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Interview with the Designers RepublicIan Anderson talks about dance music, design and Pho-Ku.
The Designers Republic founded by Ian Anderson in 1986 as a "declaration of independence from what we perceive to be the existing design community."This interview isn't finished and probably never will be, but many have misunderstood Tdr and others think they "know" Tdr only to find out they are completely wrong. Tdr are more than design, storytellers, strategists, visionaries and as witty as Oscar. DUST scratches the surface in Part 1 of a series of interviews. Watch out for the PHO-KU Sound System at DUST soon, For more info on Tdr visit http://www.thedesignersrepublic.com. How the devil are you? hungry for action How would other people describe you in 23 words? carefully Is dance music dead? And do you care? define dance music. ultimately people will express themselves to whatever sounds are available. 'clubbing' died when it became 'Clubbing'. I care that too many clubbers don't care, in general. being dumb is not the new clever. dance music is not the issue. It would seem that the big club brands have really fucked up - after bleeding the music dry - they are now in a position where no-one believes anything they say or do, has this affected the graphical work you do with Gatecrasher? everything is a cycle. super clubs only really exist as a response to demand. people get bored with small clubs and crave the big club / big production / mass audience / mass movement / inclusive experience. next people get bored with big clubs and crave the community / proximity / intimacy / exclusive experience. it's regenerative action and reaction - the grass is always greener. What is the Pho-Ku Sound System? Finger Snapping Ass Bumping Leg Humping Head Nodding Chin Stroking Body Popping Crotch Twitching Pant Wetting Head Banging Pipe Smoking Cock Rubbing Beer Drinking Brain Hurting Difficult Listening Easy Swinging Ear Drumming Mind Expanding Breast Fondling Prozac Pumping Ventolin Accelerated Twisted Disco Electro Punk Reggae Bitching Rock'n'Roll Electric Music with Beats Played in Revolutionary Sequence Loud with Drinks in Dub. The last two Juan Atkins covers didn't really have the Tdr flavour, any reason why? to me they are very tdr. maybe you're one of the people that has a too narrow view of what we're about ;-) look again at the font and design construction and the use of the image as a design element coupled with the spot varnish 'extra level' etc. Loads of people have ripped off your style, how do you feel about that? a designer who is popular is a designer who is influential. a designer who is influential is a designer who inspires people who think for themselves and is copied by those who don't. I'm fascinated by work which is clearly influenced by tdr but which takes it somewhere else. it opens dialogue. I'm saddened by work which merely emulates the surface of our work without understanding the process, and I'm fucked off by work which copies tdr's, or other designers' ideas, because the copiers are too lazy or fucking thick to think for themselves. the worst thing is it's a wasted chance for a designer say something in their own voice. if they don't have a voice of their own, or anything to say, fuck off and do something else. It also seems to us that tDR also get judged for one style as well, when the reality is very different, this was especially true after Wipeout - is it because you are very selective about what you show the public or that they are too blind to look any further? the majority of people see what they want to see. they don't question what they believe. there is no one truth. experiment with belief systems, mix and match. there is a degree of self selection with our work. there is a plan. Why have you also stayed such a small tight unit when you could have clearly been answering these questions from a beach? tdr is a vocation. I've got fair skin. Loads of people complain about how difficult your website is difficult to use, do you hold the belief that some things should be difficult in this "easy as" consumer world? information should be achieved. Ever fancied working out of London instead of Sheffield? no. I don't drink shandy. What you working on now? everything from tv to architecture and music to the lisbon biennale and the tdr book and back again. looking at doing more tv ads... Who would you like to work with and why? people with money and vision who trust us and challenge us because they have money and vision, and because they trust us and provide us with a challenge. Conceptual Art, shite or Art? conceptual art needs reason. where the concept has been adapted into a relevant statement it's art. if it says nothing the concept is unresolved and is therefore... shite. dependent on individual definition of art. the beauty and continuing allure of 'art' is is that, perhaps by definition, or multitude of definition, it defies universal definition itself. Sheffield Wednesday, what happened Ian? dave richards. danny wilson. too many dull dans, not enough fancy dans. the club itself is not forward thinking. it has one of the best known design companies in the world as supporters and look at the fucking state of the programme, the merchandise, everything. it's been an old boy's club for too long, now's the chance to rebuild and be the best looking, coolest club in the country... no, I don't see it either ;-) Top 5 all time albums. favourites not applicable... today I'll say miles davis 'big fun', the clash first album, the pop group 'y?', etc Listening to at the moment. so far today I've listened to (in order) susumu yokota 'sakura', the pho-ku sound system soon come mix album, fat truckers 'fat truckers for sale', cabaret voltaire 'the original sound of sheffield '78-'82', rovo 'flage', arthur russell's 'world of echo' and something free from the front of the new jockey slut... Fave Club/Night out. anywhere the pho-ku sound system plays / with beer and friends Ask yourself a question you'd have liked to have been asked. will you spend this one million quid for me Ask yourself a question you wouldn't like to have been asked. can I have the money back now |
