Any Questions? - Darkness (Special Edition)

Release Notes:
This special edition of Any Questions? - Darkness celebrates the 29th anniversary of the electro-terrorist unit’s release of pure audio sculpture.  The electronic experiments and sonic soundscapes contained within herald the beginnings of the Imbued Vagary project.

Credits:
Releases May 07, 2021

ANY QUESTIONS? is comprised of:
Ttam Troll - Synthesizers, Sequencing, Sampling, and Drum Programming
MC2P4 - Synthesizers, Sequencing, and Sampling

Tracks 1-3 Produced, Composed, Engineered, Performed, and Mixed by: Ttam Troll
Tracks 1-3 Additional Sampling by: MC2P4

Tracks 4-6 Produced, Composed, Engineered, and Performed by: MC2P4
Tracks 4-6 Mixed by: Ttam Troll

Mastered by Tommy T Rapisardi at DSBP Records

Original Cover Design and Layout by: Ttam Troll
Special Edition Cover Design and Layout by: Ttam Troll

Special Edition Illustration by Mike Bohatch

Tracks 1-3 recorded at Floating Fish Studios August 1992
Tracks 4-6 recorded at Floating Fish Studios June 1992

This album has been produced on the Atari 1040STe using Steinberg Cubase 2.01 software

Copyright ©1992/2021 Floating Fish Music

Procession

While touring with Punch Drunk in 1993, Any Questions? took the stage on the first night of The Interface Tour at the Four G's Hotel in Bethlehem, PA.  

Reviewer Thomas Linson wrote in Issue 4 of The Floating Fish newsletter, "...Any Questions? smash onto the scene and warp the minds of the many.  Ttam Troll was in excellent form that night, not to mention excellent shape, having consumed one live human leg with a side of caterpillars and bean-sprouts.  Operating on a full stomach, the Troll bore a grinny-grimace that resembled the cat after swallowing the fetus.  A real flare was set off on stage by the Troll, creating plenty of flare-doody and a gaseous stench that brought a churn to everyone's belly.  Then, when this was not enough, he set his rubber gloves a-burnin' and melted a baby's face, which added to the atmosphere intensely!"

Here is the live version of Strafing Children taken from the soundboard recording that night.  Enjoy!

Any Questions? - Strafing Children (Live)

Here's an excerpt of a live improv from FFS II Synth Jam 2022 - Birthday. Recorded at FFS II on 07/30/22.

Recorded after a dinner break (hence the song title), we wasted no time in working off our meal.  The track features Ttam Troll providing a sumptuous synth bass part on the Moog Minimoog Model D, mC2p4 effervescently refluxing forwards, backwards, and bi-directional audio collage samples on the Ensoniq EPS, and Steve O's delectable synth leads on the Korg Z1, Studiologic Sledge, and Kawai K5000S.

Imbued Vagary - Post Roast Beef Sandwich

We travel through space and beyond AD 2022 with this 12+ minute Electronic foray from Any Questions? entitled Travelers. Originally recorded in 2002, this track has remained unreleased until now.  It will be included on the forthcoming Any Questions? - Demos (2000 - 2002) release coming in AD 2023.

Any Questions? - Travelers

Vizator - Land of Glass Towers (Demos 1990)

Release Notes:
Before the Industrial music of Any Questions? and the Electronic music of Imbued Vagary, Ttam Troll (Matthew R Norcross) and mC2p4 (M Scott McConnell) were part of a Fusion Rock band called Vizator (later to be renamed Vyzator). Joining Vizator's founding band members David S Irish and Carlton Holt, this lineup's sole performance was at the prestigious CitiParks Showcase Mondays concert at Oliver Plaza in Pittsburgh, PA on August 07, 1989. 

After the August 1989 Vizator performance, Ttam Troll and mC2p4 left the band and relocated to Philadelphia, PA to form Any Questions? and Imbued Vagary. David S Irish and Carlton Holt carried on as Vizator's sole members and began working on demos for a CD release. 

In early 1990, David and Carlton reached out to Matt to see if he'd be interested in laying down electric bass parts for the forthcoming Vizator CD. Matt had not yet been involved with any CD projects and jumped at the chance to get back together with his former bandmates and do some recording. The music contained on Vizator - Land of Glass Towers (Demos 1990) are from those recording sessions which took place on March 10-11, 1990. These instrumental demos were eventually scrapped and the band re-recorded the songs using synth bass for the final Vyzator - Land of Glass Towers CD which was released in 1991. However, these early demos show what could have been if the band followed their instrumental power trio Fusion Rock leanings. That was not meant to be and this became the final artifact of Vizator. Enjoy! 

