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Bill Boethius with Agitation Phi - Vibrance, Spheres & Dragons

from The Ancient Ambassadors of Eternity by Bill Boethius & Dali's Car

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This my second collaboration to date with the incredible Agitation Phi, AKA bass lioness and all round musical catalyst.

Invited by her to put some guitar down on a 30 minute long track of bass drums and electronica, I baulked at first, and then - after a few days - bit the bullet.
So, one morning, picking up my Revelation four pick up Jaguar [through the Kaoss pad for synthi noises], and my Gibson Les Paul [for the main solo], I set to work on the whole 30 mins.
Then, as befits a real collaboration, Phi stepped in once more; this time as Arranger.
We then cut it down, and got this usable piece which is still long at 14 mins.
Let the dust settle ... yes, we have something here ... that guitar solo is one of a kind, and listen how Phi slips into Raga on the fade out ...


i am re-listening to this piece. dunno but this summery night it shines for me and i can get a picturesque hold of the trains Robert is referring to for some reasons ;)
- I'm doing the same now, and what you say is so right. Robert is so spot on with his observations, and I did send him the original 30 minute jam which he said was better than the edit. He said I should post it, but haven't got around to doing so ... yet. Strange that this is so obviously a piece of aural sun worship, and so is in its element, so to speak, now. Strange because the collab was somewhat fraught for me, and yet I needn't have worried as it was guided by the sun ray. Fraught because I am terrified of doing something that isn't completely spontaneous and yet fated. I was troubled - were we fated to do a collaboration after the obvious serendipity of our first one? Going back to Robert's comment, it also reminded me of how itinerant blues musicians would ride the railroads across the States ... I don't think I'll get that same guitar sound again ...

amazing - I like the way the bass and guitar intertwine there

Oh yeah..wondrous bass to fade: It works because it promises another vista beyond another horizon

an excellent extended solo..love the way it vanishes into the hugeness of space - it was Phi's idea to fade the bass and drums out there and leave the solo [and Kaoss pad interjections] suspended across that abyss - it's like a rope ladder to the moon [crafty quote]

Lush rapid ascents and descents, Bill..and Phi's bass mesmerises
Phi is playing a Rickenbacker, so she means business! She is great at hypnotic grooves which is a surefire attribute for any bassist. As for the ascents and descents, you would know that on an overdriven setting like this, the guitar is on the point of roaring if you take your hands off it. In this one the roar was a serious low end quagmire, like a black hole, it would pull all kinds of debris into it. Only way to stop it is to play high up the neck - and those notes are even sweeter under such conditions. But when you go down low - watch out - the roar will take over - to it goes from high to low like a BMW on a mountain pass!

It's for a detuned video game 8P
: far out!
: I would not have said better 8D

Would be curious to hear the thing in context, sometimes it's where things go wrong that it sets up the stage for it all. Good piece overall, but I'm as interested in "where things go wrong" as when they do go right!
: Or 'wrong is right'! The first 'take', so to speak was 30 minutes, so we just felt it was too long - 15 minutes was taken up by the guitar solo - it wasn't that any of that went wrong, it was more that what was being said in 30 minutes could be said in 15 which implies there was a bit of repetition in the guitar solo. I just remembered, the first few minutes of the guitar solo were cut because it wasn't really finding its metier - so it was going wrong in a sense - and then when the bass starts to explore, the guitar then intertwines around that and really starts to hit the spot. I would be interested in sending you the original jam if you want it, though.
: I'm game to take a listen!

For whatever reason, this reminds me of spending too much time riding the beat up old trains in Chicago barely functional enough to pay the fare.
: autobiographical, or a cinematic image in your memory banks? It certainly evokes a certain wayward bluesology in a frightening twilight urban setting
: Little bit of both, can argue that the amount of not sober versus cold hard ugly made that part of the era particularly vivid in the mind even after all these years.

The lasers were extremely necessary, good show.

Wherever this is the house band for, I want to visit.
Ha! - now that is something else I didn't imagine, but very evocative - the whole concept of a surreal house band is so special
: If there's a room and a space made by a piece, my mind often goes to "how does that fit the place/environment in my head?"

Fine collaboration carrying much of both your sonic DNA. Great to hear you playing in this context. And that outro, yes...
: Of course it was the editing [suggested by Phi and myself together] which made that an outro. Long freeform solos are something I seldom do now, preferring the collective improv approach. I think Phi combines both, but then she works in an area of sonic spirituality. I believe all her sounds have a spiritual or occult significance. That's very heavy. My approach is probably more surreal. It is that collision between the spiritual and the surreal which makes this piece.
: wow, i like that. sonic spirituality, indeed i believe that tones itself have an occult significance even when there is no lyrics that say so explicitely. i love surrealism too, it*s what gives us freedom, and humor, yes, that*s a weapon too :-) thanks again for this experience and sorry for jumping in late. i am taking some days break from musical things, soaking up inspiration in other areas of life or just relaxing :)
i: Oh no - your input was soo intense in the making stages - we need that psychic respite. I wasn't sure if this project would work, but suddenly leapt up onto the cave wall and stares down at us now in all its bizarre magnificence. The spiritual ['religious' is too tainted a word] impact of your work is absolutely tremendous. It is so powerful, particularly when you are in league with Monk and Astarte. You really get the atmosphere of the ancient rituals. I don't try and create surrealism but I am of the ilk of the lone philosopher who finds the world Absurd
: If the spiritual and the surreal don't collide, it can be argued something is missing!

oh, nice playing - it's joy to play the Paul, the feel, the sound, everything. I also put the guitar in a random tuning so I had to listen extra hard.

pond-scum-deity-reverence: I think you have it there - the Thing rises up from stagnant mire and soaks up the sun

crazy collaboration!! great trip sounds. AMAZING! - it was a real buzz to do this,
This is just the cat’s whiskers :)
: and the dog's ...!

An excellent collaboration! More !!!
This collab, like the last one with Agitation Phi, came out of the blue. Not sure what makes them happen [today is Jimi's birthday] but they are spatially discreet, I know that much. I don't like to force anyhing ... I don't like to do anything too consciously, too deliberately ... so these collabs are in the lap of the gods.
Posted 7 months ago7 months

credits

from The Ancient Ambassadors of Eternity, released July 22, 2017
Agitation Phi, Rickenbacker bass, beats and electronica.
Bill Boethius, Guitars, Kaoss pad, production.

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Bill Boethius & Dali's Car London, UK

"The Dali of guitar noise".
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