pb at ocean beach sf 1966
photo: sue flett

ETHEREAL TAPE

Peter Black with Frank Hauser and Jeff Barton (February 1966)

Under the chaotic influence of 'Pataphysics, Alfred Jarry and John Cage, these pieces were created at the original Agenda Studio on York St. up in the Bernal Heights of San Francisco. This early experimental tape was presented as part of a Fluxus collection which was toured throughout Eastern Europe (Yugoslavia, Romania, Poland, Chekesovakia) in 1966 by Jeff Berner as a prime example of the new edge in taped avant garde music from the US of A. Yoko Ono's "Fanny" movie was also a part of this early traveling multimedia event. This tape was also presented through Alan Williams at Columbia University the same year where it was exampled at a new composers symposium. Was also a feature of The Seminar of Experience at San Francisco State University and at other various sites and schools including Mikel Roger's infamous Play Store in the Haight. This tape was also used as the score for a dance performance piece by dancers from the Ann Halprin company at the big Flux Fest event at Longshoreman's Hall in San Francisco (March 31, 1967) where the courageous and (by some accounts) possibly nude performers, swarmed, squirmed in and licked sweet jelly from the body of an Alfa Romeo sports car. Heavy stuff.

(original cover box of this performance tape 1966)

WARNING: PERFORMANCE SIZE FILE
here compressed to mp3 @128kbs (40mgs)

Ethereal Tape.mp3
"Reconnaissance"
a construction of tape sections recorded February 5 and 12, 1966
You Will Be There!
intuitive absurd music
(43mins)
Tweeters, whistles, steeldrums, detuned guitars and zithers, rattles, bangers, harmonica and chimes manipulated live through reel to reel tape machines.

direct digital dub from reel to reel of Jeff Berner's performance copy used at FluxFest at Longshoreman's Hall in SF, March 1967.
the actual tape was a gift made to the archives from Jeff Berner while he was down there at Dillon Beach in Sept '09 and was when this dub got done back up here at The Agenda Studio in Fort Bragg CA

best listening is in headphones with sleep mask

CD Available: nufstuff@mcn.org
'what's he up to now?"
updated 7.15.10