Live musicians who use everyday items to make music
May 4, 2013 6:56 PM Subscribe
Are there any bands or musicians out there who perform live featuring the use of everyday or unconventional items as instruments? (ala Stomp?)
Bonus points for any who use pipes and plumbing instruments.
But definitely looking for musicians who can perform live.
Bonus points for any who use pipes and plumbing instruments.
But definitely looking for musicians who can perform live.
The band Babyland did this in some amazingly cool ways back when they were still together. Seems difficult to find good footage showing the percussion setup, but this video of the song Past Lives does a pretty okay job.
posted by erst at 7:15 PM on May 4, 2013
posted by erst at 7:15 PM on May 4, 2013
Response by poster: Indeed, Blue Man Group does this. Hoping to find anyone less played out and polished.
posted by Unsomnambulist at 7:20 PM on May 4, 2013
posted by Unsomnambulist at 7:20 PM on May 4, 2013
Thomas Truax makes impressive use of found materials to construct a variety of instruments and mechanical drum machines.
posted by howfar at 7:27 PM on May 4, 2013
posted by howfar at 7:27 PM on May 4, 2013
Homemade instruments have a really long history in the US among African diaspora people/people who are descended from slaves. There are some modern jug bands like the Carolina Chocolate Drops who use strings (mandolin, fiddle, banjo) and jugs in combination! CCD is very cool and they go on tour.
posted by Snarl Furillo at 7:28 PM on May 4, 2013
posted by Snarl Furillo at 7:28 PM on May 4, 2013
Tilly and the Wall stomp on "boxes" (I don't actually know what they are, they just look like small wooden platforms) to create percussion.
posted by drjimmy11 at 7:38 PM on May 4, 2013
posted by drjimmy11 at 7:38 PM on May 4, 2013
This is the only song of theirs I really actually like btw.
posted by drjimmy11 at 7:40 PM on May 4, 2013
posted by drjimmy11 at 7:40 PM on May 4, 2013
Doo Rag did this. From Wikipedia: Doo Rag also employed a number of Thermos Malling's unique microphone setups to distort the vocals, and was as likely to be singing through a vacuum cleaner hose as to be singing into two hairdryers with built-in microphones. Thermos Malling contributed percussion using a custom-made drumkit compiled from a Budweiser box for a bass drum, a tin bucket as a snare drum, an old film reel as a cymbal, an iron shopping basket used as a hi-hat, and a number of other found objects.
posted by reptile at 7:49 PM on May 4, 2013
posted by reptile at 7:49 PM on May 4, 2013
In the late 80's/early 90's there was a Melbourne band called This Happy Greed. They played a cover of Money similar to the version done by the Flying Lizards. For this song, their guitarist Charlie, played percussion on an old hot water heater. It was great. Also amusing to see them lugging the hot water heater around with all their other equipment.
posted by goshling at 8:05 PM on May 4, 2013
posted by goshling at 8:05 PM on May 4, 2013
Hurra Torpedo has been doing this for a while. They beat on and slam kitchen appliances on stage. It borders on performance art, but they're super fun and engaging live.
Where Is My Mind
Ode to Joy
Poker Face
posted by piedmont at 8:16 PM on May 4, 2013 [1 favorite]
Where Is My Mind
Ode to Joy
Poker Face
posted by piedmont at 8:16 PM on May 4, 2013 [1 favorite]
I quite like the british group Psapp, who make 'toytronica', electronic music mostly sampled from toys and toy musical instruments.
Another of my favorite groups is Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - when I saw them around 2006 or so, they had two drummers, one on a conventional kit, the other on a junkyard type kit with barrels as drums and hubcaps as cymbals.
Also, my memory is pretty hazy, but when I was lucky enough to see Aphex Twin about a decade ago he was doing all kinds of live sampling of random items. The only one I can remember clearly was a blender he had with him up on stage, but I'm sure there were others.
posted by mannequito at 8:19 PM on May 4, 2013
Another of my favorite groups is Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - when I saw them around 2006 or so, they had two drummers, one on a conventional kit, the other on a junkyard type kit with barrels as drums and hubcaps as cymbals.
