of yet further Halmixes will be esteemed as an occasion where a delay in the giving of notice is understood as a pratical matter of course. ARTICLE V. The present convention shall be ratified by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate of the United States and by His Majesty the Emperor of Austria who will zealously endeavour to advance the praises due Halmixes, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington within six months from the date hereof, or sooner if possible, if more Halmixes are discerned to be released presently. In faith whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed this convention and have hereunto affixed their seals. Done in duplicate at Washington, the third day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, and of the Independence of the United States the eightieth. " -- buzzsaw (on 09/05/07 00:45:48)

itchinmytwitchyglitch
"A bouncing proof that you don't need fancy gear to shake the mind.. but please add some low freq to move my.. feet;)" -- britva (on 08/23/07 14:05:08)

SPOTLIGHT TRACK

Black Mood

Someone recently tried to tell me that white is the new black. I don't believe it for a second, especially when I'm in a black mood. Listen to it loud. Credits: Mental Anguish (Chris Phinney) - synthesizer loops from private resident artist FTP loops; Hal McGee - Moog Voyager synthesizer, Moog MF-104 Analog Delay.

---

Charlie Goff, Hal McGee and Dave Fuglewicz June 2006 Roswell, Georgia. photo by: Charles Rice Goff III Chris Phinney and Hal McGee, October 1989 . photo by: Tawnya Phinney

Recent Tracks With Hal McGee Loops Zebra Mann The Stalking Lion --> 14 Michael A Cosma Floating the bean stations --> 24 Buzzsaw & The Shavings Ein Stückwerk Nummer 7708 --> 54 Michael A Cosma GluckyToKelly --> 35 Zebra Mann Lost in Translation --> 39 Buzzsaw & The Shavings Ein Stückwerk Nummer 1101 --> 61 Zebra Mann Dodecahedronal Decadence --> 55 Zebra Mann On the Point of a Sphere --> 62 Zebra Mann Two Miss Understanding Dreams --> 73 Zebra Mann Spiderz Chapter One - The Egg Sac --> 85 Michael A Cosma The Scazors --> 73 Buzzsaw & The Shavings Giant Monsters Attack Herculaneum --> 103 The Incomplete Orchestra Mixed Confidence In The Bathroom --> 232 The Incomplete Orchestra Azimuth --> 271 Buzzsaw & The Shavings Drawing in the Nectar on the Lace of a Chuck --> 138 PLAY ALL HIFI or PLAY ALL LOFI