inner nerd » Art + Design

Bucky – Expo ’67 Pavilion

beaker — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 17:38:33 +0000

Bucky Ist Über-Nerder. What I wouldn’t give to ride these escalators!

Who makes stuff like this anymore? No one. Everything is so damned commercial and self-conscious now. Oh wait, Greg and I did resurrect The Imaginarium at Stanford. I guess that counts.

Thanks to Jer for spotting this.

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Robot Rock du Jour: Hooray For Earth – True Loves (Cereal Spiller Remix) (2011)

beaker — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 19:28:53 +0000

While this song is uncomfortably close to mainstream for my circuit boards, this deconstructed remix by NYC incognitos Cereal Spiller is just off the beaten path enough to ensure safety. The real winner here, tho, is the animation created by UK-based artist Cyriak Harris.

SCHEMATIC: True Loves (Album Version) with another great video…

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Robot Rock du Jour: LCD Soundsystem – Someone Great (2007)

beaker — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 17:21:32 +0000

So, I pretty much avoid big time acts and there are very few “modern” bands that make what I deem to be exceptionally rad music. LCD Soundsystem, however, is the king + queen of them all.

I created this stop-motion video as part of my graduate program thesis work. 100 hours of wood cutting and photographing. If you dig it, peep my process photos.

SCHEMATIC: Videos for Home, Daft Punk is Playing at My House…

Home

Daft Punk is Playing at My House

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Robot Rock du Jour: Disk Drive + Printer Singing

beaker — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 08:19:25 +0000

These folks take nerd music to a totally new level.

SCHEMATIC: More tonal nonsense from highly unlikely heroes and heroines…

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Robot Rock du Jour: Daft Punk – Derezzed (2010) (TRON: Legacy)

beaker — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 08:58:54 +0000

TRON: Legacy + Daft Punk. Full coverage of the original film and remake soon.

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Dans La Rue: Bay Area Maker Faire 2010

beaker — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 07:05:29 +0000

The Maker Faire is like an engineer’s craft show on acid. There’s dudes riding around in go-carts that look like cupcakes, sixty-year-olds playing Jules Verne in the Steam Punk pavilion and lots of fire. This first video features Mark Galt’s intoxicating “Quadruped” kinetic sculpture at the Bay Area Maker Faire in May 2010.

SCHEMATIC: More videos and photos from Maker Faire 2010…

Mark Galt – Electric Motor Man

Atoms & Electrons – Apple IIe + Twitter

So this fellow bought an Apple IIe for $15 and rigged it up to turn twitter avatars and feeds into 8-bit artwork. Wicked!

Life-Sized Mousetrap

Remember that game mousetrap? How about a life-sized version for your backyard?

Purincess Labs – Deathwheel 3000dx

With a perverse sense of humor and penchant for fun, classmate Purin’s Deathwheel 3000dx was a huge hit at Maker Faire.

Goligorsky Laboratory – Super Relax Concept Electric Research Vehicle (Tandem Bicycle)

David Goligorsky, Design’s Oscar Wilde, developed this electric tandem as part of his graduate thesis project at Stanford’s Design Program. Also shown is a road bike David designed and built, as well as “Hyper-Lincoln” whose red LED eyes signal out The Gettysburg Address in Morse code. This guys is off the chain. Sorry, bad joke.

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VIdeodrome: Patrick Jean – PIXELS (2010)

beaker — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 20:14:07 +0000

This video is remarkably awesome.

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Robot Rock du Jour: Justine and the Victorian Punks – Still You (1979)

beaker — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 00:47:45 +0000

This track treads a fine line between funky disco and satin-smooth pillow talk. This particular cut is actually experimental composer/saxophonist Peter Gordon’s lovely re-arrangement of Battisti Lucio’s early Italo track, Ancora Tu, with some lover’s chat provided by pioneering NY-based designer/artist Colette.

SCHEMATIC: Battisti Lucio’s Ancora Tu video and photos of Colette’s work…

Battisti Lucio – Ancora Tu (1976)

Regardless of what on Earth this dude is running from, this video is unmistakably Italian.

Deadly Feminine Installation at Fiorucci (1978?)

Living Environment (1981)

Art on Stage at Danceteria (1983)

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Robot Rock du Jour: Severed Heads – Lamborghini/Petrol (1982/1985)

beaker — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 13:32:52 +0000

I’m HOOKED! Now this is some real Aussie nerdness! Nearly five minutes of minimal synth industrial perfection from legendary Sydney band Severed Heads. Disgustingly rare in its original wax format.

Lamborghini (Live at Metro TV, July 1982)

SCHEMATIC: Recording details and a later concert version…

There is some confusion regarding the actual name of this track: Is it Lamborghini or Petrol? My hunch is that Lamborghini is actually an early version of Petrol. The earliest example of Lamborghini is off the 1982 French compilation Entrave et Étouffement, whereas Petrol doesn’t show up until 1985 on a 7″.

There is a cut of Lamborghini on a compilation CD called Can’t Stop It! II (Australian Post-Punk 1979-84) that was published in 2007. This version, with female vocals is sort of a disappointment and the compilation is just OK, although that track from Centerfold is good, too. Might as well pick it up digitally because Severed Heads early recordings will cost you from $50 – $2,000!am (CD Version)

Lamborghini (Can’t Stop It! II) feat. female vocals

Petrol (Live at Rock Arena, 1986)

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Robot Rock du Jour: Thomas Dolby – She Blinded Me With Science (1982)

beaker — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:03:12 +0000

This video was an integral part of my nerdlinghood. Visually rich to the nth degree: Besides the sweet sidecar motorcycle and lunatic scientists, you have the superhot lab assistant, Ms. Sakamoto, who doubles as a cello. Classic nerd track. BTW, Dolby has been the Musical Director of the TED conferences since 2001.

SCHEMATICS: Album artwork and other gems from Dolby…

Hyperactive! (12″ Version) (1984)

The beginning of this track always makes me think of The Bestie Boys. Great video.

Hyperactive! (Album Version) (1984)

Taken from Beta tapes, which is really cool. This version is much more in the vein of The Talking Heads.

One of Our Submarines (Live) (1982)

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