Credits:
releases January 20, 2023 

Vizator members: 
David S Irish - Guitars and Synthesizers 
Matt Norcross - Bass 
Carlton Holt - Drums 

Songs composed by: 
Ready to Deal (Irish) 
Trapped Inside This Maniac (Irish) 
The Chase (Irish/Holt) 
Club 54 (Irish/Hutter) 
Land of Glass Towers (Irish) 

Recorded March 10-11, 1990 in Pittsburgh PA 

Mastered by Tommy T Rapisardi at DSBP Records 

Cover Photo, CD Design, and Layout by Matthew R Norcross 

Copyright ©2023 Floating Fish Music 

FISHCD025

Vizator - Land of Glass Towers

During Summer 1988 when The Secret Society (Rev 2) was recording songs for their debut release at Horse and Buggy Highway Studios, we recorded tracks with various guitarists.  One such guitarist was Dirk Frey from The Secret Society (Rev 1).  This mix of How Do Rocks Multiply (Solution IV) features a recently unearthed recording with Dirk Frey on guitar.  

P.S. The photo is taken from The Secret Society (Rev 1) performance in early 1987 during Winter Carnival at Shippensburg Area Senior High School.

The Secret Society - How Do Rocks Multiply? (Solution IV) (DF Gtr Mix)

During Summer 1988 when The Secret Society (Rev 2) was recording songs for their debut release at Horse and Buggy Highway Studios, we recorded tracks with various guitarists.  The other day I unearthed an unreleased recording with Dirk Frey.  Today's find is an unreleased version of Something About Tomorrow with Matt "Scrap Pap" Skirpan on guitar.  Enjoy!

The Secret Society - Something About Tomorrow (MS Gtr Mix)

While waiting to officially release our Any Questions? - Death CD in early 1996, MC2P4 and I began working on new ideas in the studio. Some of these ideas would eventually be developed into full songs for our Any Questions? - Mutation CD in 2000.  Our sonic arsenal had grown quite extensively leading up to this period and we were anxious to make new music with it. The Korg Wavestation, a vector synthesis synthesizer, was used extensively during this period. In hindsight, maybe too extensively.  Our ideas ranged from very structured pounding rhythm Industrial to very non-structured and improvised ambient music.

1996 is a Ttam Troll exclusive track.  I started working on this New Year's Eve 1995 and finished it early the following day, New Year's Day 1996.  Using sounds from the E-MU Pro/Cussion drum module, I created a simple yet powerful sounding drum groove. The synth sounds (synth bass, synth pads, bells, and airy organ) all came from the Korg Wavestation.  Lastly, it features a vocal sample of myself saying "Control" which was sampled on our Ensoniq EPS, a Performance Sampler.

I hope you enjoy this piece of New Year's past!

Any Questions? - 1996

Song idea naming protocol at Floating Fish Studios has always been to use whatever is playing on the TV monitor in the studio at the time of creation.  This process leads to some interesting idea titles and provides insight into the video stimuli that influenced us during the creative process.

This track from 1996 is titled Almost Dead.  Almost Dead is a 1994 horror movie starring Shannen Doherty (Beverly Hills. 90210 fame).  She plays a psychologist that is haunted by her dead mother's ghost.  Instrumentally, we used some of our favorite instruments of the day.  The E-MU Pro/Cussion drum module for the drum beat and a lot of Korg Wavestation for the rest of the synth sounds.  The soloing guitar sound is even pulled out of the Korg Wavestation.

Any Questions? - Almost Dead

New Year, new tunes!  Here's a song idea titled Settlers done "inside the box" using all soft synths.  It seems that no matter how hard I try to use soft synths to work on ideas, they just end up sounding too sterile and cold.  Don't get be wrong, I've composed a lot of sterile and cold sounding music but soft synths just don't have the same warmth that "real" synths have.  Next...

I used Native Instruments Battery 4 to create the drum groove and Arturia V Collection X for the synth sounds.  CMI V for the synth bass, OP-Xa V for the arpeggio, and Synthi V for the weird sound during the bridge.

P.S. For those that don't know, “inside the box” is a term that refers to the process of using only a computer and software (the box) rather than external hardware (synthesizers, mixers, etc). In the past, using external hardware was the only option, but today, it is now possible to create professional music completely “inside the box”.

