Some of the members of Negativland. Photo credit: Negativland.
“Right Might” is taken from the upcoming Negativland release It’s All In Your Head, arriving October 28th
The Onion’s A.V. Club has the exclusive premiere of Negativland’s “Right Might” here!
See the trailer for the new Negativland album It’s All In Your Head via Dangerous Minds!
“Right Might,” a selection from Negativland’s new double album It’s All In Your Head, is a goofy riff on imperialism (and minimalism), war mongering, and intolerance. But what is the origin of the “found sound” voices used to make it?
Years ago, Negativland was contacted by an insider at the Disney corporation who had access to the entire audio archives of Disneyland and Disney World. He was a fan of the Negativland’s work, and asked the band if they wanted anything from the Disney audio archive.
“Hell, yes!” Negativland replied. “Send along anything from Disney attractions that are long gone, or any audio out-takes, bloopers, background sounds, music cues, etc.” Soon, the group received a custom-made set of almost 100 CD-R’s, an unbelievable treasure trove of great material – all completely unheard by the outside world – for Negativland to pick from.
One of the tracks was the raw and un-edited recording sessions for “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln”, an attraction thatDisney first opened in 1964 at the New York World’s Fair, and was later moved to Main Street in Disneyland in 1965.
“Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” famously became known as the world’s first Audio-Animatronic robot, and whatNegativland had on its hands was a recording of actor Royal Dano, the voice talent for the Lincoln robot, heard being directed and cued by the producer of the recording session for the attraction.
Negativland took that never-meant-to-be-heard session and severely re-edited it into what you now hear on “Right Might”.
Negativland’s new album, It’s All In Your Head, finds the group tackling their biggest subject ever: why humans believe in God. Millennia-in-development, this ambitious and densely-crafted double CD is packaged inside an actual Holy Bible which has been appropriately repurposed into a “found” art object.
It’s All In Your Head intends to entertain, inform, and provoke. On the CDs, Negativland mixes found music, found sound, found dialogue, guest personalities and original electronic noises into a compelling and thoughtful musical essay that looks at monotheism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, neuroscience, suicide bombers, 9/11, colas, war, shaved chimps, and the all-important role played by the human brain in our beliefs. Reading the attached Bible is optional.
The audio is presented as a live radio broadcast, modeled after Negativland’s weekly “Over the Edge” radio program onKPFA FM in Berkeley, CA. This theater-of-the-mind project has been carefully crafted from basic tracks recorded live in front of blindfolded studio audiences, and documents the unique style of live collage performances that Negativland has been presenting on stages, and on radio, since the formation of the group in 1980.
Since its previous album release six years ago, Negativland has kept busy with its weekly radio program, lectures, art gallery shows and live performances in the U.S. and Europe. Currently in the works are several different studio albums, including Negativland’s all-electronic “Booper Symphonies,” two brand new “Over the Edge” album releases, more art shows, and a new touring live show called “Content!” which recently played to a capacity audience at Seattle‘sBumbershoot Festival.
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