Sisters with Transistors — Documentary

A documentary like this not including Wendy Carlos would have been ridiculous, but it does include her, so case closed.

Let’s not spoil an otherwise positive thread…

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I get it, and notice that I merely asked a question and raised a mild concern (many days ago!). When I looked into the background for the film, Wendy wasn’t listed in any of the profiles, but I was glad to hear that she’s in the film. I hadn’t accused anyone of anything or made any assumptions that weren’t warranted by the linked information about the film (which I haven’t been able to access myself).

I’m not trying to start a huge argument here, but–again, as the parent of a trans person–I’m also not going to let it slide when people make transphobic statements (and yes, silencing discussions or attempting to regulate when discussions can take place about trans people is a form of implicit transphobia). @Joebas made the decision to respond to a week-old post with a snide comment, and then to follow that up with a classically intolerant lecture about where and when discussions can take place. Phrases like “where it does not belong,” “push it,” “making people sick and tired” have historically been used to silence conversations about gender, race, sexual orientation, etc.

I’m not trying to spoil anyone’s good time–and if you know me from my posts you know I’m not a shitposter or troublemaker. I have nothing more to say about this, and the mods can decide what to do with these posts, but I’ll be disappointed if it all just gets deleted. I choose to believe that readers here are capable of engaging in thoughtful discussions about important topics, even when they’re uncomfortable. That’s what makes this forum special.

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Wasn’t really aiming it at you, to be fair.

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I agree with your last paragraph, and I think it’s sad, that so many posts are being flagged, if they make people uncomfortable.

In regard to our discussion, I can recognize a dead end one, when I see it, so I think it’s fair to say, that we will probably go nowhere with this.
I think it is unfair to say, that I’m trying to silence a discussion, because I think you run the risk of pushing people away, when you bring it up in this case. I urge you to think about, if that is really the case, or if maybe there is a speck of truth, in what I was saying. I will do the same, with your posts, and I think you would be surprised, if you knew, how much I agree with you, on the core agenda here. I wish you all the best.

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I do realize that, and thanks–was just trying to condense responses to multiple posts into one post.

Agreed, and I don’t impute any particular intent on your part. I myself got WAY more aware of these issues when my kid came out, so I’m really much more interested in raising awareness than calling people out. I believe you when you say that we probably basically agree, because I’ve come to expect that people who post here are generally very decent people! :slightly_smiling_face:

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May i suggest that we keep on topic, the documentary Sisters With Transistors, and the artists it is about (or artists that should have been included and were missed.) The current discussion is relevant if it relates to this topic. So that we can stay on topic let’s please scope our posts to that, and place off-topic discussion where it can be better addressed in another thread. Could someone please open a thread for that ?

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So here’s another pioneer that probably could be included in the documentary (if she wasn’t).

Else Marie Pade <— Wikipedia page.
She composed music while imprisoned by the gestapo, for her involvement in the resistance !

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I love Else Marie Pade.

First came across her on on one of the noise and electronic music anthologies that Sub Rosa put out about 15 years ago.

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House of Vans (in London) are doing an online screening from the 25th, with a Q&A.

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We watched the film and a Q&A with director Lisa Rovner on the Doxa festival streaming site in Canada.

I highly recommend it for anyone interested in the history of electronic music. There is a lot of archive footage that I had not seen before.

Treat it as an introduction to the field and the featured artists: each of them, not least Pauline Oliveros, deserve at least a 90-minute documentary of their own. It’s a welcome antidote to the second half of “I Dream Of Wires” (2014).

It will be interesting to see which of the commentators in the film (Sara Davachi, Holly Herndon) or others (AGF) become subjects themselves in the future.

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Sound On Sound electronic music podcast:

Director Lisa Rovner and Sound Designer Marta Salogni chat to Caro C about their feature length documentary Sisters With Transistors, exploring the role of women as pioneers of electronic music from the 1920’s through to the 1980’s.

https://www.soundonsound.com/people/sisters-transistors-podcast

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This is coming to a local arty theater soon, will definitely see it.

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This is really cool. Look forward to seeing this. I may just have to collect it with I dream of wires for my video collection. Haven’t really been interesting new films out lately.

Janet Beat

This is a must read if you clicked this thread. The discrimination she faced is appalling !
Great that the producer tracked her down and has made her music available to be heard.

Down toward the end of this article you can listen to some samples of her music. Dancing On Moonbeams is a good place to start. Beyond just the electronic music part, listen to the musical composition, and musicianship of the musical performance, like for instance the piano parts, in the mixed composition in the later tracks.

There has been something misplaced in the purity of form shown here in Beat’s compositions. These are an inspiration.

Too bad the image is so grainy showing the equipment in her studio. I’d be interested in some of the technical parts of that too.

Somebody like the BBC needs to produce an audio interview with her.

ADDED: I see there is considerably more out there on Janet Beat, including sheet music and lots of biographical information.

ADDED: I found more technical detail on the composition Dancing On Moonbeams, including the abstract sheet music for that composition.

ADDED:

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Can I finally stream this VOD?

Just started watching this documentary (it’s available on Yle Areena, but only viewable in Finland, unfortunately). I’m only 15 minute in but the tape loop stuff from Delia Derbyshire is absolutely mind-blowing! Looks to be a really good documentary!

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I need to remember to watch it too, before it leaves Areena. I hope Doris Norton is somehow included in the documentary too, but she might be of a slightly different generation than the rest.

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Funny that this thread just got bumped. My partner is getting ready to go watch this in the theater her with here friend in 45 minutes. :slight_smile:

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It’s available until May 2023. :slightly_smiling_face:

But yeah, a great documentary that I’ll probably watch again at some point. Really eye-opening in the sense that I know quite a bit about the progressive rock movement that started around the same time but a lot less about the beginnings of electronic music.

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