Diminished major.
August 13, 2006 5:02 PM Subscribe
I'm sure there's a joke in there that involves Billy Joel and Burning Man, but it's really not worth it.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 5:09 PM on August 13, 2006
posted by mr_crash_davis at 5:09 PM on August 13, 2006
Aw.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 5:09 PM on August 13, 2006
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 5:09 PM on August 13, 2006
That's very pretty.
On Christmas Day, we burned our pool table, which had a similarly gorgeous (but non-musical) effect. You can look at it, if you'd like.
posted by Milkman Dan at 5:14 PM on August 13, 2006
On Christmas Day, we burned our pool table, which had a similarly gorgeous (but non-musical) effect. You can look at it, if you'd like.
posted by Milkman Dan at 5:14 PM on August 13, 2006
Gah. Every bit as mature as as anyone else who's smashed an instrument for no good reason.
posted by Schlimmbesserung at 5:14 PM on August 13, 2006
posted by Schlimmbesserung at 5:14 PM on August 13, 2006
they can make more pianos.
posted by StrasbourgSecaucus at 5:21 PM on August 13, 2006
posted by StrasbourgSecaucus at 5:21 PM on August 13, 2006
"Gah. Every bit as mature as as anyone else who's smashed an instrument for no good reason."
Not a big Jimi Hendrix fan, then, eh?
But on to more important matters: THAT WAS FANTASTIC! Beautiful shots of the piano in full flaming glory! I only wish they'd done a video, so we could hear it. Those strings popping must've been wonderful!
They probably could've gotten a grant from some arts organization if they'd been so inclined. Aah, fuck that, too much paperwork and posturing. I'm glad they just BURRRRRNED the thing!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:23 PM on August 13, 2006
Not a big Jimi Hendrix fan, then, eh?
But on to more important matters: THAT WAS FANTASTIC! Beautiful shots of the piano in full flaming glory! I only wish they'd done a video, so we could hear it. Those strings popping must've been wonderful!
They probably could've gotten a grant from some arts organization if they'd been so inclined. Aah, fuck that, too much paperwork and posturing. I'm glad they just BURRRRRNED the thing!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:23 PM on August 13, 2006
i once burned a pile of computers. it was a religious experience.
posted by quonsar at 5:29 PM on August 13, 2006
posted by quonsar at 5:29 PM on August 13, 2006
I would like to point out two things from that link that I think might the US might do well to take from UK culture: ligther gel and fire starters. (Here quaintly termed "firecakes", a word I last heard my grandmother use).
Is there a reason these are not widely available in the US or is it just to be annoying?
posted by fshgrl at 5:31 PM on August 13, 2006
Is there a reason these are not widely available in the US or is it just to be annoying?
posted by fshgrl at 5:31 PM on August 13, 2006
Oh, and goodnews, thanks for the MIX article from 1999. Interesting!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:39 PM on August 13, 2006
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:39 PM on August 13, 2006
Nice, nice post.
Nice use of the blogspot template.
Seriously.
posted by squidfartz at 6:04 PM on August 13, 2006
Nice use of the blogspot template.
Seriously.
posted by squidfartz at 6:04 PM on August 13, 2006
Is there a reason these are not widely available in the US
cuz ya can use prepaid cellphones to set 'em off. and bern teh pianer.
posted by quonsar at 6:06 PM on August 13, 2006
cuz ya can use prepaid cellphones to set 'em off. and bern teh pianer.
posted by quonsar at 6:06 PM on August 13, 2006
Every bit as mature as as anyone else who's smashed an instrument for no good reason.
Does it break your heart to see those stars, smashing perfectly good guitars?
I hope this doesn't become the next Burning Man.
posted by TedW at 6:27 PM on August 13, 2006
Does it break your heart to see those stars, smashing perfectly good guitars?
I hope this doesn't become the next Burning Man.
posted by TedW at 6:27 PM on August 13, 2006
.
posted by ZenMasterThis at 6:56 PM on August 13, 2006
posted by ZenMasterThis at 6:56 PM on August 13, 2006
A crowd of onlookers gather to watch, many giving us praise and congratulations for pulling it off.
Way to go, dude! With all the barriers you must have faced, I'm absolutely stunned you were so outrageously successful. I'll bet when they stopped you at the blockades to the beach you had to do some quick thinking to explain why a piano was in the back of your truck. Or did you drop the piano on the beach from the air, like a silent soldier behind enemy lines?
