Kenneth James Gibson Explained

Kenneth James Gibson
Birth Name:Kenneth James Gibson
Birth Date:1973 10, mf=yes
Genre:americana, chamber pop, ambient, avant-garde, dub, folk, noise pop, noise rock, electronica, neo-psychedelia, dancehall, experimental, house, techno
Years Active:1993–present
Label:City Slang, Rocket Girl, Kompakt, Southern Records, Trance Syndicate, Burger Records, Adjunct Audio, Trapez, Planet Mu, Mille Plateaux, Tigerbeat 6, Lo Recordings, Warp records
Associated Acts:Bell Gardens, Furry Things, Toler Gibson, Electric Company, DubLoner, Eight Frozen Modules, Mr. C, Meat Beat Manifesto, Douglas McCarthy,

Kenneth James Gibson is a musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter and a founding member of Bell Gardens, Furry Things, Eight Frozen Modules, and [a]pendics.shuffle.

Career

Kenneth James Gibson was born in Canada, grew up in El Paso, Texas and currently lives in Los Angeles, California. He first learned how to play guitar on his fathers acoustic and got his first 4-track recorder at age 19.[1] Gibson founded the 1990s noise rock band Furry Things,[2] who released most of its material on King Coffey's (of the Butthole Surfers) Trance Syndicate / Touch and Go Records imprint.

He has also released music that spans across many genres under aliases such as [a]pendics.shuffle, Eight Frozen Modules, dubLoner, Reverse Commuter, and Hiss & Buzz (with Jack Dangers of Meat Beat Manifesto). He founded the electronic music record label Adjunct Audio in early 2005 with friend Konstantin Gabbro, through Kompakt records.

Gibson along with Brian McBride of the drone-based ambient music duo Stars of the Lid, started the band Bell Gardens in 2009.[3] Through the music of Bell Gardens, the two explore the realms of Americana, chamber pop, folk, and psychedelic pop.[4] [5] He also recently collaborated with Douglas McCarthy of Nitzer Ebb on a track called Whispers In on his latest Reverse Commuter album titled Exposure. In April 2016, Gibson released his first full ambient album under his real name titled The Evening Falls on Kompakt Records and returned for a second album in March, 2018 titled In The Fields Of Nothing.[6] [7] [8]

In 2017, Gibson started the band Toler Gibson with Gavin Toler Of The Winter Flowers. According to his website the group makes music that fits under the “Cosmic American Music” banner.[9]

In 2021 Gibson started a new record label called Meadows Heavy Recorders. This is also the name of his studio in Idyllwild, Ca.[10] 2022 saw the release of his 3rd ambient and experimental album titled Groundskeeping under his given name on his new label. Later in 2022 he also released a guitar based drone album titled Ssih Mountain.[11] 2023 saw the release of the remix album Further Translations featuring remixes by artists such as Jack Dangers, Scanner, Brian McBride, Christopher Willits, and others.[12] [13]

In 2024 Gibson collaborated with saxophonist Paul Carman on an album titled Murals For Immersion which was released on Important Records. Paul Carman is most known for being the saxophonist on recordings and tours with Frank Zappa in what Zappa called The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life[14]

He has directed music videos for artists such as Francis Harris and Dance Spirit as well as his own projects Reverse Commuter and Bell Gardens.[15] [16] [17]

Musical projects

Furry Things

Kenneth played guitar, sang, and produced the 1990s Noise Pop band Furry Things. The line up also consisted of Cathy Shive (Bass, Vocals), Charlie Woodburn (Drums), and Chris Michaels (Keyboards). Furry Things released the majority of its material on King Coffey's (of the Butthole Surfers) Trance Syndicate / Touch and Go Records imprint. The band formed in Austin, Texas in 1993 and moved to Los Angeles, California in the summer of 1997.

Kenneth produced the band's first LP titled The Big Saturday Illusion along with engineer Adam Wiltzie (of Stars Of The Lid). Kenneth and Brad Laner (of the band Medicine) produced the second and last LP titled Moments Away which was released in 1998. The band also released two 7" singles and two EPs as well as being featured on The Kahanek Incident: Volume 2, which was a remix trade between Furry Things and Electric Company.[18] [19] [20] [21]

Bell Gardens

See main article: article and Bell Gardens (band).

