Last time, I was talking about ‘rare’ Mr. Strauss recordings and my enjoyment of finding and listening to them. So instead for this, the second part of a very special top 10, I’m going to concentrate on the other stuff, the stories pictures and other text. If Justin Turner were writing this he’d call it the non-dynamaic-media.

Eyes up front please - Eyes up front…

5. The Mr Strauss Bespoke Essay Writing service.

A seemingly innocent page so easy to dismiss that I ignored it for a good while until I came across other text that reminded me of its existance.

Put simply we are talking the prostitution of writers, and this is the glass window in which Strauss is bent over with a large dildo in hand to demonstrate that he can accept pretty much anything into his well worn writer’s rectum.

Now based upon the system of morals that I subscribe to I’m left thinking, after reading this advert, that this alone is enough to guarantee him a place in hell. Not art hell (which as you know is bad joke version of a cross between Disneyland and Dante’s Inferno) but actual hell. The hell that’s pretty difficult to believe in because it includes the notion of infinity which our brains aren’t big enough to properly process.

Cost varies by assignment. But to give you a sense of approximate range, a five page English paper on a given short story would cost around 40 dollars. The factors involved include how much reading/research I have to do, how much time before the due date I am given the assignment, and how much custom “shaping” is required. By this I mean imitation of voice,etc

For a good while I refused to accept this at face value. It was a joke, the low cost of the service alone proved to me that this was in some way an exercise in situationalism. That he would somehow encode into a rich kid’s essay good reason for that student to be expelled or perhaps even sectioned. (The work as he puts it, of a meaningsmith) A real life excercise in the power of langauage which apart from testing out his subtextual sword (rather than his pork one) on a live subject, would also be cathartic because had he ever employed the services of a writer in this way his own life may have taken a different path.

Getting Paid to Write puts the whole issue into perspective. That rather than being a ’stunt’ it is in fact a living. And that somehow - in my own head at least, getting paid well and regularly to write people’s homework for them is in fact sad a truth of modern life rather than a crime. And I think it’s this that has shaken me the most - that because it goes on rather a lot - and is well paid that makes it ok. That I’m cast as being rather naive (all too common) and should calm myslef down with some hot and sexy hard class A drugs - which as we know everyone takes these days.

6. An image folder that goes on forever

I’ve only managed to skim the surface of this one. But there is enough here to keep anyone busy. A lot of it seems to be the component parts of html home pages experiments gone by, but seen here - bit by bit, is all rather rewarding. 5 minutes worth of clicking to see bits of corners of web pages and suddenly one comes across this.

Perhaps this entire “website being free for all to see” incident is in fact an artistic retrospective. There is also a hell of a lot of rubbish though.

7. Worm Story

Those of you enjoyed my story about podcasting Speakers Corner will probably enjoy this even more because it’s written by someone who, as we’ve established, is a fair bit more talented in the field of writing than I am.

Just read it.

8. I believe that certain authority-type figures want to kill me.

A truly amazing document that serves to effectivly demostrate a damaged sense of reason brought about by drug use but with a clever twist - it’s not he drugs that bring about the paranoia but those that police them. What’s super clever here is it reads like an anti-suicide note.

I am not now nor have I ever been suicidal.

I am extremely cautious in my driving and as a pedestrian.

“So, if I die mysteriously, call bullshit, alright?”

And much like the bespoke homework writing service we are left wondering how true this is document is. Hardly any examples of dishonesty are evident anywhere else on the site (that I could find) so once again I’m left shocked into believing that this is as is.

And then, in a final stamp of ’sample’ it ends “God Bless America, Daniel Cohron Osborne.” A reassurance that all is well and it’s all been a work of fiction, if not a fiction on page then at the very least a fiction in the head of it’s author.

I sounds all very cliché, I know, but it succeeds for me as a piece of art because the only way to prove if it actually art of not is by the death of its author. It’s also quicker to get through than the film ‘A Beautiful Mind’ and seems far less compromised or contrived.

9. I need to be jailed

In a similar vein to 8 - but reworked for audio, this recording plays like a confessional diary piece that mutates into a political school lecture. It’s a compelling piece of media because it’s truthful to the subject matter, analytical and but yet it successfully invites the listener to come to their own conclusions and think things through for themselves.

