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United States
Includes stories, anecdotes, poems, songs, images, and commentary from the author's multi-media concert show
124 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1984
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About the author
Laurie Anderson
31 books73 followersLaurie Anderson (born Laura Phillips Anderson) is an American experimental performance artist and musician who plays violin and keyboards and sings in a variety of experimental music and art rock styles. Initially trained as a sculptor, Anderson did her first performance art piece in the late 1960s. Throughout the 1970s, Anderson did a variety of different performance art activities. She became widely known outside the art world in 1981 when her single "O Superman," reached number two on the UK pop charts. She also starred in and directed the 1986 concert film, Home of the Brave.
She has also invented several devices that she has used in her recordings and performance art shows. In 1977, she created a "tape-bow violin" that uses recorded magnetic tape on the bow and a magnetic tape head in the bridge. In the late 1990s, she developed a "talking stick", a six-foot long, batonlike MIDI controller that can access and replicate different sounds.
She has also invented several devices that she has used in her recordings and performance art shows. In 1977, she created a "tape-bow violin" that uses recorded magnetic tape on the bow and a magnetic tape head in the bridge. In the late 1990s, she developed a "talking stick", a six-foot long, batonlike MIDI controller that can access and replicate different sounds.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 19, 2010
Laurie Anderson... Yes. Now married to Lou Reed. I mean, that is itself a recommendation...
Laurie Anderson's performance and spoken-word pieces have been stunningly, perplexingly brilliant for the last...oh, 30 years.
"United States" is the book version of her "Home of the Brave" concert film. Lovely, witty, elegantly edgy and thoughtful.
Look--- just go view "Home of the Brave". Listen to her spoken-word collections. Do it. Now.
And enjoy the books--- Laurie Anderson is a rare and valuable artist.
Laurie Anderson's performance and spoken-word pieces have been stunningly, perplexingly brilliant for the last...oh, 30 years.
"United States" is the book version of her "Home of the Brave" concert film. Lovely, witty, elegantly edgy and thoughtful.
Look--- just go view "Home of the Brave". Listen to her spoken-word collections. Do it. Now.
And enjoy the books--- Laurie Anderson is a rare and valuable artist.
May 25, 2020
In lieu of a full filmed recording of the United States show, this and the live album (the record of the time?) make for an excellent document of one of the strangest pop-art-pop happenings of the 80’s, but I’ll admit that without Laurie’s delivery and the musical settings, much of the humor and eclecticism is lost, and at times what is light and delightful on record is ponderous and silly on the page. Still invaluable to fans, or anyone interested in interdisciplinary art.
July 17, 2020
Documentation translation images and text of the epic performance. An American Treasure an artifact of great historical importance and an icon of my personal mythology. A beautiful humorous thoughtful and critical book of great importance without a doubt worthy of your time and consideration as a work of art.
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April 6, 2020A companion piece to the live albums, it contains a few things, particularly visuals, that are either not part of the live performance or simply not visible on an audio recording. Worth having for a “faniac” like me.
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August 6, 2011It has its moments.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews