• The Holmes Archive of Electronic Music

  • By: Thom Holmes
  • Podcast

The Holmes Archive of Electronic Music

By: Thom Holmes
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  • Summary

  • Thom Holmes is your curator and guide to vintage electronic music recordings and audio experimentation. Drawing from his collection of vintage electronic music recordings spanning the years 1930-1985, each episode explores a topic or theme of historical interest. Holmes is the author of the book, Electronic and Experimental Music, sixth edition, 2020.
    Copyright 2020 All rights reserved.
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Music
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Episodes
  • Sun Ra and Stockhausen—An Imaginary Encounter in Electronic Music

    Sun Ra and Stockhausen—An Imaginary Encounter in Electronic Music
    Nov 3 2024

    Episode 136

    Sun Ra and Stockhausen—An Imaginary Encounter in Electronic Music

    Playlist

    Time

    Track Time

    Start

    Introduction –Thom Holmes

    14:28

    00:00

    Karlheinz Stockhausen, “Es (It)” (1969) from Aus Den Sieben Tagen (from the Seven Days) (1973 Deutsche Grammophon). Composed by, electronics (Filters, Potentiometers), spoken voice, technician (Sound Direction), liner notes, Karlheinz Stockhausen; Elektronium, Harald Bojé; Piano, Aloys Kontarsky; Drums, Percussion (Tam-tam, Flexatone, Guero, Bamboo Flute, Jew's Harp, Rolf Gehlhaar; Drums, Percussion (Tam-tam, Flexatone, Guero, Jew's Harp, Alfred Alings; Viola, Johannes G. Fritsch. The Elektronium was an electronic instrument in the form of an accordion, invented by Hohner in 1952. From the cycle of compositions entitled Aus den Sieben Tagen. Es (10th May 1968). This is the complete cycle for the work consisting of 7 albums recorded at the Georg-Moller-Haus (Loge) in Darmstadt, from the 26th to 31st August 1969. This is different than the earlier recordings from Cologne that were released separately. Comes in a sturdy box together with a tri-lingual 20-page booklet. Each record is packed in its own cover.

    23:04

    14:30

    Sun-Ra and his Astro Infinity Arkestra, “Space Probe” (1969) from My Brother The Wind Vol. 1 (2017 Cosmic Myth Records). Moog Modular Synthesizer solo, two keyboards, Sun Ra; Moog programming and mixing, Gershon Kingsley.” Recorded at Gershon Kingsley’s New York studio before Sun Ra had acquired a prototype Minimoog from Bob Moog the following year.

    17:45

    37:30

    Sun-Ra and his Astro Infinity Arkestra, “The Code Of Interdependence” (1969) from My Brother The Wind Vol. 1 (2017 Cosmic Myth Records). Moog Modular Synthesizer solo, two keyboards, Sun Ra; Moog programming and mixing, Gershon Kingsley; Drums, Danny Davis, John Gilmore; Oboe, Marshall Allen; Tenor Saxophone, John Gilmore. Recorded at Gershon Kingsley’s New York studio before Sun Ra had acquired a prototype Minimoog from Bob Moog the following year.

    16:50

    55:16

    Opening background music: Sun Ra and his Solar Myth Arkestra, “Seen Three Took Four” from The Solar-Myth Approach Vol. 1 (1970 Actuel). Piano, Minimoog, Electric Organ, Clavinet, Sun Ra; Tenor Saxophone, Percussion, John Gilmore; among a huge host of others.

    Introduction to the podcast voiced by Anne Benkovitz.

    Additional opening, closing, and other incidental music by Thom Holmes.

    My Books/eBooks: Electronic and Experimental Music, sixth edition, Routledge 2020. Also, Sound Art: Concepts and Practices, first edition, Routledge 2022.

    See my companion blog that I write for the Bob Moog Foundation.

    For a transcript, please see my blog, Noise and Notations.

    Original music by Thom Holmes can be found on iTunes and Bandcamp.
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    1 hr and 15 mins
  • An Electronic Music Mixed-Bag

