Cut-up technique

The Cut-up technique is a form of musical expression that emerged in the latter half of the 20th century. This genre is considered an experimental one and involves cutting up various recorded sounds and pasting them together to create a unique final product. The Cut-up technique first came into being in the 1950s, primarily as a literary tool. It was used by a number of writers, artists, and musicians who aimed to break away from conventional modes of expression. The technique involved taking existing texts, cutting them up into tiny pieces, and then rearranging them to create something new. The idea of using the Cut-up technique in music was first introduced by the late, great David Bowie, who explored this genre on his 1977 album, Low. Like with literature, the Cut-up technique aimed to disrupt traditional song structures, opening up new possibilities for musical experimentation. During the 1980s and 1990s, the Cut-up technique gained significant popularity. Many musicians, including The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and The Who, began using this technique to create unique sounds. The technique also influenced the development of electronic music, which made extensive use of sampling and other forms of sound manipulation. One of the most popular bands that embraced the Cut-up technique was the British pop group, The KLF. They used this technique to great effect on their landmark 1990 album, Chill Out. Here, the band used samples from everything from Tibetan chants to Elvis Presley songs, creating a mesmerizing and hypnotic sound that was unlike anything that had been heard at the time. Another band that was heavily influenced by the Cut-up technique was Radiohead. On their 2000 album, Kid A, the band used samples of their own music, along with various disco and jazz sounds, to create a dreamlike sonic landscape that was both experimental and highly successful. In recent years, the Cut-up technique has been used by a diverse range of artists, from the avant-garde musician John Zorn to the hip-hop producer J Dilla. The Cut-up technique has also inspired the development of new forms of electronic dance music (EDM) that are heavily focused on sound manipulation and the creation of unique sonic textures. Today, the Cut-up technique remains a popular tool for artists looking to break free from the constraints of conventional music. With the rise of digital technology, it has become easier than ever to experiment with sound manipulation, and artists are now able to take samples from a wide range of sources, including films, speeches, and other recordings.

William S. Burroughs: A pioneer of the cut-up technique, Burroughs used it in his books Naked Lunch and The Ticket That Exploded. He believed that the technique was a tool for subverting authority and challenging dominant power structures. Brion Gysin: Gysin was a close associate of Burroughs, and they developed the technique together in the 1950s. He is known for his experiments with the Dream Machine, a device that produces visual hallucinations through flickering light. David Bowie: Bowie used cut-up techniques in many of his lyrics, including the song "All the Madmen." He was particularly influenced by Burroughs and Gysin and saw the technique as a way to break out of conventional songwriting structures. Kathy Acker: Acker used cut-up techniques in her novels, including Blood and Guts in High School. She saw the technique as a way to challenge gender norms and power structures. Genesis P-Orridge: P-Orridge was a member of the industrial music group Throbbing Gristle and the experimental group Psychic TV. He used cut-up techniques in his lyrics and visual art, often combining them with occult imagery. Laurie Anderson: Anderson used cut-up techniques in her music and performance art, including the album United States Live and the piece "O Superman." She saw the technique as a way to reflect the fragmented nature of modern life. John Giorno: Giorno was a poet and performer who used cut-up techniques in his work. He was particularly interested in exploring the relationship between language and technology. Joe Brainard: Brainard was a visual artist and writer who used cut-up techniques in his collages and poems. He often mixed pop culture references with personal memories to create a sense of nostalgia and irony. DJ Spooky: DJ Spooky, aka Paul D. Miller, is a musician, artist, and writer who uses cut-up techniques in his music and visual art. He is particularly interested in exploring the relationship between digital technology and culture. Kurt Schwitters: Schwitters was a German artist who used cut-up techniques in his collages and poetry. His work was influenced by Dadaism and sought to disrupt traditional art forms.

