Hafler Trio

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The Hafler Trio
Also known ash3o
Origin Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Genres Experimental, electronica, industrial, trip hop, musique concrete
Years active1982–present
LabelsDoublevision, Touch Music, Korm Plastics, Staalplaat, Important, Nextera, Soleilmoon, Die Stadt, Phonometrography
MembersAndrew M. McKenzie
Past members Chris Watson

The Hafler Trio is an English conceptual, performance and sound art collaborative project. It was originally a duo formed in the early 1980s by Andrew McKenzie and Chris Watson. The third person in the 'trio' was a fictional scientist named Dr. Edward Moolenbeek. [1] The Hafler Trio became the solo project of McKenzie (although often working with guest artists) with a strong focus on dadaesque sound art works and multimedia work. His recordings often having carefully and elaborately designed packaging. Chris Watson went on to a critically regarded career as a field recording artist and sound engineer.

Contents

Since, Andrew M. McKenzie's Hafler Trio project has seen the release of numerous albums and CDs in experimental musical styles ranging from electronic, cut-up, ambient, environmental soundscape, musique concrète, electro-acoustic, [2] and audio-montage as cinema for the ears from 1982 to present, each of which use graphic design and text for contextual juxtaposition with the recordings, as well as having a diverse but concrete philosophical and sometimes quasi-religious framework to place them in.

History

Despite the name, The Hafler Trio is essentially the work of one man, Andrew M. McKenzie, born in Scotland in 1963 and whose family moved to Newcastle upon Tyne shortly after. [ citation needed ]McKenzie released his first 7" single at the age of 16, having formed a post-punk rock group named Flesh.[ citation needed ]

There have been numerous members and collaborators alongside Andrew M. McKenzie, including Cabaret Voltaire co-founder Chris Watson, the fictitious Dr. Edward Moolenbeek, Steven Stapleton of Nurse With Wound, Adi Newton of Clock DVA, Z'EV, Fluxus artist Willem de Ridder, David Tibet (of Current 93), Genesis P-Orridge, Annie Sprinkle, Jónsi Birgisson (of Sigur Rós), Michael Gira (of Swans and Angels of Light), Chloe Vevrier, Erla Þórarinsdóttir, Blixa Bargeld, Netochka Nezvanova, Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, Jóhann Jóhannsson, John Lacey of COUM Transmissions, and Autechre among many others. McKenzie was also part of Whitehouse along with Steven Stapleton and William Bennett for their first live performance.

In addition to the 6-part retrospective set released by The Grey Area of Mute Records titled The Golden Hammer (including many early LPs and EPs such as The Sea Org, "Bang" – An Open Letter, Three Ways of Saying Two, All That Rises Must Converge, Seven Hours Sleep, A Thirsty Fish and more), CD releases include: Intoutof, A Bag of Cats, Mastery of Money, How to Reform Mankind, with several notable stand-out collaborations: One Dozen Economical Stories by Peter Greenaway , Nurse With Wound and the Hafler Trio Hit Again! (collaboration with Nurse with Wound), Snuff (with Willem De Ridder), Soundtrack to Brion Gysin's 'Dreamachine' (which included detailed historical documentation and instructions for use), a substantial 2-part collaboration with Autechre, and most recently a three part collaboration with Jónsi Birgisson of Sigur Rós.

2009 saw the shutdown of the Brainwashed h3o website, the renunciation of conventional CD releases, almost all internet activity, and the exclusive concentration on methods of "complementary education" and related disciplines referenced by and developed in tandem with the work of The Hafler Trio since its inception, under the umbrella of Simply Superior.

Selected body of audio work

Selected writings

McKenzie's medical condition

In 2004, Andrew announced that he was suffering from diagnosed hepatitis B and autoimmune hepatitis. Both of these conditions require drugs which McKenzie has stated he cannot afford. [3]

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References

  1. The Hafler Trio at Discogs
  2. The Hafler Trio at Discogs
  3. Douglas Wolf. "help out the hafler trio". Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 10 April 2009.