Any Questions? - Almost Dead

Song idea naming protocol at Floating Fish Studios has always been to use whatever is playing on the TV monitor in the studio at the time of creation.  This process leads to some interesting idea titles and provides insight into the video stimuli that influenced us during the creative process.

This track from 1996 is titled Almost Dead.  Almost Dead is a 1994 horror movie starring Shannen Doherty (Beverly Hills. 90210 fame).  She plays a psychologist that is haunted by her dead mother's ghost.  Instrumentally, we used some of our favorite instruments of the day.  The E-MU Pro/Cussion drum module for the drum beat and a lot of Korg Wavestation for the rest of the synth sounds.  The soloing guitar sound is even pulled out of the Korg Wavestation.

Ttam Troll · Any Questions? - Almost Dead

Any Questions? - 1996

While waiting to officially release our Any Questions? - Death CD in early 1996, MC2P4 and I began working on new ideas in the studio. Some of these ideas would eventually be developed into full songs for our Any Questions? - Mutation CD in 2000.  Our sonic arsenal had grown quite extensively leading up to this period and we were anxious to make new music with it. The Korg Wavestation, a vector synthesis synthesizer, was used extensively during this period. In hindsight, maybe too extensively.  Our ideas ranged from very structured pounding rhythm Industrial to very non-structured and improvised ambient music.

1996 is a Ttam Troll exclusive track.  I started working on this New Year's Eve 1995 and finished it early the following day, New Year's Day 1996.  Using sounds from the E-MU Pro/Cussion drum module, I created a simple yet powerful sounding drum groove. The synth sounds (synth bass, synth pads, bells, and airy organ) all came from the Korg Wavestation.  Lastly, it features a vocal sample of myself saying "Control" which was sampled on our Ensoniq EPS, a Performance Sampler.

I hope you enjoy this piece of New Year's past!

Ttam Troll · Any Questions? - 1996

Burnt Blueberry Pop-Tart

Imbued Vagary perform Burnt Blueberry Pop-Tart at BENT // BROKEN 2023 Worldwide Virtual Circuit Bending Festival on 03/25/23.

Imbued Vagary Live (Virtual Event)

Imbued Vagary will dive deep into the electronic plasma pool and perform at BENT // BROKEN 2023 Worldwide Virtual Circuit Bending Festival beginning at 1pm EST on 03/25/23.  It will be available on Twitch.

Something About Tomorrow - Featuring Matt Skirpan

During Summer 1988 when The Secret Society (Rev 2) was recording songs for their debut release at Horse and Buggy Highway Studios, we recorded tracks with various guitarists.  The other day I unearthed an unreleased recording with Dirk Frey.  Today's find is an unreleased version of Something About Tomorrow with Matt "Scrap Pap" Skirpan on guitar.  Enjoy!

Ttam Troll · The Secret Society - Something About Tomorrow (MS Gtr Mix)

How Do Rocks Multiply? (Solution IV) - Featuring Dirk Frey

During Summer 1988 when The Secret Society (Rev 2) was recording songs for their debut release at Horse and Buggy Highway Studios, we recorded tracks with various guitarists.  One such guitarist was Dirk Frey from The Secret Society (Rev 1).  This mix of How Do Rocks Multiply (Solution IV) features a recently unearthed recording with Dirk Frey on guitar.  

Ttam Troll · The Secret Society - How Do Rocks Multiply? (Solution IV) (DF Gtr Mix)

P.S. The photo is taken from The Secret Society (Rev 1) performance in early 1987 during Winter Carnival at Shippensburg Area Senior High School.

Care Package

A care package of pandemic era Floating Fish Studios releases for Tommy T Rapisardi at DSBP Records.

FISHCD013 - Imbued Vagary - Solstice
FISHCD014 - Any Questions? - Illegitimate Release 1990 (Special Edition)
FISHCD015 - Imbued Vagary - Captured Moments 2
FISHCD016 - Imbued Vagary - Live 2
FISHCD017 - Imbued Vagary - Noise 2
FISHCD018 - Imbued Vagary - Wheels of Steel
FISHCD019 - Imbued Vagary - Captured Moments 3
FISHCD020 - Imbued Vagary - Noise 3
FISHCD021 - Any Questions? - Don't Ask (Special Edition)
FISHCD022 - Any Questions? - Darkness (Special Edition)
FISHCD023 - Imbued Vagary - nIVg
FISHCD024 - The Secret Society
FISHCD025 - Vizator - Land of Glass Towers (Demos 1990)

Vizator CD Unboxing

More Vizator - Land of Glass Towers (Demos 1990) CDs have arrived!  If you haven’t ordered your copy, you can get them here.

Vizator CDs have arrived!

The Vizator - Land of Glass Towers (Demos 1990) CDs have arrived!  Official release date is 01/20/23.  If you haven’t ordered your copy, you can get them here.

Land of Glass Towers

Here's a track from the forthcoming Vizator - Land of Glass Towers (Demos 1990) CD and Digital Album which will be released on 01/20/23.

Ttam Troll · Vizator - Land of Glass Towers

Vizator - Land of Glass Towers (Demos 1990) CD

Vizator - Land of Glass Towers (Demos 1990) CD and Digital Album scheduled for release on 01/20/23.

Release Notes:
Before the Industrial music of Any Questions? and the Electronic music of Imbued Vagary, Ttam Troll (Matthew R Norcross) and mC2p4 (M Scott McConnell) were part of a Fusion Rock band called Vizator (later to be renamed Vyzator).  Joining Vizator's founding band members David S Irish and Carlton Holt, this lineup's sole performance was at the prestigious CitiParks Showcase Mondays concert at Oliver Plaza in Pittsburgh, PA on August 07, 1989.

After the August 1989 Vizator performance, Ttam Troll and mC2p4 left the band and relocated to Philadelphia, PA to form Any Questions? and Imbued Vagary.  David S Irish and Carlton Holt carried on as Vizator's sole members and began working on demos for a CD release.

In early 1990, David and Carlton reached out to Matt to see if he'd be interested in laying down electric bass parts for the forthcoming Vizator CD.  Matt had not yet been involved with any CD projects and jumped at the chance to get back together with his former bandmates and do some recording.  The music contained on Vizator - Land of Glass Towers (Demos 1990) are from those recording sessions which took place on March 10-11, 1990.  These instrumental demos were eventually scrapped and the band re-recorded the songs using synth bass for the final Vyzator - Land of Glass Towers CD which was released in 1991.  However, these early demos show what could have been if the band followed their instrumental power trio Fusion Rock leanings.  That was not meant to be and this became the final artifact of Vizator.  Enjoy!

Track Listing:
01 Ready to Deal (Irish) 4:02
02 Trapped Inside This Maniac (Irish) 5:48
03 The Chase (Irish/Holt) 3:56
04 Club 54 (Irish/Hutter) 4:52
05 Land of Glass Towers (Irish) 5:00

Vizator members:
David S Irish - Guitars and Synthesizers
Matt Norcross - Bass
Carlton Holt - Drums

Recorded March 10-11, 1990 in Pittsburgh PA

Mastered by Tommy T Rapisardi at DSBP Records

Cover Photo, CD Design, and Layout by Matthew R Norcross

Copyright ©2023 Floating Fish Music

FISHCD025

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