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Moore Music Magicby TIM PERKINS
Having collaborated musically with Alan for the past 10 yeas now, I’d like to take this opportunity to comment on Al’s involvement in that particular facet of the Arts, and the wider implications thereof.
I still have fond memories of Al kicking the ass out of some flimsy Tannoy speakers with an impassioned rendition of “Willy the Pimp” by Frank Zappa. One microphone and two jack leads were casualties in this onslaught of song (Al never wore slippers in my cellar), and Captain Beefheart grew another dimension to his already finely cultivated beard.
Alan’s singing days seem to be pretty much over now, but my good God! What a fine voice he possessed, combining the grittiness of Tom Waits, the mystique of Leonard Cohen and the dentistry of Shane Pogue, all neatly hemmed in by Northamptonian regional synthesis.
Our first sonic expedition together (along with David J) was the “Moon and Serpent Grand Egyptian Theatre of Marvels” in 1996. The work is bookended by two songs with contrasting vocal styles ranging from cosmic carousel barker (“Hair of the Snake That Bit Me”) to ethereal Blakeian charm (“A Town of Lights”). Since then, each successive album has posed different challenges and dimensions of thought. Certain methods have been strongly favoured however, and crop up throughout.
‘Air sculpture’ and ‘psycho-geography’ when applied to the studio, were two of many ways we could approach music and spoken- word, by treating sounds in terms of physical shape and design, of mood and colour. Off-the-wall concepts to get your fat arse down the brain-gym.
We loved to play with time, the bonding of past and future into one glorious present… there is only one moment… which is why Samuel Coleridge and Joe Meek are presently sharing an opium laced Knickerbocker Glory at the Gunners’ gig down at PO-NA-NA’s. Woooaaah!
‘Multiple sensory overload’ is another lunar-serpentine trait, the epitome of which was achieved, I think, at the ‘Tygers of Wrath’ event at the Purcell Room, Feb. 2001. Our piece, “Angel Passage” ended with a climactic fusion of music, dialogue, film and live pyrotechnics.
Creaming aside, I have admit this ain’t exactly a new trick. The Russian composer Alexander Scriabin held a similar ethos for the performance of his works. Scriabin used visual backdrops and perfumed auditoriums and sought joy through the senses… (or the Yellow Pages if it happened to be more convenient at the time).
We are merely applying it in our own way and according to experience which is relevant to us. Sure, the old masters did it all before, but then they didn’t have Line 6 digital amp systems or Leffe Blonde, so… fuck ‘em (Rule no. 1).
If psychedelia is ‘soul revealment,’ then Mr. Moore is in the thick of it, clawing ever deep into a customised sensory deprivation tank of his own choosing.
Take it to the bridge.
Sweet Soul Music.
