Tellus Audio Cassette Magazine

Launched in 1983 as a subscription only bimonthly publication, the Tellus cassette series took full advantage of the popular cassette medium to promote cutting edge music, documenting the New York scene and advancing experimental composers of the time – the first 2 issues being devoted to NY artists from the downtown scene. The series was financially supported along the years by funding from the New York State Council of the Arts, Colab and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Tellus was created in 1983 at the Rum Runner Bar on Canal Street in New York City. Joseph Nechvatal, a visual artist, Claudia Gould, a curator and Carol Parkinson, a composer and staff member of Harvestworks/Studio PASS met to discuss the idea of a magazine on cassette which would feature interesting and challenging sound works. With the advent of the Walkman and the Boom Box, the editors perceived a need for an alternative to radio programming and the commercially available recordings on the market at that time.
(from Harvestworks website[1])

The Tellus project

Obviously, the Tellus publishers (visual artist and composer Joseph Nechvatal, curator Claudia Gould and composer Carol Parkinson, director of Harvestworks from 1987 on) never considered running an underground art music publication, rather envisaging the compact cassette medium as an art form in itself. This was quite a unique point of view at a time (the 1980s), when many self released cassettes blossomed through mail order and trade between audio artists promoting a rather punk DIY technique of more or less anti-art. By contrast, the Tellus Audio Cassette Magazine never indulged in amateurism. Their releases were always tightly focused, well researched and aptly curated. From the start, the founding members deliberately aimed at raising the profile of cassette releases, sending Tellus issues to US public libraries, university galleries and various art museums. In addition the Tellus team helped launch the Harvestworks Artist-In-Residence Program which was set up to help promote independent artists’ projects and provide them with a professional recording facility; namely Studio PASS.

Curatorial policy

Tellus ‘The Audio Cassette Magazine’ was in activity for 10 years (1983-1993), witnessing the digital revolution taking place in the new media arts. Some points of comparison can be established with the Toronto based MusicWorks Journal and cassette, launched 1978, or with the ROIR cassette only releases of various musical styles, from Flipper to Lee Perry to Einsturzende Neubauten, launched 1981. Tellus published audio art, new music, poetry and drama, exploring musical spheres as diverse as avant-garde composition, post industrial music, NY no wave, Fluxus music, heirs of Harry Partch, avant rock, sound poetry, radio plays, tango, electroacoustic music, etc.

The series included some landmark sound works now regarded as historical: Louise Lawler’s ‘Birdcalls’ (Tellus #5-6), Christian Marclay 1982’s ‘Groove’ (Tellus#8), Lee Ranaldo ‘The Bridge’ (Tellus#10), Alison Knowles ‘Nivea Cream Piece’ (Tellus#24), etc. Tellus always championed women and gay composers, which was very needed in the macho experimental music sphere of the times. Curatorial policy has proved very efficient as well – asking specialists to compile a program in their own field insured state of the art results. Today, Tellus is mentioned as an inspiration to the opening of the Sound Art Museum in Rome in 2007. An exhibition was held at Printed Matter, NY, devoted to contemporary American cassette culture (’Leaderless: Underground Cassette Culture Now’, May 12 to 26, 2007).

The Tellus Archives

In November-December 2007, blogger Continuo and avantgarde resource Ubuweb decided to create exhaustive online archives for the Tellus cassettes, thus launching a renewed interest for the series.

Tellus cassetography:

Tellus #1

Cassette 1983 (curated by Claudia Gould, Joseph Nechvatal, Carol Parkinson. With Jody Harris, Jerry Lindahl, Sonic Youth, Brenda Hutchinson, Live Skull, Tom Lopez/ZBS Productions, Rat-at-Rat-R, Bradley Eros, Bruce Tovsky, Gretchen Langheld, Mitch Corber, Barbara Ess (with Barbara Barg), Joseph Nechvatal, Verge Piersoi, Tron Von Hollywood with Raina Jane Sherry, David Linton, Rhys Chatham)

