Just some irritating, lying, ginger, conceptual artist, kid from Cornwall

Hi there, Fanboys and girls! 

Our merry ginger prankster friend, Richard d James, The Aphex Twin, has been at it again recently.

He has been creating quite the mythical persona cult-icon around himself! Onwards from 1991 till 2017 he cunningly used the media to put people on the wrong foot about his personal life, and the direction of his creative proces. 

Coming out publicly in ,91 as a child prodigy of techno, apparently making brilliant masterpieces since age 12. Putting out albums that are sometimes immediately celebrated, sometimes totally misunderstood at the time they’re released. Only to come to be known as brilliant pieces of music history, years later.( a sing of true sincerity ;) He has made timeless, well respected, unbelievable, mind-crushing music in all sorts of different genres.

But, he is not just throwing it out there. He always seems to be creating stories, true and false around himself, and around his music. Always somehow suggesting that this is only the tip of the afx-iceberg. Because; This world is simply not ready for his full genius,.... And (until recently) sometimes implying that he just “ does not care” about the public opinion or other music.

I am very interested in the development and possible spontaneousness or/and the artificiality of afx as a public phenomenon. 

Examples of some of his stunts, statements or social practical jokes that helped shape the myth:

-Pulling “Windowlicker” out of the charts just before it hits the #1 mark.

-Saying he only released drukQs (The biggest thing that happening to music since LaToya Jackson ) because some mp3 stick got lost somewhere. 

-Telling journalists, in several drukQs interviews. That he made a Lot more, even better stuff. But just won,t be putting it out there….

-Using Alter ego’s, and also denying to be some of them. Purposely, creating a situation where copy-cats will throw their own afx-inspired-music out there as afx-originals. Leaving the fans to decide what’s “real” and “fake” (Tuss-myspace/user18081971-Souncloud/Syro release fakes etc…I for one surely think Steinvord is definitely afx…;) I have found some "fake" TUSS stuff online of which I really do not know if it is "real" or "fake". I know the correct answer here is “I do not care who made it” and sure, that is very true of course! But I am pretty sure a Bunch of u fanboys have been pondering about this aswel. Either way, it is a pretty brilliant prank to be able to get inside of the heads of people like he does this way….

-Having made loads of tracks together with legend: Phllip Glass only to NOT release them except for 1, 

-Suggesting there is loads of “stuff out there of which people still haven’t found out about its him’’

-Rejecting mayor artists for collaboration projects.

-Putting 1 track in a certain unique style on an album next to other tracks in totally other unique styles on the same album (Suggesting there must be loads and loads of music that’s unreleased, because u can clearly hear tracks like these never come as a one-of. a single afx track sometimes includes more than enough concepts and emotion for an entire album of music....)

-Having entire albums just lying around like: MFM, Caustic window LP, all the SC stuff, and god knows what else…. Of which is certain people want to hear it desperately, and of which he could choose to make loads of money. 

-Having ur broke friends sell test pressings of some of these records to millionaires for 10s o' 1000s of cash.

-Saying u have loads of “Sure commercial HITS” like Windowlicker, but just won’t release them because u just do not want to….

-Combining Prestigious full-on masterpieces with quirky jokes and phone pranks.

-Sticking his own face on everything, even on his audience.

-All the classic Tank/Bank/Submarine/Lost Twin brother rumour (of witch most probably is true)

-And this one is speculation! But imagine if he has just chucked some “fake” sounding “real” afx or, "real'' sounding "fake" afx music on the web just to have a laugh about the responses on the web.

And more recently:

-Making a massively hyped mysterious “comeback“ after NOT being “gone for 13 years” at all. ( the man released at least 12 EP,s  and 2 albums ;)

-Releasing the cheetah EP made mostly on 1 impossible piece of gear.

-Selling super exclusive 12” at festivals for 20€ , of which he knows will sell for 20 times the value the next day on the web..... Making grown men cry....(inc DJ latté):):):

-Hinting in interviews that there are countless releases to come in all different kinds of styles an also unheard new styles.

-Saying he has kids, and denying the same thing literally 3 days later.

-Posting some music made by above "kids"

-And this last one is pure wishful speculation again, butt what if he for instance released the tech004 out on TechSup. But did not limit the release at all. Making some collectors pay loads in the beginning, only to find out it wil be on discogs for the original price in a few months because they pressed loads of them.(again just speculation;););)

These concepts,stunts or claims really intervene in reality and raise questions about the importance of public images, value and fame etc.... They also suggest some kind of musical miracle.

Of course to create such a myth around yourself u actually have to be able to “show the goods” aswel! Otherwise ur just some smiling evil looking ginger kid talking shit, and everybody loses attention….  And omg!… does this guy show some goods!……. 

