Radio Activity
In most urban environments a quick scan of the streets or public transit is more likely to reveal throngs of iPod-clad denizens than anyone listening to the radio. In our "mp3streamcasting" world, radio seems to be more and more of an anachronism and less socially relevant than ever before. But not in LA. Sure, LA has it’s share of pod people, but because of it’s overwhelming geographical size and dominant car culture, radio has the potential to be the glue that holds the social fabric in place. Why then does radio in LA suck so badly? In the eighties, before corporate control KROQ was a shining light of independent modern rock. Nowadays, KXLU and KCRW both have their moments, but there is no station dedicated to maintaining a discourse dedicated to music culture.

Enter Dave Conway and Little Radio. Broadcasting from a warehouse here in Downtown LA, Little Radio plays diverse music hosted by authorities from around the world, and the Little Radio warehouse serves as an adhoc gathering space where art and music coincide. Lucinda Michele Knapp just published a great piece on Little Radio in the LA Alternative, and we’d like to extend Dave and his collaborators a warm iRobotnik welcome and the best of luck with Little Radio. I’m sure you’ll be reading about Little Radio quite a bit here in the future. In the meantime, bookmark littleradio.com and look forward to their big website launch on March 1st.

What if Microsoft redesigned the iPod package?

Before the horrible disease, there was the appetite supressing candy. Lose weight with Ayds.

Thank you, SLAVES. [via chris at Burnlab]

This is Acid

A little Wednesday afternoon acid hit for you, with James T. Cotton's bew single Oochie Coo (his first new one since the Dancing Box LP almost two years ago).

UPDATE 2: Not the same flower, yes it's from Burning Man, but it's a fully articulated, LED filled creation from the artists at LA's The Do Lab. UPDATE: Mr. Doyle informs us that it is in fact the same flower (updated from the looks of it). Apparently we now know what Burning Man theme camp props do to make a living.

Lexus rips-off inspired by Lush camp at Burning Man?
You decide...

Lexus ES Giant Flower in Chicago, 2/7/06 (click on "giant flower")

Lush Camp at Burning Man since I've been going (2001-present)

Recommended LA show: Hot Chip at the Echo, 3/3.

Our friends at Vocode have posted their February Electro Showcase mix; a smokin' 56-minute bleep and twitch freak fest by Athens-based DJ Dynamons. Check it out.

Of all the traffic reports and web statistics available to me, this is the only one that makes complete sense.

A sad, sad day. R.I.P Index Magazine, you will be missed.

I’m a big fan of LED technology and an even bigger fan of ITP grad James Clar and LA-based Electric Artist Brian Stotesbery. Both have two new projects worthy of mentioning. First, James Clar has a new proposal to create a building with an 'energy mesh' wrapped around it. This 'energy mesh' has individual nodes that collect the sun's energy during the day and at night gives off a specific color according to the amount of energy collected. Second, you can see some of Brian Stotesbery’s amazing work at the new group show at the Museum of Neon Art in downtown LA. It will feature several of Brian's LED light sculptures, including the interactive artwork, Clover II.

Bit in Japan

Why so few posts lately? I've been a traveling bot, canvasing the cities of SF, Tokyo and Seattle for the past month. Check out a few of my snapshots from the last few weeks.

PS: New design coming soon...stay tuned.

Seamless Computational Couture

Seamless is a fashion event featuring innovative and experimental works in computational apparel design, interactive clothing, and technology-based fashion. Each project [re]interprets the conceptual goal of a seamless relationship between technology and fashion. These are real clothes that inspire and provoke.

You can view a streaming video of the fashion show, which includes Sonic Fabric from Alyce Santoro, and works from Diana Eng of Project Runway fame.

Just a friendly reminder for the new year, see ya in '06. See the whole set here.

Trailer for Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette, complete with "Power, Corruption & Lies" soundtrack. Nicely done.

The 11-Year Quest to Create Disappearing Colored Bubbles - Chemical burns, ruined clothes, 11 years, half a million dollars—it's not easy to improve the world's most popular toy. Yet the success of one inventor's quest to dye a simple soap bubble may change the way the world uses color.

Beck's new Hell Yes video features four Sony QRIOs (however, I know for a fact that that there are more than four working QRIOs in the world, as widely reported). Of course, I love the video. Check it out here (requires Real Video or Windows Media). Thanks to WMMNA for the link.

LA artist and all-around nice guy Luke Chueh has teamed up with Kid Robot to produce this customized, limited-edition "Munny". All profits go to Feed the Children, and specifically to benefit children affected by Hurricane Katrina. Only available on eBay.

