Blank (Oliver Augst, Rüdiger Carl, Christoph Korn) meet Raymond Pettibon is an audio CD by the Frankfurt Trio "Blank" which encounters classic improvisation with the sure-footed and subversive gesture of contemporary anarchism. They work on small forms; out of songs, elements of pop music, noise and theatrics (in the true sense of the word) they cut out strange miniatures of free improvisation. Clarinetist and multi-instrumentalist Rüdiger Carl, FMP veteran from the very beginning, has already proven this "coolness" in various groups of his own (with Cowws, in duo with Red Krayola mastermind Mayo Thompson, with the artists Albert and Markus Oehlen). That he met the Frankfurt text, theory and stage worker Oliver Augst (electronics, voice) and Christoph Korn (electric guitar) five years ago was only logical.
Blank's music is direct, dynamic, expressive, without thereby perpetuating once again the dead history that is inherent in the adapted cliches. They not only get the form into their music, but they re-liquefy it; they do not understand the citation as citation, but as material.
In the fall of 2001, was joined by the American art star Raymond Pettibon in Köln's Philharmonic concert hall. (To punks Pettibon is no unknown. He drew the Black Flag and Minutemen covers in the 80's.). Pettibon was awarded the Wolfgang Hahn prize from the friends and supporters of the Ludwig Museum. Museum director Kaspar König wanted an appropriate music accompaniment and invited Blank. They, in turn, grabbed Pettibon and worked with the otherwise so introverted artist on a group performance. And of course, everything ended up in a wild improvisation in which Pettibon played the animator and inspirer. This CD is really a full quartet recording! Pettibon did the cover work, and in addition, his notes and text fragments are printed.
"Blank meets Pettibon" is a gripping hardcore-improvisation (that even gives us a smash hit, "We're an American Band!" and documents the highly controversial complete performance in the Köln Philharmonic concert hall-after 20 minutes everything was over. Every wish had been fulfilled. - from the Publisher's notes.
On a personal note, this CD isn't bad, though it does fall into the "difficult listening" category, however, after a few listening it - in some twisted way - becomes something to hum to on the subway, thus not only for Pettibon fans.
