"Bisi... the man who contributed to the sound of early hip-hop, avant-garde, and indie rock, might soon finally get recognition... Considering how diverse BC Studio's output has been over the years, there's still something recognizable about the music that Bisi lays his hands on... A certain rawness."
–Newsweek
"Bisi has presided over recordings that defined seminal scenes, counting downtown NYC's avant-garde jazz scene, '80s art-rock and '90s Bowery scum-rock. A glance at his stunning, across-the-genre-board discography results in minds blown."
–Noisey
Martin Bisi and Italian label Bronson Recordings present the April 20th release of BC35, an album paying tribute to the 35th anniversary of BC Studio, and serving as a unique document of the New York City underground.
Martin Bisi – producer, engineer, musician, and central figure in New York City's musical history of the past four decades.
BC Studio – the Brooklyn studio Bisi founded in 1979 with friends Brian Eno and Bill Laswell, and still owns and operates to this day. A cavernous space located in an industrial building near Brooklyn's Gowanus Canal, the studio's idiosyncrasies are undeniably responsible in part for the sounds created there.
At BC Studio, Bisi has personally recorded landmark music by Sonic Youth, Swans, Unsane, Afrika Bambaataa, Herbie Hancock, John Zorn, and so many more. Bisi's name is synonymous with the New York City underground. Disparate sounds – from hip-hop to noise-rock to the far reaches of the avant-garde – have added up to a logical whole under the umbrella of BC Studio.
Bisi was immortalized in the 2014 documentary film, Sound and Chaos: The Story of BC Studio, chronicling his life and career as a pillar of underground music in New York City and beyond. Newsweek has stated: "The man who contributed to the sound of early hip-hop, avant-garde, and indie rock, might soon finally get recognition... Considering how diverse BC Studio's output has been over the years, there's still something recognizable about the music that Bisi lays his hands on... A certain rawness."
Upcoming new album BC35 chronicles a weekend of performances, recorded live at BC Studio in January 2016 as a celebration of the studio's 35th anniversary. Consisting of improvised pieces, as well as songs written exclusively for the occasion, the performances comprise an absolute who's-who of BC Studio alumni – roughly 50 participants, including current and former members of Sonic Youth, Swans, White Hills, Foetus, Cop Shoot Cop, Live Skull, Pop 1280, Violent Femmes, The Dresden Dolls, Alice Donut, Lubricated Goat, and more. Bisi himself played guitar on three of the improvised pieces.
A few highlights:
• "What a Jerk" is a collaboration between Cop Shoot Cop and Swans members, including a double-drummer jam. Stream the song, here via BrooklynVegan: http://www.brooklynvegan.com/swans-cop-shoot-cop-members-team-up-for-martin-bisis-bc35-lp-release-show-listen/
• The members of Live Skull reunited for this event, performing new song "Details of the Madness" under the name New Old Skull – the first time they had played together since the late '80s.
• For their piece, "Downhill," JG Thirlwell (Foetus) and Dana Schecter (Insect Ark, Gnaw) conducted a spontaneous choir of twenty unrehearsed audience members.
• "SYNESTHESIA!" represents a reunion of two Alice Donut members (with a third taking on mixing duties.)
With a few exceptions, noted below, Bisi mixed the live recordings himself. In some instances, overdubs were added after the fact. The album was mastered by Fred Kevorkian (Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry, Sonny Rollins).
Bronson Recordings' April 20th release of BC35 will include vinyl and digital formats. The first pressing of 500 LPs will include 150 gold color vinyl copies. All LPs come packaged with an additional 7" vinyl containing the final two tracks of the thirteen tracks listed below.
Martin Bisi will tour the US and Europe in 2018; stand by for dates. A New York record release show is confirmed for April 20th at Saint Vitus in Brooklyn: https://www.saintvitusbar.com/event/1647598
BC35 tracklist and musicians:
1. "Nowhere Near the Rainbow"
Bob Bert (Sonic Youth, Pussy Galore)
Alyse Lamb (Parlor Walls)
Stu Spasm (Lubricated Goat, Art Gray Noizz Quintet)
Skeleton Boy (Woman, Art Gray Noizz Quintet)
Martin Bisi
2. "Denton's Dive"
Rich Hutchins (Live Skull, Shilpa Ray, Art Gray Noizz Quintet)
Phil Puleo (Cop Shoot Cop, Swans)
Ivan Lip (Pop 1280)
Skeleton Boy (Woman, Art Gray Noizz Quintet)
Dave W (White Hills)
Martin Bisi
3. "Details of the Madness" **
Rich Hutchins (Live Skull, Shilpa Ray, Art Gray Noizz Quintet)
Marnie Jaffe (Live Skull)
Mark C (Live Skull)
4. "What a Jerk"
Algis Kizys (Swans, Lydia Lunch)
Phil Puleo (Cop Shoot Cop, Swans)
Jack Nantz (Cop Shoot Cop)
Jim Coleman (Cop Shoot Cop)
5. "Humash Wealth Management, Inc."
Genevieve Fernworthy (Tidal Channel, Lauds, Martin Bisi's band)
Billy Cancel (Tidal Channel)
6. "Downhill" **
JG Thirlwell (Foetus)
Dana Schechter (Insect Ark, Gnaw)
Laura Ortman
The BC Radiophonic Choir (audience members)
7. "The Animals Speak Truth"
Brian Viglione (The Dresden Dolls, Violent Femmes)
Dan Kaufman (Barbez)
Paul Wallfisch (Swans)
Jason LaFarge (Pants Exploder)
Neil Exall (The Mercurymen)
Martin Bisi
8. "His Word Against Mine"
Jeannie Fry (Kitty Badass)
Andrea Havis (Susu)
Oliver Rivera Drew (Martin Bisi's band)
Diego Ferri (Martin Bisi's band)
9. "SYNESTHESIA!" **
Sissi Schulmeister (Alice Donut)
Steve Moses (Alice Donut)
Laura Ortman
Ernest Anderson (Marc Edwards Quartet, Martin Bisi's band)
10. "End of the Line"
Dave W (White Hills)
Ego Sensation (White Hills)
11. "Take this Ride"
Ajda The Turkish Queen
Brian Viglione (The Dresden Dolls, Violent Femmes)
Paul Wallfisch (Swans)
Lorde Buckingham
12. "Disintegration in the Well"
Ev Gold (Cinema Cinema)
Paul Claro (Cinema Cinema)
David Lackner (Blue Jazz TV)
Mikel Dos Santos (The Realistics)
13. "Soft Glitter Cosmos Needs a Pig War"
Genevieve Fernworthy (Tidal Channel, Lauds, Martin Bisi's band)
Billy Cancel (Tidal Channel)
** All tracks mixed by Martin Bisi, except:
"Details of the Madness" - mixed by Mark C
"Downhill" - mixed by JG Thirlwell
"SYNESTHESIA!" - mixed by Michael Jung
Associate producer and art director: Genevieve Fernworthy
Album cover photo by Alexey Novikov
Photo of Martin Bisi by Joan Hacker
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