    An Electronic Music Mixed-Bag
    Oct 19 2024
    Episode 135 An Electronic Music Mixed-Bag Playlist Time Track Time Start Introduction –Thom Holmes 06:28 00:00 John Bischoff, “The League Of Automatic Music Composers: Recording, December 17, 1978” from Lovely Little Records (1980 Lovely Music Ltd.). Tracks from this six-EP collection of new music from a variety of Lovely Music artists. Computer, David Behrman, Jim Horton, John Bischoff, Rich Gold; Mixing, "Blue" Gene Tyranny. “The League Of Automatic Music Composers makes music collaboratively by forming microcomputer networks. … For this performance, “each composer independently created a music program for his own microcomputer; we then mutually designed ways to internconnect our computers, and modified our programs to enable them to send data back and forth.” 08:40 06:58 Frankie Mann, “I Was a Hero” from “The Mayan Debutante Revue” (1979) from Lovely Little Records (1980 Lovely Music Ltd.). Tracks from this six-EP collection of new music from a variety of Lovely Music artists. Organ, bass guitar, voice, composed by Frankie Mann. “The Mayan Debutante Revue” is a reinterpretation of religious history. The work is a performance piece involving tape, slides, and one female performer.” 09:22 15:38 Frankie Mann, “How to be Very Very Popular” (1978) (excerpt) from Lovely Little Records (1980 Lovely Music Ltd.). Tracks from this six-EP collection of new music from a variety of Lovely Music artists. Tape editing, organ, synthesizer, voice, composed by Frankie Mann; voices, Julie Lifton, Ellen Welser, and unknown others. “How to be Very Very Popular” began as a letter-tape to my best friend. … Later I began composing electronic music, initially using homemade circuits and later using expensive synthesizers in college electronic music studios. My friend and I continued to send each other letters cross-country in tape form.” 08:49 24:58 Maggi Payne, “Lunar Dusk” from Lovely Little Records (1980 Lovely Music Ltd.). Recorded at the Center for Contemporary Music, Mills College, February 4, 1979. Composed, electronic music by Maggi Payne. This piece was “composed using the Moog and Aries synthesizers and the twelve-track recording studio at” Mills College. “Major concerns … are spatial location of sounds and complex timbral changes.” 07:59 33:46 The Commodores, “Machine Gun” from Machine Gun/There’s a Song in My Heart (1974 Motown). Single release featuring the early Commodores on this instrumental with Lionel Richie wailing along on the ARP Odyssey. 02:42 41:42 Billy Preston, “Space Race” from Space Race/We're Gonna Make It (1973 A&M). Single release. Preston was best known for his piano, Hammond, and Fender Rhodes work on Beatles’ records and his early solo work. By this time, he had picked-up on the unique sounds that synthesizers could conjure. He was inspired to create this song while experimenting with the ARP Pro-Soloist synthesizer. 03:26 44:24 George Duke, “Part 1 - The Alien Challenges The Stick / Part 2 - The Alien Succumbs To The Macho Intergalactic Funkativity Of The Funkblasters” from Master Of The Game (1979 Epic). Written by Byron Miller, David Myles, Ricky Lawson; Producer, Acoustic Guitar, Arranged By, Bells, Clavinet, Composed By, Fender Rhodes, Keyboards, Organ, ARP Odyssey, ARP String Ensemble, Minimoog, Oberheim, Prophet-5 and Crumar synthesizers, written by and vocals, George Duke; Bass, Byron Miller; Drums, Ricky Lawson; Guitar, David Myles. 09:21 47:46 Steve Roach, Side 2, “T.B.C.” (5:06); Canyon Sound (2:58); Time For Time (3:33); Reflector (6:50) from Traveler (1983 Domino). All music composed and performed on synthesizers by Steve Roach. American Roach has such a great legacy of electronic music that is clearly distinguishable from the German wave of the 1970s. This is from his first, official album released in 1983. 17:56 57:02 Reynold Weidenaar, “Twilight Flight” (6:56) (1977), “Close Harmony” (4:44) (1977), and “Imprint: Footfalls to Return” (5:04) (1981) from Reynold Weidenaar / Richard Brooks Music Visions (1986 Capstone Records). Weidenaar was formerly the editor of Bob Moog’s Electronic Music Review journal (1968-70) and an early user of the Moog Modular synthesizer. He was director of the electronic music studio at the Cleveland Institute of Music and at the time of this recording was on the faculty of the NYU films and television department. Twilight Flight” for electronic sounds was composed in 1977. “Close Harmony” for electronic sounds was composed in 1977. “Imprint: Footfalls to Return” for soprano voice and electronically modified sounds of the bare feet of Bharata-natyam Indian dancer was composed in 1981. 16:50 01:14:58 Eric Siday, three short works, “Night Tide” (2:56), “Communications No. 2” (0:24); and “Threat Attack” (2:05) from Musique Electronique (1960 Impress). Hard to find original disc by Siday, before he ventured into commercial recording using the ...
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    1 hr and 43 mins
  • From Organ to Synthesizer: The Evolution of the Yamaha Electone

