in/audible - Ibiblio

More documents

Recommendations

Info

GET PSYCHED: emerging fl oral consciousness BY ELLIE BLAKE A dissected fl ower under magnifi cation reveals a disturbing view of the complexity and parts of a single petal. It is perhaps safer to study with an unrestrained and expanded view – a vision that allows fantasy to describe mystery. It is through music, along with other art forms, that such a fancy-free, more open exploration of life is encouraged. Th ere are sounds in psychedelic music, folk music and music throughout all genres that either verbally praise nature and all things from it or provide a “hymn” by which the idea that an energy exists in and over all things is a reality one can simply feel. Th is promotion of something pervasive, something unknown or even the more literal advocacy of thinking beyond conformed ideals is present not only within particular songs, but is perhaps the most intriguing element of music itself. Heavenly, droning, even chaotic music seems to proclaim there is a true spirit of music behind itself, and the experience of listening to music is one that can inspire fantasy. What is possible in this world when you hear Richard Youngs or local Bibis Ellison? Th rough an exploration of method, sounds and lyrics, rockers Ghost channel vibes, Comets on Fire control chaos, Tyrannosaurus Rex talks with the wind. It is an easy reality to perceive every note emerging from a blade of grass. Really, it’s easy. “Psychedelic” music is that which encourages an altered perception. Trippy pop or mindbending sonic experiments create a physical space and span of time where new understandings are conceived – and true. With the voice of Devendra Banhart and the sing-a-longs of Vashti Bunyan, one is encouraged to give it a go, maybe understand all things as possessing a similar energy and as in-and-of one another. Music can do this. It can allow and encourage an exploration of fantasy and absurdity. All possible worlds. Consciousness can continually change = grow. 14 IN/AUDIBLE fall 2004
Neo-psych and folk and the revival of their forefolks is currently exploding, and the peaceful space provided by the mesmerism and hypnotism of this music may well be replacing the jerk of electro, machine grind and disco punk among the mainstream. New popularity of psych and folk music is reviving the fantastical possibilities of the music’s prior heyday and rescuing it from the taint of conformed, watereddown hippy-sters. The difference in the influence of The Incredible String Band today vs. its influence 30 years ago may be the size and global span of its popularity. Among a populace that seeks knowledge and progress from more sources than ever before, the combination between this music and its masses – gens and gens into the future – may support a more enlightened and psychically evolved human being. A “vibe” is again being sought. San Fran is the place to be. We can talk to trees. Folk resurgence, in particular, re-introduces tales of a possible past that may have existed but was perhaps never known. Even the mythological creatures often starring in this music are a reality in that myth is fo’ real. It is not mere fiction or history. It is ongoing in the human psyche. The idea is that the human brain, human consciousness and the evolving “story” that provide the context for understanding all evolve. This is not a promotion of ritualistic practice like that so enjoyable in Peter Schaffer’s The Wicker Man. This is about thinking. This is not about traditionalism. This is about progress of perception. This is a choice to change the story used to explain life. If it is spirituality, then at least it is gimmick-free. So fluid perception is not only a plus for the listener, but a big oneup for plants. When the powerful voice of music expresses reverence for the pods and petals in nature, these breathing beings are allowed a presence not afforded them by their more frequent revelers – scientists. Plant science, despite its progress, has maintained a largely complex method of viewing plants by their comparative morphology. An effective approach, it has limited plants to a fairly inactive role in world ecology. Even as predominantly sedentary beings, plants can be understood to have activity, “mental” processes and the ability to make decisions. Plants’ ability to converse with the sun, for instance, is not fully respected as a form of active communication. Plants’ chemical communication with one another is not a major focus of plant studies. And an even more absent consideration is that plants have knowledge and control of their evolutionarily beneficial traits, such as color and taste, that make them more directly manipulative in their relationships with animals. The trippy idea is that plants are our brothers and sisters and companions – but like seriously – on an evolutionary scale. Not only does such proclamation of plant/human mutual beneficence guide the expansion and alteration of humans into natural spaces in a more sustainable, peaceful and aesthetic manner, but allowing plants a more cognizant independence and simultaneously a co-evolutionary companionship with people permits a logical understanding of humans as capable of developing aspects of plant consciousness. People change through time just as any plant and animal must, and the psyche is not removed from this movement. As we become more plant-like beings (and we may very well possess the necessary physiological precursors), utilizing smell and light in a more advanced way, information gathering and processing could improve. Telepathic communication between people via aromatic chemicals could allow for more relaxed and contemplative, less physically aggressive persons to survive – living longer, more regenerative lives. These emerging floral properties could permit empathetic telepathy to replace civilized debate and a new consciousness to replace the mammalian version necessary for humans when they explored unknown lands and built civilizations. Yes! New understanding and recognition of possibility in all things enables a stepping up of the voltage of the mind. A new logic, first obtained through metaphor (parable) of the relationships between plant, animal and object, creates this modern mentality. Should perception expanding become the activity, rather than the result (learning how to make porn rather than studying its effects on society), perhaps we could rise above our own concepts and ideas and wade in thoughts of our own (lack of ) true perspective. Perhaps there be no need for ideological movements/struggles. Just maybe we will reach such a pervasive exhaustion in approaching meaning that we will collapse into a new way of thinking – or not thinking – and being. No longer will the concepts of “peace,” “love” and “equality” prevent their own reality. Emerging will be a new level of existence that will find the human race in a more peaceful state of co-existence – loving each other like we’re all the same and shit. And plants, too. ELLIE BLAKE works in research administration at the Carolina Population Center and has been a DJ since spring 2001. She would like to thank Dazed and Confused magazine, Arthur magazine, Tom Robbins and the N.C. Botanical Gardens. Main illustration by STEWART SINEATH. Face illustrations by RYAN MARTIN. IN/AUDIBLE fall 2004 15
Page 2 and 3: IN/AUDIBLE LETTER FROM THE EDITOR a
Page 4 and 5: 15 SLEPT ON HIP-HOP ALBUMS (That we
Page 6 and 7: I spent the summer in a basement in
Page 8 and 9: D. I . Y. F I N D I N G S : UNEARTH
Page 10 and 11: 10 IN/AUDIBLE fall 2004 SISTER POSS
Page 12 and 13: KEEP YOUR CASSETTES! ESSAY & ILLUST
Page 16 and 17: H I P - H O P : SO FRESH AND SO MAI
Page 18 and 19: T H E M OA N E R S P L AY RO C K Th
Page 20 and 21: WWW.WXYC.ORG DJ Tim Ross explores t
Page 22 and 23: WEBCASTING ANNIVERSARY EVENTS WXYC
Page 24 and 25: SOUL STORIES FROM N.C. An introduct
Page 26 and 27: and cola in June 2004, I met with t
Page 28 and 29: BLUES HISTORY LESSONS: BOOKS AND OT
Page 30 and 31: R E V I E W S Recent releases revie
Page 32 and 33: VARIOUS ARTISTS Dancehall Roots (Me
Page 34 and 35: WEBCASTING continued from page 23 M
Page 36 and 37: PROGRAMMING: COME HELL OR HIGH WATE
Page 38 and 39: TRIBUTE TO GO! ROOM FOUR: In a spri

in/audible - Ibiblio

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?