Also, my memory is pretty hazy, but when I was lucky enough to see Aphex Twin about a decade ago he was doing all kinds of live sampling of random items. The only one I can remember clearly was a blender he had with him up on stage, but I'm sure there were others.
posted by mannequito at 8:19 PM on May 4, 2013
Right off the top of my head, The Baldknobbers. 8 min video here.
Then there's HEE-HAW, the whole show was based on this premise, even if it wasn't "always" true.
The All Jug Band
They did this skit 13 thousand times.
posted by QueerAngel28 at 8:20 PM on May 4, 2013
Then there's HEE-HAW, the whole show was based on this premise, even if it wasn't "always" true.
The All Jug Band
They did this skit 13 thousand times.
posted by QueerAngel28 at 8:20 PM on May 4, 2013
oh, one more - Toronto's Holy Fuck.
from wikipedia: The band uses live instrumentation and miscellaneous instruments and non-instruments (including a 35 mm film synchronizer, toy keyboards and toy phaser guns) to achieve electronic-sounding effects without the use of laptops or programmed backing tracks.[2] According to Pitchfork Media, "The band was formed with the intent of creating the equivalent of modern electronic music without actually using the techniques—looping, splicing, programming and the like—of that music."[
posted by mannequito at 8:22 PM on May 4, 2013
from wikipedia: The band uses live instrumentation and miscellaneous instruments and non-instruments (including a 35 mm film synchronizer, toy keyboards and toy phaser guns) to achieve electronic-sounding effects without the use of laptops or programmed backing tracks.[2] According to Pitchfork Media, "The band was formed with the intent of creating the equivalent of modern electronic music without actually using the techniques—looping, splicing, programming and the like—of that music."[
posted by mannequito at 8:22 PM on May 4, 2013
So Percussion (cans and a cactus, among others)
One Ring Zero
posted by mlle valentine at 8:32 PM on May 4, 2013
One Ring Zero
posted by mlle valentine at 8:32 PM on May 4, 2013
I quite like the british group Psapp, who make 'toytronica', electronic music mostly sampled from toys and toy musical instruments.
This reminded me of Self, who released an album called Gizmodgery that was made with toy instruments. It's pretty awesome:
What a Fool Believes
I Am A Little Explosion
posted by carsonb at 8:52 PM on May 4, 2013
This reminded me of Self, who released an album called Gizmodgery that was made with toy instruments. It's pretty awesome:
What a Fool Believes
I Am A Little Explosion
posted by carsonb at 8:52 PM on May 4, 2013
My friend's daughter helped found Mayumana! I've seen one of the shows live and it was so awesome. The other performer I thought of was Heywood Banks and his song "Toast".
posted by PorcineWithMe at 9:07 PM on May 4, 2013
posted by PorcineWithMe at 9:07 PM on May 4, 2013
Does using video game controllers (flight stick, wii-mote) to manipulate electronic music count? If so, check out Robert Delong.
posted by inigo2 at 9:10 PM on May 4, 2013
posted by inigo2 at 9:10 PM on May 4, 2013
Trimpin is a sculptor/musician who uses all kinds of objects. He does operate them live.
posted by brookeb at 9:21 PM on May 4, 2013
posted by brookeb at 9:21 PM on May 4, 2013
Moreno + 2 used sandpaper percussion on "Deusa do Amor." The album version features toy piano.
Junk Yard Band started out playing junk, but moved on to regular instruments.
posted by hydrophonic at 9:28 PM on May 4, 2013
Junk Yard Band started out playing junk, but moved on to regular instruments.
posted by hydrophonic at 9:28 PM on May 4, 2013
...and here's that Moreno + 2 (+ Chrissie Hynde) link.
posted by hydrophonic at 9:42 PM on May 4, 2013
posted by hydrophonic at 9:42 PM on May 4, 2013
Oh, also Daito Manabe uses the myoelectric pulses of his muscles flexing to make music and also to make his friends' faces twitch in synch with his own face. Does 'face muscles' count as an everyday object?
posted by carsonb at 9:54 PM on May 4, 2013
posted by carsonb at 9:54 PM on May 4, 2013
Einstürzende Neubauten use scrap metal and building tools and all kinds of biznis including pipes.
