Base Camp Beta

Jon Nicholson aka SSPS aka DJ Porkchop aka Gigi Black aka part of Excepter joins us for a wide ranging trip. Jon is a fixture of the New York scene, but we spend the entire time talking about his early period in Chicago - Ron Hardy playing the high school function, skinheads and ravers, pool hopping, records to get the punkers slam dancing, and about a million other things. Episode on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O83kGFX7uw SSPS Bandcamp https://ssps.bandcamp.com/album/the-l... JOIN THE PATREON patreon.com/basecampbeta

UNLOCK THE FULL EPISODE patreon.com/basecampbeta Shawn and Chris compare and contrast two legendary Italian free improv groups - Musica Elettronica Viva and the Gruppo di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza - and spin out talking geodesic domes, west coast cybernetics, hippies, aquariums, the circuit of capital, and North By Northwest (1959). A very Base Camp Beta episode.

Jake Muir joins us this week to talk about RPG-style world building with sound, field recording, Argeïphontes Lyre, and his unique approach to source material destruction. Check out Jake's work https://www.jakemuir.org/about and his latest record 'Pareidolia' https://enmossed.bandcamp.com/album/pareidolia JOIN THE PATREON patreon.com/basecampbeta Video episode https://youtu.be/S7yTKhmDvkw

Shawn and Chris are back in da gear z0ne with an episode talking all about Compressors - what they are, how they work, and how to use them. We look at some of the historically important compressors, talk about compressors as feedback devices, and naturally bring up dialectics. JOIN THE PATREON patreon.com/basecampbeta

Scott Kiernan and Victoria Keddie join us this week for a deep dive into the history of ESP TV, their long-running multi-disciplinary avant-garde public access variety show (say that five times fast!). We talk cross-country mobile broadcasting, the joys of setting up a 501(c), and the latent spirituality of the DIY ethos. Check out the ESP TV archives at https://www.esptv.com/ and please join our Patreon at http://www.patreon.com/basecampbeta

UNLOCK THE FULL EPISODE patreon.com/basecampbeta This week Shawn and Chris dive into the idea of the techno album and why it so often feels unfulfilling or like a paint-by-numbers exercise. We also talk about two examples of techno albums that succeed as exceptional albums - Regis' "Penetration" and Porter Ricks's "Biokinetics" - and why they stand out. We also talk eclipses, if compilations can count as albums, and the constantly changing definition of an album.

This week we're joined by our friend Drew Lustman aka FaltyDL to discuss the king of music software Reason, growing up in Connecticut, and about a million other things. Check out the video version of this episode at our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubvF_XA56_Q Check out Drew's new label project Freak Technique and the Be My Baby EP https://faltydl.bandcamp.com/album/be-my-baby-ep And of course JOIN THE PATREON for bonus episodes and more patreon.com/basecampbeta

Dina Pearlman joins us this week to talk about one of the undisputed pioneers in synthesizer history - her father Alan R. Pearlman. We talk about Alan's early experiments in electronics instruments (the "Tactovox" from 1948), hanging with Timothy Leary, and chart the course of ARP as a company through the 1970s. Check out the fantastic work done by Dina and the ARP Foundation here https://alanrpearlmanfoundation.org/ and of course JOIN THE PATREON for bonus episodes, etc. https://www.patreon.com/basecampbeta

Just Shawn and Chris today. We had every intention of talking music but got sidetracked and spend the first half of the show talking about seafood and 'tinned fish'. Later we talk some Serge as Shawn spent the past week at NYU making Serge dub and getting the most out of two (!) Wilson Analog Delays. JOIN THE PATREON patreon.com/basecampbeta

Arnau Sala, esteemed musician, artist, and zine-maker, joins us to discuss the politics of degrowth, advanced meditation techniques, and the joys of shallow listening. Scope his multimedia label Anomia here: https://soundcloud.com/anomiaprod And a friendly reminder to join our Patreon! http://patreon.com/basecampbeta

A very freeform episode today. We talk about pizza for maybe too long and then talk a lot more about movies - mostly centering on David Lynch, but with a nice amount of John Carpenter and James Bond in there for good measure. To hear the full episode JOIN THE PATREON patreon.com/basecampbeta

Lea Bertucci joins us this week to talk graphic scores, playing with foil, and the dawn of music. This podcast was recorded and broadcast in 432 Hz for ultimate sonic wellness. Check out Lea's work: http://lea-bertucci.com/ Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/basecampbeta

