Little Fire Music Column

Dec 7 2012 by Stuart Wilson, Ayrshire Post

Welcome along guys!

Some great happenings on the Ayrshire music scene right now, so let’s get right to them.

I want to start with Chris Dooks, who has been working on a very interesting project this year which is being presented in association with the University of the West of Scotland at the Centre for Contemporary Arts in Glasgow.

Entitled “The Eskdalemuir Harmonium”, the project centres around the creation of an album which is orientated around a ‘dying American harmonium’ which is located in a farmhouse near Lockerbie.

In this landscape, home to a vast Tibetan Buddhist temple and megalithic stone circles, artist and musician Chris has been making pilgrimages to the site, and collaborating virtually with Rotterdam-based artist Machinefabriek (Rutger Zuyderveldt).

The resulting album and supplementary digital package is a fusion of ‘folktronica-concrète’ replete with field recordings and a radio documentary.

The package forms part of an ongoing investigation of how chronically ill individuals may benefit from working with equally collapsing instruments.

This is an essential presentation for vinyl enthusiasts. The album, made over a twelve-month period, includes an essay and photographs of the year-long process and each vinyl bought comes with an expanded sister EP entitled Non-Linear Responses of Self-Excited Harmoniums.

The record itself is lovingly pressed on bright red vinyl and is released by Toronto’s Komino Records, and copies should be available on the night. Much as one visits a sick relative in a care home, The Eskdalemuir Harmonium is a form of ‘sonic palliative care’ forming a third of Chris Dooks’ ongoing PhD.

Hear him explain how this fits into his vision of ‘idioholism’ with excerpts from parts two and three of the trilogy.

Chris, who is based in Ayrshire, spent much of the 1990s directing TV documentaries, including the South Bank Show.

Now a musician and interdisciplinary artist in his own right, his work retains elements of what photographer Walker Evans once called “documentary style”.

For more, visit http://www.dooks.org

• A new gig night is starting at Furys in Ayr by Isle Events and Emu Bands on Sunday, December 9 from 8pm.

It features The OK Social Club who are really generating some great publicity and buzz at the moment from the really positive reviews of the band’s first two singles including playlisting from Steve Lamacq on BBC Radio.

Support comes from new but highly promising Ayrshire group Soldier On, indie punks The Begies and one Colin Hunter.

•Other top gigs are:

Friday 7th December - The Godz at The Eagle Prestwick - Rocking tunes all night

Saturday 8th December - Charity gig @ Ayr’s Beanscene featuring various Ayrshire musicians

Sunday 9th December - Bailey’s Guitar showcase at The Firehouse Ayr

Little Fire