V/Vm

V/Vm

Infobox musical artist
Name = V/Vm


Img_capt =
Img_size =
Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name = James Kirby
Alias = Billy Ray Cyrix, Butcher Claus, Butcher Claws, Caretaker, The, 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 =

V/Vm is the experimental music and sound collage project of James Kirby, from Stockport, England. Although starting out mainly in the style of noise music, Kirby is also a composer of original electronic music and remixes. His vast output is released primarily on his own V/Vm Test Records label. Alongside the work of the V/Vm project James Kirby also records most often as The Caretaker. He currently resides in Berlin.

History

Since 1996 their have been numerous releases by V/Vm on a whole host of labels working with a number of other musicians. Early releases were often electronic in nature including the critically acclaimed split 12" release on Fat Cat Records [http://fat-cat.co.uk/fatcat/release.php?id=6] . In 1999 V/Vm also released a recording of Pigs [http://www.brainwashed.com/vvm/releases/vvmtest/vvmpig.htm] feeding in the North West of Englands largest Pig Farm to the horror of many reviewers who mistook the sound of feeding pigs to be that of pigs being killed.

Around the time of this release V/Vm infamously appeared on the cover of The Wire (magazine) October 1998, issue 176 [http://www.sat.dundee.ac.uk/bin/wire?q=v%2Fvm&c=t] . Under the banner 'Harder!Faster!Louder!" an article exploring a new scene developing which also included Alec Empire, DJ Speedranch, Diskono Records and Fat Cat Records. V/Vm followed up this exposure by releasing 'mouldy old dough' a song so far removed from being harder, faster and louder it was some kind of sick joke poked at the press hype machine and few in the press saw the funny side of this action leading to a blackout of nearly all subsequent V/Vm releases being reviewed in The Wire ever since.

In the late 1990's output saw a distinct shift into more butchered and hacked up pop music which was usually remixed in an horrific way, repackaged crudely and released totally abusing copyright. At this time V/Vm was among the artists spearheading the bootleg and mashup (music) a.k.a. bastard pop genres. This culminated in 2000 with V/Vm achieving single of the week in the NME [http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/2000.html#NME%20Singles%20of%20the%20week.] for the reworking of the Chris De Burgh hit 'lady in red'. At this time Sick Love was also released [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/releases/vvmtest/offal03b.htm] a release which featured a number of classic and famous love songs each reprocessed to sound sick but recognisable.

Though V/Vm abused copyright at this time no action was taken against this open abuse. Indeed V/Vm has often spoken about meeting Chris De Burgh in person at a T.V. Station and giving him a copy of his remixed version of 'Lady in red' and surprisingly never hearing from De Burgh or his lawyers.

For a time V/Vm continued to hack and attack many artists and styles of audio in horrific ways. Finally in 2003 the lawyers caught up with V/Vm after he re-released 'relax' the seminal 1983 hit by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. In a reproduction of the original release there were 2x12", a 7" picture disc and a cd single released each featuring numerous remixes of relax. Within weeks of the release V/Vm received legal threats and in the end was forced to legally withdraw the release from sale [http://detritus.net/pipermail/rumori/2004-March/001120.html] . Interestingly copies were sent to the lead singer Holly Johnson by the label and he liked the release, the ZTT label were unimpressed by this illegal reissue.

Whereas V/Vm is best known for 'hacking' other artists' works he also has substantial original recorded output including a pioneering improvisational style with electronics. Numerous examples of non sample based audio exist throughout V/Vm output including many electronic and noise based compositions. His music and performance style is a mockery of many other artists, such as DJ Carl Cox. He was accused of scamming the Fat Cat Records label by impersonating minimal glitch artist Pole but has to this day denied any involvement [http://detritus.net/contact/rumori/199912/0112.html] . Along with this V/Vm also brought back Belgian new beat creating a microsite and released two twelve inch vinyls and a compact disc featuring new audio made in this electronic style.

The V/Vm live show is absurd and often features V/Vm dressed in pig mask miming these reprocessed hits whilst rolling around on the floor, the hits often obliterated by sheer noise. The spectical is often disturbing and has resulted in serious injuries to V/Vm from time to time most notably in Tienen, 2006 when V/Vm dislocated a kneecap whilst performing at a show there [http://kidshirt.blogspot.com/2007/10/tienen-interlude.html] . Over the years V/Vm has played around the world doing tours of America, Australia, Europe and playing festivals such as Roskilde in Denmark and Sónar in Barcelona.