Of course music is a matter of taste, and I do not want to compare Apples to Pears ( Nore to any other pieces of fruit, that are not Apples )

But this guy! RDJ! Brian Tregaskin! G to da motherf***ing AK! Made so much unbelievable Lushness in so much different styles it really seems almost impossible for 1 person to be so damn creative. ( I won’t go on about his talent for hours, because I knows lots of u feel the same way ) But to me it really seems almost like a miracle. I’ve listened to all sorts of music for forever, and have a deep love for all kinds of different artists. But ever since i was a little kid afx has just grabbed me, and it has never gotten boring or old.

And I truly believe that there’s even more totally groundbreaking music he never made public. It is like believing in a fairytale. And after the Soundcloud dump this Fairytale became even more true. 

I really enjoy jumping on the hype train again especially since Syro, every day I wake up and the first thing I do is check the web for any afx news. I feel like a 11 year old boy again waking up for his birthday every day these past 3 years. Its quite extraordinary that a musician can have that effect on a grown man….

Anyway, I guess what I am trying to say is that next to his Awwwwww-some music. I also find the way he uses this extraordinary content as a back up to create this unique phenomenon of his public image and creates, conceptual-interventions / social-experiments / art-pieces or whatsyoumaycallits.... And fills the heads of his fans with admiration, fascination and imagination of what is yet to come. 

Maybe the stories he used to spread about himself and his music are partially true and partially false, finding a way to keep himself on the background. (Part of me believes that every artists cares very much about what “people think” Even though they want to believe themselves that they do not give a shit about it. If u make yourself believe that u do not care, ur precious artwork is totally protected against any criticism. But of course not everybody is the same, maybe some people really just do not care)

But it seems like since his “comeback” he wants to share, enjoys the praise a lot more and likes talking to his fans. The marketing since Syro seems more thought out and present. Even though it also feels very spontaneous and personal. 

So.....?

-To what degree do u think all of these concepts are constructed by the man himself....? 

-Does afx do his own marketing?

-Do u think that all these “stunts” and the things he says in public are all his ideas, and is he loving to cook these concepts up, sitting on his own laughing his eye-brows of? 

-Is it al the above just a bunch of stuff he randomly says. And just spontaneously decides what he does and releases next?

-Is there a (Desingers Republic or Warp) marketing concept machine suggesting all sorts of stuff to him, and planning partly his public persona? Because afx doesn’t like to deal with that stuff at all?  

-Should Latté stop rambling on about afx and the concepts?

Love & light

<3

Thanks

DIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMSDIATOMS

Richard Dee James gonna Richard Dee James

Did you ever notice how the adjacent lowercase l's in parallel are, in fact, demonstratively para//e/?

he's just good at marketing his products, is all. also music journalists and media people got him to where he is today, they did most of the job. 

you are 12 and what is this?

Thanks

  On 6/29/2017 at 7:53 AM, hello spiral said:

you are 12 and what is this?

Hallo, Spiraal.

So, maybe the txt is a bit long(:

But i am just trying to discus the conceptual side of afx as an Artist, and his marketing.

Don,t u think he manifests his alter-ego in quite an Interesting way in the real world?

this is embarassing

o_O

  On 6/29/2017 at 8:36 AM, DJ Latte said:

 

  On 6/29/2017 at 7:53 AM, hello spiral said:

you are 12 and what is this?

Hallo, Spiraal.

 

So, maybe the txt is a bit long(:

But i am just trying to discus the conceptual side of afx as an Artist, and his marketing.

Don,t u think he manifests his alter-ego in quite an Interesting way in the real world?

 

  On 6/29/2017 at 3:55 AM, DJ Latte said:

And omg!… does this guy show some goods!……. 

For me his music speaks for itself and the myth behind it, the persona is just the cherry on the icecream.

Don't try to wrap your head around it, it's like non-dualism, it's a mindfuck (just enjoy the present moment) and enjoy his music.

Yeah, agreed. I also think most of the stuff he said in the past was for real. And while a lot of people use to think he was making stuff up, the reality was that al lot of these myths were just facts from his life. And because he is kind of seclusive. These story,s formed myths. And now he is playing with that idea of being a legend, an enigma. RDJ has exeptional amounts of artistic integerity. And i think the way he presents himself right now is also part of a brilliant art-piece. He is
actualy using his fame and brilliance to intervene in reality, in the lives of his public. Constantly raising questions about what,s real. Literaly being a living legend.

