"Bauhaus find an idea, dust it off, lick it dearly, stretch it, tear it, drench it in perfume, burn it, colour it darkly, splatter it with luminous green dots, take it for a walk through a waxworks of horror, lead it into safe temptation, feed it obscure and diluted hallucinogenic drugs, paint a crazy face on it and then - only then - consider it fit and pretty for the public airing. Sometimes they do all this without having an idea in the first place."
- Paul Morley, 1982
On Wednesday, May 14, Toronto Poetry Remix kicked off with five authors remixing Bauhaus lyrics into original works.
The Full Moon was in Scorpio, the night was dark and stormy, and the air was thick. In other words, the city seemed like it was setting the perfect scene for the night ahead.
The line-up, in order of appearance:
Jade Wallace
Jacqueline Valencia
Tony Burgess
Suzanne Alyssa Andrew
Liisa Ladouceur
The authors weren't given any direction other than to remix Bauhaus lyrics. They could work within specific songs or mix and match, and of course the results were completely unpredictable - and completely wonderful.
Jade Wallace put a positive spin on the band's typical gloom, trying to create poems that would even make Bela Lugosi smile.
Jacqueline Valencia put her words to music, creating a strange, spacey atmosphere. To close off her set, she pulled from a pack of tarot cards to cast fortunes with her words.
"Ecstasy," by Jacqueline Valencia
Nerve ends
crucifixion ecstasy
One eye’s closed
checked in agony
Will it stay shut?
Stigmata bleed
What
if
if
if
Holes in head
Indelicate Nerves.
Delicate Nerves
Indelicate Nerves
Delicate Nerves
Stigmata oh
Stigmata oh
Stigmata oh
Tell tale tongues
weep for me
Brittle spittle
The fabric of dreams
Nerves.
As you feel the twist
pumping heart
Nerves nylon /nerves steel
Nerves nylon/nerves steel
Nerves nylon/nerves steel
Sense of serenity splintered glass.
Look into your crimson orifice
random cutlery cuts
In holy remembrance
Nerves. Nerves.
in your splintered plight
Nerves. Nerves.
Stigmata oh
Stigmata oh
Nerves.
Nerves nylon/nerves steel
Nerves nylon/nerves steel
Nerves nylon/nerves steel
In scarlet bliss
Father, son, and holy ghost
In nomine patri et filii et spiriti sanctum
In nomine patri et filii et spiriti sanctum
Aleb
Aleb
Aleb
Aleb
(check out Jacqueline's blog to see more of her work!)
Tony Burgess followed up by telling us a story about hearing "Bela Lugosi's Dead" on the radio during a serious misadventure.
Suzanne Alyssa Andrew also brought a deck of cards to the stage. "I believe performance is a gift," she said, encouraging the audience to pick up the playing cards she threw out as she read lines off each one.
Suzanne Alyssa Andrew also used a deck of cards in her performance. "I believe poetry is a gift,"
"I Dare You," by Suzanne Alyssa Andrew
I dare you to be real.
Cut down the puppet strings,
The spotlight doesn’t last.
Take a look
Become the fear
And dance to the dark side of this tune.
I could be with you
But I dare you to be real.
Strip your feet of lead
Don’t go wavering or disguising
Let the intoxication evaporate
Come to me mashed and empty
I dare you to be real.
Like manic moths we could light up
Chinese lanterns, neon lights.
Mix Molotov cocktails
In the subterrain.
Turn to feather
Set free the past
Launch some other kind of madness.
I dare you to be real.
Burn your effigy
Take down your shielded pride
Cast off pretension
Or I’ll walk
And you’ll never find me in the labyrinth place.
Liisa Ladouceur closed the night with duelling fog machines and a powerful reading that she delivered with Suzanne's playing cards laying at her feet.
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| Liisa Ladouceur, photo by Liz Worth |
Thanks again to the night's performers, the audience, and to Nocturne for hosting the first night of this new reading series!
The next event is in the works. If you're interested in staying up to date about upcoming Toronto Poetry Remix events, or getting involved, please send a note to LizWorth@gmail.com to get on the mailing list.
For now, I'll leave you with one last poem pieced together by Bauhaus quotes various band members gave to the press:
Dance absurd, by Liz WorthI'd written a dream out
on a piece of paper
to follow a beat with a
blank side,
passages of courage
dripping a lyric,
this battle between us.
I was press to
dance absurd,
confront a psychic power
as a definite identity.
Acting as a distanced observer
I cut the core of this
vast potential, a psychedelic fraction
of occult connotations,
a conversation made into a song.
For now, I'll leave you with one last poem pieced together by Bauhaus quotes various band members gave to the press:
Dance absurd, by Liz WorthI'd written a dream out
on a piece of paper
to follow a beat with a
blank side,
passages of courage
dripping a lyric,
this battle between us.
I was press to
dance absurd,
confront a psychic power
as a definite identity.
Acting as a distanced observer
I cut the core of this
vast potential, a psychedelic fraction
of occult connotations,
a conversation made into a song.
