Jon Dale

Solo Soli IIIII, Scratch Pet Land
Fantastic set of toy-tronics from the Badoux brothers (who later split into DJ Elephant Power and Sun OK Papi K.O.). As with most Sonig music, it stays within the boundaries of childlike/pleasure-some, as opposed to childish/irritating. Attention to recording materials and process actually reminds me quite a bit of musique concrete, too.

Beyond The Dream Syndicate: Tony Conrad And The Arts After Cage, Branden Wayne Joseph
Excellently written exposition of Conrad's 'position' on the arts. Particularly good sections on the politics of Henry Flynt, etc. and the use of Foucault (genealogy) and Deleuze & Guattari (minor literature) feels relevant, not over-egged. A nice reminder of Conrad's drive to put the cad back into academic. Now I have to read Joseph's book on Anthony McCall.

Optical Sound Films 1971-2007 DVD, Guy Sherwin
I very much appreciate the internal fortitude and singlemindedness of Sherwin's approach to film, his obsession with 'light and time', the fundamentals of the filmic. Works like 'Cycles' are so brutally mainlined.

An Optimist Notes The Dusk, David Grubbs
Due out in September, I've been lucky enough to score a sneak preview, it's his best since The Thicket, I think. David's voice in full bloom and the compositions beautifully spare; there's a new surety to his songwriting. Very good.

Art & Language: various publications
Flicking through these for my research, I'm constantly astounded and impressed by the rigour of the approach, and the great, wily sense of humour behind a lot of the writing. How can you not find Terry Atkinson, Mel Ramsden, Ian Burn etc hilarious? And, typical of the best humour, the work's as serious as your life.

The first time I ever read anything by Jon Dale, it was a review of a ZZ Top concert for a music zine. It was funny, smart and captured that musical crime scene in hyper-vivid detail. All those qualities still fire up his writing - a rarity in the bloated world of music press. He's written for lots of mags, such as The Wire and Uncut and currently is keeping the academic world on its toes.