Difference between revisions of "BRUXISTS"
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Formed in Los Angeles, California, circa 1999, '''The Bruxists''' are a loose performance art collective, in general, and experimental noise duo, in particular. The group maintain a visual aesthetic whose main feature is the optic orange traffic cone mask, the eyes and mouth of which are carved in the style of a crude Halloween jack-o'-lantern. These tall tapered head pieces are an apparent tribute to the Cabaret Voltaire-era "Cubist costume" of Hugo Ball, as well as a parody of antiquated dunce masks. | Formed in Los Angeles, California, circa 1999, '''The Bruxists''' are a loose performance art collective, in general, and experimental noise duo, in particular. The group maintain a visual aesthetic whose main feature is the optic orange traffic cone mask, the eyes and mouth of which are carved in the style of a crude Halloween jack-o'-lantern. These tall tapered head pieces are an apparent tribute to the Cabaret Voltaire-era "Cubist costume" of Hugo Ball, as well as a parody of antiquated dunce masks. | ||
| − | The Bruxists' sole constant member is Red E. Made, a punning pseudonym clearly drawn from the Readymades of Dadaist Marcel Duchamp. (The band's record label carries | + | The Bruxists' sole constant member is Red E. Made, a punning pseudonym clearly drawn from the Readymades of Dadaist Marcel Duchamp. (The band's record label carries a Duchampian moniker: The Teeth's Loan & Trust Company, Consolidated.) The other half of the "powerless duo," A. Pseudo, is a floating member in the form of a volunteer from the band's live performance audience. The original A. Pseudo was a founding Bruxist who performed in the band's earliest days. His current whereabouts remain unknown. |
Choosing to play live infrequently and in the Los Angeles area only, The Bruxists have performed at L.A. venues as varied as The CIA (California Institute of Abnormal Arts) and the infamous Rainbow Bar & Grill. Among their more well-received shows was a June 19, 2003 event at The MET Theatre in Hollywood, California. Also sharing this bill was The Cacophony Society. At that time, The Bruxists mimed along to mashups of artists such as The Dead Kennedys and The Banana Splits. Mock instruments consisted of a broom ("Sweep-o-caster") plugged into a "Box Fan Amp," and a vintage Hoover vacuum cleaner that functioned as a "suck-ass microphone." The most recent live Bruxists performance took place October 31, 2010, across the street from The Echo nightclub in Echo Park, California. | Choosing to play live infrequently and in the Los Angeles area only, The Bruxists have performed at L.A. venues as varied as The CIA (California Institute of Abnormal Arts) and the infamous Rainbow Bar & Grill. Among their more well-received shows was a June 19, 2003 event at The MET Theatre in Hollywood, California. Also sharing this bill was The Cacophony Society. At that time, The Bruxists mimed along to mashups of artists such as The Dead Kennedys and The Banana Splits. Mock instruments consisted of a broom ("Sweep-o-caster") plugged into a "Box Fan Amp," and a vintage Hoover vacuum cleaner that functioned as a "suck-ass microphone." The most recent live Bruxists performance took place October 31, 2010, across the street from The Echo nightclub in Echo Park, California. | ||
Revision as of 22:23, 22 December 2010
Contents
Origin and background
Formed in Los Angeles, California, circa 1999, The Bruxists are a loose performance art collective, in general, and experimental noise duo, in particular. The group maintain a visual aesthetic whose main feature is the optic orange traffic cone mask, the eyes and mouth of which are carved in the style of a crude Halloween jack-o'-lantern. These tall tapered head pieces are an apparent tribute to the Cabaret Voltaire-era "Cubist costume" of Hugo Ball, as well as a parody of antiquated dunce masks.
The Bruxists' sole constant member is Red E. Made, a punning pseudonym clearly drawn from the Readymades of Dadaist Marcel Duchamp. (The band's record label carries a Duchampian moniker: The Teeth's Loan & Trust Company, Consolidated.) The other half of the "powerless duo," A. Pseudo, is a floating member in the form of a volunteer from the band's live performance audience. The original A. Pseudo was a founding Bruxist who performed in the band's earliest days. His current whereabouts remain unknown.
Choosing to play live infrequently and in the Los Angeles area only, The Bruxists have performed at L.A. venues as varied as The CIA (California Institute of Abnormal Arts) and the infamous Rainbow Bar & Grill. Among their more well-received shows was a June 19, 2003 event at The MET Theatre in Hollywood, California. Also sharing this bill was The Cacophony Society. At that time, The Bruxists mimed along to mashups of artists such as The Dead Kennedys and The Banana Splits. Mock instruments consisted of a broom ("Sweep-o-caster") plugged into a "Box Fan Amp," and a vintage Hoover vacuum cleaner that functioned as a "suck-ass microphone." The most recent live Bruxists performance took place October 31, 2010, across the street from The Echo nightclub in Echo Park, California.
Performance art and free-form noise
Inspired by diverse influences ranging from The Residents to The Guerrilla Girls to Bill Hicks, The Bruxists have dabbled in sound-based performance art. One such occasion found the group lampooning the acronym of the Time Warner Inc.-owned CNN as the "Cartoon News Network," while they protested outside the Los Angeles CNN building on Sunset Boulevard. Another date found them handing out orange earplugs on the sidewalk outside The Hollywood Bowl.
Engaging in visual art, The Bruxists are known to insert "gumball art," via tiny, acorn-shaped plastic capsules, into random candy machines in the Los Angeles area. According to one "bubblegum tract," the Bruxists' initial formation was inspired by the obscure, cross-dressing French philosopher/accountant, Geoff Prevert, and his rumored manifesto, "The Theory of Cognitive Hypocrisy." Prevert, as per said Bruxist tract, was a contemporary of Guy Debord who refused Debord's repeated invitations to join The Situationist International (SI) due, in part, to chronic toothache.
Red E. Made creates "post-modern" free-form noise by way of used compact discs which have been punctured with an electric drill. The discs are then played on shuffle mode and treated with electronic effects. A. Pseudo, in his/her role as volunteer audience member and "primitive" drummer, is asked to don an "honorary" traffic cone mask and beat on a metal oil drum or plastic garbage can with "dildos-cum-drumsticks."
Recorded output and online media
A proposed Bruxists record, No More Monster Mask Masterpieces, was apparently recorded circa 2007, but has yet to see an official release. The title is a seeming nod to Antonin Artaud's manifesto, "No More Masterpieces." A sole track, "Thomas Dolby's Revenge," may be found on the Bruxists' MySpace page.
Bruxist philosophy
"What is the noise of one tooth grinding?"
"The Bruxists do not believe in Bruxism. The Bruxists believe in Bruxists. And Cryptobruxists. Join the movement. Remember to floss. And flush."
"Humanity is a failed experiment. Everything is never enough. Life is constantly under construction. Bring on the aliens, who've evolved beyond the need for teeth..."
