Brian Eno: His Music And The Vertical Color Of Sound
by Eric Enno Tamm
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Book Summary Information
Author: Eric Enno TammEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1995-08-22
ISBN: 0306806495
Number of pages: 246
Publisher: Da Capo Press
Book Reviews of Brian Eno: His Music And The Vertical Color Of Sound
Book Review: insightful treatment of the mystique-shrouded Eno
Summary: 5 Stars
Eno has long since attained quasi-mythical status in hip circles. Considered a, if not The, "Father of Ambient," he is a paragon for the all-black-wearing conceptual art school crowd. What most interests me as a sociologist is how Eno's reputation came about, when, he admits himself, he is responsible for "no breakthroughs" (pp. 172-173), and is more important as an influence than someone whose records many people actually listen to. (For instance, I doubt if too many people in chill rooms at raves listen to Eno -- more likely it's the Orb, or FSOL, or the many others influenced by Terry Riley, Eno and others.)
The thing is, I have been around long enough to remember Eno as the androgynous keyboard player for Roxy Music, and so I've seen him move from '70s prog-rock to Father of Ambient. Nice move! It seems to me that his position is based on 2 very different things: 1) fame by association, based on his collaborations and production of Bowie, the Talking Heads and U2, and 2) his late '70s move toward "ambient" on recordings such as MUSIC FOR AIRPORTS and ON LAND. Two crucial influences on Eno are Satie, who started an anti-romantic movement in music, and Cage, who saw himself as an "inventor" in the field of music, with no particular musical aptitude. Eno, likewise, strikes a minimalist posture in opposition to the excess of '70s prog-rock (ie, ELP, Yes), and a cool posture in opposition to the hot, angry punk movement. Anti-heroic and detached.
So it seems to me that Eno has managed to succeed in an unusual way by working in the interstices between genres, and by refusing to be pigeonholed by any tendency. He has been in the right place at the right time, for instance, attaching himself to the Talking Heads and thus transitioning from the '70s to the '80s in style, and has known the right people. He keeps moving, keeps experimenting, and maintains tension between multiple positions. For instance, he minimizes emotion compared to much conventional pop, but tries to maintain a "seductive" prettiness (p. 174) compared to the dry formalism of the avant-garde. He's avant-garde, but also a populist! A fascinating element that Tamm reveals is Eno's technical proficiency, and deliberate use of mechanical "glitches" to produce unique sounds.
Tamm apparently wrote this originally as a Ph.D thesis -- I wonder how many dissertations there are by now on Eno? At least as edited for DaCapo, it is an excellent work of musical scholarship. In particular, Tamm does a superb job of using direct quotes from Eno to make his main points. If you're at all interested in Eno, Tamm's book is well worth reading.
Summary of Brian Eno: His Music And The Vertical Color Of Sound
Musician, composer, producer: Brian Eno is unique in contemporary music. Best known in recent years for producing U2's sensational albums, Eno began his career as a synthesizer player for Roxy Music. He has since released many solo albums, both rock and ambient, written music for film and television soundtracks, and collaborated with David Bowie, David Byrne, Robert Fripp, and classical and experimental composers. His pioneering ambient sound has been enormously influential, and without him today's rock would have a decidedly different sound. Drawing on Eno's own words to examine his influences and ideas, this book?featuring a new afterword and an updated discography and bibliography?will long remain provocative and definitive.
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