Elizabeth Davis aka Wilted Woman joins us this week to talk the comics/noise scene, recording music on flip phones, and how to make music commodity again. Check Lizzie's work out https://virtual-slap.net/info and her latest record 'Flowers' https://wiltedwoman.bandcamp.com/album/flowers and of course JOIN THE PATREON www.patreon.com/basecampbeta

We're joined this week by producer, musician, technologist, distributor, and CD burner extraordinaire Keith Fullerton Whitman to talk digging for Japan-exclusive Duran Duran mini CDs in the West Village, fine Digitech products, and the kindness of strangers. Video for this episode at our YouTube here https://youtu.be/FMC7VurjMbE Check Keith's work at https://keithfullertonwhitman.com/ JOIN THE PATREON https://www.patreon.com/basecampbeta

It's a heat wave all over Europe so in this PATREON EXCLUSIVE episode Shawn and Chris talk celsius vs. farenheit for far too long before moving on to talk about some of the pieces of gear that have most marked their own music. To hear the full episode join the Patreon patreon.com/basecampbeta

Inter-disciplinary artist & musician Julia Santoli joins us this week for a wide ranging discussion covering room acoustics and feedback, ritualism in performances, teaching ethnomusicology, and building a global community of artistic radicals. Check out Julia's website here https://www.juliasantoli.net/ and JOIN THE PATREON patreon.com/basecampbeta

M. Geddes Gengras joins us this week to talk about recording with The Congos, the late 00s LA scene, and childhood sports memories. Make sure to check out Ged's fantastic new record Guest List on Hausu Mountain: https://mgeddesgengras1.bandcamp.com/album/guest-list and join the PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/basecampbeta

Shawn and Chris dive in to the legendary Roland SH-101. We talk about why it is such a beloved piece of gear - both in terms of its sound and its usefulness as a studio and live instrument - and look in to some of our favorite tracks using the 101 - from Chicago and Detroit jack tracks to minimal wave, IDM, and italo-disco. Part 2 of this episode is available on the Patreon: https://patreon.com/basecampbeta

Our good friend Nick Klein is back getting the much coveted BCB hat trick. We talk about how different these three eras that Nick has been on the show (2019, 2023, and now 2026) feel and more generally about the interesting questions facing mid-career artists. We talk innovation, community, and also a bit about the increasing difficulty of running a record label in a world full of tariffs and trade barriers. Check Nick's work out at his website https://nickklein.work/ and JOIN THE PATREON https://www.patreon.com/basecampbeta

Base Camp Beta pivots to video - and what better guest to join us than Kiernan Laveaux! We talk J-rock fashion, getting in to Midwest house and techno, learning to DJ, and The Crow. Video is on our YouTube channel https://youtu.be/qDTszD_xKBc Thanks to Public Sound Studio publicsound.net/public-sound-studios Join the Patreon www.patreon.com/basecampbeta

Chris is back from Superbooth 2026 in Berlin with EXCLUSIVE insights on incredible new PRODUCTS you need to buy this year!!! But before you head to the debtors' prison make sure to sign up for the Patreon https://patreon.com/basecampbeta

In this Patreon bonus episode Chris talks a bit about his early attempts to put out records and we talk some early L.I.E.S. history and the enduring spirit of DIY and being an amateur. To hear the full episode go to Patreon https://www.patreon.com/basecampbeta and sign up for the Alpha Tier.

Jen Kutler joins us to talk about her band whose music is completely outside the audible spectum, making wobbulators, and the enduring DIY spirit. Check Jen's work out at her website: https://www.jenkutler.com/ and join the Patreon: http://patreon.com/basecampbeta

William Selman joins us as we trek out into the field with our starter field recording kit and cringey Jon Hassell texts. We also have a bit of a Critique of Everyday Life special, with Bill talking about his new record "Sanctioned Departures" and Shawn and Chris talking about theirs. Check them all out at https://critiqueofeverydaylife.bandcamp.com/music And join the Patreon patreon.com/basecampbeta

Unlock the full episode by joining the Alpha Tier: http://patreon.com/basecampbeta In this Patreon bonus episode Shawn and Chris talk about our first attempts at releasing records. At least that was the idea, but as usual we got caught up in many tangents talking about the presence of voice in music, late 00's music journalism, and just what it means to release music these days.

