Re: [microsound] project names vs real names...

[Gregory Elliott <Spagirus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I think a lot of us have given this one quite a bit of thought, so great topic as it concerns so many on this list. I have often thought that there is something really genuine and pure about using one's given name for the work they do on their own or as a solo project. There is even something humble about it as if to say, 'here is my musick. no smoke, no mirrors, just the musick.' But then again, there is a certain attraction to using a project moniker to sort of continue a consistency with the Cagean 'taking the ego out of the product' kind of idea. When you use a project moniker it is possible to say that that is a name for the works themselves or a collective body of work and nevermind so much who the person is that did them. I'm just pointing out what I have thought are the pros of going either way, and my thought on either way to go does not imply a con of the other way. i.e. I don't mean that people who use their given name are egotistical, nor do I mean that people who use a moniker are inauthentic or not humble or just trying to wear a mask or something like that. I ultimately, after much introspective debating, chose to go with using a project moniker (Spagirus) rather than my given name. The ultimate deciding factor for me had nothing to do with any of my thoughts above. I just really like the word, and it fits my work and life so damn well, I just had to keep it. (If you want to know what the word means you can find it by scrolling down here http://www.angelfire.com/journal/cathbodua/EsodictS.html ). I think ultimately the decision of whether or not to use your given name or a project moniker will come down to what your sound art values are, or just to which one you like better. If you come up with that perfect moniker that for some reason no one else has picked up on and it fits your work so perfectly it seems like cosmic providence or something, then you will want to go with that. If you want to just go the 'be yourself' route with your work, then you will probably go with your given name. I think an interesting precedent on this issue is Hrvatski/Keith Fullerton Whitman (and possibly Keith's other monikers that I don't even know about). Both projects are good in their own way, but I think the KFW stuff is much more deep and interesting than the Hrvatski stuff, which makes me think he chose to use his given name for the stuff he takes REALLY seriously and that is closest to his heart. Just a guess, but examining the sound work of both Hrvatski and KFW and wondering why he chose to name each as he did would seem to provide some kind of insight on this topic.

Greg Elliott (since this is my given name, perhaps you can see why I chose to use a project moniker. perhaps if I'd been named Bernhard Guenter or Francisco Lopez, I would have gone with my real name.)

http://spagirus.ivdt.net


>
> hello .microsounders,
>
> Recently I've been struggling not with my creative music efforts, but
> with how to present them or, i guess, market them.
>
> I can intuitively feel that there are pro's and con's to presenting my
> music under my real name vs a stage name or "band" name, but am having
> a hard time articulating them well enough that I can figure out which
> route I'd like to go.
>
> Stuff like this always seems to distract me from the important thing,
> which is making good music, so I try not to think too hard about it.
> But then I end up with cds full of music and no real idea how to
> present them.
>
> Any ideas on this topic?
>
> Anthony
>
>
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