People Like Us and Ergo Phizmiz: Codpaste

"Codpaste" was a weekly podcast series in which the two artists People Like Us & Ergo Phizmiz attempted to compose collage music from the very beginning, in a "work in progress" style, attempting to open up the creative process.  The theory is that it is rare to see compositions made from the outset, and usually the audience are only invited in once the piece is finished, done and dusted. These weekly programmes were expanded into a digital-only album entitled “Rhapsody in Glue”.

Background on the collaboration: Since 2002 People Like Us and Ergo Phizmiz have collaborated on a number of compositional projects; including a radio show, two albums and two live performances; "Boots!" and "Screen Play".  "Screen Play" was a live soundtrack for Christian Marclay's film of the same name, performed as part of the Wire 25 celebrations in London in November 2007. "Boots!", a year-long project (2006-2007), was presented online as a free downloadable 5-hour long archive (at UbuWeb), including compositional elements dissected into component parts, demonstrating creative processes that led to finished works, making it remixable by downloader.  The project received radio play on BBC Radio, Channel 4 Radio - plus 450 subscribers to our subsequent 10" record - "Honeysuckle Boulevard", and an additional 200 who were too late to participate.

Episode 1 - 3rd December 2007 - Cartoon Musichttp://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/25395

Vicki and Ergo ride their little bicycles with square wheels and honky hooters and tell you about their love of this funny music. Features, amongst others, the music of Carl Stalling, Roger Roger and BBC Radiophonic Workshop, all collaged with conversation and ridiculously pointless repetitions.

Episode 2 - 10th December 2007 - The Chasehttp://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/25405

Ergo and Vicki show you how fast they can juggle without dropping everything, or at least make very fast music. They play you some of their very favourite speedy rhythms, generally all at the same time, then when it's finished they start it all over again. Features amongst others, different versions of William Tell Overture and Hungarian Rhapsody, and also the misc of Spike Jones, The Comedian Harmonists and Offenbach.

Episode 3 - 17th December 2007 - Hooked On Classicshttp://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/25406

In which Vicki and Ergo revisit the 1970's phenomenon of Hooked On Classics, classical cover versions as well as all things light, orchestral and popular. Features a medley of the best of this fine mulch of classical music with a disco beat, as well as some tangential visits to the world of amateur orchestras. Features Portsmouth Sinfonia, The Swingle Singers, John Oswald and Wendy Carlos, amongst others.

Episode 4 - 24th December 2007 - ThEdithttp://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/25429

All about the wonderful world of editing and cutting up of sounds. Ergo and Vicki talk about their favourite editors of life, and demonstrate how one can mess up sound so easily and to such good effect. Features the work of William Burroughs, Negativland, Language Removal Services and cut ups of BBC Radio.

Episode 5 - 31st December 2007 - Fwms Bo Wohttp://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/25530

Features some of the best explorers of sound poetry, and general transformers of the spoken word. Is this nonsense? Is it music? Are we serious? Ultimately we don't know but we really enjoy it, and this is a fun introduction to a kind of audio art that all too often is alienating. Features, amongst others, the work of Jaap Blonk, Leif Elggren & Thomas Liljenberg, Christian Bok and Stanley Unwin.

Episode 6 - 7th January 2008 - Snow Dayhttp://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/25533

People Like Us & Ergo Phizmiz examine their obsessions with the classical piece Troika (Sleigh Ride), Queen, Rod McKuen and songs about the weather, plus Vicki tries to mix Mrs Miller with B.J.Thomas and wonders why it didn't turn out too well.

Episode 7 - 14th January 2008 - Banjos, Pots, Pans and Squeezeboxeshttp://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/25819

In which Vicki and Ergo discuss the combination of sampling, live instrumentation and voices. Features Wendy Carlos, Sun Ra and Esquivel, amongst others.

Episode 8 - 21st January 2008 - Collagehttp://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/25942

When does it stop being completely isolated from the rest of the universe and step into the world of collage, adding another patch to the huge quilt of sounds that have gone before? People Like Us "start at the very beginning" and try to find out. Features sounds from Noah Creshevsky, DJ Earlybird, Brion Gysin and Kid Koala, amongst many others.

Episode 9 - 28th January 2008 - I Can't Tell A Waltz From A Tangohttp://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/25966

Can you? Vicki and Ergo offer a masterclass in the key of E Minor on all things that you can't dance to. Features the swinging sounds of Percy Faith, Charles Barlow & His Orchestra, Johann Strauss II and Ferrante & Teicher.

Episode 10 - 4th February 2008 - Nana Mouskourihttp://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/25655

Why on earth is it called this? Well, this episode is all about those themes and songs that are just so catchy that we just keep returning to them. Includes such delights as Bert Kaempfert, Lenny Dee, The Swingle Singers, The Comedian Harmonists, and of course Nana Mouskouri.

Episode 11 - 11th February 2008 - Sing Songhttp://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/25970

In which Ms. Us and Mr. Phizmiz play all their favourite songs and think about how artists fit in with the world of popular music, almost by accident at times. Features, amongst others, the fabulous works of Noel Coward, Winifred Atwell, The Ronettes and Xper. Xr.

Episode 12 - 18th February 2008 - Comedyhttp://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/26276

Funny ha ha or funny peculiar, either way, we love that music with a sense of humour, a sense of the surreal and absurd. Vicki and Ergo reflect on the aftermath of chancing a visit to a village hall full of leaping lederhosen. Listen to, amongst others, Mary Schneider, Liszt, The Goons and a bunch of WFMU DJs.

Episode 13 - 10th March 2008 - Easy Listeninghttp://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/26488

No, don't switch off, you like it really, don't you. Easy Listening, it's nice. Hear the beautiful noises of Glen Campbell, Esquivel, Nelson Riddle and Martin Denny.

Episode 14 - 17th March 2008 - Finalehttp://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/26515

and at the WFMU blog The final podcast of Codpaste - a 96 minute mix of the best of the show, which when we play it back, we're quite amazed at how much we fitted into this series in such a short space of time.