Tellus #2

Cassette 1984, (curated by Claudia Gould, Joseph Nechvatal, Carol Parkinson. With Kiki Smith, John Fekner, Vernita Nemec, The Scene Is Now, Tony Papa, Cardboard Air Band, Peter Nechvatal, Charlie Morrow, Alex Noyes, Ikkoh Mine, David Rosenbloom, Carol Parkinson, David Garland, John Fekner, Mitch Corber, Jamie Daglish and George Elliot, Dr. Telecom, Charlie Noyes, Holly Huges+Sally A. White+Maureen Angelos+Jill Kirschen+Janee Pipik, Ron Kuivala)

Tellus #3

Cassette 1984 (curated by Claudia Gould, Joseph Nechvatal, Carol Parkinson. With Kirby Malone, Jim Farmer, Christopher Knowles, Disband, Chain Gang, Gregory Whltehead, Daniel Shklalr, Bruce Tovaky, Wolfgang Staehle and Steve Pollack, Isaac Jackson, Cardboard Air Band, John Shirley and Sync 66, Tim Schellenbeum, The Tlnklers, Boom, Brian Reinbolt, Wharton Tiers)

Tellus #4

Cassette 1984 (curated by Claudia Gould, Joseph Nechvatal, Carol Parkinson. With Julius Eastman, David Weinstein, Michael Byron, Paul Dresher, Carol Parkinson, Ellen Fullman, John Morton)

Tellus #5 & 6 Special Double Audio Visual Issue

Cassettes, 1984. Curated by Claudia Gould, Joseph Nechvatal, Carol Parkinson. With Louise Lawler, Paul McMahon and Nancy Chun, Julie Harrison, Richard Prince, Julie Wachtel, Perry Hoberman, Ericka Beckman, David Wojnarowicz and Doug Bressler, Paul McMahon and Nancy Chun, Raimund Kummer, Barbara Barg and Barbara Ess, Kathryn High, Bite Like A Kitty, Anne Turyn, Michael Smith, Rhys Chatham)

Tellus #7 The Word I

Cassette, 1984 (with Linda Fisher, Michael Peppe, Wiska Radiewicz, John Miller, Terry Wilson, Lynne Tillman, Victor Poison-Tete, Jean-Paul Curtay, Claire Picher, Patrick McGrath, Molly Elder, Michael Gira, Gregory Whitehead, Nicolas Nowack, Cid Collins Walker, Richard Kostelanetz, Paul Bob Town, Nameless Stone Productions).

Tellus #8 USA/Germany

Cassette, 1985 (with Konk, Joshua Fried, Details At Eleven, Cargo Cult, Destructo, His Masters Voice, Rat At Rat R, Yellow Grave, Live Skull, Elliott Sharp, Fast Forward, Christian Marclay, Club of Rome (aka Asmus Tietchens), Saurekeller, Galerie Global, Nicolas Nowack)

Tellus #9 Music with Memory

Cassette, 1985 (curated by John Driscoll. With Nicolas Collins, John Driscoll, Brenda Hutchinson, Ron Kuivila, Paul De Marinis)

Tellus #10 All Guitars!

Cassette, 1985 (curated by Live Skull founding member Tom Paine. With Lee Ranaldo, Arto Lindsay and Toni Nogueira, Janice Sloane, Butthole Surfers, New Detroit Inc., Bob Mould, Bond Bergland, Joseph Nechvatal, Elliot Sharp, David Llnton, Jules Baptiste, Tim Schellenbaum, Bump, Rudolph Gray, Hahn Rowe, John Myra, Lydia Lunch and Lucy Hamilton, Sue Manel, Bliss BargeId, Andrew Nahem, Sandra Seymour, Run Nigger Run, Thurston Moore, Mark C. and Marnie Greenholz, Glenn Branca, James Vidos, Angela Babln and Joe Dizney, Frankenjerry)