When dealing with the subjects of drugs and civil liberties it’s far too easy to be either preachy or allow personal experience to contaminate rather than inform an argument. This piece only just gets a way with it…

” When I look at the that constitution I don’t see anything in there that suggests that it’s ok for the government to be telling me what plants I can and can’t grow in my garden”

Most importantly, and to place it back into the context of where it came from (i.e. - this audio recording was probably recorded as material for the pop goes lethal podcast and was not recorded in order that it be hung in a gallery.) this effectively demonstrates what media, or podcasts, or art could and should be about if they taught integrity in schools rather than whatever the fuck it is they teach in schools - especially poignant given that the kids homework is being written by Strauss himself. Do they even read what it is they are handing in and their rich daddy paid for?

10. A Web page From Hell

Have you seen this? It’s fucking ‘orrid.

Now as you know I love the music Mr. Strauss and Komputadora but not all at once!

This webpage is so bad it deserve commendation. I don’t understand what’s going on here at all. I can’t believe this was ever a properly functioning webpage so full that it is of html nonsense it really is something of a miracle that it loads anything at all.

It’s worth bearing in mind that I’m looking at it in safari and if you take a look at it in firefox it’s not quite as bad as all that but it’s still demostrates some of the most evil things (including FRAMES) that I thought had been outlawed after the 2.0 purge of bad internet practice.

So this page reminds us that stuff like this still goes on and you don’t need to look to geocities to find it.

---

It doesn’t seem right to leave it at that. Website Nazi-ism is very unbecoming so let’s cleanse our palettes with a far nicer page.

Here’s a page my dad would like.

And so as I carry the beach goods and the postcard stand back inside the shop before closing let’s go over what we’ve just experienced and try to understand why it’s news worthy in my little world.

I’ve now spent more time writing this now any other blog post and have enjoyed every minute because it has allowed me to, or rather necessitated me to dwell on a ton of media created by a fellow artist.

I’d argue - I think it’s a very srong argument, that one of the criteria of good art is that it encourages the beholder to make art for themselves. I didn’t sit down to this blog 24 hours ago in order to create some art but rather just to write about something which I thought was important. (I think we’ve already established the relationship that I have with you the reader - that I’d much rather be writing about what I want to say rather than what you want to hear, so I won’t go over all that again). Important to me and therefore important to you if you are anything like me, or interested in the same things that I am into.

And that simple premise of intent to just do something that needs to be done because it feels right or may be good fun is exactly what I’ve been consuming on the pop goes lethal website. It’s the same reason why they build cameras into mobile phones - not for the owners to become a professional photographer or great artists through the medium of digital photography but because it’s fun to take to take some ’snaps’.

So I have written about something with as much depth as I am currently capable of and I have made excuses to myslef as to why I am researching something with far more vigour than anything I were writing for someone else. (Even if paid) . In short this text as not an attempt to create some art, though that may be at some point a by-product of what is instead demonstration of some kind of addiction.

It’s not something I’m worried about because it’s the kind of addiction that promotes that creation of art, or at the very least more blog pages that no one actually reads because they’re reading blogs about the new iphone.

All hyperlinks to work on Pop Goes Lethal is copyright 2004 popgoeslethal.com, Eric Strauss and/or Straussoholics Anonymous.

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Chances are I’m the only person in the world to be blogging about this but as far as I’m concerned this is far more news worthy than speculation about the latest device to be released by Apple, or whatever other banal nonsense that bloggers blog about when they aspire to bring down Fox news.

Put simply - there is a website, made by an artist (and his friends) which has been locked off to the public for quite some time. A website with contains five years worth of media. And media which dare I say has a lot of artistic merit. Text, songs, audio recordings, pictures, stories…stuff that actually says something to me. Stuff that I can really connect with and that I have learnt from. Stuff that has been hidden away and is now, with no reason given suddenly more available than it ever was before.

The locked off front door has vanished to reveal what’s more like an online hard drive. A jumble sale treasure trove that I at first I couldn’t even comprehend. Who would put all of this stuff on a web server. Thankfully for me Eric Strauss is just the sort of man who would, a Renaissance man who despite his talent - and despite me actually writing to him to tell him that his website’s innards were on display - probably won’t even batter and eye lid. For unlike Podshow’s site being hacked earlier his week it’s far more likely that Strauss actually deleted the popgoeslethal index page himself - either because he didn’t like it any more or perhaps even just to amuse himself.