And how incredible it was that you could procure inflammables like matches or lighters (no, let's be serious, no one has those!) and even, perhaps, lighter fluid. In this day and age! I thought you would have to improvise with a chorus of your own farts, but somehow you cleverly conned the guy behind the register at Wal-Mart to sell you the nefarious materials without the requisite papers. Good show!
But we stand by our actions. This is art.
I'm sorry I missed it, but as you know, I was holed up all day in the loo making art from my bottom. I'm sure you understand.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 7:17 PM on August 13, 2006
Way to go, dude! With all the barriers you must have faced, I'm absolutely stunned you were so outrageously successful. I'll bet when they stopped you at the blockades to the beach you had to do some quick thinking to explain why a piano was in the back of your truck. Or did you drop the piano on the beach from the air, like a silent soldier behind enemy lines?
And how incredible it was that you could procure inflammables like matches or lighters (no, let's be serious, no one has those!) and even, perhaps, lighter fluid. In this day and age! I thought you would have to improvise with a chorus of your own farts, but somehow you cleverly conned the guy behind the register at Wal-Mart to sell you the nefarious materials without the requisite papers. Good show!
But we stand by our actions. This is art.
I'm sorry I missed it, but as you know, I was holed up all day in the loo making art from my bottom. I'm sure you understand.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 7:17 PM on August 13, 2006
Next, they're going to burn an organ by setting a church on fire.
posted by danb at 7:29 PM on August 13, 2006
posted by danb at 7:29 PM on August 13, 2006
how dumb. What a waste - such a nice looking, and probably at least decently playing, piano.
posted by notsnot at 8:09 PM on August 13, 2006
posted by notsnot at 8:09 PM on August 13, 2006
Beautiful instrument.
Absolute shame it was left in the hands of a few disgusting fratboys with absolute shit for brains.
Fucking tragic.
Worthless post.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 8:26 PM on August 13, 2006
Absolute shame it was left in the hands of a few disgusting fratboys with absolute shit for brains.
Fucking tragic.
Worthless post.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 8:26 PM on August 13, 2006
I heartily agree with all of Baby_B's sentiments. I cringe whenever I see an overpaid (and usually talentless) rock star smash his guitar or whathaveyou, it makes me sick at the waste and the disrespect. If I couldn't afford my own piano, flute, and sax I'd be even more disgusted by the waste.
posted by zarah at 9:24 PM on August 13, 2006
posted by zarah at 9:24 PM on August 13, 2006
"Some people have been quick to criticise us, and were appauled that we even considered doing it. But we stand by our actions. This is art."
You heard the man, haters. This is art we're talking about here. I mean, they burned a frickin' piano on the beach. Do I have to spell it out for you??
posted by Arthur "Two Sheds" Jackson at 9:24 PM on August 13, 2006
You heard the man, haters. This is art we're talking about here. I mean, they burned a frickin' piano on the beach. Do I have to spell it out for you??
posted by Arthur "Two Sheds" Jackson at 9:24 PM on August 13, 2006
I think it's spelled with two Os, and an M, R, N, S.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:29 PM on August 13, 2006
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:29 PM on August 13, 2006
How much did you pay for the chunk of his guitar,
The one he ruthlessly smashed at the end of the show?
And how much will he pay for a brand new guitar,
One which hell ruthlessly smash at the end of another show?
And how long will the workers keep building him new ones?
As long as their soda cans are red, white, and blue ones.
And how long will the workers keep building him new ones?
As long as their soda cans are red, white, and blue ones.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 10:07 PM on August 13, 2006
The one he ruthlessly smashed at the end of the show?
And how much will he pay for a brand new guitar,
One which hell ruthlessly smash at the end of another show?
And how long will the workers keep building him new ones?
As long as their soda cans are red, white, and blue ones.
And how long will the workers keep building him new ones?
