"Written by a composer long immersed in new and experimental music this book provides a tour of the music, technologies and people that have transformed how we make, hear and think about sound over the past fifty years. As both a participant and critical observer in the post-Cagean musical landscape, Nicolas Collins uses anecdotes and analysis to survey the history and aesthetics of the musical avant-garde. It follows a personal chronology of observations and experiences with music, technology, economics and culture"-- Provided by publisher

Includes bibliographical references and index

A Hidden Switch ; I am Sitting in a Classroom ; Worlds of Music ; Four Ridiculously Large Speakers ; Interlude : Multitrack ; Playing with Chips ; The Infinite Amplification of Silence (or I Ching for Dummies) ; Old Guard Avant Garde ; Newcastle to Narvik ; The Eden Before Apple ; A Bright Red Electric Guitar ; Interlude : 33 1/3 RPM ; Devil's Music ; Planes, Trains and Step-Down Transformers ; A Computer Walks into a Bar ; We Were All Seated Around the Campfire ; Interlude : Sound check ; Still Lives ; STEIM - IRCAM with a Human Face ; Interlude : Silence ; Whistling in the Woods ; Strange Heaven ; Art School ; Interlude : How Things Work ; Hardware Hacking ; Salvage ; The Missing Switch ; Interlude : Things I'd Like to Own ; Surprise Me

Imported from: zcat.oclc.org:210/OLUCWorldCat (Do not remove)