we like scissors.

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free stuff sucks!

Thanks to a promotional gift from my internet service provider (ISP), I was able to start off my day with a trip to starbucks coffee... As a rule, I almost never buy coffee from shops. I like the coffee I make at home and feel that it is far superior to anything I can get anywhere else...besides that, I’m a cheapskate and believe that such expenditures are a waste. But driven by a lack of coffee beans, a certain urgency, and a gift card, I put on my flip-flops and headed out.

Going to a starbucks in los feliz is like taking a trip back in time. Time seemed to stall somewhere around 1997-99. The line was long, and as a result my head was filled with the ridiculous starbucks lexicon. Words and product descriptions that should never pass the seal of any starbucks store. These people were far too familiar with starbucks speak and thus I felt intimidated and then ultimately antagonistic as a result. They were also in much more of a hurry than I.

The crowd of Hollywood assholes, cultural stalemates, and demanding empty-headed prima donnas were offset by the staff consisting entirely of young Latinas. I felt at ease with their condescending glares and obvious joy in denying patrons of unreasonable demand. And I believe there was a slight connection between us when I simply requested a “Large Coffee”. After procuring my “Large Coffee”, I rushed out, nearly knocking over a young lady with a retrofitted haircut.

Largely, this was not my fault. The slight nudge I gave her at the door was simply compounded by the gravitational effects in play due to the apparent disproportional weight scenario between her bag and her body.

I decided not to take a sip until I return home. To avoid spilling the coffee on the walk back I had to hold the 24 oz. Cup awkwardly out in the front of me. I passed by the usual cast of homeless on my normal path of alleyways and shortcuts home. I felt like a total asshole with my starbucks cup prominently displayed. Even more of an asshole than I normally feel like with my clean clothes and whatnot.

Now I’m drinking the coffee. It’s not that bad. I still have $3 left on the gift card.

not ugly - inner beauty pageant

j-e-remy of d-e-vil with the "background suicide" EP.

not ugly, an extremely multi-faceted inner beauty pageant/talent show/installation/etc., kicked off with it's opening reception last saturday (july 3rd) at DIY GAllery here in wonderful little los angeles. there was plenty of totally taser factory art, performances, and other fun by aliens of the devil, stepfather, the steffens too, collin manning, eddie pepitone, gregg lopez, and others, all curated by the lovely danielle collins.

devon steffens with photos.j. s-h-elley of d-e-vil with 2 fanged up cats.

though the opening is in the bag, the show is still rolling throughout the month of july (during the gallery's open hours), and comes to a spectacular close on saturday july 31st with the second installment of art action pageantry!

aliens of the devil, the new non-audio thrash/dub band from (knee shy), is thrilled as a clam to be a part of the whole goddamn thing! one offering we have conjured up is our new limited edition EP: “Background Suicide”, which features visual remixes of 4 rad songs by 4 killer bands with the word “suicide” in their name (you can probably guess at least one).

if you missed it the first time around, stop by the gallery when they're open, or make a note to check out round 2 on the 31st! there will be more performances, including the aliens of the devil infomercial!

good epic times....

devon steffens with elbow x-ray.

FROM NOT UGLY::: NOT UGLY Inner Beauty Pageant @ DIY GAllery 1549 West Sunset Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90026 • 213.977.9602 NOT UGLY Inner Beauty Pageant is an exhibit of literary and artistic works published from within our Athenaeum. This first in a series, celebrates those who might go unnoticed due to their natural breast size or their ability to spell potato. We spotlight the splendor of the truth, the strange and the marvelous with staged and framed works that document the high road taken by each of the multi-sexy contestant chosen to compete for The Audience Award and purse of $500. Make your vote count for Keith Niles, Eddie Pepitone, Gregg Lopez, Kate and Devon are The Steffens Too, and Aliens of the Devil stars Jeremy Kennedy & Shelly Harrison. Additional works and support from artists Colin Manning, Terril Lewis, Ben Phen, Peter Soby Jr., STEPFATHER'S Ian Jay, Josh Achziger, Gabriel Mounsey, Danielle Collins and from our host Roger Steffens. Each person that steps into the gallery will receive a Voting Ballot and a Program that describes the Talent and the Art Auction.

