Reed Ghazala
Encyclopedia
Qubais Reed Ghazala, an American author, photographer, composer, musician
and experimental instrument builder, is recognized as the "father of circuit bending
," having discovered the technique in 1966, pioneered it, named it, and taught it ever since. He has built experimental instruments for many prominent musicians and media companies including Tom Waits
, Peter Gabriel
, King Crimson
, The Rolling Stones
, and MTV
, among others. Ghazala's work has been covered globally in the press and can be found being taught world-wide.
Ghazala's work is held in various galleries internationally. His influence upon creative electronic design is global, having originated the planet's first "grassroots electronic art movement." Reed's work with chance art (the root of circuit-bending) also involves studies in dye migration materialshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/moonbear3325/sets/72057594060627572/ and Japanese suminagashihttp://www.flickr.com/photos/moonbear3325/sets/72057594063566111/, as well as liquid, gel and smoke chambers, mobiles and pyrotechnics.
Since discovering circuit bending, Reed has built countless instruments. These mostly consist of electronic toys modified with the circuit bending technique and customized until they barely resemble the original product. Reed has produced numerous audio compositions with these instruments which have been featured on many albums. He has also authored a series of works relating to and teaching the circuit bending process, including his book, published by Wiley & Sons, titled Circuit-Bending: Build Your Own Alien Instruments.
Reed has coined the term "immediate canvas" in his work with circuit bending, this is the concept that through circuit bending the hurdles of electronic design are avoided. Anyone can step up to an open circuit and create, without needing to know electronic theory or daunting equations. Another term coined by Reed is BEAsape which means BioElectronicAudiosapien. When body contacts are used, the body of the performer is used as a capacitor – there is a fusion between man and machine into one purpose which Reed says is something new zoologically and musically.
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and experimental instrument builder, is recognized as the "father of circuit bending
Circuit bending
Circuit bending is the creative customization of the circuits within electronic devices such as low voltage, battery-powered guitar effects, children's toys and small digital synthesizers to create new musical or visual instruments and sound generators....
," having discovered the technique in 1966, pioneered it, named it, and taught it ever since. He has built experimental instruments for many prominent musicians and media companies including Tom Waits
Tom Waits
Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
, Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
, King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, and MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, among others. Ghazala's work has been covered globally in the press and can be found being taught world-wide.
Ghazala's work is held in various galleries internationally. His influence upon creative electronic design is global, having originated the planet's first "grassroots electronic art movement." Reed's work with chance art (the root of circuit-bending) also involves studies in dye migration materialshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/moonbear3325/sets/72057594060627572/ and Japanese suminagashihttp://www.flickr.com/photos/moonbear3325/sets/72057594063566111/, as well as liquid, gel and smoke chambers, mobiles and pyrotechnics.
History
Reed accidentally discovered the technique of circuit bending in the 1960s when he left a toy amplifier in his desk and heard it start to emit sounds comparable to those produced by expensive synthesizers of the day. The amplifier's casing had been opened, exposing its inner circuitry and allowing it to short circuit when placed against the metal desk. It is this chance aspect of bending that serves as the foundation of circuit-bending.Since discovering circuit bending, Reed has built countless instruments. These mostly consist of electronic toys modified with the circuit bending technique and customized until they barely resemble the original product. Reed has produced numerous audio compositions with these instruments which have been featured on many albums. He has also authored a series of works relating to and teaching the circuit bending process, including his book, published by Wiley & Sons, titled Circuit-Bending: Build Your Own Alien Instruments.
Reed has coined the term "immediate canvas" in his work with circuit bending, this is the concept that through circuit bending the hurdles of electronic design are avoided. Anyone can step up to an open circuit and create, without needing to know electronic theory or daunting equations. Another term coined by Reed is BEAsape which means BioElectronicAudiosapien. When body contacts are used, the body of the performer is used as a capacitor – there is a fusion between man and machine into one purpose which Reed says is something new zoologically and musically.