V/Vm Test Records

V/Vm also runs the V/Vm Test Records label, which releases records from About This Product, Goodiepal, Jansky Noise, amongst many others and has been at the forefront in giving away free audio in the form of unrestrictive MP3 downloads at his website [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/downloads.htm] and via his new online label Vuzkid [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/micro/vukzid/about.htm] and associated microsites [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/micro/index.html]

V/Vm 365 and current projects

In 2005 V/Vm recorded a remix of the Alphaville (band) hit forever young which was to be used on a Worldwide advertising campaign for Sony. The advert was shot but pulled at the last minute due a dispute within the TBWA ad agency. The video has escaped onto the internet however [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyuvhcvVxD8] [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/news/downloads/20051202_vvm_ps2.htm] , the remix remains unreleased and the advert was rumoured to have cost over $750,000 in production, fittingly V/Vm received nothing for his audio reworking.

In 2006 V/Vm spent the whole of the year on his most ambitious and challenging project to date, the V/Vm 365 project. In the words of the man "The idea is basically to create and upload free audio for one whole year and leave a massive big mess behind, warts and all for you to digest as you see fit." This involved producing 603 audio tracks, 6 video tracks, with a total running time of 52 hours, 3 minutes and 57 seconds, all of which are free to download [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/micro/vvmt365/index.htm] . Each day one or more audio pieces was uploaded along with text and a picture about this day. This project being one of the first to take advantage of new media and possibilities and taking that to an extreme level.2007 was mostly spent recovering from the efforts in completing VVMT365 but saw V/Vm receive an honorary mention for his work as The Caretaker (musician) at the ARS Technica 2007 awards [http://www.aec.at/en/prix/winners_honorary.asp] . There was also an exhibition in Madrid entitled "Ruidos, Silencios y la Transgresion Mordaz. De Fluxus al techno-noise" which featured V/Vm videos and artwork as part of a show that also included works by Fluxus artists (Nam June Paik, Philip Corner, Wolf Vostell) and contemporary artists and musicians (Ultra-red) [http://www.lacasaencendida.es/LCE/lceCruce/0,0,73537_0_73537_7466$P1=16,00.html] There was also the announcement of many upcoming releases and projects including an ambitious 6CD (with bonus disc) retrospective boxset "less of what you want, more of what you need" [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/news/various/20070719_vvm_lessofwhatyouwant_6cd.html] which will be released in 2008.

Discography

elected releases

*"Uplink Data Transmissions" – V/Vm Test (1996) [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/releases/vvmtest/vvmt01b.htm info and free download]
*"Machines" - V/Vm Test (1997) [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/releases/vvmtest/vvmt07b.htm free download]
*"Fat Cat Split 12 inch" – Fat Cat Records (1997) [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/releases/vvmother/fatcat_split_12_vvm.html info]
*"Pig" – V/Vm Test (1999) [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/releases/vvmtest/vvmpig.htm info]
*"Auraloffalwaffle" – V/Vm Test (1999) [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/releases/vvmtest/offal01b.htm tracklisting]
*"Lady In Red/All Night Long" – V/Vm Test (2000) [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/releases/vvmtest/butcher01b.htm info and free download]
*"Sick Love" – V/Vm Test (2000) [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/releases/vvmtest/offal03b.htm info]
*"Masters Of the Absurd" – V/Vm Test (2000) [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/releases/vvmtest/vvmtpb_b.htm info and free download]
*"Snooker Loopy" – V/Vm Test (2001) [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/releases/vvmtest/vvmt147b.htm info and free download]
*"Helpaphextwin" – V/Vm Test (2003) [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/releases/vvmtest/hat04b.htm tracklisting]
*"The Missing Symphony" – V/Vm Test (2003) [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/releases/vvmtest/vvmtcd10b.htm info]
*"Stigma" – V/Vm Test (2004) [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/releases/vvmtest/vvmtcd21b.htm tracklisting]
*"Sabam – The Sound of Belgium '89" – V/Vm Test (2006) [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/releases/vvmtest/vvmtcd89b.htm tracklisting]
*"White Death" – V/Vm Test (2006) [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/micro/vukzid/vukzid13.htm info and free download]
*"Vvmt365 – Daily Audio Downloads" – V/Vm Test (2006) [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/micro/vvmt365/index.htm free downloads for all of 2006]
*"The Death of Rave" – V/Vm Test (2006) [http://brainwashed.com/vvm/micro/vukzid/vukzid01.htm info and free download]

Compilation appearances

*"Cha-ha Meat Skran-r The 15lb. Turkey" on "Brain In The Wire"
*"Engulfer" on "Brainwaves" (2006)
*"Female Pig Herder" on "Split Series 1-8"

Discogs has the most comprehensive release overview of V/Vm Test Records [http://www.discogs.com/label/V%2FVm+Test+Records] and V/Vm [http://www.discogs.com/artist/V%2FVm]


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