As long as their soda cans are red, white, and blue ones.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 10:07 PM on August 13, 2006
Somebody set fire to a freecycle/craigslist upright piano at a party I was at once. It smelled every bit as bad as you'd imagine. However, at one point something inside, perhaps the cores of the strings, began to go crazy. What-ever-it-was was flaring up and throwing off sparks like magnesium flares do, it was a hell of a thing.
posted by lekvar at 10:18 PM on August 13, 2006
posted by lekvar at 10:18 PM on August 13, 2006
It might have been art the first (dozen) times it was done by the avant-garde in the early 1970's (or possibly earlier), but it's just an immature stunt now.
posted by QuietDesperation at 11:24 PM on August 13, 2006
posted by QuietDesperation at 11:24 PM on August 13, 2006
Somebody would have gladly come and hauled that piano off, if all they were looking for was a good home for it. Some music and enjoyment was lost with the immolation of that instrument. Oh, well.
posted by wsg at 11:36 PM on August 13, 2006
posted by wsg at 11:36 PM on August 13, 2006
Incredible. This shameful act exhibits none of the hallmarks of art such as original or creative thinking.
What appalls me the most is the sad likelihood that those three cretins will probably graduate from college someday, upon which they will then unleash their abysmal problem-solving skills and complete lack of imagination upon unsuspecting clients and co-workers
As FEMA director Michael Brown so horrifically illustrated, there are hordes of C+ engineers, doctors, lawyers and other professionals out there, let's hope none of those dolts is studying International Diplomacy or Nuclear Engineering.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 12:24 AM on August 14, 2006
What appalls me the most is the sad likelihood that those three cretins will probably graduate from college someday, upon which they will then unleash their abysmal problem-solving skills and complete lack of imagination upon unsuspecting clients and co-workers
As FEMA director Michael Brown so horrifically illustrated, there are hordes of C+ engineers, doctors, lawyers and other professionals out there, let's hope none of those dolts is studying International Diplomacy or Nuclear Engineering.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 12:24 AM on August 14, 2006
Wow, a lot of folks out there feel pretty strongly about this. It's almost as if these guys had set a cute little puppy on fire or something, judging from some of the reactions...
As a musician, I can certainly understand that there should be a certain respect for the instruments on which music is made, but, jeez, lighten up a bit, eh? Man, there's a LOT of pianos in this world, and in fact a lot of them (especially old uprights) are really pretty crappy, truth be told. Of course they could've tried a little harder to get someone to come and take it away, but, well, didn't any of you folks out there who are now calling for these guy's heads on a platter ever just go and do something kinda goofy and fun, even if it wasn't the noblest, most mature thing to do?
Well, maybe not.
Anyway, OK, fine. Take these piano-burning heathens out back and shoot 'em.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:40 AM on August 14, 2006
As a musician, I can certainly understand that there should be a certain respect for the instruments on which music is made, but, jeez, lighten up a bit, eh? Man, there's a LOT of pianos in this world, and in fact a lot of them (especially old uprights) are really pretty crappy, truth be told. Of course they could've tried a little harder to get someone to come and take it away, but, well, didn't any of you folks out there who are now calling for these guy's heads on a platter ever just go and do something kinda goofy and fun, even if it wasn't the noblest, most mature thing to do?
Well, maybe not.
Anyway, OK, fine. Take these piano-burning heathens out back and shoot 'em.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:40 AM on August 14, 2006
"I don't particularly like the idea of destroying stuff just to destroy it."
"We could do much better to give it to someone who needs it, who could use it."
Real musicians don't destroy their tools.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:48 AM on August 14, 2006
"We could do much better to give it to someone who needs it, who could use it."
Real musicians don't destroy their tools.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:48 AM on August 14, 2006
Real musicians don't destroy their tools.
Wait a minute, are we talking about real musicians, or Autechre?
Just kidding. Actually, I like Autechre. I think.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 2:58 AM on August 14, 2006
Wait a minute, are we talking about real musicians, or Autechre?
Just kidding. Actually, I like Autechre. I think.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 2:58 AM on August 14, 2006
jeez, lighten up a bit, eh?
Yes, they do lighten up quite a bit, don't they?
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 3:02 AM on August 14, 2006
Yes, they do lighten up quite a bit, don't they?
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 3:02 AM on August 14, 2006
Self-Godwin! Thread over.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 3:03 AM on August 14, 2006
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 3:03 AM on August 14, 2006
What on earth was wrong with freecycling the piano again and giving it to someone who'd use it?
