Events

The Lowest Form Of Music is the first ever event in the UK dedicated to the work and influence of the legendary Los Angeles Free Music Society (LAFMS). This weekend of performance, film screenings and discussion will explore the legacy of one of the avant-garde’s great unsung movements.

The missing link between the far out West Coast freakscene that spawned Zappa and Beefheart and the worldwide explosion of DIY experimental culture, LAFMS is a must check for all those with an interest in underground alternative culture. Using humour, collage and buckets full of the bizarre, this collective kicked the early 70s out of its post-Manson nightmare and into the avant-gutter of a pre-punk endzone.

The influence LAFMS has had on the explosion of international DIY culture is immeasurable.
Explicitly acknowledged as a motivation for the emergence of the Japanese noise scene in the 1980s, as well as being cited specifically by the likes of Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) and John Olson (Wolf Eyes), the collective that emerged in LA in 1973 resulted in countless adventurous music lovers tasting the delights of a new kind of creative freedom and getting out there and doing it for themselves.

The Lowest Form of Music will take place over an extended weekend at Beaconsfield in South London, a venue “distinguished by its history of providing a forum for extraordinary events and exhibitions”. The programme will feature a host of LAFMS artists and groups presenting performances, talks, films screenings and workshops.

Confirmed LAFMS artists performing at The Lowest Form Of Music include:

Airway, Le Forte Four, Smegma, Dennis Duck, John Duncan, Ace Farren Ford, Joseph Hammer, Fredrik Nilsen, Joe Potts, Rick Potts, Tom Recchion, Takuya
Sakaguchi, Jackie Stewart aka Oblivia, Rick Stewart aka Ju Suk Reet Meate, Vetza, and John Wiese.

Special guests also performing over the weekend include the originators of the Japanese noise scene and LAFMS disciples Hijokaidan and Incapacitants.

Talks and panel discussions around LAFMS and its worldwide influence will feature artist and critic David Toop, Incapacitants’ Toshiji Mikawa and artist, composer and original LAFMS member Tom Recchion.

"The LAFMS recordings (are) experimental rock history at its most historical and hysterical - a completely bizarro and further-out counterpart to the LA punk scene."
Thurston Moore, Sonic Youth

"LAFMS people have hybridized avant-garde, experimental, improvisational, punk, pop and even humorous stuffs. For Japanese fans, LAFMS has become a legend."
Takuya Sakaguchi, Osaka

“LAFMS were the New Weird America when nobody was payin’ attention 25-30 years ago.”
Roland Woodbe, Siltblog

"The monster is back in its original nature! Human synthesizers!! Hijokaidan in its early days was heavily under (Airway’s) influence. Definitely a must for everyone in this era!"
Toshiji Mikawa, Incapacitants/Hijokaidan



Tickets:
Weekend tickets £40
Friday tickets £13
Day tickets £16 each
Tickets are only available from www.wegottickets.com


The Lowest Form Of Music is produced by Harbinger Sound, Second Layer Records, No-FI
and Sound And Music.

www.secondlayer.co.uk
www.no-fi.org.uk
www.soundandmusic.org
www.lafms.com
www.beaconsfield.ltd.uk

With support form Arts Council England.

Media sponsors:
The Wire magazine www.thewire.co.uk
As Loud As Possible magazine www.asloudaspossible.org