Boat Burning
Download MP3The first hour of the show went to Boat Burning, a self described “hard ambient” improvisational band hailing from Chapel Hill. Ken Friedman and Andras Fekete got to the studio an hour early to begin setting up their equipment. Never before had we been able to fit in an entire drum kit, and Andras had well over a dozen pedals for his guitar, proving to be quite difficult to squeeze into our studio. Eventually, the equipment was setup, and the interview was underway. I was curious as to how the band performs live, and we discussed in great length how their improvisation is structured and how the guys know what to do with their instruments throughout a song. Andras and Ken did their best to answer my questions, and it made for some enlightening conversation on improvisational music.
Below is their “Hard Ambience: A Manifesto” which describes the band’s SOP:
“1) Subvert the past - past performances should not impose on the present (ie. DON’T RECORD)
2) Subvert the present - during an improvisation, when a successful moment arrives, mark it for destruction (ie. DON’T LINGER)
3) Subvert the future - avoid predefined motifs (ie. DON’T PLAN)
4) Feel it - play from the heart, or don’t play at all (ie. DON’T THINK)
5) Space is the place - silence is a contribution (ie. DON’T NOODLE)
6) Anything goes (ie. NO FEAR)”
They also played two songs for us, which we named “Searching for the Thresher” and “Jagannātha”. Andras even impressed me when he played his guitar with a screwdriver.