Posts have been slow lately, what with being in Seattle, then away in NYC for Tokion. I'm back in LA now, and just getting into the swing again.


With that stated, if you're in LA this weekend, don't miss the "Autumn Lights" Gallery Row event. It's a multi-media and light art exhibition set against the backdrop of the Eli and Edythe Broad Plaza at the Thom Mayne designed Caltrans Building located at 100 S. Main Street, Los Angeles. A group exhibit, Autumn Lights showcases digital projections, light box/backlight installations, performance painting, and 3D light sculptures by Los Angeles based artists accompanied by live music.

Fischerspooner has signed on to record a third album for Capitol Records. This news should shutdown naysayers who didn't believe the duo would last. More on Arjan's blog.

Last week I had the fortune of spending the weekend away from LA land, and headed up to Seattle. As usual, the PacNW was full of fun and surprises. Accommodations were handled by the Ace Hotel in Belltown amidst myriad wonderful restaurants and lively bars. After spending some time in the neighborhood, my friend Dave his lovely wife and I set out to attend the world premiere of Seattle artist Trimpin's impressive "Sheng High," a 4000 sq-foot musical installation.

Then afterward we sped over to West Seattle to Easy Street Records to catch a free in-store performance by one of my favorite recent musical treats, Cut Copy. The boys brought their icy synths and jagged guitars all the way from Australia to tour in support of Franz Ferdinand. Simply put, their free show rocked.

The band rocked, the crowd rocked, Seattle rocked. This town loves their music, and it shows (mpeg clip).

The next day, after the haze of the previous evening melted away, I managed to squeeze in some quality tourist time and check out the amazing Seattle Public Library for the second time.

I was equally impressed the second time around. There were even a few new installations. One was a uber-cool, yet creepy video installation along the downstairs escalator by New York video artist Tony Oursler. Three video sculptures are revealed through holes in the walls. Inside the walls, a tableaux of faces and their features are projected among the wiring, studs and pipes and onto white forms, which act as 3-D screens.

In the mixing chamber, Artist George Legrady of Santa Barbara, Calif. has created an impressive motion graphics statement with Making Visible the Invisible: What the Community is Reading, an electronic installation that visually maps the circulation of Central Library, revealing the community's collective reading interests.

Finally, I managed to spend more than time at possibly the best clothing store I’ve come across this side of the Mississippi – Ian. Their well curated collection of Men’s and Women’s clothing was flawless, and included favorites from the likes of G-Star, Martin Margiela and Nice Collective.

Yes it rained, yes it was cold, yes I left hung over and more in debt, but I who cares – I love Seattle!

Everything is contextual. Need proof? Just check out this re-cut trailer for Stanley Kubrick's The Shining.

If living in the country with better health and vital statistics, universal health coverage, smaller health costs, less violent crime, less pollution, higher home ownership, more democratic participation, greater social programs, less government corruption, fewer teenage pregnancies and better education didn’t already appeal to you, add one more to the list of compelling reasons to move to Sweden.


In a bold national move, Prime Minister Goran Persson recently said that Sweden will try to end its dependency on fossil fuels in 15 years by boosting research devoted to alternative energy sources.

Man, I am so ready. At least we seem to be making progress on recognizing some of our country’s biggest crooks.

Listen to a 30-second preview of Tiga's Shake the Disease Remix over at DepecheMode.com.

I've created a new sub-genre of music over at last.fm, it's called robotica. You read it here first.

Upcoming LA Events

9.24.05
CINESPIA - Last screening of the summer, presenting Stanley Kubrick's The Shining.
DATA BETA - Our friends from Data Age bring you Data Beta, younger and louder.

10.1.05
Matthew Dear, Ellen Alien, Richard Devine - Avalon, Hollywood

10.7.05
Cut Copy & TV on the Radio on the Franz Ferdinand Tour - Greek, Hollywood

10.12.05
Miss Kittin @ Key Club

10.29.05
Chromeo @ Little Pedro's, Downtown

D-E-V-O a'la 5th Grade

Awesome! Fifth grade students at Hawley Elementary School made this faithful reproduction of the Devo classic Whip It.

If you're in PDX, SF or NYC do not miss this rare opportunity to see Frankfurt artist Isolée. Sadly, no shows are planned for Los Angeles.

16.9.2005 |US| Portland, Holocene
17.9.2005 |US| San Francisco, Blasthaus
20.9.2005 |US| New York, APT