So as in this very special top ten list I’m going to run off the top ten things that either made me smile, made me scream with joy or made me stop and really think. I think I’ve managed to survey about 40% of the content but this should serve as a reasonable road map to those who may be come across Strauss for the first time.

I should also to point out, as something of a disclaimer - having spent three years of misery in arts institute that not only did I learn more about art from listening and reading Strauss’ work (plus actually thinking about it for myself) but that it was also something of a lifeline. Much like the work of his new publishing partner Steve Dupont, these bits of diversion served as embodiment of hope and reminders of the actual life necessity of fun, which I maintain too many people loose sight of in the REAL world.

Perhaps the best primer for this article is an interview Strauss took part in back in early 2006 for a podcast called Crankfarm. It gives a lot of insight it how Strauss’ working methods, motives and other useful information that relates to the site and his music.

1. Palm Fronds
Without doubt my favourite Mr. Strauss track from his album mr strauss learns to rock. The song is revealed to have not only a second ‘ adventure’ version (which I’d previously discovered on garageband) but also a number of alternate takes that seem to take it right back to it’s bare bones. Much like the 4 versions of Strawberry Field Forever on the Beatles’ Anthology Album, each none of them really can be considered definitive but each is successful in different ways.

(My own naming scheme is used here)

Familiar Version

Alternate Adventure version (not garageband version)

Vocal Version (Safe)

Demo Version (Dangerous)

This last one, which as a demo is technincally the first one demostrates the energy, fury and humour of what the song turns out to be. What made it stand out for me was the middle eight in which he stops singing, takes a drag from his cigarette and seems to be about to lapse into Rapping Eric before jumping straight into the final verse and seemingly not missing a beat. It’s really an absolute diamond recording.

My joy in finding these recordings was sadly undermined by a folder called palmmusicvideo which contained nothing of the sort. Even if it had it been true it would have no doubt been a disapointment for nothing could have match the images that this track brings to my head. Perhaps the only person who can make this video is me - even though in all honesty it NEEDS footage of anal penetration.

2. An Interruption

From the greatest success to the greatest failure this track has always stood out for me as something special but a version of it here proves how something so beautiful can so easily be utterly ruined.

Familiar Version

As you can hear, and as the story goes; a recording session of this beautiful song was interrupted by Corey’s girlfriend (or is it wife?). Despite this, and despite the violence that is in evidence as the interuption continued, Strauss continued with his performance knowing full well that the recording was probably runied. But when he played it back he realised that interuption itself consummated the song and renamed as such.

Having heard this track now too many times to mention I though it would be nice to hear a version that didn’t have the interruption so that I could re-evaluate it.

Un-Interuption

My God! See what I mean about ruining something so beautiful? It’s AWFUL. I like to think that this abomination was part of his voyage of discovery but much rather blame heavy drug use and sheer bloody mindedness. Even Wonder Woman gets period now and then.

3. The Ghost of Vox Monitor

An mp3 that stands on it own

I don’t know which podcast this segment of a podcast review relates to but it serves to remind me how I never really cared that much when Vox Monitor was going. All that mattered, and the reason why the Vox Monitor archive is still enjoyable to listen to now, was that Eric and Corhy really enjoyed anaysis of art and media as much as they enjoyed each others company and insights.

Hearing this brings back how much fun I had listening to it when it was just a podcast rather than something greatly missed.

4. The Bespoke Pop Goes Lethal Song Review Service.

Apparently before Vox Monitor came along the idea of recording reviews was appealing and this recording suggests that this is the moment it all started. Eric begins recording a song review whilst listening it to it on headphones. Cohry then seems to blunder in and much like ‘Interruption’ accidently makes some art by asking ‘what are you doing - listening whilst recording?’.

One can only hope that in this romanisicsed version of events a conversation later ensued in which Cohry suggested the music review service be made into a podcast. Strauss in fit what seemed like genius thought that an extra element of meta was required and thought it far more funnier to make a review podcast that reviewed podcasts themselves!

The rest of this top ten will follow later as I’ve already spent an astonishing 6 hours writing this and I need to get some rest.

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Youtube Poop is a genre that has been disowned and is despised by the person who is credited/blamed for coining it. It has only very tenuous legitimacy and is referred to on wiki as an internet meme.

To find out more I conducted an email interview with a Pikiwii - a contributor to the genre, who you may recall from last week’s top 10 videos.

