"The Work of Art is Controlling You" - Anthem, July 2007

[ifcwdjd]

Thomas is definitely a lot nerdier (and I mean that in the most positive, fiercely intelligent meaning of the word) than he is usually given credit for. In this article, he gives a very rich interpretation of the mindset behind the making of Electroma, and how that relates to their music and other film projects.

Many times I've heard them describe their approach to anything like music or film as not thinking about an audience, but making it for themselves; that it may be a "selfish process," but it's the way they prefer to do it. But here, Thomas goes further to say that it's not really about making it for themselves either, but for the story: "You need a starting point to create something, then you need to go with the flow, very spontaneously to make the thing that makes the most sense... as soon as you have the starting point, you try to stick to it and serve the project and what it's trying to say. You're the first spectator to understand the meaning of it." Hence the title of the article - "the work of art is controlling you."

He also talks about the positive and negative aspects of being practically unlimited, in terms of technology available and financial freedom, in a project. In the past they were limited financially or because the sampler they used on Homework could only hold 15 seconds of memory. But in the present, limitations like that no longer exist and there are infinite possibilities in what they can do, a situation he describes as "overwhelming, like you are floating into space."

Sorry for the lengthy quoting, but I just really dig everything Thomas has to say here. Even though he says that Electroma is "not a 'brain' movie, but an 'eye' movie, something that speaks to the body," I don't know. I've done nothing but rack my brain since the first time I saw it. Since there isn't much there beyond musical cues and cryptic images, you're constantly filling in the blanks. I believe it is more of a thinking movie than anything else.

Click pic -> download zip file -> do not attempt to adjust your TV set.

[RobotAfterAll]

ahh I've been looking for this article, as usual you're awesome

[blackaerin]

I wanna hear that Halloween version of Teachers now.

[Hiroko]

I love nerds.

Thanks for the article.

[ifcwdjd]

Just finished redoing this article. I made a nicer-looking scan and also merged the pages together into 2 single images so the photos wouldn't be cut off. Download in the original post

I wanna hear that Halloween version of Teachers now.

I think they were performing at Barrowland in Glasgow. Don't know if a recording of that show exists, but that would be something if it did.

It's pretty cool now that Thomas mentions Nile Rodgers calling them up to say how much he liked their music. Something definitely came of it in the end.

[something awesome]

Awesome as always. Thannnnkkyoooou.

[swinging detective]

I think they were performing at Barrowland in Glasgow. Don't know if a recording of that show exists, but that would be something if it did.

.

I was at that gig and they played the theme tune from Halloween the movie. As it was the 31st October there was a large no. of the crowd in costume on shoulders etc. A fantastic moment.

They also covered an old school rave number which I remember being popular in Glasgow prior to 1997, they obviously had researched their prospective crowd.

They also played the live version of fresh which was awesome.

I have looked all over for a bootleg but it seems none exists, I would be very interested to get hold of one.

[ifcwdjd]

I was at that gig and they played the theme tune from Halloween the movie. As it was the 31st October there was a large no. of the crowd in costume on shoulders etc. A fantastic moment.

They also covered an old school rave number which I remember being popular in Glasgow prior to 1997, they obviously had researched their prospective crowd.

They also played the live version of fresh which was awesome.

I have looked all over for a bootleg but it seems none exists, I would be very interested to get hold of one.

Oh man, that must have been an incredible (and one of a kind) show, thank you for sharing your experience with us. That's great that they did numbers that were relevant to the area and the fact that it was Halloween. I've read in other interviews that Thomas and Guy-Man were very fond of Glasgow after having first visited there when they signed to Soma. That's interesting that they played a live version of Fresh there. Apparently that was a rare occurrence because the only other show I've heard of where they played Fresh is the long sought-after Red Box bootleg.

[Champiness]

They also covered an old school rave number which I remember being popular in Glasgow prior to 1997, they obviously had researched their prospective crowd.

Was the old school rave number by any chance "Can You Feel It" by CLS? Because a cover of that was in regular rotation during the Daftendirektour, it seems to be one of their favorites.

[swinging detective]

Was the old school rave number by any chance "Can You Feel It" by CLS? Because a cover of that was in regular rotation during the Daftendirektour, it seems to be one of their favorites.

It was, thanks for the link.

@ifcwdjd

Fresh was always one of my favourites from "Homework" and I'm glad they performed it, they really freestyled the long synth line with extended intro, the twin mirrored screens were showing two waves (tubes) breaking into the centre to match the sample in the background. Even so long ago the image is burned into my memory.