Domus momus

July 20, 2008 11:33 AM

A slightly drunken Momus sings us a song from his living room, then gives us 5000 years of chairs in 5 mimutes.
posted by vronsky (35 comments total)

That chair video is perhaps the single most boring thing I have seen in a very long time. Who is this person?
posted by demiurge at 11:48 AM on July 20, 2008

That chair video is perhaps the single most wonderful thing I have seen in a very long time. Who is this person?
posted by UbuRoivas at 11:54 AM on July 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

One may know Momus by his cock [NSFW]. Or his music.
posted by carsonb at 11:58 AM on July 20, 2008

That cock link is perhaps the single most horrible thing I have seen in a very long time.
posted by UbuRoivas at 12:01 PM on July 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

You really like the chair video? I tried to watch the whole thing, but I had to fast forward every 20 seconds when I felt my eyes defocusing. There's no accounting for taste, I guess.
posted by demiurge at 12:02 PM on July 20, 2008

I've never heard of Momus before, but I kind of like it. Though it's neither the most boring nor the most wonderful thing I've heard in a long time - I'd classify it as 'nifty' - it is lovely.

Also he's Scottish and has a huge cock and there's nothing wrong with that.
posted by Pecinpah at 12:03 PM on July 20, 2008

I made it through a solid 3 minutes of that video. I was actually enjoying it until it suddenly hit me: Wait, how bored must I be? I'm watching a slide show of chair photos!

I'm gonna grab a beer and watch the rest.
posted by JaredSeth at 12:08 PM on July 20, 2008

That cock link is perhaps the single most horrible thing I have seen in a very long time.

I can't even begin to count the number of horrible things in the world that I would have to ignore to be able to make this statement.
posted by Huck500 at 12:11 PM on July 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

He lost his eye to a chair...well that's what I think what happened.
posted by Hands of Manos at 12:16 PM on July 20, 2008

I can't even begin to count the number of horrible things in the world that I would have to ignore to be able to make this statement.

Ignorance is Bliss!
posted by UbuRoivas at 12:28 PM on July 20, 2008

I really like the chair video. But then I have a borderline unhealthy liking for chairs and their design, and tend to take photos of interesting ones myself. (I also like the way Momus added a little sample of a slide projector clicking to his video.)
posted by jack_mo at 12:30 PM on July 20, 2008

epilogue for video:

invented chair for penis.
posted by MsCoco@6:58 at 12:32 PM on July 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

I enjoyed the chair video. It made me consider how little I've ever thought of seating before today.
posted by Donnie VandenBos at 12:33 PM on July 20, 2008

I enjoyed the chair video. It made me consider how little I've ever thought of seating before today.

He's good like that. He's a professional aesthete.
posted by chuckdarwin at 1:03 PM on July 20, 2008

I thought the chair video was pretty interesting, though I was disappointed that "5000 years of chairs" spent almost all of its time on the last 50 years. Maybe he could team up with Petroski for extra win.
posted by hattifattener at 1:18 PM on July 20, 2008

I can't possibly like Momus after the way he disrespected Wendy Carlos. If you don't know the story, he released a song called "Walter Carlos" about Wendy going back in time and marrying herself before her sex change. It was a really crass and tasteless shot out of nowhere at someone who did nothing to deserve it.
posted by DecemberBoy at 1:20 PM on July 20, 2008

I quite like his blog, as you can see.
posted by chuckdarwin at 1:38 PM on July 20, 2008

"Walter Carlos" is cute and charming and is probably the most innocuous track on Little Red Songbook, and I lost all respect for Wendy when she involved lawyers over a song that's too gentle to really even call parody.
posted by bunnytricks at 1:57 PM on July 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

carsonb: "One may know Momus by his cock [NSFW]. Or his music."

God dammit carsonb, that's my line.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 2:00 PM on July 20, 2008

Sorry, gnifti. Hear here, everyone: props are due, indeed, and not just because goodnewsfortheinsane is the initial cock-linker, but also because his cock-link stuck fast in my memory, and was not limp in execution.
posted by carsonb at 2:07 PM on July 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

You, sir, are a poet and a scholar.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 2:15 PM on July 20, 2008

I liked the chair video. And I've had a nearly life-long love of the music of Wendy Carlos. And, without having heard the offending song itself, it seems going after Momus for $22 million was a really shitty thing to do, and helps make our already litigious and copyright-fanatical culture even worse. But do I really have to pick sides? Can't I like them both, even if they don't like one another?
posted by treepour at 2:39 PM on July 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

$22 Million?!?? That Wendy's sure got some balls.
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:59 PM on July 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

I think you are all being paranomiaiod :-P
posted by vronsky at 3:14 PM on July 20, 2008

Yeah, in a jar, on her shelf.
posted by vronsky at 3:14 PM on July 20, 2008

Here is Wendy's side of the story, sort of (she doesn't mention Momus directly and isn't talking only about the song). Basically, she was legitimately very hurt by it, and although she did "involve lawyers", the suit was settled with Momus only having to pay legal fees and agreeing to withdraw the song and never mention her publicly again.
posted by DecemberBoy at 3:25 PM on July 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

Momus is awesome. Saw him live a long time back. His lyrical style is enjoyable, and he has an eyepatch like Slick Rick. What's not to like?
posted by chunking express at 3:30 PM on July 20, 2008

And forget his penis, lovely as it is. They should plaster-caster his brain.
posted by vronsky at 3:42 PM on July 20, 2008

And forget his penis, lovely as it is.

But I can't help wondering if that was what poked his eye out. You can't be too careful with a thing that size.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 4:09 PM on July 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

Here is Wendy's side of the story

From her website:

"Wendy Carlos is one of the most important composers living today."

And modest, too...
posted by PeterMcDermott at 4:16 PM on July 20, 2008

he released a song called "Walter Carlos" about Wendy going back in time and marrying herself before her sex change.

So called her a narcissist...

It seems that I am a barometer. This is why I suggest you can use me to benchmark any dormant cruelty or lack of compassion in a person you wish to know more about -- a potential friend, or lover, or even a business partner. Check them out.

...and it turns out he was right.

Her Clockwork Orange soundtrack still beats anything he's ever put his hands to.
posted by kid ichorous at 10:06 PM on July 20, 2008

1,000 20th Century Chairs by Kahimi Karie, written by Momus.
posted by Dr-Baa at 10:10 AM on July 21, 2008 [1 favorite]

Also, if Wendy Carlos didn't sue Momus, we wouldn't have Stars Forever.
posted by Dr-Baa at 10:11 AM on July 21, 2008

lullatone :)
posted by vronsky at 10:50 AM on July 21, 2008

Meh! None of those chairs really rocked.

Though some were rock.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 11:16 AM on July 21, 2008