Jump to content

John Maus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Red Gown (talk | contribs) at 20:18, 27 October 2013 (Umm he is not dead. Thanks for trolling.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

For the guitarist/vocalist, born John Maus, see John Walker (musician).
John Maus
Background information
Born (1980-02-23) 23 February 1980 (age 44)
OriginAustin, Minnesota, United States
GenresAvant-garde, synthpop, disco, lo-fi
Occupation(s)Musician, record producer
Years active1999–present
LabelsUpset The Rhythm, Human Ear Music, Mistletone, Demonstration Bootleg Ltd.
WebsiteUpset the Rhythm

John Maus (born February 23, 1980 - October 2, 2013) is an American avant-garde musician, composer, and a philosopher. A keyboard player for Panda Bear and Ariel Pink, he has released three albums of his own music to acclaim.[1] He grew up in Austin, Minnesota.[2] He is known for his eclectic samples when composing, "an almost absurd mix – a stand-off between taut, bass-driven post-punk, whooshing electro-pop and, thanks to the chants and bleak intoning, Medieval and Gregorian disco."[1]

Biography

Maus was born in February 1980 in Austin, Minnesota, United States.[2] Experimenting with music from an early age, his first efforts were strongly influenced by Nirvana and film scores of the 1980s, as well as classical pieces of medieval and Baroque music.[3] He later studied music at the California Institute of the Arts. He then went on to study philosophy at the European Graduate School in Saas Fee, Switzerland to work towards a PhD in political philosophy.[4] As a college student he was interested in experimental music and performance art, such as the work of Michael Pisaro. When he met and began to work alongside Ariel Pink, he took a greater interest in pop music.[4]

Style

Maus performing in 2012. He is known for his energetic performances. Reviewers and critics frequently cite his uninhibited personality. He is often jumping across the stage, screaming, tearing at his clothes and punching himself.[5][6]

Maus is known for the energy of his performances, and the intellectually advanced nature of his composition. A 2012 review of a London performance in The Guardian noted him to be a "ferocious theoretician" in particular given his quoting of Alain Badiou in the title of his album We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves. The review also remarked on the physical nature of his live shows, "Prowling the stage alone like a patient who has given his care nurse the slip, Maus pogos, head-bangs and gives vent to a succession of feral howls as he jack-knifes at the waist, singing over pre-recorded tapes in what he self-effacingly describes as his "karaoke show"."[6] Charles Ubaghs 2012 review for the BBC also took notice of the philosophical undertones of Maus' works: "...behind these retro overtones is a desire to explore our modern relationships with pop, and its impact on our wider philosophical and cultural lives." The review also remarked that on Maus' self-referential tendencies: "Couple this with lyrics like The Fear’s surprisingly frank “What’s wrong with me, ‘cause I’ve tried everything,” and you’ve an accessibly rich portrait of Maus’ ever-questioning mind."[5] Likewise a 2011 BBC review noted that Maus was " as much a professional existentialist as he is a synth-pop musician" and that "reading his interviews can make your cerebral cortex pulse with befuddlement."[7]

Discography

Albums

Compilations

  • 2012: A Collection of Rarities and Previously Unreleased Material (Ribbon Music)

Compilation Appearances

With Ariel Pink

Underground Releases

  • 1984: Maus
  • 1985: Maus Time
  • 1986: Baumaus
  • 1987: Man or Maus?
  • 1988: Maus and the Gang
  • 1989: Maus and the Gang 2: Return of the Maus
  • 1990: Maus and the Gang 3: This Time It's Mausy
  • 1991: The Janitor's First LP, with Sam Anderson and Cory Boik
  • 1992: The Janitor's Second LP, with Sam Anderson and Cory Boik
  • 1993: A Janitor's EP, with Sam Anderson and Cory Boik
  • 1994: Early Songs 1, with Cory Boik
  • 1995: Early Songs 2
  • 1996: Early Songs 3
  • 1997: Early Songs 4
  • 1998: Mass Appeal, with the Tony Alonso Ensemble
  • 1998: The Mystery Molasses LP, with Ian Stahl, Jay Jensen, Gabe Schlake and Jess Bednar
  • 1998: Early Songs 5
  • 2000: Fish With Broken Dreams
  • 2000: Love Letters From Hell
  • 2001: Snowless Winters EP
  • 2003: I Want to Live
  • 2011: Demos

References

  1. ^ a b BBC Music John Maus We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves Review, from the BBC. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  2. ^ a b Loscutoff, Leah http://bombsite.com/issues/1000/articles/5837 “John Maus” BOMB Magazine July 2011, Retrieved July 26, 2011
  3. ^ "Upset the Rhythm - John Maus". Upset the Rhythm. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  4. ^ a b “John Maus” BOMB Magazine July 2011, Retrieved July 26, 2011
  5. ^ a b Ubaghs, Charles (2012-08-21). "John Maus A Collection of Rarities and Previously Unreleased Material Review". BBC Review. BBC. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  6. ^ a b Gittins, Ian. "John Maus – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  7. ^ Parkin, Chris (2011-06-30). "John Maus We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves Review". BBC Review. BBC. Retrieved 24 January 2013.

Template:Persondata

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=John_Maus&oldid=579000505"