Karlophone: Difference between revisions

'''Karlophone''' is the main music project of [[Weezer]] associate and webmaster [[Karl Koch]]. Described by Koch as "mixed media collage in the form of mostly instrumental mellow hip-hop",<ref>[[Vin's F*****g Uncensored Blog interview with Karl Koch - July 13, 2007]]</ref> Karlophone combines samples from existing recordings and original music to create songs. Karlophone is also the name under which Koch posts at message boards, such as [[Albumsix]].

Karlophone formed from music and recording experiments started in [[1996]] by Karl Koch. Originally inspired by a combo of the sample and sound collage work of early '90s hip-hop, the crazy creations of DJ Shadow and his ilk, and particularly by the newfound affordability of samplers and musical gear, an attempt was started to make songs out of a blend of samples and freshly recorded music.

After a few hundred rather repetitive hours of tape was laid down, and a few thousand records were dug into, the first Karlophone album ''[[Press Any Key to Begin]]'' took shape, finally seeing release in fall [[2002]]. The album was released to a small but appreciative audience, and gained some positive reviews, notably a nice write up in France's ''Rock Sound'' magazine, and an A- [http://www.inmusicwetrust.com/articles/67e04.html review] at In Music We Trust.

New Karlophone material started taking shape in mid-[[2003]]. Simultaneously, the Swiss DJ [http://www.kidchocolat.ch/ Kid Chocolat] contacted Karl and proposed a mutual remix project. Karlophone went first, creating a remix (the [[Dr. Strangelove Sings the Beatles (Num Num Mix)|"Num Num Mix"]]) of Kid Chocolat's "Dr.Strangelove Sings the Beatles" track, which eventually saw release on the Kid Chocolat Remix album [https://www.discogs.com/release/15928937?utm_source=mobile&utm_medium=app&utm_campaign=Android%20App ''Hello Children: The Peter Sellers RMX''].

Then Kid Chocolat tackled "[[Desire]]" from ''Press Any Key to Begin''. His remix eventually saw release on vinyl, on the b-side of the 7" release of the single. It was also played on-air on [[November 4]], [[2004]], on the FM radio station KZSU as part of an "All Soul Strut" show.<ref>Raj. (2004). Soul Strut. https://web.archive.org/web/20220318232430/https://community.soulstrut.com/discussion/69014/.</ref>  

The 7" single for "Desire" was released in [[2004]], and featured the album track on one side, and 2 songs on the b-Side. One was Kid Chocolat's "Desire" remix, and the other was a new song "[[If You Listen]]", which was co-produced by [[Franklin Mint]] (a moniker of [[Pat Wilson]]), who also played guitars on the track.

 

The next Karlophone releases were small and obscure. In early [[2006]], a 30 second long track "[[How Many Minutes]]" was submitted and released on YYY Records' ''Amazon Grace'' compilation, whose purpose was to subvert the Amazon.com 30 second sound sample system by releasing a compilation CD that consisted only of 77 30-second long songs. While the CD would not actually go up for sale on Amazon.com, it was in fact released.<ref>"Amazon Grace". Y-Y-Y Records. https://web.archive.org/web/20071010062714/http://www.y-y-y.biz/p_amazongrace.html.</ref>

 

Also in early [[2006]], the micro-indie label Lap Records of the UK released a compilation called ''Beetbox 2: Electric Boogaloo'' which was a promo give-away only. This CD included the only CD release of "[[If You Listen]]" from the "Desire" 7".

 

By Spring [[2006]], the new Karlophone album was taking shape. The process of refining and remixing proceeded through the summer and into the fall, with recording finally completed by November [[2006]]. The album was called ''[[I Must Find This Karlophone...]]'' and was originally slated for release right after Christmas [[2006]], but some last minute delays pushed it to early [[2007]].

 

The album was released on CD and also on vinyl LP, in a limited edition of 150 copies. Prohibitive production costs prevented it being a 2 LP set, so one song had to be trimmed so the album would fit on one LP.

 

After the release of ''I Must Find This Karlophone...'', it was back to the drawing board with the intention of crafting a 3rd album. As of mid 2011, the new material is still under construction.

| | ''[[Press Any Key to Begin]]''

| | ''[[I Must Find This Karlophone...]]

 

| | "[[Desire]]"

 

===Compilation appearances===

{| class="wikitable" style="clear:both; table border="1" font-size:1em;"

|style="text-align:center;" |2004

| |"[[Dr. Strangelove Sings the Beatles (Num Num Mix)]]"  

| |''Hello Children: The Peter Sellers RMX''

|style="text-align:center;" |2006

| |"[[How Many Minutes]]"

| |''Amazon Grace''

|style="text-align:center;" |2006

| |"[[If You Listen]]"

| |''Beetbox 2: Electric Boogaloo''

| |Lap Records

 

{| class="wikitable" style="clear:both; table border="1" font-size:1em;"

| |"[[Station I.D.]]"

|style="text-align:center;" |2009

| |"[[The Prettiest Girl in the Whole Wide World]] (Karlophone Remix)"  

| |[[DGC Records]]

* [http://www.karlophone.com Official Site]

* [http://www.myspace.com/karlophone Official MySpace]

* [http://www.youtube.com/karlophone Karlophone on YouTube]

* [http://www.twitter.com/karlophone Karlophone on Twitter]

* [http://www.last.fm/music/karlophone Karlophone Last.fm profile]