Tellus #11 The Sound of Radio

Cassette, 1985. (curated by Karen Frillmann & Karen Pearlman and with Jay Allison, Adam Cornford & Daniel Crafts, Susan Stone, The New York IPS, M’lou Zahner Ollswang, Ginna Allison, Marjorie van Halteren, Lou Giansante, Karen McPherson, Barrett Golding, Rick Harris, Janice Bell & Portia Franklin, Melanie Berzon, Edward Haber, Steve Jones, Helen Thorington, Ginger Miles, Karen Frillmann)

Tellus #12 Dance

Cassette, 1986. (curated by Gretchen Langheld & Bruce Tovsky and with Bill Obrecht, A. Leroy, R. McQuire, Carol Parkinson, Linda Fisher, Lenny Pickett, Anita Feldman+Michael Kowalski, J.A. Deane, Gretchen Langheld, Bruce Tovsky, Brooks Williams, Jim Farmer, Hearn Gadbois, Liquid Liquid, Al Diaz, David Linton)

Tellus #13 Power Electronics

Cassette, 1986. (curated by Joseph Nechvatal, with Maybe Mental, Merzbow, Amor Fati, If, Bwana, Rhys Chatham, Psyclones, Blackhouse, Joseph Nechvatal, Master/slave Relationship, Maybe Mental, Architects Office, Controlled Bleeding, Mojo, Coup De Grace, Le Syndicat, Mitch Corber, F/i)

Tellus #14 Just Intonation

Cassette, 1986. (curated by the Just Intonation Network and with Harry Partch, Ralph David Hill, Carola B. Anderson, David Hykes, Lou Harrison, Jon Catler, David Canright, David B. Doty, John Bischoff,+Jim Norton+Tim Perkis, Ben Johnston, Erling Wold, Susan Norris, James Tenney, Larry Polansky, Alexis Alrich, Jody Diamond)

Tellus #15 The Improvisors

Cassette, 1986. (live ‘improvisions’ by Chris Cochrane, Anthony Coleman, Carol Emanuel, Tom Cora, Bill Frisell, Bobby Previte, Lindsay Cooper, Fred Frith, Irene Schweizer, Christian Marclay, Bill Horvitz, David Weinstein, Denman Maroney, Samm Bennett, Jim Staley, Ikue Mori, John Zorn)

Tellus #16 Tango

Cassette, 1986. (with Carlos Gardel, David Garland, Chris DeBlasio, Keeler, Brenda Hutchinson & Gerald Lindhal, Alan Tomlinson, Elodie Lauten, Jo Basile & Orchestra, Robert Scheff, Molly Elder, Matthew Nash, Jo Basile & Orchestra, Christopher Berg, Fast Forward, Mader)

Tellus #17 Video Art Music

Cassette, 1987. (Curated by Peer Bode with works by Woody Vasulka, Peter Chamberlain ‘5 Minutes Up’, Richard Kostelanetz, Shelley Hirsch, Joe D’Agostino, Julie Harrison, Kjell Bjorgeengen, Sorrel Hays ‘Unnecessary Music from Love in Space’, Eric Ross ‘Cadenza from Concerto for Orchestra (Op. 24)’, Megan Roberts, Jean-Paul Curtay ‘Senses, senses’ & others)

Tellus #18 Experimental Theater

Cassette, 1988. (works by Spalding Gray, Ann Magnuson with Vulcan Death Grip, Mike Kelley with Sonic Youth, Jerri Allyn, Ann Magnuson & Lydia Lunch)

Tellus #19 New Music China

Cassette, 1988 (contributing editor: R.I.P. Hayman, with: Ji Gong, Wang Li, Zhang Xing, Tiao Ba Tiao Ba, Zui Jiu, Hao Yuchi, Electronic Dirge, Xian Percussion Ensemble, Miao Love Chant, Liu Dehal, Gong Yi, Fred Houn, Chen Yi, Ge Gan Ru, Zhou Long, Wu Wen Guang, Tan Dun, R.I.P. Hayman, Jing Jing Luo)

