This is a video frame grab from some footage taken about 10 or 11 years ago. Its of a spot in Laguna that broke, oh, about three times ever 10 or 11 years ago. I've never seen it do this again. Sure its not particularly impressive or mighty, but for a high school senior who hadn't really traveled around a lot, it would suffice. The quality of the image reminded me of the growing nostalgia for VHS and tape in general. This is a conversation I had with a practicing artist friend of mine, Ty Palmer (www.thelofiaesthetic.com) about how the nostalgic quality of VHS will never be in the same league as vinyl as vinyl as a quality and warmth to it that is based on sound and preference. I highly doubt anyone will be digging up there old VHS tapes and sit around commenting on the warmth of the scratchy footage.
This also reminded me of William Basinkski, a composer who took several pre-recorded symphonic sounds and looped the physical tapes together. He then let them play over and over allowing the tape reader to slowing eat away at the tape, thus disintegrating them. Nostalgic, calming and ultimately kind of sad and beautiful at the same time. There's an even eerier story behind some of these tapes, but I will let you discover that on your own if you like. Have some Jasmine Green Tea and kick back to the Disintegration Loops.
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