Bell Gardens is the musical collaboration between Kenneth and Brian McBride of Stars Of The Lid. Through the music of Bell Gardens, they explore different styles such as chamber pop, folk rock, psychedelic pop, and Americana. Their first EP Hangups Need Company was released on their own imprint Failed Better in 2010. Southern Records released their first LP Full Sundown Assembly in late 2012. Rocket Girl released the band's second LP titled Slow Dawns For Lost Conclusions in October, 2014.[22] [23] [24] [25]

Eight Frozen Modules

Eight Frozen Modules (also known as 8FM) is one of Gibson's experimental electronic music projects. Eight Frozen Modules' recorded material is a mix of IDM, Techno, Dub, electro, breakcore, dancehall, and Noise. The project started as a side project to the now defunct noise-pop band Furry Things and like Furry Things, was also released on King Coffey's Trance Syndicate label. As 8FM, he has released music on labels such as Phthalo, Planet Mu, Orthlorng Musork, Tigerbeat 6, City Slang, Shockout, Mutant Sniper, Mille Plateaux, Warp, In Vitro Records, Lo Recordings and Tino Corp to name a few.[26] [27]

[a]pendics.shuffle

[a]pendics.shuffle is Gibson's main electronic music alias. Under this alias he creates a mix of minimal house, techno, micro house, and experimental electronic dance music. [a]pendics.shuffle has released music on many labels such as Trapez, Orac, Adjunct Audio, Mo's Ferry Prod., Lick My Deck, We Are, Leftroom, Sunset Diskos and more. As apendics.shuffle, Gibson has collaborated with and remixed a number of other artists such Mr. C of The Shamen, Mikael Stavöstrand, Mark "Blakkat" Bell, Damian Lazarus, Brad Laner, and Vladislav Delay.[28] [29] [30]

dubLoner

dubLoner is a dub project from Gibson. Dubloner's output ranges from deep and spacious dub techno and house to more rootsy dirty dub experiments. He has, as Dubloner, remixed and collaborated artists such as Meat Beat Manifesto, Jack Dangers (a duo of dubLoner and Jack Dangers called Hiss & Buzz), Isaac Haile Selassie,[31] Kool Keith, and Markus Nikolai of Perlon Records.

Reverse Commuter

The first released Reverse Commuter track, The Organ That Killed Me, was released on a compilation titled Grand Slang on City Slang in 2000. There was a gap of no releases till 2003 with The Direction EP on Hallucination Recordings. Outside of a string of remixes and compilation tracks, there wasn't another official release till 2014 with a new album titled Exposure on DJ Three's Hallucienda label along with a 12" EP titled Vinyl Exposure One including a Doc Martin remix. Exposure featured tracks with vocals by Gibson, Douglas McCarthy (of Nitzer Ebb, Recoil), and his wife Kelly Johnston-Gibson.[32] [33] [34]

Adjunct Audio

See main article: article and Adjunct Audio.

Kenneth along with Konstantin Gabbro (also co-founder of Orac Records, Zoombézoom)[35] founded the electronic music record label Adjunct Audio in 2005. Adjunct releases a range of styles from deep house and minimal techno to dub and ambient. Producers such as John Tejada, Bruno Pronsato, Dapayk, Blakkat, Kit Clayton, Mathias Schaffhäuser, DubLoner, Sutekh, Dilo, Mikael Stavostrand, Mr. C, and [a]pendics.shuffle himself have worked with the label. Adjunct is distributed by Kompakt records.[36] [37] [38]

Music for television and film

Gibson composes music for TV and Film. According to IMDB he has music in shows such as Shameless, The Simpsons, The Last O.G., Weeds, Californication, and Saturday Night Live and films such as The Best and The Brightest, Drones, Don Peyote, and 7 Minutes.[39] [40] [41] [42] Gibson appeared as himself as music producer on an episode of VH1's MC Serch hosted show Miss Rap Supreme.[43]

