21 October 2009

short break from music: painting

before the whole music thing started, there was painting.
slowly, painting faded away then disappeared. work & music took priority etc.

i took a short break from music for the last week or so, and did a few, after a friend had commissioned me for one. i've never accepted before, but i thought it would be a good challenge, and i have a bit more time these days. maybe these can be used for album artwork in the future, who knows. so, here's what i did:

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the hawk & the fireball, 16"x16", acrylics & sharpies >>>>>
started - summer 2008?
completed - october 2009



entangled, 8"x16", acrylics >>>>>
october 2009


burial, 8"x8"x3", acrylics >>>>>
started - 2006?
completed - october 2009


untitled/for eld, 2x 8"x16", acrylics >>>>>
commissioned painting for eld - pre-selected colors by client;
october 2009


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you can check more selected works in this album.

ok, i'm going back to work on my next three or four records now.

15 October 2009

thisquietarmy goes time-lapse in Esslingen, Germany

thisquietarmy

Live at Villa Markel
Esslingen, Germany
June 2nd, 2009

Shot & edited by thisquietarmy.

I left the camera on the soundboard, which wasn't the best angle, but it makes it for a fun "45 min. set condensed to 5 min." video. It's the only show I filmed during my European tour.... Day 2, Esslingen (near Stuttgart), a beautiful outdoor space connected to the Villa Markel museum. See this blog entry for more info: http://thisquietarmy.blogspot.com/2009/06/esslingen.html

Audio is a live snippet of the actual performance.

14 October 2009

Om/Lichens/thisquietarmy Montreal show review by The Concordian

The Concordian article by Candace Roscoe:
http://www.theconcordian.com/a-unique-experience-to-remember-1.710221

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Here's the part about me:

The video installation and raw sonic emotion that is thisquietarmy opened the show. With Quach often crouched in the sidelines with his guitar, his multimedia installation took centre stage. As you are transported into waking-life by pulsing distortion and flashing images on screen, it becomes easy to forget that one man is responsible for the textured experience. Yet, every sound was being created in real-time with a dozen effect pedals and three loop-samplers.

Quach faces a number of challenges working alone. “The main challenge is to create something interesting despite the limitations of being one person, which is easier to do in studio. To bring the tracks into a live environment, it took an endless amount of experimentation to push the boundaries of a solo performance while still maintaining your integrity.”

Quach says being an army of one is the story of his life. “Which is why this project makes even more sense,” he said. “But it works for me as I’ve always been independent and done things my own way.”

Despite Quach’s ability to juggle layer upon layer of sound all by himself, thisquietarmy has no vocals.
“The lack of vocals, in this case, is freeing because the emotions are rawer and it leaves the music completely opened.”

The audience is left to interpret the music as they wish, in the context of their own lives. Whether they did so Saturday night is unknown, but thisquietarmy did attract a silent and meditative crowd.

13 October 2009

Chat Blanc Records/P572 Book + CD Available with exclusive TQA track


P572 & Chat Blanc Records, two labels from Quebec City, have put out a collective 166 pages book called "5 ans de musique et de révolution". It contains information on their releases, pictures of artists, manifestos, posters & a lot more. The book also comes with an exclusive CD compilation with exclusive tracks, including one by thisquietarmy: "Aluminum Twin Snakes".

Here's the complete tracklist:

P572

01. Darren Hayman - Zeros and Ones
02. Mathématique - Hands
03. PRINCESS & MURDOCK - The length of nature
04. Oromocto Diamond - Diamond March
05. Jane Ehrhardt - Emergency (live)
06. Keith Kouna – Petite Fée
07. (swedish) Death Polka - Columbia Final
08. Millimetrik remixe Auburn Lull - Grange arcade

Chat Blanc Records
09. Port-Royal - Putin vs Valery (Ambidextrous remix)
10. Electroluminescent - The trip and the toll
11. Epic45 - A clear day
12. DNT – Prise
13. Building castles out of matchsticks – The love of my life
14. Galerie Stratique - Caravane Hallucinée
15. thisquietarmy - Aluminum twin snakes
16. Le chat blanc orchestra - Crescendo's are prohibited (Aidan Baker remix)

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It's a heavy but beautiful book, which makes the shipping prices outrageous, sorry... We have a few copies available now via TQA Records' distribution --- the website is not yet updated but you can paypal the money to: thisquietarmy at gmail dot com.

28$ PP = Canada (CDN)
32$ PP = USA (USD)
25€ PP = World (Euros)

I'll even throw in some TQA goodies... stickers, flyers, pins, even random CD-Rs.

8 October 2009

Om/Lichens/thisquietarmy + FSQ2009 new media installation

This weekend, thisquietarmy clones itself.

Firstly - I'd like to thank Blues Skies Turn Black for giving me the opening spot of the Om/Lichens show Saturday, October 10th @ La Sala Rossa.

Mighty San Francisco heavy duo OM will finally perform their long-awaited debut in Montreal following the release of their most recent album on Drag City. Joining OM on tour is LICHENS (aka Rob Lowe of 90 Day Men, Singer). Opening up the night will be local drone solo artist THISQUIETARMY. This will be a great show and should not be missed!!


Secondly, I will contribute to the new media expo of the FSQ called "Place de la Cyber-convergence", which offers FSQ participants the space to converge with others virtually. The premise is to stimulate online interaction by offering a number of computers where people can post blog entries, Twitter, snap photos or videos, and more! An integral aspect of this space is to inspire creative expression by embedding participants within a new media landscape, exhibiting new media creations such as video installations, electronic music, and performance art.

To come to the event, register for the Quebec Social Forum online at http://www.fsq2009.org or at the Cégép.

Art by:

Krzys Cyga
Myriam Jacob-Allard & Florence S. Larose
Hubert R. de Roy
Shereen Soliman
Thisquietarmy
Barbara Zemelka
Academy of Art Video Art

The Expo will take place Satuday and Sunday 9am to 5pm in room 9.81 at Cégép du Vieux Montréal (Ontario corner Sanguinet) along with a number of other expos on the same floor.

The Thisquietarmy installation will be visual and music, tqa-style - much like my live performances, only I won't be doing it live, and it will be looped throughout the weekend.