Roy Erzinger - Guitar, Keys, Drums, Warbling, Electronics
I. P. Thurnwald - Sax, Vocals, Percussion, Tarot Readings
Johnny Camus - Bass, Keys, Words, Self immolation
Guest Performers - Any of the above
Available on CD
The mutes
A rare photo of The mutes performing at the Tivoli Hotel. The mutes often chose
to perform anonymously from behind the stage settings, much to the bemusement
of the audience.
'We have nothing to say!' The story of the Mutes by Roy Erzinger
In 1978, while based in Adelaide and still playing drums with 'Irving and The
U-Bombs', I formed a small ensemble that played and recorded spontaneous music,
mixing real and improvised musical instruments with experimental
sound mixing techniques. I was sharing a house with Johnny C. and I. P.
Thurnwald at that time and as well as performing with the Mutes, they
provided a sound intellectual base at the group meetings, which generally
consisted of a home cooked meal, the consumption of a few flagons of
cheap Australian wine and hours of talking.
I decided to use the name 'The mutes' because as a collective, we had nothing
to say and really didn't want to take ourselves to seriously. It was about
the actual experience of producing new music, having a bit of fun and sharing
a pizza afterwards. I was also very keen on the idea, in terms of playing
music and making sound, of letting the participants play whatever they wished
without using manuscript or charts or indeed having to conform to a particular
music style.
The performers would work from a list of suggestions that outlined
a theme or 'flavor' for each piece, for example, Song 1. 'There's a fire!
There's a fire!' In A7 or B minor. Any tempo. 10 minutes. Song 2. Green
or 'Slow breathing in Any Key' etc. The musicians were then left to interpret these
words as they saw fit. The resulting sound was quite indescribable if not sometimes laughable but always interesting to listen to. Moreover, a large group of performers,
who may or may not be musicians, could produce incredibly rich textures of modulating sounds, often playing non stop for an hour or more with an apparent meditative
effect on the performers and the audience. A similar approach was also adopted for the recorded sessions, with overdubs and re-takes kept to a minimum in order to
preserve an element of spontaneity in the performances. Other incantations of the ensemble produced music with overlaying recitals of work by local writers and poets,
commentaries on the latest in Theoretical Calculus or randomly selected text from bookstore detective novels!
To my pleasant surprise, I discovered that the performances of 'The mutes' where generally well attended and warmly received by people willing to be a part of
the experience. The live shows of 'The mutes' also marked the start of the
collective performances in Adelaide of new and experimental music by musicians
from different Adelaide bands including Systems Go, The Lounge, Desperate
Measures, The Ubombs, Snakes and Adders, to name a few, and was similar
to the 'little bands' phenomenon happening in Melbourne around the same
time. The Mutes also performed as support for artists such as Nick Cave and The Birthday Party
Hunters and Collectors and English poet John Cooper Clark at the infamous Tivoli Hotel in Adelaide.
Commendations and many thanks must go to the participants and friends who contributed to
The mutes performances, and who showed considerable courage in
agreeing to perform in front of an audience without knowing what was going to happen!
Belated as it is, I must acknowledge the generous and enthusiastic support
of David Blakeney, a dear friend and comrade who passed away a few years
ago. David was a founding member of the South Australian Public Music Broadcasting
Association, a dedicated community worker and a innovative promoter who
worked with bands like Midnight Oil and INXS, and who still had the time
to help local musicians. There are many musicians around today who knowingly
or not, owe David a small debt of gratitude for his pioneering work and
dedication to public broadcasting and New Australian music. Thank you mate.
English 
The mutes
- Spontaneous Music
Available on CD 
