New Triple Album by Reformed Faction out soon...
Reformed Faction are Robin Storey and Mark Spybey. Their new
release “I Am The Source of Light, I Am Not a Mirror” follows their
2007 Soleilmoon release “The War Against”, and is their third album.
Their debut release “Vota” was released in 2005 by Austrian label
Klanggalerie. The band has played live in both North America and
Europe.
Reformed Faction did not set out to record a
triple album, but that is exactly what they have done. Reformed Faction
do not talk about making music. They make music. They assemble and
record and use improvised material to stimulate the development of
composed pieces. The music was assembled in the same way that the CD
package was: through active collaboration. “What folks probably don’t
realize is that we have always embraced technology. We use technology,
we aren’t governed by it. We have to learn how to use equipment in our
own way, which means that instruction manuals are never referred to. We
make music. We try not to theorise, and we avoid interpretation or
analysis of our music like the plague.”
This is an homage
of sorts, to the last 40 years of music making. Robin began as a
guitarist, Mark as a drummer. Throughout their careers they have
neither deliberately nor consciously eschewed the use of conventional
instruments or traditional compositional techniques. They do not regard
themselves as an “experimental” band, preferring to leave the
laboratory safe in the hands of physicists and technicians. A long time
ago :zoviet-france: declared that they could, if they wished, create
the perfect pop record or the archetypal country record. Both Mark and
Robin were profoundly influenced by the music of rock bands in the
seventies while boldly assimilating ideas from world music in the
belief that all musical sources exist to be appropriated. In the same
way, over the years, they have embraced technology. This is
“anti-restictivist” music. “We realized a long time ago that as soon as
we left :zoviet-france: our cover was blown. We could no longer hide
under the false mantle of anonymity.”
For Reformed
Faction, each album is an attempt to develop ideas. The three CDs that
comprise “I Am the Source of Light, I am Not a Mirror” are collages,
each intended to be listened to in their entirety. The contributions of
various friends have been assimilated into the recordings. The East
German band Scatology and the American band Not Breathing both
contributed to the process. Tommy Grenas of the Los Angeles band
Anubian Lights, who Mark met through Damo Suzuki, came to stay with the
band and also joined in the recording sessions. The recordings took on
a life of their own. Picture the backdrop: the rainy landscape of
northern England, the collection of classic seventies albums from the
likes of Faust and Can, and the band’s preoccupation with the cultural
and political legacy left by the dissolution of the eastern block
countries. Reformed Faction spent time in the city of Dresden, where
they met the artist Ira Tannheuser, who supplied the images used in the
booklet accompanying the CD. The finishing touches were generated by
Shaya, an enterprising Afghan trader and fan of Reformed Faction who
trekked through the fabled Thar desert in the Sind province of southern
Pakistan, and there discovered a long-forgotten depository of hand made
metal boxes that had been manufactured 30 years ago in the town of
Mithi. They were initially made for storing detonators but had never
been used. Shaya had them embossed with the Reformed Faction logo by a
local metal worker and then shipped them half-way around the world to
Soleilmoon and told us to do something with them. The boxes are still
partially encrusted with the sand of the Thar desert.
“I
Am The Source of Light, I Am Not a Mirror” is released in two
configurations. Both come with three CDs in screen printed slipcases, a
12 page full-color booklet featuring the work of East German artist Ira
Tannheuser, a screen printed insert describing the edition, a metal
badge and a sew-on cloth patch.The first edition is limited to 100
copies and is available exclusively via Soleilmoon's mailorder service.
Besides the aforementioned goodies it includes a 3 inch CDR with an
unreleased track presented in a hand numbered screen printed slipcase.
The box is made entirely of sand-cast aluminum, and features the
Reformed Faction logo on the lid. The second edition, which comes with
everything included in the first edition except for the 3 inch CDR, is
limited to 300 copies and is presented in a box made froom sand-cast
aluminum sides attached to a sheet metal top and base. The lid is
embossed with the Reformed Faction logo.
We are Reformed Fraktion. We are from the North of England. We travel. With open eyes.
Reformed Faction are Robin Storey and Mark Spybey. Their new
release “I Am The Source of Light, I Am Not a Mirror” follows their
2007 Soleilmoon release “The War Against”, and is their third album.
Their debut release “Vota” was released in 2005 by Austrian label
Klanggalerie. The band has played live in both North America and
Europe.
Reformed Faction did not set out to record a
triple album, but that is exactly what they have done. Reformed Faction
do not talk about making music. They make music. They assemble and
record and use improvised material to stimulate the development of
composed pieces. The music was assembled in the same way that the CD
package was: through active collaboration. “What folks probably don’t
realize is that we have always embraced technology. We use technology,
we aren’t governed by it. We have to learn how to use equipment in our
own way, which means that instruction manuals are never referred to. We
make music. We try not to theorise, and we avoid interpretation or
analysis of our music like the plague.”
This is an homage
of sorts, to the last 40 years of music making. Robin began as a
guitarist, Mark as a drummer. Throughout their careers they have
neither deliberately nor consciously eschewed the use of conventional
instruments or traditional compositional techniques. They do not regard
themselves as an “experimental” band, preferring to leave the
laboratory safe in the hands of physicists and technicians. A long time
ago :zoviet-
Robin were profoundly influenced by the music of rock bands in the
seventies while boldly assimilating ideas from world music in the
belief that all musical sources exist to be appropriated. In the same
way, over the years, they have embraced technology. This is
“anti-
For Reformed
Faction, each album is an attempt to develop ideas. The three CDs that
comprise “I Am the Source of Light, I am Not a Mirror” are collages,
each intended to be listened to in their entirety. The contributions of
various friends have been assimilated into the recordings. The East
German band Scatology and the American band Not Breathing both
contributed to the process. Tommy Grenas of the Los Angeles band
Anubian Lights, who Mark met through Damo Suzuki, came to stay with the
band and also joined in the recording sessions. The recordings took on
a life of their own. Picture the backdrop: the rainy landscape of
northern England, the collection of classic seventies albums from the
likes of Faust and Can, and the band’s preoccupation with the cultural
and political legacy left by the dissolution of the eastern block
countries. Reformed Faction spent time in the city of Dresden, where
they met the artist Ira Tannheuser, who supplied the images used in the
booklet accompanying the CD. The finishing touches were generated by
Shaya, an enterprising Afghan trader and fan of Reformed Faction who
trekked through the fabled Thar desert in the Sind province of southern
Pakistan, and there discovered a long-
Mithi. They were initially made for storing detonators but had never
been used. Shaya had them embossed with the Reformed Faction logo by a
local metal worker and then shipped them half-
partially encrusted with the sand of the Thar desert.
“I
Am The Source of Light, I Am Not a Mirror” is released in two
configurations. Both come with three CDs in screen printed slipcases, a
12 page full-
badge and a sew-
Besides the aforementioned goodies it includes a 3 inch CDR with an
unreleased track presented in a hand numbered screen printed slipcase.
The box is made entirely of sand-
everything included in the first edition except for the 3 inch CDR, is
limited to 300 copies and is presented in a box made froom sand-
embossed with the Reformed Faction logo.
We are Reformed Fraktion. We are from the North of England. We travel. With open eyes.