(PROLOGUE. I’ve been tinkering with this text for a couple of weeks and I’ve become convinced I will never be entirely happy that it communicates exactly what I have on mind as what I have in mind is a buzzing noise. We’ll go with this edit and see what happens. GoB 21/01/23)

The GoB didn’t put out very much new material in 2022. The two preceding years saw the challenges and changes of the pandemic and the post pandemic response. It’s fair to say wider society really didn’t learn much at all from the almost end times. Of the two pieces that get did produced, one was an angry screed that started well, had some interesting aspects, but spent so long in gestation it lost some impetus.

The second one came together relatively quickly, originated from a surprising source and remains more pleasing to my current view of what songs for the collapse should be.

‘Fawkes Mask’ was a response to some musical sections that arrived anonymously by email. The sender had evidently read the ‘about’ section on the website and had made a considered and intelligent response.

“Contributions are encouraged from those wishing to share creative output that might not fit into their main practice and as such wish to fly under the radar.” G.O.B 2015

More here – https://gloveofbones.com/2022/11/05/fawkes-mask/

Producing the Fawkes Mask works reminded me of the two Ensemble De Cadavres Exquis projects. The first produced a surprisingly coherent record, the second lacked the coherence but as a piece of work it still surprises and perplexes me. It is unhinged, scatter shot and prone to inciting exciting anxiety. These all positive traits.

Between the Fawkes Mask and the Corpse projects I’m minded to accept that being involved through collaboration with others broadens the pool of experience and can produce exciting and unusual results.

To that end I am proposing and posting here an open invitation to collaborate on a new cycle of work.

The GoB first appeared at the close of 2014, shortly after one of those ‘big birthday events’. At the close of 2024 it will have been churning on for 10 years. To that end I would like to document this mark on the wall of  time with a collection of work that concerns itself with the Apocalypse. I mean this in the Mesoamerican terminology, the astronomical transition of one age to the next (although given our current global ineptitude the more common definition may prevail).

A manifesto of sorts

The Department of Works believes that the documents that record the times are those that create the times.

As with most creative endeavours, I am reluctant to put any rules or regulations in place as the surprises of new directions often lead to more sunlit uplands and bigger fish.

The Department is concerned with the inner and outer, the physical & metaphysical, the provable and the imagined.

The aim is to produce a suite of creative projects. Musically these may be collaborations, remix projects, or as with the Fawkes Mask work the submission of original materials to use or repurpose into other newer forms. The project is not however limited to musical outcomes.

The documents will reflect the past, present and future of all things through the grubby filter of now. This age adores filters. It is the filter-age.

Where possible we will produce and present visual evidences; from paintings, drawings & videos, we would be pleased to receive contributions to this effect. The platforms to exhibit these whilst primarily in the digital world may be allowed to leak out ‘IRL’.

The Department of Works is commissioned to study and document the world according to the small parts of the internet that this profile and/or fantasist entity reaches. The ledger is open, and its pages are yet to be written.

We are interested in the following materials;

• Original musical works. Most genres considered if they can show some connection to the arch of the project.
• Contributions of musical parts or stems that can be used/edited/mutilated in a good cause. This can include variations on the use of the human voice, spoken word, vocalisations.
• Supporting written works that might add colour or context to some aspect of the evidence.
• Visual artefacts & documents
• Contributions of moving images that can be used/edited/mutilated, again in a good cause.

The following can be taken as signs or symbols that have some bearing on the direction of travel intended.

Having cruised several artist Manifestos this has some resonance.

“I am for an art that is political-erotical-mystical, that does something other than sit on its ass in a museum.
I am for an art that grows up not knowing it is art at all, an art given the chance of having a starting point of zero… “

Claes Oldenburg

Themes we are pursuing include but will not be limited to;

• Lost or mythical places that have contemporary resonance, sunken islands & ghost villages
• Mysterious signals. Whether from space, other realms, number stations or other unidentified locations
• Philosophies that seem to have particular relation to current events – Discordianism, Gnosis, Futurism or other isms.
• Poetic works
• Imaginary soundtracks for imaginary or real films that document modern times
• Unreliable narrators

Beginnings – The Beekeeper

The first project is titled ‘The Beekeeper’. Currently this will be an instrumental album that loosely follows a narrative that is emerging from a series of images generated through the Midjourney Ai application. In the next few weeks, I will start to post these images with some associated titles and a more defined indication of what the narrative entails. I will be inviting contributions of either original tracks or collaborative additions to pieces I produce.

Whilst still some way off, I have had some discussion with a creative colleague about launching an imprint net label where projects submitted to The Department can live. This would be a non-commercial platform initially and a place to centralise and store important Department evidence documents.

I look forward to hearing from interested parties. Let’s make some myths.

“Myth is a powerful medium because it talks to the emotions and not to the head, it moves us into an area of mystery. Some myths are poisonous to believe in, but others have the capacity for changing something inside us, even if it’s only for a minute or two.”

Sam Shepard discussing the Rolling Thunder Review

“Noise is relative to the silence preceding it. The more absolute the hush, the more shocking the thunderclap.”

Alan Moore – V for Vendetta

Whilst still in planning the output of the DoW will have a specific design style, format or ‘brand’ identity.

The Department of Works is open for submissions. We have two years; the clock is ticking.

Suggestions and contributions should be sent to therighthand@gloveofbones.com