posted by Trivia Newton John at 9:55 PM on May 4, 2013
posted by Trivia Newton John at 9:55 PM on May 4, 2013
I've seen Beck play a full set of diningware live for his song Clap Hands. Tom Waits plays a hot water heater on the record Bone Machine but I don't know if he does live.
posted by macadamiaranch at 10:04 PM on May 4, 2013
posted by macadamiaranch at 10:04 PM on May 4, 2013
Here's Moreno Veloso playing a dinner plate, backing up his father.
posted by hydrophonic at 10:11 PM on May 4, 2013
posted by hydrophonic at 10:11 PM on May 4, 2013
Best answer: I have occasionally played with a percussionist who carries a toilet from show to show and uses that as his main instrument. He is billed as the World's Greatest Looist, which he may well be, as the list of looists cannot be an unwieldy one.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 10:34 PM on May 4, 2013
posted by ricochet biscuit at 10:34 PM on May 4, 2013
Shakey Graves plays a sweet drum / tamborine made out of an old suitcase.
posted by youandiandaflame at 5:46 AM on May 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by youandiandaflame at 5:46 AM on May 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
A friend works on the Scrapheap Orchestra, seen performing at the Proms and other venues.
posted by jetlagaddict at 6:54 AM on May 5, 2013
posted by jetlagaddict at 6:54 AM on May 5, 2013
Seconding Carolina Chocolate Drops and Recycled Percussion.
I think you're asking for currently active groups, but I can't let this question go by without mentioning Cleveland's sadly defunct - (fuck cancer) - Uncle Scratch's Gospel Revival. (YouTube search results, possibly NSFW due to language.)
There's the Alloy Orchestra (with Roger Miller from Mission of Burma on keyboards) who compose and perform soundtracks to silent films.
Electric Junkyard Gamelan use not only found objects as percussion instruments, but also homemade instruments made out of things like rubber bands stretched on a frame, or clay flower pots selected and grouped to make a kind of xylophone.
posted by soundguy99 at 7:17 AM on May 5, 2013
I think you're asking for currently active groups, but I can't let this question go by without mentioning Cleveland's sadly defunct - (fuck cancer) - Uncle Scratch's Gospel Revival. (YouTube search results, possibly NSFW due to language.)
There's the Alloy Orchestra (with Roger Miller from Mission of Burma on keyboards) who compose and perform soundtracks to silent films.
Electric Junkyard Gamelan use not only found objects as percussion instruments, but also homemade instruments made out of things like rubber bands stretched on a frame, or clay flower pots selected and grouped to make a kind of xylophone.
posted by soundguy99 at 7:17 AM on May 5, 2013
Merzbow does a lot of this. I can’t say that I like most of his work, and I can’t say that I’ve seen but more than five seconds of the aforelinked video save but to show you a visual example of him making noise with ordinary things.
In the early 2000s, a 50 album box set called Merzbox was released as some sort of greatest hits of Merzbow noise compilation. To this day, he is still making music. Merzbeat is a great album by Merzbow. Here’s a choice track from said album that should audibly sway your opinion in one direction or the other.
The entire genre of noise should satisfy your “Less Played Out and Unpolished” preference. I wouldn’t call it music for a road trip, but if an artist like Boredoms, Genocide Organ, or Merzbow came in town (and I had in my possession ample hearing protection), you bet that I’d be there watching-more-than-listening-getting-my-senses-toyed-with.
posted by oceanjesse at 10:12 AM on May 5, 2013
In the early 2000s, a 50 album box set called Merzbox was released as some sort of greatest hits of Merzbow noise compilation. To this day, he is still making music. Merzbeat is a great album by Merzbow. Here’s a choice track from said album that should audibly sway your opinion in one direction or the other.