Ron Kuivila of Wesleyan University and Lovely Music joins us for a wide-ranging and decades-spanning conversation. We do a bit of Lovely Music story time encountering friends along the way like Nicolas Collins, Éliane Radigue, and David Tudor, and we talk installations, early work with Supercollider, and the duties that come with being a teacher. www.patreon.com/basecampbeta

This week we are joined by composer and associate professor at NYU R. Luke DuBois where we talk about everything from serialism to being negged by Xenakis, from Harrison Ford to synthesizer accessibility, and from Serge history to the problem of oysters not having sex. NYU IDM: https://engineering.nyu.edu/faculty/r-luke-dubois TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zix9vIUOFF8 Hit the Patreon: www.patreon.com/basecampbeta Opening music: Beau Wanzer - Basement Dwellers [email protected]

Just Chris and Shawn today shootin' the shit. First half we talk about Chris' newly relaunched YouTube series which looks into cybernetics and the work of Roland Kayn, Jaap Vink, and others. And in the back half we do some cultural criticism and eulogize the passing of the record store clerk guy from this cultural coil. Chris' YouTube Series: https://www.youtube.com/@lasynthesehumaine6932 Hit the Patreon: www.patreon.com/basecampbeta Opening music: Beau Wanzer - Basement Dwellers [email protected]

This week we're joined by Matthias Puech from the GRM (Groupe des Recherches Musicales) and lead developer of GRM Atelier. We talk about his history developing alternate firmwares for Eurorack modules, composing for GRM's Acousmonium, and take a side trip to Fourier's tomb. GRM Atelier: https://grm.tools/en/atelier.html Matthias' Website: https://mqtthiqs.github.io/ Hit the Patreon: www.patreon.com/basecampbeta Opening music: Beau Wanzer - Basement Dwellers [email protected]

Shawn and Chris fly solo in the first of our Patreon exclusive bonus episodes. We talk about our first live sets, covering everything from failing computers and MIDI clock drift to passing out from drinking an entire bottle of chartreuse. Go to our Patreon and join the Alpha Tier to hear this episode in full: www.patreon.com/basecampbeta Opening music: Beau Wanzer - Basement Dwellers [email protected]

Greg Zifcak joins us to talk about early interactions with synthesizers in the Bay Area, becoming a more social shut-in, doing math on the synthesizer, and Moroccan rhythms. Greg Zifcak - "Chaabishaav" https://ziftracks.bandcamp.com/album/chaabishaav Greg's Website: https://www.gzifcak.net/ Hit the Patreon: www.patreon.com/basecampbeta Opening music: Beau Wanzer - Basement Dwellers [email protected]

John Elliott from Emeralds, Imaginary Softwoods, Spectrum Spools, and more joins us to talk about basement dwelling Cleveland gear flippers, laptops on stage, and how good Pink Floyd sounds on weed. Imaginary Softwoods: https://imaginarysoftwoods.bandcamp.com/ Hit the Patreon: www.patreon.com/basecampbeta Opening music: Beau Wanzer - Basement Dwellers [email protected]

Shawn and Chris are back with season 2 of Base Camp Beta premiering a cool 6 years after season 1. In this episode we discuss our new plans for the podcast - namely interviewing fellow artists and trying to figure out what it means to be an artist under whatever stage of capitalism it is we're currently living through. We talk a bit about what we have each been up to recently and finish up by talking about Jean Rollin's incredible 1989 film "Lost In New York". Chris' Synthesizing With Moog series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waN4owHeyaQ&list=PLfRv-D7DpUfHCDeDl4oVM9n6GAcF1jdiJ Check out the Patreon here: www.patreon.com/basecampbeta Opening music: Beau Wanzer - Basement Dwellers [email protected]

On this Very Special Episode of Base Camp Beta, Chris and Shawn trek down to Sheepshead Bay to visit their friend Salvatore Carlino aka P. Leone at his newly opened pizzeria, Lucia of Avenue X. After having some killer slices, they dive into a deep discussion of the topics that really matter: fermentation techniques, dough hydration, what Pete Wells looks like, and answering the age old question of "what is the culinary equivalent of the 909 hi-hat?". https://www.instagram.com/p.leone_ems/ https://www.instagram.com/lucia.newyork/ https://lucia.pizza/collections/lucia-pizza?sort_by=created-descending

Chris and Shawn hike to Prospect Park, eat jerk chicken, and then have a technical glitch while talking about their now-infallible recording process. They reconvene a few days later to talk about the art of learning.