    From Organ to Synthesizer: The Evolution of the Yamaha Electone
    Oct 5 2024
    Episode 134 From Organ to Synthesizer: The Evolution of the Yamaha Electone Playlist Time Track Time Start Introduction –Thom Holmes 06:56 00:00 Electone E-1, home style cabinet, transistorized oscillators, analog, two manuals, pedalboard, two built-in speakers. 1.Hidemi Saito, Tadashi Yoshida, “Kiriko No Tango” from Enchanting Mood (Electone Sound) (1963 Nivico). Composed by Tadashi Yoshida; Electone organ, Hidemi Saito. Used the Electone E-1 The highest-end Electone model at that time, with a starting price of ¥647.000 in 1962. 03:32 07:14 2.Hidemi Saito, Tadashi Yoshida, “Furare Jyozu Ni Hore Jyozu” from Enchanting Mood (Electone Sound) (1963 Nivico). Composed by, Tadashi Yoshida; Electone organ, Hidemi Saito. Used the Electone E-1 The highest-end Electone model at that time, with a starting price of ¥647.000 in 1962. 02:54 10:42 Electone B-6, home style cabinet, transistorized oscillators, analog, two manuals (44 notes each), pedalboard, two built-in speakers. 3.Koichi Oki, “September In The Rain” from Swingin' Electone! (1967 Takt). Arranged by, Electone organ, Koichi Oki; Bass, Masanaga Harada; Drums, George Otsuka, Akira Ishikawa; Guitar, Masaaki Fujita; Tenor Saxophone, Yasushi Ashida. The Electone model is not specified but it had two manuals and is likely a model A-3. 03:22 13:38 Electone EX-42, space age cabinet, like the GX-1, integrated circuits, Pulse Analog Synth (PASS) technology, three manuals, portamento strip, pedalboard. 4.Shiro Michi, “Hey Jude” from Let's Learn Electone/Shiro Michi Electone Course Vol. 5/ "All About The Rhythm" (1970 CBS/Sony). Drums, Takeshi Inomata; Electone, Yuri Tashiro; Percussion – Tokyo Cuban Boys Percussion Group. Used the EX-42, Yamaha's first commercially available stage model Electone, and the commercial successor to the EX-21. It is likely that less than 200 of these were built. 03:29 16:56 5.Shiro Michi, “Summertime” from Let's Learn Electone/Shiro Michi Electone Course Vol. 6 Jazz Standards and New Hits (1971 CBS/Sony).1970 — EX-42. Yamaha's first commercially available stage model Electone, and the commercial successor to the EX-21. It was the first Electone to use integrated circuits, although it was still based on analogue technology. Famous Electone players such as Shigeo Sekito used this instrument to make the "Special Sound Series.” Used the EX-42, Yamaha's first commercially available stage model Electone, and the commercial successor to the EX-21. It is likely that less than 200 of these were built. 02:17 20:20 6.Koichi Oki, “Light My Fire” from Yamaha Superstar! (1972 Universal Summit). Oki was known as the “world’s leading Yamaha Electone player” in the liner notes. Uses the Yamaha Electone EX-42. 02:59 22:32 7.Koichi Oki, “Spring” and “Summer” (side 1) from Exciting Keyboards - Four Seasons (1973 CBS/Sony). Arranged by, ARP Synthesizer, Electone [Electone Koichi Oki;Drums, Akira Ishikawa; Guitar, Ken Yajima. Music by Vivaldi, Koichi Oki. This release was dated 1978 but the recordings were made in 1973. Oki was a musician working for Yamaha in the early seventies, providing demonstrations of their Electone organ. The model used here was an EX-42, Yamaha's first commercially available stage model Electone, and the commercial successor to the EX-21. It was the first Electone to use integrated circuits, although it was still based on analogue technology. 21:34 25:30 8.Yuri Tashiro, “Summertime” from Beautiful Electone (1973 Polydor). Japanese jazz organist, pianist, and Electone artist from the 1970s. She also made some albums with the Hammond and its influence on her jazz playing is illustrated here in these Electone tracks. The side musicians are uncredited. 04:00 47:16 9.Yuri Tashiro, “Jazz Samba” from Beautiful Electone (1973 Polydor). Japanese jazz organist, pianist, and Electone artist from the 1970s. She also made some albums with the Hammond and its influence on her jazz playing is illustrated here in these Electone tracks. The side musicians are uncredited. 04:35 52:28 10. Archie Ulm, “Popcorn” from At The Yamaha EX-42 (1976 Private release). Ulm was another American lounge player equipped with the “electronic marvel” of the Yamaha EX-42. The classic Gershon Kingsley Moog tune played on the Electone EX-42. Percussion by Paul Hergert. 03:55 55:48 11. Archie Ulm, “Harlem Nocturne” from At The Yamaha EX-42 (1976 Private release). Ulm was another American lounge player equipped with the “electronic marvel” of the Yamaha EX-42. Percussion by Paul Hergert. 05:20 59:42 Electone E-70, home style cabinet, integrated circuits, Pulse Analog Synth (PASS) technology, two manuals, pedalboard, built-in speakers. Same circuit board as used in the Yamaha CS-80 synthesizer. 12. Denny Hinman, “How Deep is Your Love?” from Denny Plays The Yamaha Electone E-70 (1980 Yamaha). Ued the E-70 One of the first home-based organs to feature ...
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    1 hr and 35 mins

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