Any Questions? - Settlers

This Any Questions? archival song idea titled Copycat is from the year 1996.  Like our other song idea titles, it is named after what was playing on the studio TV monitor while it was being created.  Copycat is a 1995 psychological thriller starring Sigourney Weaver, Holly Hunter, and Dermot Mulroney.  Coincidentally, this song idea made its way into a movie of its own in 2007 when it was featured in the horror film FrightWorld.  Be sure to check that out!

On this track, our trusty E-MU Pro/Cussion drum module was used to lay down the drum beat and the Korg Wavestation was used for the rest of the parts including the slinky synth bass line that slithers throughout the groove.

Any Questions? - Copycat

Floating Fish Studios held its ninth in a series of Synth Jam Sessions at FFS II on 08/06/11. The ensemble gathered included Dave Chandler (aka Thee Sub One Genius), M Scott McConnell (aka MC2P4), and Matt Norcross (aka Ttam Troll).

Through a pit of synth bass wash and noisy volume pots, this track, titled TR-1, slowly coalesces before dematerializing leaving the listener wondering what just happened.

Imbued Vagary - TR-1 (Live at FFS II 08/06/11)

In our second foray into the electronic plasma pool during FFS Synth Jam 2012 on 11/24/12 came this sprawling 16+ minute audio sculpture titled TR-2.  It has been said that we like to do things "over and over, again and again".  This track exemplifies that to the fullest.  Oh well, it was fun and we weren't ready to stop!

The ensemble for this track included Tim Harrell (aka LTJTHC) - electronic drums, Dave Chandler (aka Thee Sub One Genius) - rhythmic architectures and synthetics, Matt Norcross (aka Ttam Troll) - synthesizers, Stephen Saputelli (aka Steve O Klock) - synthesizers, and, at about the 10 minute mark, M Scott McConnell (aka MC2P4) - synthesizers joins us.

Enjoy!

Imbued Vagary - TR-2 (Live at FFS 11/24/12)

Floating Fish Studios held its eighth in a series of Synth Jam Sessions at FFS II on 04/16/11. The ensemble gathered included Dave Chandler (aka Thee Sub One Genius), M Scott McConnell (aka MC2P4), and Matt Norcross (aka Ttam Troll).

During this live improv, Imbued Vagary channeled our inner Tangerine Dream personas as we travelled through the electronic plasma pool.

Imbued Vagary - Dreaming (Live at FFS II 04/16/11)

It's hard to believe this improv was recorded over 25 years ago.  In September 1989, we were exploring new sonic territories at Der Palast des Goldes studio.  Though we had a newly christened band name, Any Questions?, this improv really falls more in line with what has become our Imbued Vagary project.

We had a relatively modest (for us) studio set up at this point.  This was before we had a sampler or our E-MU Pro/Cussion so my trusty Korg DDD-5 drum machine handled all drum chores.  Korg ruled our set up in those early days and you can hear MC2P4 laying down a menacing synth bass line on his Korg DW-6000 while he adds additional melodies and sounds on our Ensoniq ESQ-1.

My nickname for this improv should have been Ttam "Never Stops Soloing" Troll.  Upon listening to this, I can tell that I'm firmly locked into Program 58 on my Korg DW-8000.  I was still quite new at playing synths in 1989 but, listening back, it doesn't seem like it took me long to get the hang of it.

This improv, entitled Never Had A Name, really did have one.  Oh well, I hope you enjoy it!

Any Questions? - Never Had A Name (Live at Der Palast des Goldes 1989)

Floating Fish Studios held Synth Jam 2015 - Snow at FFS II on 02/21/15. The ensemble gathered included Dave Chandler (aka Thee Sub One Genius), M Scott McConnell (aka MC2P4), and Matt Norcross (aka Ttam Troll).

The snow storm could not deter the three core members of Imbued Vagary from creating icy electronic music.  The six sonic explorations ranged from ambient soundscapes to Noise.

This live improv is more akin to ambient soundscapes and is titled, Storm Clouds.

Imbued Vagary - Storm Clouds (Live at FFS II 02/21/15)

This track, titled The Dark and Lowly Theme, is from mC2p4’s upcoming Soundtrack project.  Expect to hear more about this project in the weeks to come from Floating Fish Studios.

mC2p4 - The Dark and Lowly Theme

Here's a raw unedited excerpt of an Imbued Vagary rehearsal while preparing for our performance at SHAPE Solstice Arts Festival 2015. Recorded at FFS on 06/07/15, it features MC2P4 (Synthesizers), Ttam Troll (Synthesizers), and LTJTHC (Electronic Percussion).  Our performance on 06/20/15 will be one not to miss!