Live from L&B Spumoni Gardens in Brooklyn, NY. We talk giallo and italo-disco, dough hydration, and Richard H Kirk.

RIP Jasen Loveland We dedicate this episode to our friend Andrew Smith aka Jasen Loveland who recently passed away. An incredibly prolific producer who immersed himself deeply in his music, we read through his "12 Studio Traditions" - a set of guidelines and traditions for keeping creativity flowing. Please explore Andrew's work over at his Bandcamp: https://jasenloveland.bandcamp.com/ Outro Music: The Lone Flanger - "When She Microdoses Part II" Intro Music: Beau Wanzer - "Basement Dwellers"

Real relaxed show today as Shawn and Chris begin to shoot the shit about Basic Channel's "Dytiq" and Kid Creole & The Coconuts "Don't Take My Coconuts" but quickly get derailed towards topics from sourdough to NFTs.

The Base Camp Crew talks about Mark Fisher's 2013 essay "The Slow Cancellation of the Future", neoliberalism's effect on production and consumption of culture, and how 100 Gecs throws a wrench in to all of it. Mixed by David Tatasciore Opening music: Beau Wanzer - Basement Dwellers [email protected]

Base Camp Beta is back and we're talking about RA and Boiler Room getting $1 million grants, the use of the word "community", and we try to imagine what a future for music could look like. Opening music: Beau Wanzer - Basement Dwellers [email protected]

It’s Season 2 of Base Camp Beta and we’re back from a break of what seems like 20 years. We talk about Coronavirus (obviously), its impact on underground music, and (hopefully) the death of the neoliberal order. We then dive into Depeche Mode’s undersung masterpiece “Construction Time Again” and try to imagine the eco-communist future we all deserve. *patreon* *patreon* *patreon* www.patreon.com/basecampbeta *patreon* *patreon* *patreon* Opening music: Beau Wanzer - Basement Dwellers [email protected]

BCB returns for 2020 with Bryan Kasenic to talk about The Bunker turning 17, how to run a label in 2020, and the always changing dynamics of New York nightlife. But really we spend the first half of the episode talking about pizza. Opening music: Beau Wanzer - Basement Dwellers [email protected]

Just the original crew today talking about Xenakis’ “Persepolis” and telling family stories about the Shah’s son. We also tell the story of our friend Peter Daou, talk about streaming and back catalogues, and analyze Reviewbrah and Guy Fieri’s analogues in music. Special surprise guest Dave Wagenbach of Bubblesound Instruments! https://www.ctrl-mod.com/collections/vendors?q=bubblesound Reviewbrah in the hospital https://twitter.com/iamreviewbrah/status/1192157562411638785 Reviewbrah’s Popeyes Shrimp letdown https://youtu.be/5d5NJgO38AE?t=358 Billboard “Catalog Conundrum” https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/streaming/8533315/catalog-music-labels-market-older-music-streaming-singles *patreon* *patreon* *patreon* www.patreon.com/basecampbeta *patreon* *patreon* *patreon* ~MUSIC~ Iannis Xenakis - Persepolis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkGwlb6sONg Muslimgauze - Mullah Said https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YxQUTVFJ_s Curly - Axe Breaker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bddhD9TRW00 Opening music: Beau Wanzer - Basement Dwellers Produced and Edited by Rachelle Rahme Mixed by David Tatasciore [email protected]

Unfortunately the recording of the second panel with Sybil Jason and Ryan Martin got screwed up. The demons of the Zoom recorder strike again. So here is the third and final installment of "Clubland and Its Discontents" - a series of panel discussions exploring the dialectics of dance and non-dance in the New York Underground in collaboration with the Interzone festival. On this panel we talk about the late 70s and early 80s in New York with Veronica Vasicka of Minimal Wave records and Stuart Argabright of Black Rain and Ike Yard. Recorded live at Good Room in Greenpoint. Special thanks to Zara Wladawsky and Richard Gamble. Mastered by David Tatasciore.

First of "Clubland and Its Discontents" - a series of panel discussions exploring the dialectics of dance and non-dance in the New York Underground in collaboration with the Interzone festival. On this panel we talk about the "lost" years of the late 90s - early 00s in NY with Scott Mou (Queens/Jane/Other Music) and Jon Nicholson (SSPS/Porkchop/Excepter). Recorded live at Good Room in Greenpoint. Special thanks to Zara Wladawsky and Richard Gamble. Mastered by David Tatasciore.

