from DEVIL:COLD HAND

	In 2004, my desire to make something loud would not go away. This is when I had 
the idea to create a metal group with a most evil name, "Devil," in order to try to make a 
loud ruckus that would somehow exorcise the real devils out of public office–as Metallica 
says, "Fight Fire With Fire."	

	What Devil became was a chance-operation derived, score-based, rock 
improvisation project. It was in keeping with the spirit of the original idea–loud and 
toward exorcism, but using occult methods to guide the hands of the musicians; it was no 
longer a "song" project or a band. It was designed as a convergence of divination, energy 
and sound.

	I drew Runes for each of the players I had in mind (both old friends and former band 
mates) and assigned them roles/personalities—I kept "Devil" as my identity. Then I devised 
a scheme for how the dice rolling would work to plot dynamics charts for three, fifteen-
minute improvisations. It was based on the graph paper itself, using units of 12. I separately 
worked on pitch and rhythm material and designed parameters for each piece. The charts 
were then plotted with the dice and transferred to a large easel pad for use during the 
recording session. Each player used a stopwatch to follow the times on the charts. 
Sometimes, as the "cold hand" guided, we did not follow the charts. There was no rehearsal, 
no overdubbing, and no second takes. 

	The images are from my notebook; the sounds from the self-produced CD, Devil, 
Cold Hand. The title Cold Hand was inspired by a story from the rock lore of David Bowie; 
for a time during his Ziggy Stardust phase, he thought he was being followed by a ghost and 
there is a famous photograph of him where there does appear to be the shadow of a hand on 
the hip of his white pants. In keeping with the occult theme, the titles of the tracks on Cold 
Hand are: "Last Cry for Help," "Creeping Shades," "Phantom Limb," and "Lethe's Crossing." 
The sample submitted here is the full version of "Phantom Limb." It should be listened to at 
MAXIMUM VOLUME.
 
Personnel on the recording:
Dave Campbell (D. Kal Koda)—Fire, Drums, Percussion, Dynamic Tensioner
Jonny Farrow (Jonny le Master)—Beelzebub, Basses, Charts, Manipulator
Daron Murphy (Daron M)—Tortured Souls, Guitar, Strange Comings and Goings


>>NOTEBOOK
>>PHANTOM LIMB