Archive: "Too Much Information" Pop Collage Book (1995)

I can pretty much trace the "picture in picture" format that would later overtake my fine art collages and paintings back to this era.  These are pages from a 1995 collage project I did (shortly after graduating from Parsons) called "Too Much Information".  Years before I had my first iMac, digital camera or scanner, I used to make very analog screen grabs by photographing moving and/or paused music videos, bootleg concert videos and official VHS tapes straight from the TV.  

Now, remember... Every time I clicked the shutter, I was essentially spending money.  

I would click on an image that I really liked multiple times, doing a lot of guesswork as to exposure, clarity and sharpness.  I would (when doing a project like this) shoot two or three rolls of 35MM color film in the hopes that double prints from the local 24 hour photo service would provide me with enough material for a book.

  Sometimes I would gift these books to friends and other times I would color copy the sliced and assembled results to bind a small edition of a book.  Leftovers from these creative exploits also made GREAT inlay cards for mix tapes.

Vinyl Therapy: Bjork "Voltaic" Limited Edition Box Set (2009)

Having seen one of the NYC shows on this tour with my pals Billy and Kelly, I can tell you that the contents of this package fully capture the energy of Bjork, her musicians and the very specific, completely unparalleled universe of live music theatre they create.  Whether or not you "buy her brand" in terms of performance dynamics, there is no denying Bjork's ability to engage both the ardent admirer and the casual observer with her antics.  There is also no denying her ability to innovate when looking for ways to present her recorded work... In other words, THIS is how a live album package is done: 2 LPs, 2 DVDs, 2 CDs and a very unique package layout for the listener/viewer to interact with.

From The Archives: Out In NYC > The 1990s

Lush at Irving Plaza.  May 1996.

Bjork at The Hammerstein Ballroom.  May 1998.

Suede At The Supper Club.  May 1997.

ABOVE: Duran Duran in-store appearance at the now-defunct Sam Goody.  April 1995.

I was not only amazed that there was a line all the way around the block for this event, but I was also amazed at the enormous spill over of fans (and local news crews) onto 6th avenue.  

It temporarily shut down traffic for some very angry NYC motorists, but made for a great moment.

BELOW: Duran Duran at Roseland Ballroom.  November 1997.

BELOW: A strange little Duran Duran footnote.

John Taylor (during his 1997-2001 hiatus from the band) doing a one-off semi-secret 

solo show as part of the CMJ New Music Festival at Sidewalk Bar in the East Village.

It was the second time I'd talked to JT and I (once again) found that he was just as 

friendly, open, engaging and unpretentious as he was said to be by others who'd met or worked with him.

I was (at the time) sad that he'd left such a great international pop supernova such as Duran Duran (which even THEY will now admit was on its last legs) but he would later rejoin the DD fold to create new, exciting albums and help them achieve a rather stunning return to form.