Speculator drops by with a fancy microphone to talk about the YouTube biz. Check out Will’s show Talk Video https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD-qgVQIiEpUQEcTnWHh4Iw *patreon* *patreon* *patreon* www.patreon.com/basecampbeta *patreon* *patreon* *patreon* Daywalker + CF - Insectorium https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3ODuapxOaM Black Deer - Apex Break https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWf30ZRQW_I Willie Burns - Washed Hands https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oLwTkTLJHk Opening music: Beau Wanzer - Basement Dwellers Produced and Edited by Rachelle Rahme Mixed by David Tatasciore [email protected]

We’re psyched to have our friend Juan Mendez aka Silent Servant call in from a payphone somewhere in the valley and regale us with tales of faxing Submerge, early Sandwell District, and LA nightlife. Not much more needs to be said - enjoy the ride… *patreon* *patreon* *patreon* www.patreon.com/basecampbeta *patreon* *patreon* *patreon* Spacemen 3 - Walking With Jesus (Demo Version) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeD4YgsP7l4 Crescent - Lights/Eyes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAi0lEr9-JI Should - Resonate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlUWX2SIBBo Unwound - One Lick Less https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8C59i0UNfE Opening music: Beau Wanzer - Basement Dwellers Produced and Edited by Rachelle Rahme Mixed by David Tatasciore [email protected]

This week our friend Sanna Almajedi drops by to talk some cultural theory, dive deep into Nuyorican spoken word, and share with us some 7000 year old Egyptian rave. We also talk about our first concerts, what we listen to in the shower, and stromboli. Be nice in the comments - you may just make a friend! DJ Sanna - Ethereal Beatbox https://soundcloud.com/etherealbeatbox/dj-sanna *patreon* *patreon* *patreon* www.patreon.com/basecampbeta *patreon* *patreon* *patreon* Pedro Pietri - Who Will Want You https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfz7OYTCVns Rozzma - Tany Tany https://rozzma.bandcamp.com/album/donya-fakka-ep Nomex & Scud - Eurostar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feSlnZYEiOI Opening music: Beau Wanzer - Basement Dwellers Produced and Edited by Rachelle Rahme Mixed by David Tatasciore [email protected]

Our friend C. Spencer Yeh drop by this week to talk sober partying and how hard it is to actually have deep conversations and make friends sometimes. We also talk about Spencer’s work at Spectacle theater and indulge in some movie talk. The rest of the episode is about music, from the impending return of schaffel to italian minimalism and Copacabana. Spectacle Theater http://www.spectacletheater.com/about/ *patreon* *patreon* *patreon* www.patreon.com/basecampbeta *patreon* *patreon* *patreon* Barry Manilow - Copacabana https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=591d-XV5rEo Zoviet France - Shamany Enfluence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2tUh5BCEUs Azoto - Havah Nagilah https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfmi3sF4kMM Revance - Music Man https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReNO7QPAuMA Ameritz Tribute Standards - Should’ve Known Better https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f35L6ecAeaI Giusto Pio - Ananta https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMO-aAiT0wk Opening music: Beau Wanzer - Basement Dwellers Produced and Edited by Rachelle Rahme Mixed by David Tatasciore [email protected]

A hearty sandwich of an episode, the meat of which is an interview with Palestinian musician and activist Samir Eskanda. We talk about BDS organizing and tactics for musicians and music listeners to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people. We also discuss the BDS movement’s focus on institutions rather than individuals, and how the same cannot be said for the reactionary backlash. The bread of the episode is pretty standard BCB nonsense about cocaine and MIDI. Pure fluff. Go lo-carb. *patreon* *patreon* *patreon* www.patreon.com/basecampbeta *patreon* *patreon* *patreon* Steve Porcaro - MIDI & Yayo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCurJJoSrS4 Cinco MIDI Organizer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSwqnR327fk Front 242 - Headhunter (Space Frog Remix) https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=351&v=lOPcM4mcgEA 😢 ☔ BLADE RUNNER SPECIAL 😢 ☔ Panacea - Tron https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bSnDjEGbE8 Callisto - Bounce https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MefMNyFcZ4 Theo Parrish - Solitary Flight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7tfNm-hi0A Hypnosis - End Title (Blade Runner) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRS3jQDNMyY Opening music: Beau Wanzer - Basement Dwellers Produced and Edited by Rachelle Rahme Mixed by David Tatasciore [email protected]