Metaphor is: Mike Croswell--Guitars, Synthesizers, Keyboards, Drum Machines, Flutes, Didjeridoo, Accordion, French Horn, Tapes, Sequences

Metaphor and our musical friends never came together with a specific agenda or ideology in mind. The driving force was a desire to explore our musical landscape with the instruments and machines that were available to us. The fantastic part of this adventure was the collaboration between the band members and with the performers and technicians during the recording process. It was amazing to watch the music grow when other creative voices were put into the musical mix. The importance of letting the players do their magic quickly became evident.

This CD project began in May of 1994. For two nights we set up in Studio M in Saint Paul and went live onto 2-track DAT. Three players locked in a studio with a good engineer and strong coffee is about as close to Heaven as it gets! The rest of the project was recorded onto 8 and 16 track ADAT in Randy Gildersleeve’s basement, an intimate setting which encouraged the creative process to unfold.

A friend described the music as hyperconscious, that sounds accurate...

Metaphor is: Mike Croswell--Guitars, Synthesizers, Keyboards, Drum Machines, Flutes, Didjeridoo, Accordion, French Horn, Tapes, Sequences

Nate Hanson--Tenor and Soprano Saxophone, Sax Fx, Wisdom

Scott Fremont--Live Percussion (Studio M recordings)

Contributing Artists: Jane Anfinson--Electric Violin , Tracks 1, 10, 12

Peter O’Gorman--Percussion, Tracks 1, 10, 12, 18

Kitty--Vocals, Track 12

Randy Gildersleeve--Guitar Solo, Track 3, Bass Guitar, Track 11

Sandy Gildersleeve--Psaltery, Track 9

Produced by Michael Croswell

Music composed/developed by Michael Croswell

±engineered by Randy Gildersleeve onto 8 and 16 Track Alesis ADAT

engineered by Paul Baron “Live” onto 2 Track DAT at Studio M

Edited by Preston Smith, Perfect Record Company, St. Paul, MN

Tracks 17, and 18 were developed for Frank Theatre’s production of Description of a Picture. Track 18 was also adapted for and performed at the Sonic Circuits Music Festival, Red Eye Theatre. These excerpts were underwritten by the Minnesota Composers Forum with funds provided by the Jerome Foundation.

Special Thanks and Kudos to: Jane Anfinson, Peter O’Gorman, Randy and Sandy Gildersleeve, Paul Baron, Preston Smith, Lupe, Chris Strouth, Jim and the Horns, Girgen Clan, Tammy Anderson, Fly Manifesto, Jennifer Paarni, Laura Hanson, Wendy Knox, Mark’s FFL, Wayne and Laura, the Minnesota Composers Forum, Mom and Dad, and my partner in life, Kitty.

Paintings by Guadalupe Hestad. Persons interested in the artwork of Guadalupe may contact the Artist at (612) 473-2311.

Other Credits:

“I Love this Machine” was a tape loop created from John Cage reading Indeterminacy. (Folkways Records FT3704)

“She was a Visitor” was a tape loop created from Robert Ashley’s She was a Visitor. (Odyssey 32 16 0155)

Other voice materials were taken from unidentified short-wave radio broadcasts between 1988-1990.

Cover Design: Adam Kapel

Executive Producer: Homer Lambrecht

For information about this and other recordings, contact:

innova Recordings

American Composers Forum

332 Minnesota Street, Suite E-145

St. Paul, MN 55101-1300

[Adam: Tray card information follows; put on right side of picture - see below]

ID# Trax List Length

± 1. Romanija 4:58

± 2. Subway Terminal 2:40

± 3. Shift One :57

4. Engage 4:27

5. River 6 2:31

± 6. Eastern Static 3:05

± 7. I Love this Machine 2:27

8. Slow Ride in a Big Car 6:16

± 9. Serene Traveler 3:21

± 10. Dashboard Dingleberries 5:52

± 11. Boris the Cabby 2:24

± 12. Anguis 6:11

± 13. Velvet Reverie 3:28

14. Flight Over LA 3:59

± 15. Nock A Tunga 6:56

16. Arara 7:39

17. Sitra 2:57

± 18. Kumasaka 4:14

Total playing time - 73’40”

D D D compact

disc

Digital Audio

INNOVA Ó1995 BARCODE

CONTEMPORARY WORLD MUSIC