Imbued Vagary - Ebow Nucleosis (Rehearsal @ FFS 06/07/15)

We came up with this song parody of Louie Louie while Scott (MC2P4) was working for Donnelley Directory Talking Yellow Pages in the Summer of 1991. Every year they would have an employee awards ceremony called the Ruby Awards. At the ceremony, they would serve breakfast and have drawings for prizes but the main purpose was to recognize outstanding work by employees during the past year. A Ruby Award was the honor that was given to each of the outstanding employees.

Scott thought that they needed a theme song for the awards ceremony so he told them that he was going to write one. They encouraged him to do so but we're sure that they never really expected him to deliver one.

Scott came back to the studio and told me what he had promised to do. He said that he'd already started to work on lyrics for it and had based them on the tune Louie Louie. He titled his song "Ruby Ruby". Though I was apprehensive about doing a parody of a popular song and, of course, thought that it was "beneath" us, we agreed that it could be fun to do if we did it in an "Any Questions?" way. So, we asked LTJTHC (Tim Harrell) to help us pull it off and away we went.

The recording session was quick and fun. For drums, LTJTHC played his Yamaha DD-5 which was MIDIed to my E-mu Pro/Cussion. I pulled out my Rickenbacker 4003 bass, which had been lying dormant since I was mainly playing synths by this point, and ran it through a nice distortion patch on my Korg A3. We recorded our tracks live to a Tascam 38 1/2" 8-track reel-to-reel machine that we had purchased from Larry Lee Fiber. I only have one version of Ruby Ruby on tape so, after rehearsing, I assume it only took us one take to record the drums and bass. I dialed in one of my signature A3 vocal effects for Scott and he sang his parody lyrics. We mixed it down and mastered it to cassette (this is before CD-R recording was common/affordable) and it was done.

Scott took the cassette in to work and, even without hearing it, his bosses said they'd use it for the awards ceremony. As the ceremony started, the Ruby Award Princess wearing her white dress, high heels, tiara, and carrying a Ruby scepter hit the catwalk. Our song, Any Questions? - Ruby Ruby, began to play and the employees erupted with applause for both the princess and our song.

Not too bad for a song parody! Check it out...

Ruby Ruby

Any Questions? - Ruby Ruby

While being trapped in the studio during a blinding snow blizzard, I slowly churned out this dirgelike hymn of isolated despair. In the days leading up to this recording, I had become increasingly more disconnected than usual from those around me and began to retreat further inward. The manifestation of that exploration is what I now reluctantly share with you.

Unreleased

Any Questions? - Snow Storm

I thought that I would continue with the vacation/beach theme from yesterday's blog post. It's snowy and cold here in the Northeast so some thoughts of Summer may be just what we all need.

In early Summer 1988, I went to Ocean City, MD with the Ocker family for a fun and relaxing trip. Late at night, I took the opportunity to stroll the beaches alone. Sometimes listening to the waves and sometimes listening to my Walkman. It was during these strolls that I first had the idea for writing a song that would sonically capture the sound of a listless ocean along with the power and elegance of the waves as they crashed upon the shore. This was not a novel idea but for an 18yr kid (excuse me, man) it provided enough stimulus for a creative spark to be ignited.

It took about a year before I fully realized this idea but here I present to you the live version of Floundering In A Sea of Digital Waves as performed by Vizator at the PPG Plaza in Pittsburgh, PA (Summer of 1989). While listening, please try to ignore the incessant guitar synth flute soloing which is going on. It is NOT part of the song I wrote.

Vizator - Floundering In A Sea of Digital Waves

In honor of Dirk Frey's birthday yesterday, I'd like to share a song that he recorded back in 1988(?). This gem from the FFS Vaults features Dirk on guitar and playing a Roland SH-09.

Dirk and I have both come a long way since playing air guitar to our favorite Heavy Metal records (Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Saxon, Accept, and many others) in his parent's basement while we were in 7th Grade. It was during one of those sessions that we decided to buy real instruments and form a band.

The rest, as they say, is history!