Discography

with Bell Gardens

Albums

Singles & EPs

Compilation appearances

with Furry Things

Albums

Singles & EPs

Compilation appearances

as Kenneth James Gibson

Albums

Singles & EPs

Compilation appearances

as Kenneth James Gibson And Paul Carman

Albums

as Eight Frozen Modules

Albums

Singles & EPs

Compilation appearances

Selected remixes

as [a]pendics.shuffle

Albums

Singles & EPs

Compilation appearances

Selected remixes

with Electronic Music Composer

Albums

Singles & EP's

Compilation appearances

as dubLoner

Albums

Singles & EPs

Compilation appearances

Selected Remixes

as Kenneth James G

Singles & EPs

as KJ Gibbs

Singles & EPs

Compilation appearances

as Premature Wig

Singles & EPs

Compilation appearances

Remixes

as Bal Cath

Albums

Singles & EP's

Compilation appearances

as Reverse Commuter

Albums

Singles & EP's

Compilation appearances

Selected Remixes

with Cascabel Gentz

Singles & EP's

Compilation appearances

with Men In Slippers

Singles & EPs

Remixes

with Whoa Buck

Singles & EPs

Compilation appearances

Remixes

External links

Notes and References

  1. Romero, Dennis "Kenneth James Gibson: Hollywood Shuffler" , LAweekly.com, Retrieved Dec.18, 2014.
  2. Raggat, Ned Furry Things, Big Saturday Illusion, Allmusic.com, March 6, 1996. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
  3. Rees, Thomas Stars of the Lid And Apendics.shuffle Are Bell Gardens, Release EP, XLR8R.com, May 21, 2010. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
  4. http://discogs.com/artist/Kenneth+James+Gibson Kenneth James Gibson discography
  5. Romero, Dennis Kenneth James Gibson: Hollywood Shuffler, LA Weekly, June 6, 2009. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
  6. Admin Dubspot interviews Kenneth James Gibson, dubspot.com, Retrieved 7 July 2015
  7. Admin Kenneth James Gibson interview, www.astrangelyisolatedplace.com, Retrieved 18 October 2016
  8. Girou, Baptiste Kenneth James Gibson interview, inverted-audio.com, Retrieved 18 April 2020
  9. Admin Toler Gibson mention, worldofkennethjamesgibson.com, Retrieved 18 April 2020
  10. Admin Meadows heavy Recorders on Discogs, www.discogs.com, Retrieved 13 December 2024
  11. Admin Kenneth James Gibson interview about Ssih Mountain, 7 November 2022, www.sun-13.com, Retrieved 13 December 2024
  12. Admin Kenneth James Gibson interview, 16 July, 2024, www.xlr8r.com, Retrieved 13 December 2024
  13. Admin Further Translations review, 9 Nov., 2023, “www.theletter.co.uk, Retrieved 13 December 2024
  14. Admin Murals For Immersion at Forced Exposure, www.forcedexposure.com, Retrieved 13 December 2024
  15. http://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2015/03/video-premiere-dance-spirit The Sun Also Rises Premiere
  16. https://thump.vice.com/en_us/video/watch-kenneth-gibson-and-nitzer-ebbs-douglas-mccarthy-get-lonely-in-the-desert Whispers In Premiere
  17. http://noisey.vice.com/en_uk/blog/premiere-francis-harris-you-can-always-leave-video "You Can Always Leave" premiere
  18. Beets, Greg Furry Things Band profile, austinchronicle.com. Retrieved Aug. 20, 2015.
  19. http://www.discogs.com/Furry-Things-Moments-Away/release/3031880 Moments Away: Discogs
  20. http://www.discogs.com/Furry-Things-The-Big-Saturday-Illusion/release/587236 Big Saturday Illusion: Discogs
  21. http://www.discogs.com/Electric-Company-Furry-Things-The-Kahanek-Incident-Volume-2/release/998850 The Kahanek Incident Volume 2: Discogs
  22. http://www.discogs.com/artist/1841697-Bell-Gardens Bell Gardens
  23. Kealy, John Brainwashed "Bell Gardens, Full Sundown Assembly", Brainwashed.com, 4 November 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  24. Bland, Ben Bell Gardens - Full Sundown Assembly (Album Review), Stereoboard.com, 5 September 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  25. Heller, Jason Pitchfork reviews Slow Dawns For Lost Conclusions, pitchfork.com.com, Retrieved 4 April 2015
  26. https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/xd8c Eight Frozen Modules "Crumbling and Responding" Review
  27. http://www.discogs.com/artist/52068-Eight-Frozen-Modules Eight Frozen Modules discography
  28. http://www.discogs.com/artist/208043-apendicsshuffle apendics.shuffle discography
  29. Levisman, Sean apendics.shuffle on His Sound: interview , Miami New Times, July 13, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
  30. Yoder, Sean-Michael apendics.shuffle & Mr.C "Something Strange" review , Ibiza-Voice.com, Retrieved April 18, 2014.
  31. http://www.dancefloormayhem.com/2010/05/fresh-new-ep-from-dubloner-isaac-haile.htm "The Fight, The Spirit" review
  32. Khawaja, Jemayel Get Lonely In The Desert, Vice.com, Retrieved 15 Sept, 2015
  33. Tewksbury, Colin Erase The Face premiere / review, Earmilk, Retrieved 15 Sept, 2015
  34. http://newsflash.bigshotmag.com/features/32868/ 219 DJs and Artists Look Back on 2014
  35. Segal, Dave Beatseeking Missives - Orac Records , thestranger.com, June 5, 2005, Retrieved Aug. 21, 2015.
  36. Yoder, Sean-Michael apendics.shuffle & Mr.C "Something Strange" review , Ibiza-Voice.com, Retrieved Aug. 20, 2015.
  37. http://boomkat.com/vinyl/18230-john-tejada-bruno-pronsato-various-adjunct-volume-one Adjunct Volume 1 review
  38. Jackson, Glenn apendics.shuffle feat. Blakkat review , xlr8r.com, Retrieved Aug. 20, 2015.
  39. Paine, Jake "Kenneth James Gibson is Electronic Music's Man of Many Aliases" , LAweekly.com, Retrieved Dec.18, 2014.
  40. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1447166 Weeds "Ducks and Tigers"
  41. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2828954 7 Minutes (film)
  42. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1438251 The Best and The Brightest (film)
  43. Admin Kenneth James Gibson cast on Miss Rap Supreme episode 1.5, www.imdb.com, Retrieved 7 April 2017