Boards of Canada Black Box: One Year On

  On 3/2/2012 at 10:24 PM, oscillik said:

I must say, Joyrex - the sheer existence of 'the black box' completely disagrees with your statement

i just think everybody is reading into it in an obviously fanboyish way

  On 3/2/2012 at 9:16 PM, Margatroid said:

  On 3/2/2012 at 9:06 PM, Joyrex said:

Again, just throwing this out there - it's not unlike BoC are the first artists to ever take an extended hiatus from releasing music to have families, go in different creative directions, recharge the creative batteries, etc.

 

And to think BoC is actively "doing" this to it's fans is a bit of a stretch - they've never been a traditional band in the sense of having an active connection to their fanbase, or keeping an online presence so their fans know what they're doing on a regular basis. I highly doubt BoC has sat around wondering what the fans must think of their lack of commercial output as Boards of Canada.

The thing that's weird to me is the aura of secrecy that seems to surround them. It seems like all of their real life friends must be sworn into some kind of pact of silence or something like that. Otherwise you'd think someone eventually would just be like "yeah I talk with them occasionally and they're not working on anything right now."

I disagree here. We have people around the band constantly say that they are working on stuff. MDG has alluded to this for years now, Peter Iain Campbell alluded to the fact that they were going to release something when a fan emailed and asked him (believe I read this on twoism), and lastly, when I asked Bibio through his YouTube page what HE thought about this BOC silence, he said he was pretty much in the dark too, except that Marcus had recently sent him a short vignette of music.

So I believe they are active, but things in their lives have just taken that normal gap between records and multiplied it.

In regards to the black box, who the frick knows

With regard to the black box it is either:

1. a concious effort by the band to stir up hype

or

2. a concious effort by the label to stir up hype

I'm actually starting to think it's more the latter...

  On 3/2/2012 at 10:57 PM, oscillik said:

With regard to the black box it is either:

 

1. a concious effort by the band to stir up hype

 

or

 

2. a concious effort by the label to stir up hype

 

I'm actually starting to think it's more the latter...

Not cool, Warp

  On 3/2/2012 at 9:16 PM, Margatroid said:

  On 3/2/2012 at 9:06 PM, Joyrex said:

Again, just throwing this out there - it's not unlike BoC are the first artists to ever take an extended hiatus from releasing music to have families, go in different creative directions, recharge the creative batteries, etc.

 

And to think BoC is actively "doing" this to it's fans is a bit of a stretch - they've never been a traditional band in the sense of having an active connection to their fanbase, or keeping an online presence so their fans know what they're doing on a regular basis. I highly doubt BoC has sat around wondering what the fans must think of their lack of commercial output as Boards of Canada.

The thing that's weird to me is the aura of secrecy that seems to surround them. It seems like all of their real life friends must be sworn into some kind of pact of silence or something like that. Otherwise you'd think someone eventually would just be like "yeah I talk with them occasionally and they're not working on anything right now." It seems like that would be what would happen if they really didn't care about what the fans knew, one way or the other.

 

Anyway I've been a BoC fan for a long time and I didn't think very often about whether they were releasing a new record until I started reading this forum. To be honest I didn't think Campfire Headphase was as good as the earlier stuff and I figured they had just moved on. But the total mystery surrounding their active or inactive status as musicians is pretty weird.

 

Edit: I did find out about the black box thing last year though, through twoism or something. Then I promptly forgot about it and I kinda wish it had stayed that way.

That's the ironic thing - there's no aura of secrecy - they're a small band in a sea of much larger fish - it's not like if Lady Gaga went for a walk down the street with no entourage and the media got wind of it - these are just two guys who live in a town and go to the grocery store just like you and I do, probably ride their bikes places, go to parks, and hang out in pubs, and go on vacations with their families and friends. It's the fans who have built up this aura that surrounds them, but there's no reality in it at all.

  On 3/2/2012 at 10:24 PM, oscillik said:

  On 3/2/2012 at 9:06 PM, Joyrex said:

And to think BoC is actively "doing" this to it's fans is a bit of a stretch - they've never been a traditional band in the sense of having an active connection to their fanbase, or keeping an online presence so their fans know what they're doing on a regular basis. I highly doubt BoC has sat around wondering what the fans must think of their lack of commercial output as Boards of Canada.

 

I must say, Joyrex - the sheer existence of 'the black box' completely disagrees with your statement

And what if the box was added in anticipation of an announcement, and for whatever reason(s), that was delayed? What if it was just to balance out the grid of releases? What if whomever manages the BoC website decided to add it along the same lines (pending announcement, something happened, announcement gets scuppered)?

  On 3/2/2012 at 10:54 PM, YELLOW said:

  On 3/2/2012 at 9:16 PM, Margatroid said:

  On 3/2/2012 at 9:06 PM, Joyrex said:

Again, just throwing this out there - it's not unlike BoC are the first artists to ever take an extended hiatus from releasing music to have families, go in different creative directions, recharge the creative batteries, etc.

