(John Frusciante) Ataxia: Automatic Writing II [05/29/07]

[davepeck]

Ataxia II is due out on May 29th 2007!

ATAXIA was a band for about two weeks in February 2004. It’s members are Joe Lally of Fugazi, Josh Klinghoffer and John Frusciante.

The word ‘Ataxia’ is Greek for ‘disorder’. We were unaware at the time that it also has a meaning in English which is: total or partial inability to coordinate voluntary bodily movements, as in walking.

In keeping with our names’ Greek meaning (quite unintentionally), the sections of our songs never had an arranged order. All our songs’ foundations are the bass which always plays one part throughout. The drums and guitar move about and generally use the vocal as their guide. The vocals and words were written, but the order the vocal sections occurred in, and how long the spaces between were, was different every time. So we would all stay on our toes to stay together for dynamics, changes in groove, switches to new sections, etc.

We played two shows and recorded two records. The first record was released in August 2004. It was named after the surrealist activity called Automatic Writing. That was where people like Andre Breton and Max Ernst would write words in the form of sentences and paragraphs, but with absolutely no conscious attempt at meaning. They would observe the structure of their subconscious and it’s peculiar methods of organization (or the lack thereof) this way. And if there is one sure answer I can give to the question, “How did you write and record two albums in a week and a half?”, it is that we gave absolutely no thought to what we were doing, whatsoever.

This music is unblemished by any expectations of a specific result, on our part. The three of us simply got together to hear what music had to say that week. We had fun together and this is the record of that fun.

John Frusciante

http://www.johnfrusciante.com/

hell yes.

[jocelyn]

hm. No kidding.

[RudeBwoy]

im counting the days, hope this one is just as good as the first

[Whathefunk]

well i guess the first album flew right under my radar...  but after checking out some samples of the first cd, i will be purchasing both asap.

[davepeck]

well i guess the first album flew right under my radar...  but after checking out some samples of the first cd, i will be purchasing both asap.

mikey - do you have any of john\'s solo stuff? if not, i\'d suggest you drop everything and pick up shadows collide with people immediately.

[Whathefunk]

well i guess the first album flew right under my radar...  but after checking out some samples of the first cd, i will be purchasing both asap.

mikey - do you have any of john\'s solo stuff? if not, i\'d suggest you drop everything and pick up shadows collide with people immediately.

hmmm i have to record water for only ten days.  i\'m pretty sure i\'ve heard that one too, but don\'t own it.  i remember thinking it was very similar to the first album, but maybe its not shadows i\'m thinking of.  anyway i think the idea behind ataxia is really interesting, so i\'ll prob just pick up both, if you say shadows is where its at.

[davepeck]

well i guess the first album flew right under my radar...  but after checking out some samples of the first cd, i will be purchasing both asap.

mikey - do you have any of john\'s solo stuff? if not, i\'d suggest you drop everything and pick up shadows collide with people immediately.

hmmm i have to record water for only ten days.  i\'m pretty sure i\'ve heard that one too, but don\'t own it.  i remember thinking it was very similar to the first album, but maybe its not shadows i\'m thinking of.  anyway i think the idea behind ataxia is really interesting, so i\'ll prob just pick up both, if you say shadows is where its at.

\'To Record Only Water...\' was his second (official - 3rd total) release, and is definitely the most \'different\' out of all his solo stuff (mainly due to the whole electronic sound/feel of it).. the two before that (\'Niandra Lades And Usually Just A T-Shirt\' and \'Smile From The Streets You Hold\') were total heroin albums, and while there\'s some good material on both, they\'re really depressing to listen to and think what kind of rut john was in when he recorded them..

\'Shadows...\' was the first of the six releases john put out in 2004 (the ataxia cd included). they all kind of have their own theme.. most of the others are pretty short, but \'Shadows...\' is a full 18 tracks (including 3 throw-away \'noise\' tracks). Chad plays drums on the whole thing, and flea plays (upright) bass on the last tune. the first time i listened to it, i hated myself for not listening to it sooner. it\'s damn good.

[Whathefunk]

very interesting....

[wildcoyote]

How\'d this thread slip past me for this long?  It\'s about a thread was devoted to John\'s solo stuff...