Draft-Iteration-1

FiConnellNorc (aka Norcon Ficross, Norc Norc Fibercon, and other humorous derivations) consisted of Larry Lee Fiber - Vocals, Synthesizers, & Programming, M Scott McConnell - Vocals & Synthesizers, and Matt Norcross - Bass, Synthesizers, & Programming. Though we had "jammed" together countless times since the infamous Fiber Family NYC Music Store Trip of 1985, there had never been any recordings of this line up to survive until one early Spring weekend in 1990.

Larry Lee (founder of Los Angeles club scene band Fashion Risk) was back from LA to visit his family in New York when he decided to make a little detour South to visit Scott and I at Der Palast des Goldes for a weekend session of improvisational recordings. These recordings have since become known as the We Are Glass Sessions (for obvious reasons to those involved).

Larry Lee arrived early Saturday morning but we were unable to begin recording right away. Our equipment was installed at P&G Studios where Scott and I had been demoing our (Any Questions?) latest ideas. P&G Studios was inadequate for our session so we tore down that set up and rebuilt it, in record time, back at Der Palast des Goldes. We were up and running by noon.

The sessions spawned several classic improvisational recordings including this ultra rare track called We Are Glass. This is the only recording of this line up to feature Larry Lee singing and, even though the lyrics and melody are completely improvised, they help to showcase a "what could have been" moment for the band. In addition to Larry Lee singing and playing synths, Scott is laying down the foundation for the song with his synth playing while I contribute lead electric bass (and constant soloing) for the whole 5:35 of the song.

I hope you enjoy this ultra rare classic track from the FFS Vaults. Here is FiConnellNorc - We Are Glass...

FiConnellNorc - We Are Glass (Live at Der Palast des Goldes 1990)

Extinction was one of the final songs composed for Any Questions? - Mutation release in 2000. After completing several harsh and aggressive Industrial tracks, I felt the need to slow things down, retreat inwards, and create a dark, sinister electronic soundscape to compliment the other songs on the release.

The result was an ominously bleak sounding instrumental. Birthed during one late night recording session as I watched John Carpenter's 1994 film, In The Mouth Of Madness, I truly felt as if I was spiraling deeper and deeper into an abyss of Lovecraftian despair. A sample from the film, "Every species can smell its own extinction", exemplifies this mood and provided the impetus for the song.

MC2P4 and LTJTHC came in during a later recording session and added to the horror I created. LTJTHC's tribal-like electronic percussion urges the song forward while MC2P4's eerie synthetic leads fill the listener with a sense of total futility.

Come join us on this descent downward...

Mutation

Any Questions? - Extinction

Procession is an audio sculpture culled from Any Questions? - Darkness. This rare 1992 release offered an early glimpse into our Imbued Vagary project and an example of the synthetic tapestries that we would weave into our future film work.

Like the other songs from Darkness, this electronic soundscape invites the listener to follow me as I delve into my own dark psyche. Created during solitary late night recording sessions at FFS II, I would work through the night until the first rays of the dawn burned my skin. At that time, I would retreat until Darkness, once again, ruled the night.

Darkness

Any Questions? - Procession

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 sessions for our 1992 release, Any Questions? - Prey For Death, produced many song ideas which were never fully developed. Terminal was one such idea. With it's up tempo, driving beat, it was quite different than the other tracks which ended up on the original, official product. It's sound is really more reminiscent of the style we'd explore on our follow up effort, Any Questions? - Death.

When I was compiling tracks in the Fall of 2001 for the 10th Anniversary Special Edition CD release of Any Questions? - Prey For Death, it seemed like the perfect time to revisit this once cast aside song idea and include it as a bonus track.

There wasn't much to do to bring this song to life and complete it. All of the musical elements are exactly as they were back in '92. I had the MIDI data and all of the original sounds sources so I loaded up the song and recorded it onto our 24-track ADAT system. From there, we did have to come up with lyrics for it. The original song idea had never evolved to that point so MC2P4 penned a rough draft of the lyrics from which I then added to and refined to fit my vocal style. The result is what I share with you now. Enjoy!

Prey For Death (Special Edition)

Any Questions? - Terminal

It's a Floating Fish Studios tradition to record some live electronic warfare to herald in the New Year and in celebration of my birthday. That's right, I'm a New Year's baby born on 01/01/70.

The evening is young and we're just getting into the swing of things but I thought that I'd share a piece of FFS New Year's history with our 2001 Overture which was recorded on 01/01/01. Enjoy!

Any Questions? - 2001 Overture

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

Floating Fish Studios held its first Synth Jam Session of 2015 at FFS II on 01/01/15.  Fresh from Imbued Vagary’s live streaming event on NYE 2015, the ensemble gathered included (from L to R) M Scott McConnell (aka MC2P4), Dave Chandler (aka Thee Sub One Genius), and Matt Norcross (aka Ttam Troll).

On this track, titled You’re Different, a sample taken from the 1981 Michael Crichton movie, Looker, played from an Ensoniq EPS was used to create the atmospheric basis of the improv.  Those familiar with the film should recognize the sound of the L.O.O.K.E.R. (Light Ocular-Oriented Kinetic Emotive Responses) gun.  MC2P4 contributed Korg Z1 pads, Thee Sub One Genius added virtual instrument sound effects, while Ttam Troll layered even more Looker samples and Ensoniq ESQ-1 pads to complete the track.

I hope you enjoy this, the first of many tracks from FFS II Synth Jam 2015 - First Strike!

Imbued Vagary - You're Different (Live at FFS II 01/01/15)

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.

Zero Müsik Research - Angst

Ttam Troll

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