 

And to think BoC is actively "doing" this to it's fans is a bit of a stretch - they've never been a traditional band in the sense of having an active connection to their fanbase, or keeping an online presence so their fans know what they're doing on a regular basis. I highly doubt BoC has sat around wondering what the fans must think of their lack of commercial output as Boards of Canada.

The thing that's weird to me is the aura of secrecy that seems to surround them. It seems like all of their real life friends must be sworn into some kind of pact of silence or something like that. Otherwise you'd think someone eventually would just be like "yeah I talk with them occasionally and they're not working on anything right now."

 

I disagree here. We have people around the band constantly say that they are working on stuff. MDG has alluded to this for years now, Peter Iain Campbell alluded to the fact that they were going to release something when a fan emailed and asked him (believe I read this on twoism), and lastly, when I asked Bibio through his YouTube page what HE thought about this BOC silence, he said he was pretty much in the dark too, except that Marcus had recently sent him a short vignette of music.

 

So I believe they are active, but things in their lives have just taken that normal gap between records and multiplied it.

 

In regards to the black box, who the frick knows

"Constantly" is a bit of a stretch, too - mdg hasn't made any statements as of late, and even his past statements alluded little to what they were currently doing (i.e.: mastering, designing the cover artwork from dried pasta and yarn, etc.) - just that the albums were coming, but again, with no firm date/timeframe as to when, and certainly nothing even as tentative to cause WARP/Bleep to make an sort of mention either.

  On 3/2/2012 at 10:57 PM, oscillik said:

With regard to the black box it is either:

 

1. a concious effort by the band to stir up hype

 

or

 

2. a concious effort by the label to stir up hype

 

I'm actually starting to think it's more the latter...

Possibly, but if they did do it for hype, I think that backfired with a resounding thud - I think it was in anticipation of announcing something, and for whatever reason, was delayed and the black box sits there, probably forgotten about at this point.

I think the question at this point could be: If BoC have retired from releasing music as BoC and never intend on releasing anything else in the way of new material, would they bother announcing it like a traditional band would?

  On 3/2/2012 at 11:11 PM, Joyrex said:

I think the question at this point could be: If BoC have retired from releasing music as BoC and never intend on releasing anything else in the way of new material, would they bother announcing it like a traditional band would?

The plot thickens.

  On 3/2/2012 at 11:15 PM, oscillik said:

  On 3/2/2012 at 11:11 PM, Joyrex said:

I think the question at this point could be: If BoC have retired from releasing music as BoC and never intend on releasing anything else in the way of new material, would they bother announcing it like a traditional band would?

 

The plot thickens.

ROFL, while that would ultimately suck as a fan, that would be funniest thing to see rabid BOC fans to find out.

I think i would laugh hysterically into a somber sob.

It's just polite

Nobody's saying they owe us anything. Nobody's saying they HAVE to do anything

But it would be polite to announce something. It would take them little to no effort and save many people a lot of wasted effort, regardless of whether that wasted effort was wasted for unfounded reasons to begin with

If I had a random crowd of people outside my house waiting for days for me to come out, I don't care if I did nothing to deserve it. I'd come out more than once a year to make them stop wasting their time and save them a bit of effort.

They KNOW they have a large following. You bet your ass Warp has made them aware. But they choose to do nothing about it even though it would take them no effort

It isn't mandatory to hold open a door for someone else passing through it, but it's polite and takes little to no effort but helps them out.

No one wants to be the insensitive big shot in the business suit prodding the delicate artists to hurry up and move those units, but like, WOW. Lots of bands just disintegrate, artists slowly back away from the spotlight for good because they have nothing else they want to show the public for a number of reasons. It happens. No biggie.

But the fact that they owe Warp an album under contract is the unspoken reason people are still talking about this. I bet Steve Beckett is tapping his fingers as well. Having other people speak for you never looks good either (especially when they're unreliable). If you don't want to talk, let the music talk for you or admit you're done. Shit or get off the pot.

  On 3/2/2012 at 11:11 PM, Joyrex said:

That's the ironic thing - there's no aura of secrecy - they're a small band in a sea of much larger fish - it's not like if Lady Gaga went for a walk down the street with no entourage and the media got wind of it - these are just two guys who live in a town and go to the grocery store just like you and I do, probably ride their bikes places, go to parks, and hang out in pubs, and go on vacations with their families and friends. It's the fans who have built up this aura that surrounds them, but there's no reality in it at all.

 

Yeah I agree. Who feakin' cares. Anyone famous I give no shit about. I like what they produce and that is that. They shit on toilets just like me. There doesn't have to be another release.

