The Caretaker (musician)

Infobox musical artist
Name = The Caretaker


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Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name = James Kirby
Alias = Billy Ray Cyrix, Butcher Claus, Butcher Claws, CV [ev] , Dr. Fred, Edgeley Musher, The, Leon And Hits, MC V/Vm, Notorious P.I.G., The, Pole ("disputed"), Stranger, The, V/Vm Allstar Marching Band, V/Vm And The Hog Chorus, V/Vm With Garry's Glitter
Born = 1974
Died =
Origin = Stockport, England
Instrument = computer, sampler, turntable
Genre = Experimental music noise music sound collage
Occupation =
Years_active = 1996 to present
Label = V/Vm Test Records
Associated_acts -
URL = [http://www.brainwashed.com/vvm Official site]
Current_members =
Past_members = Inappropriate tone|date=April 2008

The Caretaker is a long running project by electronic musician James Kirby alongside his more infamous project V/Vm. The Caretaker creates dusty and forgotten memories, echoes and vibrations from the past. Using as source, recordings from the 1920's and 1930's era of Ballroom music. Often painful and desolate memories, recalled and replayed from beyond the grave of our senses. In amongst this darkness lies the solace of a semi-recognisable melody or phrase, a beacon of light in this often dark and distant ocean of haunted recalled audio.

The Caretaker releases the majority of his work on the V/Vm Test Records label.

Initially the project was inspired by the haunted ballroom scene in the Stanley Kubrick film The Shining (film).

Recently The Caretaker has shifted attention onto the processes of the brain's function in recalling memories. This has been typified by the monumental release 'Theoretically pure anterograde amnesia' which was released in 2005 as a series of 72 free MP3 downloads. In 2006 this was pressed up as a limited edition 6cd boxset. Those who suffer from 'theoretically pure anterograde amnesia' will still be able to recall memories laid down before the onset of anterograde amnesia, but will exist in a transient world where anything beyond their immediate attention-span disappears permanently from their consciousness. The release itself found much critical acclaim it was record of the week in Stylus Magazine [http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/the-caretaker/theoretically-pure-anterograde-amnesia.htm] ), received a favourable review in grooves magazine [http://www.groovesmag.com/review_detail.php?id=00000370] ) and was given an honorary mention at the ARS Technica awards for Digital Musics in Austria, 2007 [http://www.aec.at/en/prix/winners_honorary.asp] )

Older works have received critical acclaim in publications as diverse as Russian Playboy and the BBC [http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/hbdp/] ) and the project was a favourite of legendary BBC Radio host John Peel who regularly played audio by The Caretaker on his shows.

Discography

*Selected Memories From The Haunted Ballroom 1999 ( [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/micro/caretaker/offal02.htm Release info] )
*A Stairway To The Stars 2001 ( [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/micro/caretaker/offal07.htm Release info and free download] )
*We'll All Go Riding On A Rainbow 2003 ( [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/micro/caretaker/vvmtcd15.htm Free download] )
*Theoretically Pure Anterograde Amnesia 2005 ( [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/micro/caretaker/vvmtcd25.htm Release info and free download] )
*Additional Amnesiac Memories 2006 ( [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/micro/caretaker/vvmtcd25_b7.htm Free download] )
*Deleted Scenes / Forgotten Dreams 2007 ( [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/micro/caretaker/weme09.html Release info and free download] )
*Persistent repetition of phrases 2008 ( [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/micro/caretaker/nocode01.html Upcoming release info] )