15 x 1 min. : The Concept

Very soon after starting my cassette label ZIDSICK in 1984 to exchange original recordings with fellow hometapers worldwide I became obsessed with collaborations. I wanted not just to write and trade with people, but to collaborate with them. This documents friendships, expands the range of audio sources available to releases on my label and generates new relationships when I combine artists who are unfamiliar with each other. Importantly it provides me with creative challenges outside the possibilities I can provide for myself.

Fifteen years later with e-mail and the Internet at my fingertips a new world of international networking opened up to me. It was then that I formulated my "15 x 1 min." collaborative series. I realized after so many years of asking people to send me collaborative material I found it most difficult to work with long pieces and I had explored those options extensively already with hundreds of releases and collaborations. I remember, years ago, asking John Hudak specificly to send me short things to work with as his long pieces were not dynamic enough for my interests. What I got was awesome and a lot of fun to work with. Even farther back in 1984 I was asking people to send me 40 second pieces to work with. This was for Zanstones 7 - 40x40, a collection of forty pieces, each 40 seconds long.

It was in this spirit that I decided that I wanted people to send me one minute pieces... fifteen of them. The only creative guideline I suggest is that all fifteen pieces should sound different from each other. I'm not interested in a 15 minute piece cut up into one minute chunks in other words.

Nowadays I inquire with everyone I contact about contributing to the "15 x 1 min." series. It's all part of my mission here at ZH27: To explore new audio realms including outreach to fellow explorers worldwide. I want to thank everyone who has contributed to this project & this blog will strive to document this project.

Your pal in the Bluegrass State
Zan