Dirk Frey - Experimental 1

Some you may not know this but Any Questions? did a show at Chalmun's Cantina on Tatooine. Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes (pictured above) were the opening act and warmed up the crowd. After their short set, we took the stage and assaulted the alien denizens with our own brand of sonic terrorism and horrific visual hallucinations.

However, before launching into our unrelenting barrage, we decided to open our set with a song that was inspired by our visit to the planet. Here, for the first time, is our previously unreleased version of The One - A Tribute to Lube Skystalker.

Any Questions? - The One

We start off Floating Fish Studios Ttam Troll Plays Bass Week with one of my favorite early Any Questions? songs. This unrelenting aggressive track is full of angst about the human condition, a cynical view of society, and the youthful frustrations of trying to change it all. This song was written and recorded at Der Palast des Goldes in March 1990 and features two blistering bass solos.

After I wrote and sequenced the music for this track, MC2P4 joined me in the studio and we recorded several live takes with him adding keyboard accents and backing vocals as I screamed lead vocals and played live bass. The end result is a great mixture of cold synthesized sound with harsh human aggression that we've rarely matched since.

Rather than trying relay how I was feeling at the time I wrote the lyrics to this song, I'll simply share the words with you. My mental and emotional state will become quite apparent.

I'm living in waste
I try to break free
I'm trying to get out to make you see
This is not how life should be
Living in this sympathy

Follow me, talk to me
I'll try to show you the way
Follow me, talk to me
I'll try to show you the way
The way

I'm tired of this, I'm tired of this
I want to get away
I'm tired of this, I'm tired of this
Oh just go away

People always telling me
That I'm not OK
Living in their glass houses
Letting life slip by
Watching their bank accounts
Grow above their heads
Waiting for the day
Their spouse is dead
Is dead
Waiting for the day
Their spouse is dead
Is dead

Dead (repeat)

I guess I had some issues. Here's the track. Enjoy!

Any Questions? - Follow

Rising from the fog enshrouded pyramids of OBO, the original Obomatic infiltration unit formed a new collective named Zero Müsik Research. This experimental consortium of audiologists included ZeroTroll - Electric Bass, ZeroP4 - Electric Guitar, and ZeroO - Electronic Drums.

As the name suggests, the musical experiments that we conducted were completely improvised. We literally did Zero Müsik Research before attempting them.

The experiment, titled Angst, that I'm going to share with you today was recorded using live room mics at O Control Studios in Philadelphia, PA on 02/29/04. This song represents a complete departure from the usual brand of electronic music that we produced together as Obomatic and as our other current and past projects, Any Questions? and Punch Drunk. Stripped of all of our electronic gadgetry, we composed organic, nearly human music with only a bass, guitar, and drums.

The Zero Müsik Research collective was short lived and only existed for a few months in early 2004 but luckily left us a recorded history of its existence. Here is Zero Müsik Research - Angst...

Zero Müsik Research - Angst

Floating Fish Studios held its third in a series of Synth Jam Sessions at FFS II on 05/15/10. The small but efficient ensemble gathered included Dave Chandler (aka Thee Sub One Genius), M Scott McConnell (aka MC2P4), and Matt Norcross (aka Ttam Troll).

Though the theme of this session was '80s Style and our goal was to compose an '80s influenced dance track for an upcoming Julie L Myers produced music video, we managed to stray from that purpose on several occasions.

This improv, titled TR-10, is one such occasion and documents our journey into Trance.

Imbued Vagary - TR-10 (Live at FFS II 05/15/10)

This previously unreleased audio recording of Any Questions? - Dance For The Future is the original 10+ minute improvised version which was taken from the final day of recording at 1 Gold Street (otherwise known as Der Palast des Goldes) in the Summer of 1990. A reworked final version appeared on our Illegitimate Release 1990 product.

As with the other music recorded that day, MC2P4 and I were in almost perfect sync and pushed our digital synths to their sonic limits while sometimes overdriving our Fostex X-15 Multitracker 4-Track Cassette Recorder during the process.

MC2P4 laid the groundwork for this song by playing a sparse but deliberate synth bass line and contrapuntal synth string melody to accompany the drum rhythm I programmed. Meanwhile, I had free reign to solo endlessly over the progressions he played. I started with an improvised electric bass part which I quickly abandoned for an all out digital synth assault. The Korg DW-8000 and DW-6000 were my synths of choice for the session and I very liberally mutated every patch I encountered.

