Blacksmoke | |
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 A Blacksmoke Stamp of Mass Destruction by Jimmy Cauty | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | The Blacksmoke Organisation |
| Years active | 2003-2010 |
| Members | |
Blacksmoke (also known as The Blacksmoke Organisation) is an occasional art collective and musical group. Founding members includeJimmy Cauty ofThe KLF, heavy metal musicianJames Fogarty, and Keir (ex-manager ofThe Black Dog and808 State).[1] Blacksmoke output includes original music, remix and production, compositions for films and TV, as well as photography and video.
Among the work so far produced by the Blacksmoke Organisation are limited edition prints of stamps known asThe Stamps of Mass Destruction thePost Terrorist Modernist EP, and thePost-Terrorism Xmas Shop. The anger over 9/11 is immediately apparent in the samples and vocals of many of the original tracks as well as the graphics.
Limited edition prints of first-, second- and third-class stamps featuring the Queen's head with a gas mask on. These were exhibited at the artrepublic gallery inBrighton, until they earned the attention of theRoyal Mail.[2][3][4] All unsold copies of the stamps of mass destruction prints were sent to the Royal Mail for destruction. A second series of the stamps was later released: fourth-, fifth- and sixth-class, which had the Queen's head completely engulfed in a chemical warfare protection suit and thus were presumably not subject to the legal action taken by the Royal Mail.
The first Blacksmoke releases were MP3s hosted on the Blacksmoke website, the tracks including "Gimpo Gimpo" and a remix of same entitled "Fuck the Fucking Fuckers".K Foundation collaboratorGimpo who is organiser of the annual "M25 SPIN" was the inspiration for the track but, contrary to reports, has not provided vocals.
On 23 September 2003,BBC Radio 1'sBreezeblock withMary Anne Hobbs show broadcast a 15-minute mix session. The session comprised the MP3s cut together with samples of mobile phones andBig Ben plus other sound effects. TheBBC cut the final 3 minutes 30 seconds from the session due to thepost Iraq war political climate. The cut material was "Silent Night", one of the previously available download-only tracks. A few months later, the collective added an MP3 of the Breezeblock version of "Silent Night" to their website for download.
On 5 November 2003 Blacksmoke made available an MP3 EP on their website which they described as "post-terrorist modernism for the Boom Bang Generation". A Blacksmoke press release drew connections with Bonfire Night and calledGuy Fawkes Britain's "most notorious terrorist". The downloadable cover art featuredBig Ben exploding like theWorld Trade Center and asked if the artwork "depicted the destruction of government buildings in Baghdad or Kabul, would we pay any attention?" There were media reports of "outrage".
In July 2004 Blacksmoke appeared atThe Big Chill festival. Cauty played an eclectic and experimental DJ set, which he described as "an updated version of [The KLF's ambient album]Chill Out", while a film by Gimpo calledDocklands Light Railway was screened.[5] An alternative version of the soundtrack to the film was later featured as an hour-long mix radio session on Resonance FM on 28 August. This was described as an industrial ambient mix.
The Blacksmoke Organisation were commissioned by Disney to rework the original theme tune to their 1960s movie "The Love Bug" for a 2005 remake entitledHerbie: Fully Loaded. Blacksmoke produced two versions, appearing within the movie and on theHerbie: Fully Loaded soundtrack.[6]
In May 2008 The Blacksmoke Organisation exhibited a new artwork entitled "Tom & Jerry" at the Photo Fictions: New Narrative Photography exhibition, held at the Show Cave Gallery in Los Angeles.
Blacksmoke have done a number of distinctive remixes of other artists. Some of them have been available for download from their website, others are available on commercial recordings.
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