Author: JG Thirlwell

Plastic Island String Quartet video

JG Thirlwell

A new video has just been published  on the JG Thirlwell YouTube Channel of a string quartet performance of the Manorexia classic ‘A Plastic Island in the Pacific‘. It’s from the concert ‘JG Thirlwell : String Quartets’ at the Noguchi Sculpture Museum in Queens, NY on August 9 2015. The concert was presented by Bang On A Can. You can watch the video here.

The quartet consisted of Adrianna Mateo on violin,  Elena Moon Park on violin and trumpet, Isabel Hagen on viola and Clara Kennedy on cello. Live electronic treatments and manipulations were performed on the instruments by JG Thirlwell.

Please subscribe to the JG Thirlwell YouTube channel while you are there.

JG Thirlwell brings ‘Silver Mantis’ to Woodstock

JG Thirlwell

JG Thirlwell will perform his surround sound Silver Mantis project at the Tinker Street Cinema in Woodstock, NY on June 11 2022 at 8pm. Tickets are available here.

Silver Mantis is a 50 minute electro-acoustic presentation, performed with software and sampling and theremin. It is an immersive multi channel composition which allows for an elastic performance. Incorporating musique concrète and electronic sound along with live instrumentation, the composition is dynamic, cinematic and diverse with stylistic left-turns, creating a tension between time and anxiety.

It is performed with a projection created exclusively for the project by acclaimed Swedish visual artist Sten Backman.

Silver Mantis has been performed at Cafe Oto in London, Roulette in NYC and Elastic Arts in Chicago.

Foetus ACHE white vinyl reissue

JG Thirlwell

Ectopic Ents is proud to announce the long-awaited vinyl reissue of the second Foetus album, ACHE, to coincide with it’s 40th anniversary. Released under the moniker You’ve Got Foetus On Your Breath, the ACHE album was originally released in 1982 on JG Thirlwell’s Self Immolation label, whilst he was resident in London. It was recorded at Lavender Sound studio in South London and engineered by Harlan Cockburn.

On its release it was acclaimed by the music press, John Peel and even cited by Leonard Cohen on more than one occasion. Over the years the album has become a highly sought-after collectors item.

The 2022 reissue was meticulously remastered by Josh Bonati and is pressed on white vinyl in a limited run of 1000. The album is packaged with a reproduction of the original promo poster from the album and a download code for the album in either high quality 320kbps mp3 or wav files. In addition, each order includes a 5″ x 5″ sticker of the album cover art personally signed by JG Thirlwell. You can order the album at The Shoppe.

“Ache is possessed by a bristling, maniacal intelligence which spews out a jostling, surreal collage of subverted musical and verbal cliches, wired word associations, epigrams and sheer invective with frantic urgency and gleeful black humor. Ache is one of the most violently compelling records I’ve heard in ages.” Mat Snow, NME 12.11.1982

Foetus “Instead…I Became Anenome” lyric video

JG Thirlwell

We have just published a brand new lyric video for the classic Foetus track ‘Instead…I Became Anenome’ to coincide with the 40th anniversary white vinyl re-issue of the second Foetus album ACHE. The song is the final song on the acclaimed album and the lyrics were quoted by Leonard Cohen on more than one occasion.

The video was created in 2022 by JG Thirlwell. You can watch it here at the JG Thirlwell YouTube channel.

‘Mortgage’ Live Video by JG Thirlwell + Ensemble

JG Thirlwell

We just published a video of JG Thirlwell + Ensemble at the Dec 7 2021 concert at Roulette NYC, performing the Foetus classic ‘Mortgage’. This is re-edited from the Roulette Intermedium live stream, with additional footage shot by Gabe Garcia.The ensemble featured Evan Allen on piano, Leah Asher on violin, Rebecca El-Saleh on harp, Simon Hanes on acoustic guitar/bass, Pete Moffett on percussion and JG Thirlwell on vocals. You can watch the video here.

You can also subscribe to the JG Thirlwell YouTube channel.

JG Thirlwell + Ensemble at Bang On A Can Long Play Festival

JG Thirlwell

JG Thirlwell + Ensemble will be performing as part of the Bang On A Can Long Play Festival on May 1 2022 at Mark Morris Dance Center in Brooklyn. The Festival runs from April 29-May 1 2022 and will feature 60 concerts over three days at  in eight different venues in Downtown Brooklyn. There will be performances by Attaca Quartet, Ashley Bathgate, Balún, Joan La Barbara, Kelly Moran, Matmos, Sun Ra Arkestra, Tristan Perich, Dither & Lee Ranaldo and many more, and works by Anthony Braxton, Arvo Pärt, John Luther Adams, Terry Riley, David Lang, Eliane Radigue, Galina Ustvolskaya, Robert Ashley, Ornette Coleman, Brian Eno, Julia Wolfe and more.

JG Thirlwell + Ensemble play  chamber versions of some Foetus repertoire and will be premiering two new arrangements for the show. With Evan Allen on piano and accordion, Leah Asher on violin and viola, Rebecca El-Saleh on harp, Simon Hanes on acoustic guitar and bass guitar, Pete Moffett on percussion and JG Thirlwell on vocals.

Tickets are available here, and you can receive a 50% discount on tickets by using the code JGTENSEMBLE

JGT voiceover for Sportsmax fashion show by Teardo

JG Thirlwell

JG Thirlwell contributed a vocal performance to a project by his friend and colleague Teho Teardo. It’s a suite and it’s titled Dial S which was created for the new Sportmax fashion show. JGT performed the hypnotist voice at the beginning and Olwen Fouéré takes you through the six “rooms” of the suite with her vocals. You can hear the piece here.

‘Pareidolia’ live video by JG Thirlwell + Ensemble

JG Thirlwell

We just published a video of JG Thirlwell + Ensemble at the Dec 7 2021 concert at Roulette NYC, performing the Foetus classic ‘Pareidolia’. This is re-edited from the Roulette Intermedium live stream, with additional footage shot by Gabe Garcia.The ensemble featured Evan Allen on piano, Leah Asher on violin, Rebecca El-Saleh on harp, Simon Hanes on acoustic guitar/bass, Pete Moffett on percussion and JG Thirlwell on vocals. You can watch the video here.

You can also subscribe to the JG Thirlwell YouTube channel.