Karlheinz Stockhausen, Cluster, Eno, Gong/Tim Blake, 50's electronic experimental, music concrete, early Pink Floyd, 70's electronic soundscapes, early Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schultz, Lightwave, Nik Raicevic, Kraftwerk, Iannis Xenakis, Tod Dockstader, Gyorgy Ligeti, Krzysztof Penderecki, Edgard Varese, Walter/Wendy Carlos, Throbbing Gristle/Chris and Cosey/ Coil, Robert Fripp/Frippertronics.
Sounds Like
Analog and digital soundscapes- ambient to abrasive- themematic and structured, with a palette of influences ranging from 1950's era science-fiction films to 70's electronic space environments with contemporary electronic elements as well. Rhythm is largely arpeggiated and occasionally sequenced; pure spacescapes also develop in performance.
Synthesis by: Doug Hughes and Gene Thompson.
We are inspired by the experimental sound architects of the past but as avid collectors of music over the years, we have been inspired by many artists spanning the past 5 decades. As we are former drummers, we appreciate the importance of percussion in music, but also believe that music can exist without the element of time and still remain interesting to the listener.
The focus is on creating space music that exists as ambient background but which can also draw the listener in by mixing in unique and never before heard sounds. We perform to projected video, selected for the music theme or to otherwise add color to our live sound.
To book Broken Symmetry, contact:
Doug Hughes
bsymmetry@msn.com
770-242-0287
Broken Symmetry has undergone some changes since our last show, with Chris Swartz leaving for personal reasons in January 2009. We recently acquired the services of Brian Ginn, who worked with Hughes in Tenth to the Moon, and was a member of Pineal Ventana as well as recently providing music live for a local theater.
Doug Hughes partnered with Mitchell Foy in Tenth To The Moon for the past 6 years, which has now ceased operation. He played in several Atlanta area bands over the past 20 years including Liar's Club, King Kill 33' (re-union show-3/2001) and My Evil Twin. Doug made his stage debut at the Destroy All Music Festival in 1988 playing guitar with the band Album 88, and the following year in Fluid Transmission, both featuring an assortment of WREK hangers-ons and DJs.
Doug began in the late 80's by recording/mixing tapes of found sounds, mixed with crude digital samples and loops of guitar effects. Guitar gradually became the primary focus, he also plays drums, bass and synthesizers.
His Solar Wind studio became the recording arm for the independent label Perimeter Records, assembling the Annual Perimeter Christmas compilation, a free promotional cassette, released between 1987-1993. This tradition was continued by Hughes in '96-'97 under the Outer Loop tag. He recorded Pineal Ventana jam sessions for inclusion on their CD releases, as well as hosting the sessions for their 1st demo in 1993.
Gene Thompson formed a partnership with Hughes in the late 80's, recording and performing for Perimeter Records as Thompson/Hughes; this project eventually became Broken Symmetry. Gene also worked with My Evil Twin and Fluid Transmission, playing syn-drums, acoustic drums, sax and violin.
He produced four solo albums of electronic music for Outer Loop, melding world music with electronic synthesis, with and without drums/percussion. These releases used a variety of sound samples culled from the internet, which Gene worked into the mix with his own sound creations.
While in Boston in the 1980's, Gene was a member of Shut-up, Savage Ohms, Monad and Inner Space, the later of these once opened for Gong in 1979 at the Modern Theater. Gene performed on drums, recording several records with these bands as well as with members of Cul-De-Sac and as a duo with Chris Hanzsik.
Chris Swartz left the band in January 2009 due to personal reasons; he joined full time in 1999, and the Swartz era Broken Symmetry produced some great material. We wish him well and the door is always open. Chris founded Atlanta's "Perimeter Records" with partner Robert Hollis; they released 3 vinyl albums in the late 80's as Hollis/Swartz on their label. They were notable for performing and recording on home built instruments; exclusively, on their second and third albums Music for Homebuilt Instruments and 11 x 2. The home builts included a variety of percussion and stringed instruments, some inspired by Harry Partch and several other artists; some Chris designed and constructed himself.
Chris helped foster the Atlanta underground music scene by releasing annual Perimeter Records Christmas cassettes, which featured many aspiring artists and noise makers, to promote the label. He recently compiled the best of these recordings as a 2 CD release, mailed to many of the same college stations who received the cassette releases in the late 80's-early 90's. Perimeter Records also released full length cassettes and 12" vinyl product, most notably "Nine Underground", a collection of recordings by various Atlanta bands/artists, which was routinely featured on WREK 91.1 FM "Destroy All Music "show in the late 80's. This release includes an appearance by Jarboe, later of Swans and now a veteran solo artist.
Chris was a founding member of King Kill 33', as their original drummer. He recorded with Pineal Ventana and performed with numerous Atlanta area bands, including Skeesicks, Disk, 349, Liars Club and My Evil Twin. He also recorded and performed various solo projects and in Eta Carinae, working with former King Kill 33' bassist Donna Smith as an electronic duo.
Dear friend
I am sending you this to let you know that my first release on the web through myspace and audigist is now accomplished.
Now you can visit my page at: www. myspace. com/chakradar to listen and download my music.
Thank you for the support and friendship.
Peace and love
Many, many thanks for a great set at the City Skies Electronic Music Event. Your video and music were a highlight of the entire day! And thanks for the video screen!
weird alternative controller show at Eyedrum this Wednesday. two, count 'em, two Don Buchla Marimba Luminas in one room. Must be some kinda caged nerd match...
I've been meaning to thank you for the Urgh! DVD. It was fun to watch - it took me back! I will listen to your new tracks here, and I'll probably see you next week at the Drunken Unicorn. Cheers!