The entire genre of noise should satisfy your “Less Played Out and Unpolished” preference. I wouldn’t call it music for a road trip, but if an artist like Boredoms, Genocide Organ, or Merzbow came in town (and I had in my possession ample hearing protection), you bet that I’d be there watching-more-than-listening-getting-my-senses-toyed-with.
posted by oceanjesse at 10:12 AM on May 5, 2013
I keep coming back to this thread kicking myself about forgetting another band. This time it's Matmos. Dr. Drew 'plays' things like a rat cage, a bowl of water, large unwieldy things, and Schmidt samples the sounds and builds songs out of the whole mess. I saw them live recently and have to admit I was damn near agog at the temerity of playing a large bowl of water on a tiny stage completely packed with unique and highly-customized electronic equipment. Stuff got wet.
posted by carsonb at 10:26 AM on May 5, 2013
posted by carsonb at 10:26 AM on May 5, 2013
I don't think the ever amazing Vegetable Orchestra has been mentioned!
posted by cat_link at 11:18 AM on May 5, 2013
posted by cat_link at 11:18 AM on May 5, 2013
Peter Schickele uses a shower hose in some of his pieces.
posted by BillMcMurdo at 2:27 PM on May 5, 2013
posted by BillMcMurdo at 2:27 PM on May 5, 2013
Klimperei plays on toys and other odd things, and has a lot of music to download for free.
posted by moonmilk at 2:33 PM on May 5, 2013
posted by moonmilk at 2:33 PM on May 5, 2013
...same goes for Ergo Phizmiz, though he also does a lot of remix / sound collage stuff that isn't so much what you're looking for.
posted by moonmilk at 2:34 PM on May 5, 2013
posted by moonmilk at 2:34 PM on May 5, 2013
Skeleton Key plays a wall of junk percussion, and Jesus and Mary Chain played with power tools.
I'm trying to remember the name of the Montreal jazz ensemble (9-piece if I remember correctly) that played Zappa-sounding music on a wild mix of homemade instruments. In fact, there have been a bunch of bands like this that have played Kerrytown's Edgefest in Ann Arbor, but the homemade/improvised keywords are pretty impossible to get decent hits on, so maybe someone else will remember this with the little prompting of this comment.
posted by klangklangston at 3:17 PM on May 5, 2013
I'm trying to remember the name of the Montreal jazz ensemble (9-piece if I remember correctly) that played Zappa-sounding music on a wild mix of homemade instruments. In fact, there have been a bunch of bands like this that have played Kerrytown's Edgefest in Ann Arbor, but the homemade/improvised keywords are pretty impossible to get decent hits on, so maybe someone else will remember this with the little prompting of this comment.
posted by klangklangston at 3:17 PM on May 5, 2013
Uakti is a Brazilian group who makes amazing, beautiful music out of instruments they make themselves. It's quite extraordinary.
posted by msali at 7:10 PM on May 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by msali at 7:10 PM on May 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
ICHi is a Japanese one man band who plays a wide variety of instruments including some non-instruments.
Probably borderline but have you checked out prepared piano? Here's a really cool video with Hauschka.
Konono No. 1 and Staff Benda Bilili also fit in the home made instruments bucket.
I also have a vague memory hearing on the radio some field recordings made in Africa of people who worked beside a major road and made instruments out of rubbish to pass the time. Just throwing it out there because I can't remember specifics (annoyingly).
posted by Erberus at 8:02 PM on May 5, 2013
Probably borderline but have you checked out prepared piano? Here's a really cool video with Hauschka.
Konono No. 1 and Staff Benda Bilili also fit in the home made instruments bucket.
I also have a vague memory hearing on the radio some field recordings made in Africa of people who worked beside a major road and made instruments out of rubbish to pass the time. Just throwing it out there because I can't remember specifics (annoyingly).
posted by Erberus at 8:02 PM on May 5, 2013
One of my favorite artists, Jason Webley, plays a shovel in "The Graveyard". It's awesome (and great to see in person).
posted by Margalo Epps at 8:54 PM on May 5, 2013
posted by Margalo Epps at 8:54 PM on May 5, 2013
(Oh, and the things he's tossing in the audience are emptied water bottles with a few pennies to make really loud rattles.)
posted by Margalo Epps at 8:57 PM on May 5, 2013
posted by Margalo Epps at 8:57 PM on May 5, 2013
No idea if they're still around, but I saw a band called Neptune who used salvaged instruments like saw blades for drums.
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 12:00 AM on May 8, 2013
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 12:00 AM on May 8, 2013
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posted by Cool Papa Bell at 7:13 PM on May 4, 2013