RC 158: Negativland 1 – No Other Possibility

Negativland press short – early 80’s? I mean WTF David doesn’t have a beard so it’s early – culturejammed a little by me 😉

In a conversation recently I found several people who had no idea who Negativland are – being the sort to want to show people new music and bring it to them, here are two shows about the Bay Area merry band of pranksters, culturejammers, CB radio and cutup freaks that not only pissed off U2 (bonus!) fell out with SST (seems like everyone has since) they also pioneered using the media to subvert it’s own message with Helter Stupid and the murders by David Brom, inspiring mashups and cutup culture in the process.

They ARE the grandaddies of mashup. So pay attention children!

This episode, inspired by the dense collage of Over The Edge shows that the band have been doing since the early 80’s on KPFA in Berkeley, takes us from the start of Negativland shrouded in the fog and sex chemicals of Concord in 1980, to being sued bea sate by Bono and co. in 1991 even ironically as U2 embark on the culturejamming inspired tour that was ZooTV…

Seat Be Sate! Play Black Sabbath at 78 (56Mb, 73 mins)

• Negativland – Track01 (from Negativland, 1980)
• Negativland – Track06 (from Negativland, 1980)
• Negativland – Track09 (from Negativland, 1980)
• Negativland – The Answer is…(from Points, 1981)
• Negativland – Theme From A Big 10-8 Place (from A Big 10-8 Place, 1983)
• Negativland – Four Fingers (from A Big 10-8 Place, 1983)
• Negativland – The Way of It (from Escape from Noise, 1987)
• Negativland – Michael Jackson (from Escape from Noise, 1987)
• Negativland – Play It Again (from Unsound cassette, 1987)
• Negativland – Methods of Torture (from Escape from Noise, 1987)
• Negativland – A Big 10-8 Place Part One (from A Big 10-8 Place, 1983)
• 180 Gs – Car Bomb (from 180 D’Gs To The Future, 2007)
• Negativland – Christianity Is Stupid (from Escape from Noise, 1987)
• Negativland – Helter Stupid (newscast, from Helter Stupid 1989)
• 180 Gs – Helter Stupid (from 180 D’Gs To The Future, 2007)
• Negativland – The Perfect Cut (Rooty Poops from Helter Stupid 1989)
• Negativland – Perfect Scrambled Eggs (from Potatoes)
• Negativland – Long Distance Dedication #2 (live) (from These Guys Are from England…2001)
• Negativland – I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For [1991 A Capella Mix]
• Instamatic – Still Haven’t Found It
• Negativland – U2: Special Edit Radio Mix (U2 single, 1991)
• Negativland – Wake Up America (live – from These Guys Are from England…2001)
• Negativland – Long Distance Dedication #1 (live – from These Guys Are from England…2001)
• Negativland – A Big 10-8 Place Part One (from A Big 10-8 Place, 1983)
• Negativland – 07-The Perfect Cut (White Rabbit and a Dog Named Gidget – from Helter Stupid 1989)
• Negativland – 03-The Perfect Cut (Canned Music – from Helter Stupid 1989)
• Negativland – 06-The Perfect Cut (Piece of Meat – from Helter Stupid 1989)
• Negativland – Please Don’t Sue Us (from Fair Use, 1995)
• Negativland – Harry to the Ferry (from Points, 1981)

Also sneakily mixed in and appropriated are clips from the excellent 1995 Sonic Outlaws documentary – go find a copy! Or you can see a low-res online Flash version here from Denver OpenMedia.

There’s also a great history of the group here

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:13:58 — 56.2MB)

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