As if all of that wasn't enough, MC2P4 provides a vocal performance to accompany the sonic experiment. His lyrics warn us not to squander our present lives by living in the past or dreaming of the future. A struggle that we all battle with every day!

Any Questions? - Dance For The Future

The Summer of 1991 was another very fertile period for Any Questions? and for me personally. After purchasing our first computer (an Atari 1040STe) for music production in March of 1991, we had left hardware sequencing behind and been working almost extensively with Steinberg Cubase software for music sequencing. This software allowed us much more flexibility in music editing and song arrangements. It also allowed us to quickly and easier save and load our song ideas so we were no longer burdened with the arduous task of manually setting all of our instruments up for each song.

This previously unreleased demo of In The Pools Of Blood is a good example of how quickly it was to sequence the music for a song idea and then work on it. For this idea, I programmed a very basic 4 bar drum pattern. Next, I layered a synth bass line, some string pads, and a reverse cymbal effect. This 4 bar pattern was repeated ad infinitum.

What makes this song idea very unique in the Any Questions? canon is that it is the only one ever recorded that captures me completely improvising lyrics. Even to this day, all Any Questions? lyrics are written out (electronically or on paper) first and then rehearsed with the music. It was very early in the morning (around 3AM) at FFS II when I began to sing (term used loosely). As usual, my Korg A3 provided me with just the right vocal effect and set the mood for me to expel my dark, introverted thoughts. Some of the classic lines from this include... "Liquid tears from placid eyes mix tranquilly", "Slowly gnawing on your flesh", "Spiraling downward you and me", and "In the pools of blood".

The vocals were purposefully recorded farther back in the mix since they were just improvised ramblings. They may be hard to decipher but, if you're up to the task, write them out and e-mail them to me at troll@floatingfish.com. If they are correct, I'll send you a ***FREE*** autographed 18" x 24" Any Questions? - Prey For Death (Special Edition) poster. Act soon, this offer ends 10/31/10.

Any Questions? - In The Pools of Blood

As Dungeon Aire, we had quite an eclectic and adventurous set list for our first and only gig on 12/31/87 at "Number 9" in Shippensburg, PA.  It included such diverse songs as Led Zeppelin - Misty Mountain Hop, The Cult - Wildflower, The Suburbs - Monster Man, Mondo Rock - Primitive Love Rights, and even two original songs (Pung and Progressions) that we had written.  Somewhere between all of that, we also chose to perform INXS - Need You Tonight.

Here is a jam box recording from the show which features Brad Shaeffer - Vocals, Matt Skirpan - Guitar, Matt Norcross - Bass, Scott McConnell - Synthesizers, and Tim Harrell - Drum Machine.  It's the only song that Tim played the drum machine.

Dungeon Aire - Need You Tonight

In 2000, we began recording songs for the first Obomatic CD. The first song completed was a song idea I had originally sketched together while on vacation in Myrtle Beach, SC in 1997 using only a Roland MC-303. Steve O took that rough sketch of an idea and turned it into a more complete song. Scottologic and I added some additional parts and the song, T3, was born. I mention this song creation process because it was anomalous to the rest of the CD.

The second song we recorded was a Steve O track called Antidote. As with the rest of the tracks for the CD, Holy Uncontrollio!!!, Steve O would bring in his rather complete song demos and then the rest of the band would add their parts to them. Here's a previously unreleased early mix for Antidote which is essentially the Steve O demo with a rough vocal track and some additional synth parts added.

Obomatic - Antidote (Early Mix)

During the sweltering Summer of 1988, The Secret Society convened at Horse and Buggy Highway Studios in Shippensburg, PA to record songs for their debut release. This rev (Rev 2) of The Secret Society was comprised of members from This Mistress and concentrated on recording original songs written by M Scott McConnell and Matt Norcross.

When we weren't sweating to death (there were no air conditioners in the studio) or doing "serious" recording, we would sometimes roll tape and record some live versions of the songs with whoever happened to be visiting the studio at that time. This recording of Progressions is one such recording. It features M Scott McConnell (Synthesizers), Matt Norcross (Bass), Tim Harrell ("Live" Drum Machine), Ken Chandler (Vocals), and Kevin "Bart the Fart" Wilson (Guitar). It was recorded direct to a Fostex X-15 cassette 4-Track. It's distorted and sonically poor but still a fun listen. I hope you enjoy it.