Tickets are $10, come with a cocktail and are good for the Talent Show on July 3 and the Talent Show on July 31st. Entrance is $0 from 7-9p. Space is limited. You can reserve tickets in advance at: brownpapertickets.com/event/117511

July 3 • Vote, Art Auction @ 7p with a Talent Show part1 at 10p
July 31 • Vote, Art Auction @ 7p with a Talent Show part2 at 10p
DIY GAllery is open to Vote or Bid on Art Auction Tue-Sat 12pm-6pm
The winner of the Pageant and Art Auction is announced at midnight July 31.

See you there and thank you for supporting art in America.

(knee shy) - "(a)Tonal Destruction's the Only Solution" - Now Available

FMSMPRC Presents:
(a)Tonal Destruction’s the Only Solution
By: (knee shy)
Format: limited edition CD-r in one of a kind handmade packaging
Catalog #: FMSMPRC26

In early 2010 (knee shy), the chosen moniker of the collaborative workings of Los Angeles based artists j. shelley harrison and jeremy kennedy, presented an art/sound installation titled “the Sound of Wall” at Origami Vinyl, a record store/performance space in LA’s Echo Park community.

The piece itself was essentially a large wall mounted string instrument built specifically for the space. The 7-section unit contained in total 111 strings, some strung properly and others prepared with a variety of objects. Amplified both electrically and naturally, it filled the roll of several traditional instrument variants, and encouraged the use of extended technique and improvisation.

“(a)Tonal Destruction’s the Only Solution” was not recorded on “the Sound of Wall”, but during the process of building the piece. The creation of the piece required (knee shy) to look to a number of existing instruments for ideas and more importantly, parts and components. Subsequently, many of these instruments were altered, broken, and otherwise cannibalized by the assemblage.

One such instrument was an upright spinet piano from 1964, the main source of sound during this recording. Starting with the improper removal of the piano’s keys and ending with the cutting of each string inside the body, this field recording captures the torturous and methodic disembowel in its entirety.

Atonal blasts compound with dying chirps as a result of the physical destruction, guided with a mix of care and chaos. Armed with an array of pliers, hammers, saws, snips, and other instruments of destruction, (knee shy) programs an instant arrangement birthed as much in chance as in crafted strokes of violence.

The wood and components taken from the instrument itself have been reused by the artists as raw materials for 4 separate projects to date, including the packaging for this limited release. Other pieces of note include (knee shy)’s “the Sound of Wall”, and j. shelley harrison’s “keys to an eighty-eighth”.

The originally noted “Sound of Wall” installation’s opening event featured an improvised performance, dedicated to Luc Ferrari (whose 83rd birthday coincided with the event), played on the assemblage. (knee shy) sees this as a pre-extension of that composition, and a tribute to Ferrari’s fielding efforts.

“(a)Tonal Destruction’s the Only Solution” is now made available by FMSMPRC as a limited edition release of 30, in a variety of packaging created by the artists from materials recycled from the original piano.

Tyco Riley- (2010)

fmsmprc: myspace.com/fmsmprc

(knee shy): www.kneeshy.com

Aliens of the Devil- Band= Yes / Sound= No

(knee shy), together with the help of imaginary and non-imaginary friends, bring you "aliens of the devil" (herein referred to as AotD)...a band that doesn't make sound. this project seems to be creating a good deal of questions, along with confusion. so, allow me a moment to break this down as simply as possible...
FAQs:
1. Q-Is AotD a band?
A-Yes.

2. Q-Does AotD make any sound?
A-No.

3. Q-Does AotD have any songs?
A-Yes.

4. Q-What the fuck? How does that work?
A-Our songs and song ideas are actualized through graphic design images and composites, not sound.

