Comments on: OK GO AGAIN http://cultureby.com/2006/08/ok_go_again.html This Blog Sits At the Intersection of Anthropology and Economics Tue, 16 Mar 2010 02:54:55 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Kennedy http://cultureby.com/2006/08/ok_go_again.html/comment-page-1#comment-3819 Kennedy Mon, 11 Sep 2006 14:54:45 +0000 http://grantmccracken.com/cco/http:/grantmccracken/page-title#comment-3819 <p>Ok Go was named mtvUs house band. They have videos, live performances, and interviews at this link:<br /> <a href="http://www.mtvu.com/music/house_band/" rel="nofollow">http://www.mtvu.com/music/house_band/</a><br /> </p> Ok Go was named mtvUs house band. They have videos, live performances, and interviews at this link:
http://www.mtvu.com/music/house_band/

]]> By: Grant http://cultureby.com/2006/08/ok_go_again.html/comment-page-1#comment-3818 Grant Tue, 05 Sep 2006 23:04:33 +0000 http://grantmccracken.com/cco/http:/grantmccracken/page-title#comment-3818 <p>Burt, brilliant, thanks, Grant</p> Burt, brilliant, thanks, Grant

]]> By: burt http://cultureby.com/2006/08/ok_go_again.html/comment-page-1#comment-3817 burt Tue, 05 Sep 2006 03:15:51 +0000 http://grantmccracken.com/cco/http:/grantmccracken/page-title#comment-3817 <p>The bodies move when the feet don't, and don't move when the bodies do. This causes a perceptual dislocation, a visual play on words, that opens up our awareness to the feelings and rhytms of walking, and so on.</p> <p>It's an art thing, really. As for why they did it in such a structured way, maybe that was the choreographer's syntax limitation? If one were paid to spin these things, rather one would link this insistance of multiplicity of views with Muybridge photos, as it is a looking anew at human movement.<br /> </p> The bodies move when the feet don't, and don't move when the bodies do. This causes a perceptual dislocation, a visual play on words, that opens up our awareness to the feelings and rhytms of walking, and so on.

It's an art thing, really. As for why they did it in such a structured way, maybe that was the choreographer's syntax limitation? If one were paid to spin these things, rather one would link this insistance of multiplicity of views with Muybridge photos, as it is a looking anew at human movement.

]]> By: Tom Asacker http://cultureby.com/2006/08/ok_go_again.html/comment-page-1#comment-3816 Tom Asacker Thu, 31 Aug 2006 11:45:53 +0000 http://grantmccracken.com/cco/http:/grantmccracken/page-title#comment-3816 <p>Hey Jens,</p> <p>Long time. And great analysis. But I contend that it's even simpler (you artists can make big meaning out of white paint on a white canvas). :)</p> <p>Treadmills are well-known to us, and our experience with them visceral: if we close our eyes for a moment, get distracted, etc. we fall off! So we are intrigued both by the mastery and creativity, but, like watching a car race, we're secretly waiting for someone to crash. :-0</p> <p>Grant, you certainly make us think. Thanks.</p> Hey Jens,

Long time. And great analysis. But I contend that it's even simpler (you artists can make big meaning out of white paint on a white canvas). :)

Treadmills are well-known to us, and our experience with them visceral: if we close our eyes for a moment, get distracted, etc. we fall off! So we are intrigued both by the mastery and creativity, but, like watching a car race, we're secretly waiting for someone to crash. :-0

Grant, you certainly make us think. Thanks.

]]> By: LK http://cultureby.com/2006/08/ok_go_again.html/comment-page-1#comment-3815 LK Thu, 31 Aug 2006 00:39:36 +0000 http://grantmccracken.com/cco/http:/grantmccracken/page-title#comment-3815 <p>"For instance, the Beatles were the last band to wear a uniform, and no band in recent times has worn anything coordinated except as a rather good joke."</p> <p>are you calling devo, the hives, (arguably the white stripes) and other bands in uni's (calling steve portigal, help me out with other names here) a joke?</p> <p>; *</p> <p>(i think this marks the first time a silly emoticon face has appeared on this blog)</p> "For instance, the Beatles were the last band to wear a uniform, and no band in recent times has worn anything coordinated except as a rather good joke."

are you calling devo, the hives, (arguably the white stripes) and other bands in uni's (calling steve portigal, help me out with other names here) a joke?

; *

(i think this marks the first time a silly emoticon face has appeared on this blog)

]]> By: jens http://cultureby.com/2006/08/ok_go_again.html/comment-page-1#comment-3814 jens Wed, 30 Aug 2006 19:53:35 +0000 http://grantmccracken.com/cco/http:/grantmccracken/page-title#comment-3814 <p>oh grant ...<br /> you never where one for simple explanations. where you?<br /> it also reminds me of something. but more of a chaplinesque or keatonish scene.<br /> well, maybe these are our "modern times" and the in/out rythmn of our mailbox is the 21st century equivalent of the steam-machine or the assembly line...</p> <p>to me the key to the sensation lies somewhere slightly different.</p> <p>we watch the video AND we immediately ask ourselves: "what is wrong? - why can't i trust my senses?" The question stimulates us - and hooks the intellectuals (as we can clearly see). - the irritation attracts us (as always). </p> <p>where does the irritation - in this case come from?<br /> a combination of three factors<br /> A) we know how treadmills work <br /> B) we know how the mechanical functions (legs and arms) of the human body work<br /> c) we know what level of animation we can expect from a trashy home video - ...not much</p> <p>what we realize: here are three quite simple elements combined - but the outcome is not simple at all...</p> <p>personally i also had a closer look at the mechanics of this video. - i assumed that they changed the running direction of the treadmills during the performance. <br /> with quite some amazement i found out that the trick was even more simple. </p> <p>great choreography.<br /> absolute masterpiece.</p> <p>quite similar to what we in german call "Konkrete Kunst".</p> <p>we seem to know what we see. - every detail is familiar.<br /> yet the result not.<br /> how does that get together? - we do not know (HERE LIES THE TENSION - HERE LIES WHAT DRAGS US IN)<br /> and we want to find out.</p> oh grant …
you never where one for simple explanations. where you?
it also reminds me of something. but more of a chaplinesque or keatonish scene.
well, maybe these are our "modern times" and the in/out rythmn of our mailbox is the 21st century equivalent of the steam-machine or the assembly line…

to me the key to the sensation lies somewhere slightly different.

we watch the video AND we immediately ask ourselves: "what is wrong? – why can't i trust my senses?" The question stimulates us – and hooks the intellectuals (as we can clearly see). – the irritation attracts us (as always).

where does the irritation – in this case come from?
a combination of three factors
A) we know how treadmills work
B) we know how the mechanical functions (legs and arms) of the human body work
c) we know what level of animation we can expect from a trashy home video – …not much

what we realize: here are three quite simple elements combined – but the outcome is not simple at all…

personally i also had a closer look at the mechanics of this video. – i assumed that they changed the running direction of the treadmills during the performance.
with quite some amazement i found out that the trick was even more simple.

great choreography.
absolute masterpiece.

quite similar to what we in german call "Konkrete Kunst".

we seem to know what we see. – every detail is familiar.
yet the result not.
how does that get together? – we do not know (HERE LIES THE TENSION – HERE LIES WHAT DRAGS US IN)
and we want to find out.

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