Discography
- A Watch in the Sea, Sound Theater (Cassette) 1982
- Sound Theater One: Music and Event, Sound Theater (Cassette) 1982
- Mind Over Matter, Sound Theater (Cassette) 1983
- Sound Theater Two: Visions, Sound Theater (Cassette) 1983
- Bring Your Room, Sound Theater (Cassette) 1985
- The Dreams that Insects Dream, Sound Theater (Cassette) 1985
- Requiem for a Radio, Sound Theater (Cassette) 1985
- The Sound Theater Radio Special Sound Theater (Cassette) 1985
- Suite for a Radio and Turntable: Outdoor Operations, Sound Theater (Cassette) 1985
- Posters in the Underground, Sound Theater and Sound of Pig (Cassette) 1986
- Vinegar versus Cats, Sound Theater (Cassette) 1986
- Go Mad Xmas, Sound Theater (Cassette) 1987
- Natural Science, Sound Theater (Cassette) 1987
- Spzz Tapes, Sound Theater (Cassette) 1987
- Artifacts, Sound Theater (Cassette) 1988
- Behind the Emotional Mask, Sound Theater (Cassette) 1989
- Cassette Mythos: Feast of Hearing, CM (Cassette) 1989
- Schematic, Pointless MusicMike HovancsekMike Hovancsek is a , , and from Kent, Ohio, United States. He collaborated with Egyptian composer Halim El-Dabh since the late 1980s , and is a former member of the multicultural experimental group,...
(cassette) 199? - Three Rings on the Ground, Pointless Music (Cassette) 199?
- Clones and Friends, EJAZ (Cassette) 199?
- Assemblage 1990, Realization Records (Cassette) 1990
- Anti White Bastards, PBK-USA (Cassette) 1991
- Cassette Mythos: Audio Alchemy, What's Next? Records (Cassette, CD) 1991
- Electricity, Pointless Music (Cassette) 1992
- From the pages of EMI, No. 7, Experimental Musical Instruments (Cassette) 1992
- 4 X 4, Ladd/Frith (CD) 1993
- Burning Suns of Shadow Worlds, Ladd/Frith (Cassette) 1993
- Drum, Spilling Audio (Cassette) 1993
- Gawk: Lore of the Ox Owl, Sacrifice (Cassette) 1993
- A Darker Solvent/EnTerres, Ediction, Spain (LP) 1993
- Postal Sound Surgery, Pointless Music (Cassette) 1993
- There is a Secret Garden, Sound Theater (Cassette) 1993
- From the pages of EMI, No. 8, Experimental Musical Instruments (Cassette) 1993
- Blacklight Braille: Sleep Not Yet, Vetco (CD) 1994
- Gawk: Marc Sloan, Reed Ghazala, Askance (Cassette) 1994
- No Dub, Spilling Audio (Cassette) 1994
- Objekt 5.5, Ladd/Frith (Cassette) 1994
- Objekt 5, Ladd/Frith (CD) 1994
- Objekt 666 (double cassette), Ladd/Frith (Cassette) 1994
- Redrum, Spilling Audio (Cassette) 1994
- Smells like 7, Spilling Audio (Cassette) 1994
- State of the Union, MR (CD) 1994
- The Little Fiddles in the Grass, Epitapes (Cassette) 1994
- From the pages of EMI, No. 9, Experimental Musical Instruments (Cassette) 1994
- Blacklight Braille: Songs for the Longhaired Son, Vetco (CD) 1995
- Better Things are Electric. M&M 1995
- Gawk-Gawd, Askance (CD) 1995
- Requiem for a Radio, Realization Records (CD) 1995
- Threnody to the New Victims of Hiroshima. Realization Records (CD) 1995
- From the pages of EMI, No. 10, Experimental Musical Instruments (Cassette) 199?
- Gravikords Whirlies and Pyrophones, Ellipsis Arts (CD/Book) 1996
- Blacklight Braille: Songs from Moonlight Snow (CD) 1996
- State of the Union, Atavistic (CD) 1996
- From the pages of EMI, No.11, Experimental Musical Instruments (Cassette) 1996
- Blacklight Braille: Into the world of the Gods, Vetco (CD) 1997
- The ReR QuarterlyReR QuarterlyThe RēR Quarterly was an English "quarterly" sound-magazine comprising an LP record and a magazine. It was published at irregular intervals between 1985 and 1997 by Recommended Records and November Books, and edited by English percussionist, lyricist and music theorist, Chris Cutler...
; v.4 #2; ReR (CD) 1997 - From the pages of EMI, No. 12, Experimental Musical Instruments (Cassette) 1997
- Blacklight Braille: Black Moon Selection, Vetco (CD) 1998
- Mad Art River; Askance (CD) 1998
- HOPE; Audio Research Editions (CD) 1998
- Blacklight Braille: Dietles Tavern; Vetco; (CD) 1999.
- Blacklight Braille: Sailing Away; Razzle 1999
- Blacklight Braille: Old Bones and Sacred Stones; Razzle; (CD) 1999
- Blacklight Braille; The castle of the Northern Crown; Razzle; (CD) 1999