I am sure BoC are well aware that the mystique factor has always boosted their record sales, which is why, no matter how much they protest in interviews about how their cult image got out of control, they are still reluctant to be more forthcoming about their lives and plans.

As for the real reason behind the delay, I agree with others that it was probably a mixture of "real life" - girlfriends, children - taking center stage, and them feeling a bit burnt out, dragged down by expectations, and not in a particularly creative headspace.

It's only been a year. I mean, that's not short, but it's definitely par for the course in the IDM world.

Still doubt they're gonna do anything though.

I still can't believe there is a thread about a fucking BOX posted to their website a year ago. I love their music but threads like this make me so grateful I'm not a rabid BoC fanboy.

That might sounds like a very very bad theory but most bands who put out excellent music, tends to releases a lot (see Autechre, of all the old Warp bunch, they're the most productive & indeed Oversteps was a fantastic album). Also, in the 60s, 70s, bands like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd were releasing music like every 2 years if not every year. See, mid 90s AFX in the electronic world (1995!!!). So, spending 6 years producing a record (if that's the case) doesnt sounds that good. So yeah its kinda strange, also most of the most interesting artists in the electronic music / drone field, with the death of CD, seems to release a lot now (Oneothrix, Alvo Noto, Fennesz, Mika Vainio, Emeralds, Wolfgang Voigt, Earth, Oren Ambarchi) so that long delayed album seems pretty weird in 2012. Time will tell.

  On 3/3/2012 at 9:01 PM, k h o v said:

That might sounds like a very very bad theory but most bands who put out excellent music, tends to releases a lot (see Autechre, of all the old Warp bunch, they're the most productive & indeed Oversteps was a fantastic album). Also, in the 60s, 70s, bands like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd were releasing music like every 2 years if not every year. See, mid 90s AFX in the electronic world (1995!!!). So, spending 6 years producing a record (if that's the case) doesnt sounds that good. So yeah its kinda strange, also most of the most interesting artists in the electronic music / drone field, with the death of CD, seems to release a lot now (Oneothrix, Alvo Noto, Fennesz, Mika Vainio, Emeralds, Wolfgang Voigt, Earth, Oren Ambarchi) so that long delayed album seems pretty weird in 2012. Time will tell.

there are bands that take it slow, there are bands that shit out new release every 3 months. just like some poeple are fat, and some are skinny. boc were never the release-happy type of band. it took them 3-4 years between records before.

even on the fake early discog there are some rather longish gaps between their releases.

Serafinowicz dropped Happy Cycling this morning. Diddly squat said about a new album.

Just thought i'd mention it.

  On 3/3/2012 at 9:29 PM, digger said:

Serafinowicz dropped Happy Cycling this morning. Diddly squat said about a new album.

 

Just thought i'd mention it.

Can anyone confirm this?

The black box is there to resemble the void felt by all their fans. Marcus and Mike are both very in tune with the the communities chi, but only their moo duk kwan instructor from when they were kids is aware of it. Whenever the community collectively feels saddened, they too feel saddened. It so saddened one of them, that they decided to place a black box on their webpage, as if calling out to the masses that they understand and are also feeling it.

Howling wolves, we are. The moon, BoC is.

  On 3/4/2012 at 12:58 AM, Rhombix said:

  On 3/3/2012 at 9:29 PM, digger said:

Serafinowicz dropped Happy Cycling this morning. Diddly squat said about a new album.

 

Just thought i'd mention it.

 

Can anyone confirm this?

why would you need this confirmed?

Peter Serafinowicz playing Happy Cycling on a radio show bears absolutely no relevance to anything, other than the fact that Peter likes Boards of Canada.

Who gives a fuck if he did or didn't? Why do you care? If you think that his playing of a bonus track from a reissue of their first Warp release actually means something, you're as bad as the lot on twoism.

yeah, the wait is getting a bit silly

A horse told me once to not to worry and be patience.

talking about Horse's, here's an infinitely more interesting and worthwhile way to spend your time tomorrow night, instead of thinking or worrying or gettign impatient about BoC :

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/war-horse-the-real-story

..considering WW3 is looking quite likely at some point in the not too distant future, think of it as research.

  On 3/4/2012 at 12:58 AM, Rhombix said:

  On 3/3/2012 at 9:29 PM, digger said:

Serafinowicz dropped Happy Cycling this morning. Diddly squat said about a new album.

 

Just thought i'd mention it.

 

Can anyone confirm this?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01cx70j/Peter_Serafinowicz_Is_joined_by_Terence_Stamp/

About 2hrs 20mins in. Sounds like it's the original Peel Session, not the released version.

All this gubbins about BoC desperatly trying to distance them from all the mysterious stuff as Joyrex reckons, is nonsense. That or either Warp won't let them.

They don't communicate one word, instead post a black box on the website and let it fester. C'mon, how is that not playing mysterious mind-games with fans?