"NO BUSINESS" is not only a term Negativland's accountant can identify with, but also a tenaciously pure attempt to make new music out of old, or to make old music new, whatever the critics decide this dubious case may be. Critically acclaimed by those same critics in Newsweek, NY Times, Washington Post, Urb, Spin, Blender, Rolling Stone, etc., and with their work now being taught in college courses nation wide, "NO BUSINESS" may be a race with Walt Dizzy to commit legal suicide, or it may be the most thoughtful novelty record you've ever heard. But either way, Negativland passes through your consciousness once again, this time with nothing original at all!
"NO BUSINESS" is all about stealing music, file-sharing, the supposed collapse of the music industry and a nice piece of pie. Taking famous and not so famous music from the whole array of show business, Negativland recomposes it all to make a project of thoroughly un-original music and dialog they hope to copyright themselves.
Hey, if you don't know what these guys sound like by now, here's the deal on this thing: they clipped out, cut up, and re-imagineered all the found sound they could get into their computer, and out came "NO BUSINESS". It's in a deluxe 5 x 11 inch die cut sleeve that comes with a laff-a-minute CD tribute to stealing and jamming popular culture, and a 56 page essay about the cultural public domain which isn't one bit funny, just for contrast. And then, just when you're getting all serious, there's a trademarked Copyright Whoopee Cushion included in every package, as well as a "Universally Computer Compatible Video Short™." This video, which uses one of Negativland's old chestnuts of criminal music, "Gimme The Mermaid," was made working with a now former Disney animator using Disney's own computers to create it and render it after hours when they weren't looking!
So, if you are a copyright lawyer, you'll want to hear this, see this and read this as soon as possible. If you have no respect for music or the music industry, this will confirm your suspicions. Whether you're going to a party or appearing in court for stealing music, take NO BUSINESS along for the laughs and stitches that will keep them staring at the speakers till it's over.
But that's not all. Also on the way from Negativland this year and into the next is a DVD collection of their previously unseen short film work ("OUR FAVORITE THINGS", which will also come with a top secret full-length bonus CD), a DVD re-issue of "SONIC OUTLAWS" (Craig Baldwin's 1995 documentary film about the "U2" lawsuit and culture jamming), a re-issue of their out-of-print 1983 classic "A Big 10-8 Place", founding member Mark Hosler's first ever solo CD, live performances of a new touring show entitled "It's All In Your Head," and, this September 9 through October 22, "Negativlandland," a mid-career retro-future-intro-spective of Negativland's fine art and audio-visual installation work at New York Cities GIGANTIC ART SPACE. Come see the mighty right life-size Abe Lincoln robot!
Copies of "NO BUSINESS" may be purchased right here.
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