Tellus #20 Media Myth

Cassette, 1988 (curated by Joseph Nechvatal, with Randy Greif, Pierre Perret, The Psychic Workshop, Social Interiors, If, Bwana, Crawling With Tarts, Violence and The Sacred, Art Interface, Minoy, Nicolas Collins, Silent But Deadly, JPM Studios, Joseph Nechvatal, A Place To Pray, Maurice Methot, Michael Chockolak, Dance)

Tellus #21 Audio By Visual Artists

Cassette, 1988 (works by Joseph Beuys, Maurice Lemaître, FT Marinetti, Raoul Hausmann, Antonio Russolo, Marcel Duchamp, Kurt Schwitters, Lawrence Weiner, George Brecht, Patrick Ireland, Richard Huelsenbeck, Arrigo Lora-Totino & Fogliati, Jean Dubuffet, Mimmo Rotella, Joan Jonas, Christian Boltanski, Ian Murray, Terry Fox, Jonathan Borofsky, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Richard Prince with Bob Gober, Martin Kippenberger, Jack Goldstein, John Armleder, Terry Allen, Gretchen Bender, Y Pants, Ed Tomney, Susan Hiller, Murray)

Tellus #22 False Phonemes

Cassette, 1988. (curated by Ellen Zweig and featuring : Remko Scha, Larry Wendt, Brian Reinbolt, Mark Rudolph, Alice Shields, Paul De Marinis, Paul Lansky, Jon English/Jim Pomeroy, Ron Kuivila, John Cage)

Tellus #23 The Voice of Paul Bowles

Cassette, 1989 (audioportrait incl. Bowles early compositions like ‘Music for a Farce’, ‘Interlude and Prelude # 2’, and moroccan field recordings)

Tellus #24 FluxTellus

Cassette, 1990. (curated by Barbara Moore, incl. a 16 page accordion fold-out booklet with Moore’s essay “The Sound Of Music”. Tape incl. early sound work by George Brecht, Philip Corner, Dick Higgins, Joe Jones, Alison Knowles, Takehisa Kosugi, George Maciunas, Jackson Maclow, Larry Miller, Tomas Schmit, Robert Watts and Emmett Williams. The cassette case includes a soundwork by Takako Saito)

Tellus #25 Siteless Sounds

CD, 1991. (contains ‘political and personal views as expressed through new audiotext works” by David Wojnarowicz and Ben Neill, Shelley Hirsch, David Moss ‘Conjure’, Constance Dulong, Brenda Hutchinson ‘Voices of Reason (Vanishing Act)’, Gregory Whitehead and a collaboration with Jacki Apple, Linda Albertano, Keith Antar Mason and Akailah Nayo Oliver)

Tellus Tools

2xLP (TE-LP01), 1992. (incl. selections from previous issues: Isaac Jackson, Alan Tomlinson, Joe Jones, Christian Marclay, Ken Montgomery, Catherine Jauniaux, Ikue Mori, David Linton, Gregory Whitehead, The League Of Automatic Music Composers, Maurice Lemaire, Jerry Lindahl, Tim Schellenbaum & Jack Goldstein)

Tellus #26 Jewel Box

CD, 1992, (with Anne LeBaron, Laetitia Sonami, Sussan Deihim, Bun Ching Lam, Catherine Jauniaux & Ikue Mori, Sapphire, Mary Ellen Childs, Michelle Kinney)

Tellus #27 Mini-mall

CD, 1993 (incl. Brenda Hutchinson ‘Long Tube Trio’, Jin Hi Kim ‘Electric Changgo Permutations’, Pauline Oliveiros with Fanny Green ‘Time Piece’)

References

• Carlo McCormick Tellus: Time Loops Our Sonic Stigmata
• Robert Palmer Pop Life: Electric Guitars, New York Times, September 25th, 1985
• Marvin @ Freealbums Various Artists - Tellus 1 & 2
• Kenneth Goldsmith Poetry Foundation Podcast: The Tellus cassettes
• Marc Weidenbaum Classic Tellus Noise

External links

http://www.harvestworks.org/cms/

http://www.harvestworks.org/tellusWEB/

http://www.ubu.com/sound/tellus.html