permanence - future, past, present

'NILS PETTER MOLVAER' - russell and tom smyth (the collaborator on the UNDARK recordings) completed two remixes of two tracks by the ace norwegian trumpeter nils petter molvaer. there is no release date yet. molvaer also asked them to perform or create some kind of audio visual installations for two festivals in norway this year but nothing is confirmed yet.

'UNTITLED #1' - russell and ian are busy working towards a multi-media site specific installation for the wordsworth trust in grasmere, the home and museum of william wordsworth. they are collaborating with the current poet-in-residence paul farley who is a young poet from liverpool. this installation - untitled as present - is due to be created for late january 2001 with an official launch with finished catalogue/CD in february or march.

'UNTITLED #2' - another one russell and ian are working on is for north tyneside (newcastle) which will take place easter sometime - again this is untitled at present and they don't have the dates or the exact venue settled yet; russell and ian are looking at many potential sites, old factories, massive dry and wet docks down on the River Tyne, disused buildings that have a history and a relevance to the areas growth or decline. they will also be putting on a separate exhibition of paintings in the AdHoc gallery at the buddle arts centre in wallsend to accompany the installation and there may be a show of graphic works too - CD's, books, etc.

'UNTITLED #3, #4, #5, #6......?' - another possible is in a place called the 'lighthouse' in glasgow for may 2001 - talks regarding this one is in embryo state at present. others which are being discussed are oporto and prague in 2002 and another in greece but nobody knows when this might be at present as the organiser just called yesterday ...

'UNTITLED #457392?' - russell has also been offered a show at the brewery arts centre in kendal (cumbria) for 2002 again with an installation and a show of graphic works

older 'news':

'INNERVIEW' - an in-depth-interview with russell mills can be found on anil prasad's excellent innerviews site.

'UNDARK (1)' - Originally released to critical acclaim in the late ‘96. Mills will reissue the album, repackaged by himself. (Whilst UNDARK originally sold well, Mills received no advance or royalities due to the label reneging on its contract and subsequently “disappearing”.) Bella Union and Instinct have now re-issued Undark One ( now titled "Strange Familiar") .Check with Bella Union to buy it online and look at detailed scans here.

'SONIC BOOM' - The Hayward Gallery, 27th April to 18th June 2000, curated by David Toop. Mills and Walton have conceived a multimedia installation for this group show of works in which sound will be a central element (details here!). Mills and Walton once again will be collaborating with Undark partners Tom Smyth, Mike Fearon, and Johnny Tomlinson.
Mills and Walton are to produce a new large installation with sound called "Mantle" for a large group survey of artists working with sound. Location: The Hayward Gallery, South Bank Centre, London, April 27th-June 18th 2000. There will be a catalogue with a double CD containing one track of sound from each exhibiting artist(s).

'SOFT BULLETS' - A 2-minute track for TRACE, a limited edition CD collection of international soundworks for Audio Research Editions as part of the Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art (from 24th September to 7th November 1999). 'Soft Bullets' - Produced by Mills with fellow UNDARK cohorts, Mike Fearon and Johnny Tomlinson, engineered by Michael Webster. For further information please e-mail Colin Farrows.

'STILL MOVES CD' - Bella Union and Instinct Records in the USA will be releasing a CD of ou installation soundpieces to coincide with the above exhibition, this will be called "Still Moves" (after the installation you saw last year in the barn). This will contain about 7-8 tracks from installations made between 1994 - 2000.

'SIGNED' - Russell Mills and Tom Smyth ( the collaborator on the Undark recordings) have been signed to EMI Music Publishing Ltd.

'NORTHERN ARTS' - Mills and Walton are busy trying to get proposals into Northern Arts for a series of installations to be created between June 2000 - May 2001 in Cumbria; these will hopefully all use sound.

UNDARK: 'PEARL + UMBRA' - Mills' 2nd UNDARK project is released on the Bella Union label (and can be bought online!). Sculpted and produced by Mills with Tom Smyth the album also utilises sound supplied/contributed by Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, David Sylvian, Bill Laswell, Harold Budd, Thurston Moore, Michael Brook, Robin Guthrie, Susan Deyhim, Hector Zazou, Mike Fearon, Ali Foster, Ian Walton, Declan Colgan, Jonny Tomlinson, Graham Haynes, Ian McCullough, Tony McSweeney, Ann and Sam Mills, Eraldo Bernocchi, Ildefonso and Samuel Aguilar, John Aitken, Hamish Mackintosh, Huw Costin, Emma Townshend, Paul Schutze, Clodagh Simonds, Roger Eno, Mark Clifford, Derek Hook, Graham Lewis, Mitsuo Tate.

'ALFANDEGA NOVA, OPORTO, PORTUGAL 2001' - Mills and Walton are currently devising another multimedia installation in collaboration with Portuguese artist Heitor Alvelos as part of the events being scheduled for “PORTO 2001” to celebrate Oporto’s European Capital of Culture mantle. A new soundpiece is also being constructed for this piece and will involve Tom Smyth , MIke Fearon and other Ambleside based UNDARK collaborators. At present the piece is untitled and no dates have been set.

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