“I use the term ‘your work’ with regard to your youtube poops - do you
consider them ‘work’ or just a something done for fun?”

Umm, I like to consider both.

“I’m assuming, due the lack of pretentiousness in either the film info
or your youtube profile that you don’t consider you work as ‘art’.
What are you feelings on the artistic merits of your work?.”

Well, it allows me to unleash my rather insane creativity into reality, resulting in crazy, non-sensical onslaughts most appreciated for their randomness, not to mention the fact that I can do the massive crossovers of sorts that I always wanted to see.

“The term youtube poop - is that term of your own or a genre that I
don’t know about? Is it a statement of to disregard (as in the films
are poop) or a description of the process (that by making them you are
completing a necessary bodily function)?”

It’s the latter and the former, respectively.

“Are you posting your work mainly for your friends or for the outside
world (people like me)?”

Ah, mainly for myself and the outside world.

“There are plenty of comments for the films - are these mainly people
you’ve met or know - what kind of feedback do you appreciate?”

Only a few of them are people I know. The kind of feedback that I do like happens to be… any kind.

“Are there messages or jokes in there which only you and your friends
would understand - are these in reply to other people’s work?”

Nope to either.

“Have you seen other films like this - has it influenced your work?”

Oh sure, I have seen a real lot of them since the genre has become real popular (much to its creator’s dismay, as can be read in this topic, which also reveals the origins of the term “Youtube Poop”: http://www.protoman.com/Forum/index.php/topic,16.0.html). And yes, it did influence my work.

“There is a strong tradition of appropriation like this in the
audio/music world - artists like cassette boy or wayne butane - are
you aware of them - if so what’s your opinion of their work?”

Nope, I’m not aware of these two.

“Your films are at times very funny - is that a priority or a side effect.”

Hmm, I like to think that it’s a side effect of the absolute randomness.

“Do you find them funny yourself?”

Yes.

“Ten minutes of such relentlessness media can be quite tough for an
average viewer. Do you think of your work as endurance test for it’s
viewers?”

Nah, I prefer to think of that as going overboard with the genre, which also explains the mass amount of gore, vulgarity and spoiler scenes from various medias (By know, everyone who has watched my videos now know that Sonic the Hedgehog dies in his horribly glitchy and rushed (for Christmas) Xbox 360/PS3 game.)..

“I find that I recognise about half of the clips seen. Do you thin it’s
important to use/abuse familiar clips and faces (such as Mario).”

Well eh, that’s just what about every Youtube Poop maker do. Though I do find it important for myself to use/abuse sources that no one else did just for the sake of variety (as well as standing out from everyone else)…

“How do you source your footage - are they from clips found elsewhere online?”

Oh sure, all of them are found online.Nearly all of them are taken from Youtube except for the Mario episodes, the CD-i games clips and everything from all To Heart series except for ~Remember my memories~ , The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Black Cat, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS, most Kingdom Hearts clips and Series 3 (Season 29 if you want to stay consistant with the classic series) of Doctor Who, which is currently running in the UK (though I live in Canada, where it will start in June if my memory serves right.).

“Is there anything that would like to make but don’t have the resources for?”

Nope.

“Before I made films of my own I started in this way - of using found
footage - it’s something that I’ve not done for ages and rather miss.
Do you think it’s a media form you willl stick with or do you intend
to start producing your own footage/films.”

I do not intend to be a filmmaker and it’s something that I do for fun, so I think I’ll stick with it.

“Which of these do you identify with most identify with:

a) a crazy geek with a temper
b) a visual artist with a wacked sense of humour
c) a msn junkie killing time
d) a keen enthusiast of post modern artistry in the digital landscape
e) just like any other youtube user
f) an edit monkey
g) a moveable feast
h) a cracked egg”

Ah, I’d most liken myself to B and E. You see, I’m sort of a visual artist since I do put up my visions into a non-sensical videos (Not to mention the fact that my first poop became one of the most populars of its genre, as well as a bunch of people praising me on the field) yet I still consider myself an average Youtube user everywhere else, including the MUGEN community on Youtube (Though I’m getting more attention from higher-profile Youtube users in that latter community on the site as of lately…).

“Do you find this kind of attention encouraging or inappropriate?”

It’s hard to anwser this but I sorta like this kind of attention, you know. So, I’d say encouraging.

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