Angus MacLise

Angus MacLise (actually William Angus MacLise; born March 14, 1938 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, † June 21, 1979 in Kathmandu, Nepal) was an American percussionist, composer, poet and visual artist ( calligrapher ). He is best known as the first percussionist of the Velvet Underground.

Biography

Even as a child and teenager, he had drum lessons, which he dominated so different rhythms such as Haitian drums, medieval dance music and jazz drums. His career as a musician began in 1961 as a member of MacLise La Monte Young's Theater of Eternal Music, where he served with John Cale and Tony Conrad. At the same time (1961-1964), he composed music organized by George Maciunas Fluxus festivals, played for John Vaccaro Theatre of the Ridiculous and created soundtracks for experimental films by Jack Smith, Ron Rice and Piero Heliczer.

1964 and 1965 he undertook a first trip to North Africa and the Middle East ( Morocco, Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran) and continued his education in the different regional percussion styles. As in 1965 The Velvet Underground was formed, he joined the group on a proposal from John Cale, with whom he was living in the Ludlow Street 56. MacLise played in the first occupation of the band bongos and hand drums.

MacLise was an ardent advocate of the underground morality. As the Velvet Underground in November 1965 their first paid gigs at the Café Bizarre in New York City, had, MacLise left her because he was of the opinion that they are " selling " yourself. He was replaced by Maureen Tucker. In 1966 he returned for two concerts back when Lou Reed was as a result of hepatitis in the hospital. Official images of the group with him there is not.

After the final separation from the group, he accompanied the first poet Gerard Malanga and John Giorno at readings and organized in 1970, the multimedia Happening Epiphany. In 1971 he undertook further trips to North Africa, Greece, the Middle East, India and, most recently, to Nepal. Music recordings of him from the 1970s are characterized by the combination of ethnic sounds with the Western avant-garde tradition.

MacLise died in 1979 in Kathmandu from tuberculosis.

Recordings of Angus MacLise and with

  • The Invasion of Thunderbolt Pagoda ( Siltbreeze, 1999)
  • Brain Damage in Oklahoma City ( Siltbreeze, 2000)
  • The Cloud Doctrine ( Sub Rosa, 2002)
  • Astral Collapse ( Locust, 2003)
  • The Invasion of Thunderbolt Pagoda (DVD, Bastet / Saturnalia, 2006)

Together with Tony Conrad, John Cale and La Monte Young:

  • Inside the Dream Syndicate Vol.I: Day Of Niagara (Table of the Elements, 2000)
  • Inside the Dream Syndicate Vol.III: Stainless Steel Gamelan (Table of the Elements, 2002)
  • An Anthology Of Noise & Electronic Music: First A- Chronology 1921-2001/Vol.1 ( Sub Rosa, 2002)
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