5. Q-That sounds fun...but how can you call yourselves a "real band"?
A-Check it, pal! We do everything a "real band" does, only without sound. We write songs. We record these songs in the form of images. These images are compiled into collections, and each collection is an album. We play shows by exhibiting these images. AotD is a fully functioning band with the ability to have fans, merchandise, go on tour, be reviewed by pitchfork, etc.

6. Q-Is Tiger Woods really in the band?
A-Yes, but not the one you are thinking of.


here's the long form version:

During the waning months of 2009, (knee shy), the moniker for collaborative work by artists j. shelley harrison and jeremy kennedy, created a new project titled: “Aliens of the Devil”.

The Aliens of the Devil project is an amalgamous art/sound entity, essentially a band, but with a conceptual twist to it’s function. Steeped in the more absurd side of both of our respective artistic aesthetics, AotD can possibly be described as: alter-ego art project in the guise of a thrash-metal/hardcore band influenced by reggae with a strong interest in chinese folklore, turn experimental noise duo hiding behind graphic design.

Currently, Aliens of the Devil have yet to write, perform, or record any sounds, and it is quite possible that we never will (directly). In place of this seemingly essential element of being a musical entity, we have replaced songs with 2-dimensional graphic designs. These composite images are meant to serve as a visual representation of what the songs would sound like, or how the sound is visually conceptualized.

In continuation of this attitude, we are planning to complete the picture of being a band. This will involve developing our identity and career in a way that emulates the normal process and marketing of a group or artist which traditionally makes sound. Aliens of the Devil will have albums (collections), songs (pieces), and shows (exhibitions), and so on. Here is an example:

We are currently in the process of recording (designing) the debut AotD full length record (collection): “Poison in the Blade”. Each track on the new record is represented by a graphic design image, complete with ‘song title’, ‘track time’, etc. These pieces are actualized as archival ink-jet prints on 12 inch LP record sleeves. The release party for “Poison in the Blade” will be an exhibition of all these pieces, which represent each track on the album. And, just as the sound has been interpreted as images, the exhibition is interpreted as a performance, wherein AotD will be ‘performing’ every song on the new record by displaying the corresponding images to an audience.

So, if you like the idea of audio-lizing....check Aliens of the Devil. It's like being scratched by the long, black fingernails of jiang-shi while standing front row at a John Holt concert wearing a ripped up Corrosion of Conformity t-shirt!

myspace.com/aliensofthedevil
facebook: aliens of the devil

circa. (yeay! i CAN read!)

circa. (yes, that is a dot...so say: “circa dot”) is a new taser factory effort, in the form of a light publication, by editor jonathan jay and creative director gwyn galvan. I particularly like the their initials: jj and gg., and if we hung out more, i think i would try just calling them jj and gg....
so far, circa. has featured interesting interviews of persons involved in interesting things in the los angeles area, specifically central los angeles. the cast of featured artists, sound-makers, writers, and poets are pretty substantial, and the interviews are quality. Ranging from playful-to-honest, traditional-to-experimental in their approach, it makes for fun reading.
(knee shy) had the pleasure of being spotlighted in the debut issue. now on their second release, featuring such creatives as: published poet chiwan choi, yyy’s / krs recording artist imaad wasif w/ truman water, lino-cut master dave lefner, and matador rec. heavies jaguar love, it’s evident that jj and gg are really starting to have fun with this.

along with breaking up standard monotony with their layout, circa. is also experimenting with means of distributing their product to the masses. circa. is currently available with the confines of los angeles...at select locations. if you’re interested in acquiring a hard-copy, contact them here:

http://circadot.blogspot.com/

these guys are also hooked on the idea of a little dialogue between readers, featured artists, and staff. so, say something...let’s dialogue!

good job with the screenprinted covers, gwyn!

a very new potato sandwich - by jeremy kennedy

this is the sandwich of my dreams. not like my "dream sandwich", but i had a dream about this sandwich, or this sandwich was in my dreams, etc. i did not have to eat it. i made this image, because it was extremely difficult to explain the sandwich to people. it would take a long time, and still nobody "really" understands the sandwich, and i am getting royally sick and tired of trying to explain it.
if anybody is interested in this sandwich, please feel free to contact me!
jeremy@kneeshy.com
thanks.

