In the fall of 2000, an entire audio universe of Wolf Eyes homemade sound was discovered inside the guts of a hacked casio keyboard. Later that day the music was perfectly visualized by mounting a 15" speaker inside a neon splattered spray-painted tuba that was attached to a floor tom drum. During the live performances of this fertile era this sculptural instrument would flash white light in time with the hacked casio and “harmonize” to make a strange electronic whine to compliment the unique tape music sound environment. This was the beginning of Wolf Eyes. With the exception of guitar and microphone, nothing else remotely looked like something you would see or hear at the local dive bar in Detroit or anything resembling rock and roll.
They would go on to create over 300 recordings and close to 2,000 performances to date, with nearly new equipment and sound approaches on almost every occasion. The spirit of experimentation has remained ceaseless for nearly three decades within the core aesthetics of the duo.
It is still common to overhear talk about building synthesizers out of alarm clocks at their gigs, and the spirit of handmade personal audio visions has never left the core intent of the group since the inception.
The Wolf Eyes residency at the Library for the Performing Arts focused on homemade instruments and how they relate to the visual aspect of performance and composition.
Wolf Eyes created new instruments specifically for the Music & Recorded Sound Division, and a limited-edition, full-length LP was recorded using only these instruments. The exhibition also features an installation of over 60 painting assemblage “scores” made collaboratively by Nate Young and John Olson. The instruments, art, and LP are now part of the Library’s permanent collection in hope that generations will be inspired to take the sonic ideas into their own creative process. Come to the Library, read a book, and listen to music!