Offcourse it,s all about the music for me. Maybe that,s even some of the take-away of the stuff he,s doing outside his music. But i think it,s pretty cool to see all the concepts he is using on top of that. Using marketing as a tool.To me it sometimes realy seems like he,s becoming more and more of an Mixed-Media artist. I just wonder How much other friends/artists are involved in the concept development. I don,t need to dissect it. Or doubt the sincerety of it. I just realy enjoy the stuff he comes up with!

lemme get uhhhh BONELESS AFX

twoism.org / 20

[Hook 2x]

Rifle shaking like a seizure

Feds coming fuck a seizure

Ion know I got amnesia

Baby suck me she a pleaser

Leave ha shaking like a seizure

Finesse school ima teacher

40 with me like a feature

[Verse 1: OG Maco]

Bread cheese and sauce

Im not a pizza

Got the pasta pussy

Come and try this heater

Oven Fryer call ha K or nina

They some deadly bitches

Leave you headless pimpin

Horses on the whip

You don't see the color, you just hear it dip

Ain’t goin in

Bitch this just the tip

When we goin in get the cash or bricks

Get the bale and bail

Get the loot and launder

Get that man a bath

Speaking on the 100s

Get the game a cast I just the broke the fucker

Comp the walking dead

I been kilt these bustas

Its real in my marrow and all in my muscles

Its pain in heart my voice full of struggle

The lessons learned worth a million checks

Know some niggas cleared 200 thousand

Know some in the feds sour cause they patna pussy gave the state the power

Will you keep it solid till the final hour

Im a shark and you just a flounder

Dripping swag I might leave a puddle

Smoking gas selling swag to hustle

Ima hit the pussy but I neva trust her

Situation shaking eatin off the muscle

[Hook 2x]

Rifle shaking like a seizure

Feds coming fuck a seizure

Ion know I got amnesia

Baby suck me she a pleaser

Leave ha shaking like a seizure

Finesse school ima teacher

40 with me like a feature

[Verse 2: JerZ]

(Look)

My rifle shaking like an earthquake

I got fully autos and rpgs

My name is my birthplace but I’m still quick to go overseas

Just to talk to the plug

I ain’t talkin bout drugs (I ain’t talkin bout drugs)

And we might check for bugs, since we talkin bout sticks and some slugs

But that’s just nature

If me and Maco go out I highly advise you stay in your house cuz that’s just safer

All my niggas on the same shit anybody kill us we just laugh at haters

Like Maximus Decimus Meridius yeah I’m a gladiator

I kill pussy you a pussy nigga you should kill yourself you a masturbator

3 pistols on me right now

I just wish I had an extra hand

3 eights on me right now

I just wish I had a kickstand

Yeah everything is all good when you in the mob

Lied to em but feel I always gotta keep a strap like it’s my job

Jerz

[Hook 2x]

Rifle shaking like a seizure

Feds coming fuck a seizure

Ion know I got amnesia

Baby suck me she a pleaser

Leave ha shaking like a seizure

Finesse school ima teacher

40 with me like a feature

Thanks

Why do you think he started using the Brainwaltzera name?

  On 6/29/2017 at 12:23 PM, hoggy said:

i don't see how it's marketing to take windowlicker out of the charts - marketing is about making money and getting well known right?

 

or ur not saying all the pranks and stuff are marketing or what?

Fair point, maybe ur right,"marketing" is indeed not the right word. Of course his goal is not to make money at all. (His music is more reward anyone could ask for) But the way he developed his image. Surely made for a very respectable and durable name, or Brand. Maybe i should describe it as a kind of slow marketing. Creating an image for the long haul. Something REAL. What other artist has so many copycats? or has the luxury to truely let the music speak for itself?

Because he is so crazy talented he could get away with not participating. (He got the goods...) And this way he keeps a 100% artistic credibility. Afx is a well known and respected name in all scenes from the Classical elitists to minimalists to mainstream to the Electro,Techno, breakcore scene. He never "sold out to anyone" He actualy made effort to stay out if the mainstream, retracting Windowlicker might not have given him fast bucks, butt stuff like that does make him totaly credible, "2 cool 4 skool". Of course, u have to be a genious to pull this of.

But in the long run, he created a living myth. He,s a genious that already is insured of a place in history. He doesn,t need to push himself into a spotlight. Because everything he has done till now is absolutely timeless and Slap in the face Divine. Time after time after time... U have to be quite good to make people obsess, for such a long time, about ur music like this.

But to create such a media hype about a "comeback for an artist that has not been gone at all, To be the nr 1 act for a massive label, To headline the biggest festivals with a simple dj-set, To make the slightest hint of new music force all different sorts of media to go hysterical, Sertainly requires some sort of ingenious marketing plan. Only for THIS artist the whole thing is an artwork. It,s not just marketing, it,s using ur precence to make meaningfull social artworks in the present.

i'm glad we are all here we have great resources like watmm we get a lot accomplished here through networking and ideas