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A Compendium Of Early British
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A Compendium Of Early British
A Compendium Of Early British
Electronic Music Composers
A Compendium Of Early British
A Compendium Of Early British
A Compendium Of Early British
A Compendium Of Early British
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A Compendium Of Early British
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Electronic Music Composers
Electronic Music Composers
A Compendium Of Early British
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Electronic Music Composers
Electronic Music Composers
Tape Leaders
A Compendium Of Early British Electronic Music Composers.
In the form of a richly illustrated compendium, Tape Leaders is an indispensable reference guide for anyone interested in electronic sound and its origins in Great Britain. For the first time a book sets out information on practically everyone active with experimental electronics and tape recording across the country, revealing the hidden history of early British electronic music.
With an individual entry for each composer, starting with Daevid Allen and going through to Peter Zinovieff, it covers everyone from the famous names of William Burroughs, Brian Eno and Joe Meek, to the ultra-obscure Roy Cooper, Donald Henshilwood and Edgar Vetter. There are sections for EMS and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, as well as amateurs, groups and ensembles that seriously experimented with electronics, including the Beatles, Hawkwind and White Noise.
Author Ian Helliwell draws on his experience and knowledge of electronic music, and after many years and dozens of interviews, has
amassed information never before brought to light in this fascinating subject. This is an essential volume for anyone with an interest in the history of electronic music during the 1950s and 60s.
220 page book now available in an updated second edition published by Velocity Press. £25.00
15-track companion CD of mainly unreleased early British tape and synthesizer works is available separately via the Velocity Press website. https://velocitypress.uk
Tape Leaders was first published by Sound On Sound, 16th June, 2016.
For around six years, Ian immersed himself in the research and writing of Tape Leaders - a compendium designed as an essential reference guide to British based composers, who created experimental work with electronics and tape. Concentrating on the formative electronic music period during the 1950s and 60s, the aim was to document every serious composer and as many amateurs as possible, who created an experimental tape piece up to 1970, and thus tell the hidden story of early British electronic music.
Ian's independent and self-funded research into the history of electronic music started gradually through the 1990s, and in 1998 he put together several electronic pioneers events during the Brighton fringe festival. In 2003 he wrote a letter to Tristram Cary, and the following year he organised Integrated Circuits, at Brighton University, with a small exhibition, screenings, and a performance of Tristram's work. In 2007 Helliwell created super 8 animation sequences, for What the Future Sounded Like, a documentary focussing on EMS. A year later he branched out into radio with the ongoing Tone Generation series, and at the end of 2009 he began work on Practical Electronica, an unfunded documentary concerning FC Judd and early British tape music.
Tape Leaders news
The new revised and updated edition of the hardback book is published by Velocity Press, and available from 4th October 2021. Further information and details for ordering the book and CD are here: velocitypress tape-leaders
For the Tempo journal - Volume 71 - Issue 282, October 2017 - published by Cambridge University Press, Ian has written the article Tape Leaders - Excavating Early British Electronic Music.
Previous events
At the 2017 SynthFest UK, Ian displayed some of his self-built Hellitronic equipment and signed copies of Tape Leaders. The Octagon, Sheffield, 7th October.
Ian gave a talk about his research and the book, at the ‘Alternative Histories of Electronic Music’ conference, at the Science Museum, London.
16th April, 2016. ahem2016
Ian gave a talk on early British electronic music and the book, at SynthFest UK, Sheffield.
1st October, 2016. www.synthfest.co.uk
Stuart Maconie's Freak Zone programme for BBC 6 Music, featured an interview with Ian about Tape Leaders, with extracts from the book's CD.
29th May, 2016. bbc.co.uk/programme
Tape Leaders book launch and film screening combined archive short films with electronic music soundtracks, plus a talk with Ron Geesin, Laurie Scott Baker and Ian Helliwell.
Fabrica, Duke Street, Brighton.
16th June, 2016.
Contact
For all enquiries please email Ian Helliwell
Tape Leaders launch event at Fabrica, Brighton, 16th June 2016
