#pink section

Judy Gittelsohn of the late-’70s dadaist new wave/art-punk band Pink Section.from San Francisco (named after the arts and entertainment supplement of the San Francisco Chronicle) at the Mabuhay Gardens ca. 1978, as captured by George Westcot.

Pink Section

Pink Section “Pink Section” 1979, 1980/2014. Superior Viaduct Records. A collection of the very short-lived San Francisco-based art-rock/punk/no wavers who named themselves after the San Francisco Chronicle’s pink colored arts and entertainment guide. I bought this album on a whim last week while up in Appleton, WI at Top Spins (an excellent and well-curated record store that I highly recommend checking out). It’s really really weird, and really kinda great. Knowing nothing about the band, I read - and was not surprised to learn after listening to the record - that they were art students and self-taught musicians influenced by Dadaism, a “deranged domesticity and 50′s Americana gone haywire” aesthetic and Yoko Ono - included on this compilation is a cover of her “Midsummer New York”, which is heavily deconstructed and punked up. Other top tracks are “Shopping” and “Jane Blank” which you can view the band playing live here.

Pink Section

Photos by @claylancasterphoto and @iskradavid respectively. Both are from the Oakland show.

Thom and Nigel’s 2017 TMB DJ Setup

This past week, Thom and Nigel played a set of “DJ” performances in support of the Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes re-issue. Their setup was mostly identical to that which they used for TMB DJ shows in 2015 and 2016, and most differences came down to choice of instrument (such as which poly-synth) rather than a change in work-flow.

Here’s a basic run-down of their setup:

Thom, Nigel, and Tarik Barri are all behind custom-fitted Traffic White Hoerboard Stereo.T tables. Nigel’s table is DJ-centered, consisting almost entirely of Native Instruments Traktor controllers for his Apple Macbook Pro, while Thom’s setup is more performance-centered, featuring guitars, a synth, and effects units. However, as at past DJ shows, Thom used a Pioneer 2-Channel Mixer to control the balance of his setup, while Nigel sometimes borrowed Thom’s Fender Jazzmaster or Mustang Bass for a number. Additionally, Thom spent more time manipulating his Elektron Analog Rytm than playing any of his “instruments”. As such, each performance was a challenge to the distinction between “DJ set” and “live performance”.

Here are some key differences from their past setups:

Thom is using a Dave Smith Instruments Prophet-6 in place of his Elektron Analog Keys. Thom’s use of the Prophet-6 at these solo shows confirms that he used the keyboard for his collaboration with Mark Pritchard on the track Beautiful People. Pritchard commented on the gearslutz forum that he thought Thom used a Prophet 6, but since Thom continued to use a Prophet 08 with Radiohead it seemed possible that Pritchard misremembered which Prophet (an easy mistake). However, it’s now clear that we had no reason to doubt Pritchard’s memory.

Thom is singing into a Shure SM58 rather than an SM57.

Thom has added an Electro-Harmonix Cathedral to his setup for vocal reverb.

Thom has added large new unit to his setup. It’s grey with wooden side panels. It also seems to have push-buttons and sliders, but no knobs, and may be connected to the Prophet-6.

Thom now plays his Fender Mustang bass guitar on Black Swan and Pink Section.

And here’s a full gear list:

Thom’s Hoerboard Stereo.T :

Elektron Analog Rytm (MKI) – almost certainly MIDI-synchronized with Nigel’s laptop. When Thom is adjusting stuff at his Hoerboard table, it’s usually to change patterns or settings on the Analog Rytm. Nigel seems to be supplying beats on some tracks, but most seem to have been supplied by the Analog Rytm (at least on TMB tracks).

Dave Smith Instruments Prophet-6 – possibly MIDI-synchronized with Nigel’s laptop. On songs like Brain In A Bottle or Default, it’s unclear if synth sounds are entirely samples on Nigel’s laptop, or if they’re sequenced by Nigel’s laptop and generated by Thom’s synth. Played by Thom on Cymbal Rush, Interference, I am a Very Rude Person (outro keyboard solo),

Pioneer DJM-250MK1 2-Channel Mixer – has white bottle caps on some knobs to prevent accidental adjustment (including master volume and input trim for both channels).

Electro-Harmonix 45000 4-Track Looper – used for vocal looping on Atoms for Peace, Brain in a Bottle, Nose Grows Some (outro), Not The News, Two Feet Off The Ground, I am a Very Rude Person, and probably more. Particularly notable for its use on I am a Very Rude Person, since Thom’s vocal loops are all that fill the harmonic space above Nigel’s bass-line.

Electro-Harmonix Cathedral – used for vocal reverb.

Unknown Grey Unit w/ Wood Side Panels

Yamaha Sustain Pedal – the type that comes with Yamaha keyboards, not the commercially available FC-5.

Nigel’s Hoerboard Stereo.T :

Apple Macbook Pro – w/ B SIDE LABEL “とびてぇなー” sticker, resting on a Hoerboard Laptop Clip

Native Instruments (NI) Traktor Kontrol S4

NI Traktor Kontrol F1 – he has two, one to either side of the S4.

NI Traktor Kontrol F1 – he has two, one to either side of the S4.

Pioneer DJM-850 Mixer – the pair’s main mixer since the 2013 Atoms for Peace DJ performances.

Boss Delay Machine DM100

Guitars+Amps:

Jazzmaster No1 (white) Brain In A Bottle (Thom)

Jazzmaster No2 (black) AMOK (Thom)

Fender Mustang Bass Black Swan (Thom, new arrangement) Atoms for Peace (Nigel) AMOK (Nigel) Interference (Nigel) Pink Section (Thom, new arrangement)

Vox AC30 – used in Oakland and Houston, probably rentals.

Vox AC30HW – used in Hollywood, probably a rental.

Radial J48 Active DI Box #1 – kept on top of the AC30, used to send a direct version of the guitar signal to the mixing desk.

Ampeg Classic Series SVT-VR

Ampeg SVT-810E Bass Enclosure 8x10″ Cabinet – laying on its side to avoid blocking the screens.

Radial J48 Active DI Box #2 – kept on top of the bass cabinet, used to send a direct version of the bass signal to the mixing desk.

Pedalboard:

RJM Music Mastermind GT/10 MIDI Controller – probably used so that Nigel can use his laptop to remotely mute the guitar or bass and activate Thom’s Hotcake.

BOSS TU2/3 – for guitar.

Crowther Hotcake – for guitar.

BOSS TU2/3 – for bass.

Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus – powers the three pedals.

? TL Audio Indigo Series 2051 Mono Valve Voice Processor – this rack unit may be the “riser” on which the pedals are placed. The unit was a part of Thom’s setup for the first DJ performance shows in 2013, and it seems odd that Thom would have entirely removed the vocal processor from his setup.

Here’s a closeup of Thom’s pedalboard (@claylancasterphoto):

Pink Section