Featured Artist:
Francisco Lopez - Biography
Francisco López
Born in Madrid 1964 , Francisco López is probably the most internationally aclaimed Spanish electronic musician, and one of the most personal experimental artists worldwide.
Francisco López started his experimental works in 1981, releasing his first cassette references two years later in the Anomma label. In search for his own ideal of concrete music, he developed a style under the name of “Absolute Concrete Music” characterized by the processing of environmental recordings in an extreme excercise of minimalism and purism, which means the refusal of any visual, procedural, relational, semantic, functional or virtuosistic elements.
López is one of the most prolific electronic artists ever, who has released more than 130 works in numerous underground experimental labels all over the world. He has toured extensively and has set up sound installations all over the world since 1986 and has received commissions from a numerous institutions and organizations. Although his music has been perceived like industrial, noise and soundscapes, his attitude is closer to a personal form isolationism. Francisco Lopez’ work is based in the processing of environmental recordings, mostly from natural elements.
López has also worked with artists such as John Duncan, Zbigniew Karkowski, Peter Rehberg, Zan Hoffman, and Amy Denio. He is also founder of the Absolute label with bases in Seattle, New York, London, and Osaka.
Jean Laurendeau and the Ondes Martenot
A wonderful video of Jean Laurendeau showing the antecessor of the synthesizer, the Ondes Martenot.
Jimmy Page’s boathouse on sale
If you are a rich Led Zeppelin fan this is your opportunity to live in the very place where the band was born in 1968: The Boathouse, in Pangbourne, West Berkshire.
Jimmy Page bought the Boathouse in 1967 when he was still a member of The Yardbirds. A year later, he was introduced to Robert Plant and he later invited him to stay at the Boathouse to discuss his proposals to create a new band. It was also at this house where Led Zeppelin -The New Yardbirds at the time- rehearsed for their for their first gigs at The Marquee Club. It was also filmed at this location the part where Jimmy Page plays the hurdy-gurdy by the riverside in the movie “The Song RemainsThe Same”.
This is not the only famous house that the guitarist owned in England, he also lived at Boleskine House, the legendary hunting lodge in Loch Ness that used to be owned by the magician Alistair Crowley, the beautiful Towe House at London’s Holland Park built by Waterhouse that he bought from the actor Richard Harris, and Mill House in Windsor, which he bought from Michael Caine.