NEWS | BIO | DISCOGRAPHY
July 2010 -- Order of the Phoenix
It’s been a while since I did a proper site update. Here’s what’s going on…
In April I began playing as part of LCD Soundsystem and have been with them through 3 legs of heavy touring in the US, UK and Europe. It’s been an incredible experience that’s taken me to places I’ve never been including the deepest depths of my musical knowledge and ability. Overall I’m left with the sense that this band will be one of the greatest of my generation when all is said and done and only the champions are left standing. We’ve had amazing nights everywhere we’ve been and some after hours party action with myself, James Murphy, Pat Mahoney, Nick Millhiser, Alex Frankel, Matt Thornley and others stirring up all sorts of trouble on the turntables until long after the sun comes up. That party we did at Le Baron in Paris after the LCD shows at Bataclan is still one of the best events I’ve ever been part of, and I’m not even going to get into the shock and awe carpet bombing of the dance floor that included myself, Special Disco Version, Tyler Pope, JD Twitch and Teamy behind the decks of the Sub Club in Glasgow.
I’ve spent a ton of time in the studio between tour dates finishing up the 2nd 12” single to be released under the name The Crystal Ark. This one is entitled “The Tangible Presence of the Miraculous” and will be out later this year on DFA. The single features Alberto Lopez on live percussion and another vocal appearance by Viva Ruiz who sang on “The City Never Sleeps”. Lizzy Yoder does an outstanding cameo as guest house diva.
The Crystal Ark live show is well into production. We’re going to debut at PS1 Warm Up on August 7th, mark your calendar. I can’t imagine a better context for our first show than a sweaty outdoor afternoon dance party in Queens.
A bunch more releases are in the works including remixes for Midnight Magic, Pional, Factory Floor and Luke Abbott as well as (yes it really is happening) the final Delia and Gavin 12” “Track 5”.
And things are just getting warm…
February 2010 -- The Midnight Sun is Setting and the Ship is Setting Sail
The last Black Meteoric Star live show was in Berlin on November 14th, 2009. I began the project in 2006 and played live as BMS for almost exactly a year, beginning with the first official BMS live show at Matter in London in October 2008.
The entire experience was incredible and I am hugely grateful to everyone who was part of it. You know who you are.
While I prepare for what is looking like a very busy year of releases and live shows, I’ve dedicated this website to documenting and archiving the BMS experience as it was. I hope you enjoy this look back before we move into the future.
Apropos of that, the first single by The Crystal Ark will be released by DFA Records on March 16th, 2010.
More to come.
BLACK METEORIC STAR TIMELINE
April 5th, 2008 - Gavin Russom presents a preview of Black Meteoric Star tracks during his live set at the Super Festival in Paris. Installation by AVAF, curated by Eric Dalbin
October 24th, 2008 - First official Black Meteoric Star Live show, with visuals by AVAF, Matter, London UK
October 25th, 2008 - Black Meteoric Star Live, Men and Machines, Stereo, Glasgow Scotland
November 20th, 2008 - Black Meteoric Star Live, Scala, Berlin Germany
December 6th, 2008 - Black Meteoric Star Live with Installation by AVAF. 28th International Biennial, Sao Paulo Brazil
March 6th, 2009 - Black Meteoric Star Live, La Fleche d’or, Paris France
April 17th, 2009 - Black Meteoric Star Live, Le Poisson Rouge, NYC
April 30th, 2009 - Black Meteoric Star Live with visuals by AVAF, Donau Festival, Krems Austria
May 8th, 2009 - Black Meteoric Star Live, Berghain, Berlin Germany
May 23rd, 2009 - Black Meteoric Star Live with Installation by AVAF, Pop Rally, MOMA, NYC
June 9th, 2009 - Black Meteoric Star CD album and Death Tunnel/World Eater 12” released by DFA Records
June 19th, 2009 - Black Meteoric Star Live, Con Club, Rotterdam Netherlands
June 22nd, 2009 - Dominatron/Anthem 12” released by DFA Records
July 11th, 2009 - Black Meteoric Star Live, Social Club, Paris France
July 14th, 2009 - Dream Catcher/Dawn 12” released by DFA Records
July 25th, 2009 - Black Meteoric Star Live, Optimo, Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh Scotland
July 26th, 2009 - Black Meteoric Star Live, Optimo, Sub Club, Glasgow Scotland
August 7th, 2009 - Black Meteoric Star Live, Lethargy Festival, Zurich Switzerland
August 11th, 2009 - Black Meteoric Star Live, National Museum, Oslo Norway
September 12th, 2009 - Black Meteoric Star Live, Numusic Festival, Stavanger Norway
September 19th, 2009 - Black Meteoric Star Live, Ecoutes au Vert, Usine/Le Zoo, Geneva Switzerland
September 24th, 2009 - Black Meteoric Star Live with Installation by AVAF, Temporaere Kunsthalle, Berlin Germany
October 17th, 2009 - Black Meteoric Star Live, Last Night on Earth, Brakke Grond, Amsterdam, Netherlands
October 31st, 2009 - Black Meteoric Star Live, Thriller, Privat!!!, Dresden Germany
November 7th, 2009 - Black Meteoric Star Live with visuals by AVAF, Encore III, Bios, Athens Greece
Novemeber 14th, 2009 - Black Meteoric Star Live final show, Maedchen Internat, Berlin Germany
November 2009 -- Website Launch
Hello and welcome to gavinrussom.com. In this section you’ll find information about projects I’m working on, upcoming releases and things like that. Since the site is new here’s a short recap of what’s been happening:
In June I released Black Meteoric Star on DFA Records. On vinyl the release consists of 3 12” singles with the original long versions of the tracks. So that it could be listened to all the way through as a whole, I made edits for the CD. Since October of 2008 I’ve been playing live as Black Meteoric Star, weaving the tracks into a single live soundtrack that has ranged from 45 minute sets at clubs and festivals, to 3 hour sets with accompanying installations by the art collective Assume Vivid Astro Focus. Some memorable nights have been had, including playing with Danielle Baldelli at Skylax’s cosmic party at Social Club in Paris, throwing a rave in the MOMA’s Marron Atrium and a wicked Halloween Party in Dresden with Traxx hosted by We Like and Nation.
While playing Black Meteoric Star live in Europe I also spent a great deal of time in New York City working on my next set of releases which will be under the name “The Crystal Ark”. For this set of 2 12” singles I’m working with stellar singer, performer and filmmaker Viva Ruiz (Escandalo, Dazzle Dancers). Percussionist Alberto Lopez (Belu Music) supplies live rhythms and Lizzy Yoder (Sweet Thunder, Fischerspooner) makes a powerful guest appearance on vocals. DFA will release the 2 singles in 2010 and the band will appear live. Keep an eye on the calendar for more information on that.
In September I went into the studio with Delia Gonzalez and Eric Broucek to mix “Track 5” which Delia and I originally recorded during the “Days of Mars” sessions. The track didn’t fit with the rest of the album and was left unreleased. After doing a second studio session on it in 2007 at Choose Audio in Berlin we were ready to release it but further complications stalled the process. Finally mixed and ready to go this track will appear as a 12” single on DFA in 2010.
New remixes in 2009 include “Boundary Waters” by Palms, which was released on Rare Book Room Records over the summer, and “Snake” by Acid Washed which will be released on Record Makers very shortly.
In October, Black Dog Publishing released “Krautrock”, an in depth anthology about the German music movement which includes an essay I wrote on Achim Reichel.