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This interview was done in DECEMBER 1997
+ Some additional comments from MAY 2001 |
| CON-DOM In 1983 Mike Dando decided to devote himself to the Hardcore Electronics; He has then become an acknowledged master in Extreme Noise experiments. His engagement in his project with a real documentation for each subject approached, or his physical involvement in live performance leave no doubt upon his will to reach his goal: creation of an awareness in the witnessing listener forced to face the unveiled truth of the system controlled & dominated.. Waitting for the releasing of his long delay next CD “Control-Domination” on US label Armed & loaded, Mike annouces a 2lp “The color of a man’s skin” on TESCO as well as an Ep on japanese Kubitsuri, both released for summer; plus a 10” “Rome Songs “ on Old Europa Café.
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| How do you look back to the releasing of the 7 EPs of the 'Sermon Series' ? The 'Sermon 7x7" Series' was/ìs a major CON-DOM project, successfully realised due to effective collaboration with all releasing labels. There are some imperfections and irritations with individual elements, for example 'The 2nd Sermon' was unnecessarily limited, but these are of little consequence. It is the conceptual strength, ideological integrity and harsh sonority of both the whole and the individual parts that comprise it, which are important - these have been consistently maintained throughout. The soon available 'Sermon Artefact' (limited to 25 copies) will constitute both the pinnacle and resolution of this phase of CON-DOM activity. Can you tell us more about your next CD released on an American label (titles, subjects, label choice, packaging, planned on SFCR, production....) ? The "Control-Domination" CD will be released by the new U.S. ARMED & LOADED label early in 1998. It will be housed in slate, secured by metal bolts, continuing the CON-DOM tradition of austere packaging materials. The package will include associated artwork and texts. The subject matter spans a wide range of CON-DOM concerns - from selfknowledge to personal faith to false witness; from societal conditioning to mass psychology; from communal masochism to the final inescapable reality - that we are all subject to control-domination.
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You draw impressive scenes a bit in the cubist style which fit well with the austere subject, in the little book "The Eighth Pillar". Are you going to develop this activity, and what or who influences you in this artistic form? The chosen style, medium and content af "The Eighth Pillar" artwork was ideal in that particular context. The nature of future artwork will be dictated solely by the nature of future projects - artistic form is entirely subservient to subject matter. Cubist style drawings may or may not be used again - it is impossible to say. You seem to study the subjects of your titles before releasing them. Can you describe your way of processing and sources of documentation ? Methods and approaches to project research will vary depending on the nature and subject of individual projects. "War Against Society" (to take an example) involved researching library-based local history archives and newspaper archives, together with field location work, in order to accurately reflect the local events which inspired the project. Film and TV documentary footage were also used as super-8 film sources. Selection of sounds was the final stage (as is normally the case)with sounds drawn from existing and appropriately titled sound recordings from a variety of 'musical' genres (processed/manipulated and/or reduced to pure sound so as to be unrecognisable); sound effects records; field recordings; TV/film-sound bites; and a 'library' of collected sounds contributed.by allies and would-be collaborators. Who makes the incredible videos which are shown during your performances ? All visual material projected as part of GON-DOM performances - super8 film, slides (very rarely video) - is produced by CON-DOM. Material is drawn from original and found footage; the latter cut-up and 'copy filmed' as necessary and appropriate. |
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Don't you think DOMination in relationships, especially subtle forms, is the only way to CONtrol ? Have you seen the film adaptation of "Crash" from David Cronenberg about this statement ? Certainly, domination is a key to control - not just in relationships but in all aspects of life: CON-DOM has no argument with this fact. Rather CON-DOM is concerned with exposing, analysing and confronting it. The Ballard novel "Crash" is known to us personally, but not the film. Don't you think that old industrial areas expanded in the beginning of this century with metal, mining or textile industries, which now pour out unemployment, are in fact maintained controlled human pond of mediocrity resulting of the Taylorism ? The workplace - whether factory, mine, office shop etc- is one more tool in the service of societal conditioning and control.The daily grind of work saps energy, enthusiasm and motivation for anything other than eating, drinking and sleeping. Your vast pool of human mediocrity is an inevitable consequence. The problem is that they accept and even worst they love to crawl in their baseness imposed by society. |
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You can write to order band’s best works directly to Mike.
CON-DOM. 2 Farnley Lane Otley LS21 2AB England. condom@btopenworld.com http://www.tesco-distro.com/condom |
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| Regarding the forthcoming 2lp on Tesco Mike comments were "The title is "the colour of a man’s skin". The theme is white hate/black hate with one disc devoted to each. One black vinyl & one white vinyl. The cover will feature all texts. there will also be a set of circular cards with artwork & a one-sided 7" picture-disc featuring the track "Ebony+Ivory". "The very long awaited TESCO dblLP/pic 7" should be out in the next couple of months. All artwork and Packaging are manufactured and by now the master should have gone to the pressing Plant. I have no definite Plans for future releases but am beginning to plan some new recording for late this year - for compilations: maybe a collaboration 7" or MCD/MCD-R maybe a long Planned split 10" or 12" with THE GREY WOLVES for POWER & STEEL. In the next weeks I will also start to think about the next major CON-DOM projects to be recorded sometime in 2002. I have no immediate Plans to release any more old tapes on LP or CD. But maybe "Scorched Earth Policy" with MILITIA will one day is re-released. Perhaps also the very limited tape that was released on BLOODLUST!" There is also a project from a tape in special packaging on Bentley Welcome Careful drivers titled "Bible right". |
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