Fucking cretins.
posted by handee at 3:25 AM on August 14, 2006
Fucking cretins.
posted by handee at 3:25 AM on August 14, 2006
no doubt giggling in the bar if the students' union bar about the amount of people they've pissed off.
Glad that they've had some effect on the world, even if it is widely perceived as a negative one.
Enjoy it while it lasts boys. You rule.
posted by johnny novak at 3:37 AM on August 14, 2006
Glad that they've had some effect on the world, even if it is widely perceived as a negative one.
Enjoy it while it lasts boys. You rule.
posted by johnny novak at 3:37 AM on August 14, 2006
After reading the comments on the blog itself, they're currently being lampooned at a rate of about 5 to 1. So, I guess they won't be legends after all.
posted by triv at 3:56 AM on August 14, 2006
posted by triv at 3:56 AM on August 14, 2006
My main complaint is they took no video or audio of the event. That makes them total fucking useless morons, to me.
posted by agregoli at 8:27 AM on August 14, 2006
posted by agregoli at 8:27 AM on August 14, 2006
Wait a second, when we bring beer to our $burning_event, people say "dumb rednecks" but if some guys get something off of $web_two_dot_oh_website and burn it, it's supposed to be art?
There's a fine line between "art" and burning stuff like Beavis & Butthead.
posted by drstein at 9:41 AM on August 14, 2006
There's a fine line between "art" and burning stuff like Beavis & Butthead.
posted by drstein at 9:41 AM on August 14, 2006
I'm with flapjax
posted by craven_morhead at 11:24 AM on August 14, 2006
posted by craven_morhead at 11:24 AM on August 14, 2006
Isn't there some piece where you take turns nailing the keys of a piano down? Sonic Youth made a recording of it. Anybody? Beuller?
posted by es_de_bah at 12:02 PM on August 14, 2006
posted by es_de_bah at 12:02 PM on August 14, 2006
Throw in some footage of a fish flopping on dry land, and you've got the makings of a Faith No More Video.
posted by jonp72 at 1:00 PM on August 14, 2006
posted by jonp72 at 1:00 PM on August 14, 2006
Chris in the Morning made true art when he flung Maggie's already-burnt piano with that trebuchet.
\bonus points if you get this one
posted by zardoz at 5:20 PM on August 14, 2006
\bonus points if you get this one
posted by zardoz at 5:20 PM on August 14, 2006
Oops; referenced above, actually happened in "Burning Down the House", season 3 episode 14
posted by TedW at 5:41 PM on August 14, 2006
posted by TedW at 5:41 PM on August 14, 2006
I really don't see what's wrong with this. There's no shortage of pianos out there. Goodwill and Salvation Army won't take pianos or organs because nobody want's em. There is a surplus of old pianos out there because cheap pianos become unplayable after a while. There is a point after which there's no point repairing them and they'll just go to the dump. When you add together the cost of retuning an old freecycle piano, plus putting new felt heads on the hammers, fixing any keys that are stuck or unresponsive, plus any of 100 other little-but-neccessarry maintenance issues you're looking at spending $1000 on a piano that probably cost $2500. The only people who are likely to appreciate this piano as it it, in its current state, would be avant-guard performance artists, and trust me, they already have five.
Is this art? Gods no, but it's also not some crime against humainty, or even the destruction of an instrument that anybody will miss.
posted by lekvar at 7:06 PM on August 14, 2006 [1 favorite]
Is this art? Gods no, but it's also not some crime against humainty, or even the destruction of an instrument that anybody will miss.
posted by lekvar at 7:06 PM on August 14, 2006 [1 favorite]
I would have enjoyed that.
some one said its a rock and roll thing to do (or the blog did) ... yeah
and how about if its 1967 somewhere at night in England and you destroy a piano after ouring paint on it in your Napoleon outfits under colored floodlights. ?
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posted by celerystick at 9:59 PM on August 14, 2006
some one said its a rock and roll thing to do (or the blog did) ... yeah
and how about if its 1967 somewhere at night in England and you destroy a piano after ouring paint on it in your Napoleon outfits under colored floodlights. ?
">
posted by celerystick at 9:59 PM on August 14, 2006
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ywg-PdeGVL0
posted by celerystick at 10:01 PM on August 14, 2006
posted by celerystick at 10:01 PM on August 14, 2006
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Other ways to destroy a piano.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:02 PM on August 13, 2006