"keys to an eighty-eighth" - a new group project / curated by j. shelley harrison

“Keys to an Eighty-Eighth”
*an 88 person group art project curated by – j. shelley harrison
2010

About this project:

With “Keys to an Eighty-Eighth”, artist j. shelley harrison has created a very encompassing project based on a straightforward and communicable concept, the type of she is often noted for. After destroying a piano for a project by (knee shy) in early 2010, harrison was felt compelled to creatively implement the leftover parts. She was specifically drawn to the piano’s keys, and decided to distribute all 88 of them amongst 88 selected creative individuals.

The guidelines provided by harrison were extremely loose. Each individual has been instructed to prepared their key in some creative fashion, and returned the product to Harrison upon it’s completion. Per instruction, all participants maintain the control to do basically whatever they want involving the key given to them. Thanks to this liberalness, the body of work as a whole is already showing signs of incredible depth, and creative elements from one extreme to the next.

The ongoing variety of the pieces of can also be attributed to the scope of individuals selected by harrison to be part of the project. For participants, she selected creatives of all kinds, from all over the map. Visual artists, designers, writers, children, musicians, strangers, friends, family, insiders and outsiders... you name it. By inviting such a diverse crowd, she has captured a full spectrum of backgrounds and approaches, from sculptural to audio, photography to poetry.

Keys are still steadily arriving, and the end date from the project is still in the future. After all the keyed-up pieces make their return, the entire collection will be shown in a gallery exhibition. Where and when are still up in the air, and there is also the possibility of showings in multiple cities.

jiang-shi! - fuck dracula!!!

i am currently renewing my obsession with my favorite horror / comedy / fantasy / martial arts movie genre, jiang shi! roughly, jiang shi is the chinese term for the culture's approximation of a vampire. fuck any ideas of dracula, true blood, or any of that other shit, this is a totally different, more taser factory ghoul.
apparently the story of jiang shi goes back far into chinese folklore, but i prefer to pick up the tale starting in the early 1980's when martial arts master, film star, jackie chan buddy, and renowned action coordinator sammo hung started the movie genre by making "encounters of the spooky kind".
these films are terrific! they combine chinese folklore, comedy, horror, martial arts, and other bizarre elements, which create something entirely and specifically chinese. (my favorite part is finding myself lost on culturally specific terms and jokes).
the antagonist themselves are something to marvel over. jiang shi resemble western zombies more than vampires. they are ridden with rigor mortis, thus explaining the fact that they hop around in order to move. (in feng shui, it is supposed that the inclusion of a 6" threshold at the bottom of doorways is good to prevent jiang shi from entering.)
they usually appear dressed in qing dynasty garb, and are combated by taoist priests, who put jiang shi to sleep by placing spells, written on pieces of yellow paper, on their foreheads. also, male virgins, sticky rice, chicken eggs, and dog blood are good things to have around.
here's a clip from "encounters of the spooky kind"
other taser factory titles include:
"the dead and the deadly"
"mr. vampire" (and all the sequels)
and anything with yam ching-ying...

...it with be funny...

a flavorite piece from my personal collection. kids, as much as some of them get on my goddamn nerves, are top ranked in my book for their creative output. this is an absolutely taser factory example. a brilliant tale of halloween excitement and adventure, epically illustrated (probably) on the reverse side, by an unknown artist / writer / score-keeper. my friend molly gave this to me years ago as a birthday present. it is definitely with be funny!

public art...what isn't...

i've been better about carrying a camera with me when i go out. that is good, due to the amount of stuff outside. like this. oh street art...

a ripped out parking sign, which someone spraypainted, scraped, covered in sequins and wire, and threw in a street .a crosswalk sign that someone taped off to make this classic gesture. this was right in front of the office where i had an interview today.

awesome scarred up pin board at a local pub.
fucked up phone.