ATTACK SQUAD
[ A brief introduction to our extended-techniques “professors.” ]
KEITH ROWE
Trained as a visual artist, Rowe was a founding member of both the influential AMM in the mid
1960s and M.I.M.E.O. Since the late ’90s, he has been busy recording and touring. He is seen as a
godfather of electroacoustic improvisation, and many of his recent recordings have been released by
Erstwhile Records.
Essential Listening: Weather Sky
FRED FRITH
Frith was one of the founding members of the English avant-rock group Henry Cow. He has also been a
member of Art Bears, Massacre, and Skeleton Crew, collaborating with Robert Wyatt, Derek Bailey, the
Residents, John Zorn, Brian Eno, and Bill Laswell. He has composed several long works, and teaches at
Mills College.
Essential Listening: Guitar Solos
STIAN WESTERHUS
If the world of extended guitar treatments has a rock star, it’s definitely Stian Westerhus. He plays in
Monolithic, Puma, Nils Petter Molvaer Group, and many more ensembles. Recently, he has put his energy
into challenging the electric guitar alone onstage through the filter of his Norwegian heritage and his love
of the iconic metal band Slayer.
Essential Listening: Pitch Black Star Spangled
HANS TAMMEN
Tammen produces what he calls “endangered guitar”—aggressive sonic eruptions, quiet pulses, and barely
audible sounds—with both mechanical implements and interactive software programming. His works are
presented at festivals all over the world. He has recorded for Innova, ESP-DISK, Nur/Nicht/Nur, Creative
Sources, Leo Records, Potlatch, Cadence, and Hybrid.
Essential Listening: Endangered Guitar
ROGER KLEIER
Kleier’s past includes composition studies at North Texas State University and the University of
Southern California, where he developed a style that draws from improvisation, contemporary classical
music, blues, jazz, and rock. Much of his compositional work involves the use of extended techniques
and digital sound manipulation. He has composed new works for soloists and chamber groups, and collaborated with Annie Gosfield, Marc Ribot, Elliott Sharp, Fred Frith, John Zorn, and many others.
Essential Listening: The Night Has Many Hours
YOUTUBE IT
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1. “Keith Rowe – Prepared Guitar” Rowe discusses his relationship to extended techniques and brutalizes his instrument. 2. “Fred Frith - solo concert
from Mózg” Here Frith plays his nut-pickup rig and uses a drumstick in ways Ringo Starr never imagined. 3. “Stian Westerhus - Live session for BBC
part 1/5” This five-part BBC series is a beautifully shot, wonderfully recorded example of Westerhus in action. 4. “Hans Tammen - Nick Didkovsky - Kurt
Ralske: Shadow Puppies ( 1)” Tammen, fellow 6-string avant-garde-ist Nick Didkovsky, and videographer Kurt Ralske perform a real-time dystopian horror-movie soundtrack. 5. “Roger Kleier – Interlude” The music in this clip may not sound like guitar, but much of it began life as just that—but it was warped
by extended techniques before being morphed by software applications.
