December 31, 2021

Esoteric Island Discs: Ben Chasny

[Esoteric Island Discs is an esoteric homage to the great Desert Island Discs, a classic radio programme which is owned entirely by the British Broadcasting Corporation. We hope they receive it in the loving spirit in which it is intended.]

Our castaway today is Ben Chasny, better known to many as the multi-instrumentalist behind the long-running musical project Six Organs of Admittance. Chasny is also a member the bands Rangda, New Bums, Badgerlore, Comets on Fire, and sometimes plays guitar in the band Current 93.

He is currently at work on a collaboration with Shackleton, who composed the delightful Esoteric Island Theme you’ll hear at the beginning and end of every episode of EID.

Download Esoteric Island Discs with Ben Chasny

Cited in the Interview:

Morton Feldman. Give my Regards to Eighth Street: Collected Writings of Morton Feldman. B.H. Friedman, ed. Cambridge, MA, Exact Change, 2000.

John Cage and Morton Feldman In Conversation, Radio Happening I of V recorded at WBAI, New York City, 1966 – 1967.

Chasny’s hexadic system of composition can be checked out here and here.

Charley Hayden hangs out with Carlos Parades on youtube.

Playlist:

Townes Van Zandt – Rex’s Blues off the album Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas, 1977.

Morton Feldman – excerpt from Triadic Memories off the album of the same name performed by Aki Takahashi, ALM Records 1989.

Fushitsusha (不失者) – 4th song from the first disc of Live 2 (PSF 15/16), P.S.F. Records 1992.

Silver Jews – Random Rules, off the album American Water, Drag City 1998.

John Coltrane – excerpt from Ascension,  Impulse! 1966.

Henry Flynt – You Are My Everlovin’, off the album You Are My Everlovin / Celestial Power, Edition Hundertmark 1986.

Carlos Paredes – Verdes Anos, off the album Guitarra Portuguesa, Columbia 1967.