Live in the Studio 1988

The Secret Society - Progressions

While waiting to officially release our Any Questions? - Death CD in early 1996, MC2P4 and I began working on new ideas in the studio. Our sonic arsenal had grown quite extensively leading up to this period and we were anxious to make new music with it. These ideas ranged from very structured pounding rhythm Industrial to very non-structured and improvised ambient music.

Technical falls a little bit in between both of these concepts. Recorded on 02/04/96 (the DAT says so!), this 15+ minute improvisation features a very structured/repetitive rhythm track and chord structure. On top of which we incessantly solo over intertwining synthetic tapestries and sampling overload. We had fun on this day and now you'll get to hear it too!

1996

Any Questions? - Technical

"As the remaining rays of light disappear, Nightfall comes."

Next to Slam, Nightfall is probably one of the most recorded songs in the history of Any Questions?. I first began working on this track during late night solitary recording sessions at Der Palast des Goldes in Fall 1989. While MC2P4 and LTJTHC slept in the upper floors of the studio, I would retreat into headphones and lose myself in this slow tempo, vox string heavy groove. My Rickenbacker 4003s was still a weapon of choice in these early days of Any Questions? and I would effect it with heavy delay. If I remember correctly, 4096ms.

Unquestionably, this song was influenced by my relentless listening of The Cure - Disintegration. After being released in May 1989, I would listen to it almost daily. Seeing both Cure shows at the Spectrum in Philadelphia in September 1989 further cemented it's hallucinogenic effect on me.

The version of Nightfall that I share with you now is a live recording from Fall 1989 which was recorded at P&G Studios. It features LTJTHC playing "live" drum machine to the sequenced synth parts that I programmed as I ping pong along with delay drenched Rickenbacker 4003s bass lines.

Any Questions? - Nightfall

This was the first time since 02/20/10 where all original FFS Synth Jam members convened and we wasted no time diving deep into the electronic plasma pool.

The ensemble gathered for this session included (from L to R) Tim Harrell (aka LTJTHC), Dave Chandler (aka Thee Sub One Genius), Matt Norcross (aka Ttam Troll), Stephen Saputelli (aka Steve O Klock), and, not shown, M Scott McConnell (aka MC2P4).

The first audio to surface from the inaugural FFS Synth Jam 2012 is this improvisation titled TR-1.

Imbued Vagary - TR-1 (Live at FFS 11/24/12)

Floating Fish Studios held Synth Jam 2019 - Time Travel at FFS II on 11/02/19. The ensemble gathered included core Imbued Vagary personnel M Scott McConnell (aka MC2P4) and Matt Norcross (aka Ttam Troll).

An Akai Tom Cat provides a noisy analog Ttam Troll programmed beat while MC2P4 delivers sonic structure for the improv on his Korg Z1.  Ttam Troll then slinks in and out of the mix layering synth pads from a Korg DW-8000, bell tones on an Oberheim Matrix-6, and distorted soloing from a Roland GAIA SH-01 (an instrument he says he hates).

This live improv is titled, TR-1.

Imbued Vagary - TR-1 (Live at FFS II 11/02/19)

Created for the #NewOrderCovers campaign in March 2020, Imbued Vagary chose Truth from the 1981 New Order album, Movement.  The reimagining of this deep cut from their catalog features Ttam Troll (Instruments and FX) and mC2p4 (Vocal).  Recorded at Floating Fish Studios March 2020.

New Order - Truth (Imbued Vagary Reimagining)

Imbued Vagary - Captured Moments 3

Release Notes:
This third installment in the Captured Moments series goes deeper into the dark pools of the electronic ocean. Journey into the tidal pools of sonic delight and wallow in the electronic surf created by various subsets of The Imbued Vagary Collective. These captured moments may well have you humming some sinister melodies as you submerge yourself.

Credits:
releases February 26, 2021 

The Imbued Vagary Collective 2021: 
Dan “The Man” 
Guillermo Pizarro 
Ho Magos 
James Krabiel 
LTJTHC 
Mary Mary 
mC2p4 
Paul Doppelganga 
Steve O Man 
Thee Sub One Genius 
Ttam Troll 

All live improvisations performed and recorded by Imbued Vagary at Floating Fish Studios II 

Mastered by Tommy T Rapisardi at DSBP Records 

Copyright ©2021 Floating Fish Music

Imbued Vagary - Gravity Well

First mutant to ascend from the plasma pool after the Cy-Tech Wars. Skilled in cybernetics and data manipulation. Exhibits an extreme appetite for blood and kills for his own pleasure.

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