1. The Beatles - "Revolution 9" 2. David Bowie - "Diamond Dogs" 3. Talking Heads - "Remain in Light" 4. Pink Floyd - "Wish You Were Here" 5. Brian Eno - "Here Come the Warm Jets" 6. William S. Burroughs - "Break Through in Grey Room" 7. John Lennon - "Mind Games" 8. Fleetwood Mac - "Tusk" 9. Frank Zappa - "Lumpy Gravy" 10. Genesis - "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" 11. Jimi Hendrix - "Are You Experienced" 12. Radiohead - "Kid A" 13. Beastie Boys - "Paul's Boutique" 14. John Coltrane - "Ascension" 15. Miles Davis - "Bitches Brew" 16. John Cage - "Indeterminacy" 17. Sonic Youth - "Daydream Nation" 18. Public Enemy - "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" 19. Throbbing Gristle - "20 Jazz Funk Greats" 20. Madonna - "Ray of Light" 21. Nine Inch Nails - "The Fragile" 22. The Residents - "Eskimo" 23. Can - "Tago Mago" 24. The Flaming Lips - "Zaireeka" 25. Aphex Twin - "Selected Ambient Works 85-92"

One of the most notable early proponents of the cut-up technique was William S. Burroughs, who used it extensively in his own writing. In his book, The Naked Lunch, Burroughs writes, “The cut-up method brings to writers the collage, which has been used by painters for fifty years. And used by the moving and still camera. In fact, all street shots from the beginning of photography have been a cut-up or collage, and the only way to do a decent collage is with a pair of scissors.” Similarly, author and artist Brion Gysin was another early adopter of the cut-up technique. In his book, The Process, Gysin explains, “Here is a mode of writing which genuinely cuts the author's control and allows words to 'write themselves.' The writer cannot control the outcome, once he has plucked words from the original, randomly.” Other writers have found inspiration in the cut-up technique, including Kathy Acker, who used cut-up techniques in her novel Empire of the Senseless. Acker explained, “The cut-up method produces anger, confusion in the reader - because the method is new and the reader has never seen anything like it before; it produces joy because it allows for multiple meanings, for play.” Not everyone has been a fan of the cut-up technique, however. Critic Harold Bloom, for instance, criticized Burroughs’ work as being “meaningless and vacant,” and accused the technique of being a gimmick. Similarly, author Martin Amis criticized the technique for being too obscure, arguing that it produced writing that was difficult to understand.

One of the most prominent figures associated with the Cut-up technique is William S. Burroughs, who developed the method with his collaborator Brion Gysin. Burroughs was a key figure of the Beat Generation, a group of writers that sought to challenge mainstream values and norms through their writing. The Beats rejected the traditional literary forms that had dominated American literature until that point and were inspired by jazz, drugs, and Eastern philosophy. Burroughs' introduction to the Cut-up technique came from his friend and collaborator, Gysin. They discovered the Cut-up method while experimenting with Gysin's art materials, eventually taking scissors to newspapers, magazines, and books to create a new form of literature that was built from the fragments of existing texts. The Cut-up technique became a tool to subvert linguistic structures and challenge societal conventions. Artists and writers began incorporating the technique into their work, resulting in creations that were unpredictable and often surreal. Notable musicians such as David Bowie, Kurt Cobain, and Iggy Pop were also inspired by the technique, incorporating Cut-up lyrics into their songs. The emergence of the Cut-up technique was also tied to the rise of underground and countercultural movements in the 1960s. The technique allowed for a variety of voices to be heard, providing a platform for marginalized groups who were often ignored by mainstream media. Notable magazines of the time such as 'The Third Mind' and 'Evergreen Review' featured Cut-up literary works and helped to spread the technique. Record labels such as Sub Rosa, Soleilmoon, and Other Voices Records were instrumental in popularizing the Cut-up technique in the music industry. These labels championed artists who incorporated the technique into their work, demonstrating how Cut-up had found a place within both literature and music. Technologically, the Cut-up technique flourished in the era of the photocopier and cassette tape. The affordability and accessibility of these technologies allowed artists to reproduce their work and distribute their creations quickly and cheaply. The rise of the internet also made the technique more accessible to writers and artists around the world.