Generator Sound Art
")[8] As to the latter, Montgomery's "lamination ritual" is a staple of his performance oeuvre, described by the artist as "a people-participatory activity and sonic listening experience which stimulates the mind and body in-the-moment, while producing an original, tangible, transformed personal object that will last…almost forever.
"[8] Among Montgomery's formative influences are the theories of composer John Cage – particularly those outlined in Cage's 1961 collection of writings, Silence[9] – and the participatory work ethic of the German electronic musician (and Joseph Beuys protégé) Conrad Schnitzler (for whom Montgomery gave the first U.S. concerts,[1] and first met during the sole German performance of 'KMZ' in 1982.
"[11] Montgomery worked, from the early 1980s until 1991, with traditional electronic music instruments such as analog synthesizers and cheap toys, originally recording this material under the project name "Gen Ken & The Equipment.
[9] At the end of this period of creativity, an interval of flagging inspiration[13] led Montgomery to experiment with the use of quotidian household devices as instruments: these included an 'Ice-o-Matic' commercial icemaker which was used both in concert and in the CD recording Icebreaker.
[1] Montgomery is also allied with the Kingdoms of Elgaland-Vargaland micronation established by artists Leif Elggren and Carl Michael von Hausswolff, for whom he oversees the Ministry of Lamination.
According to Prescott, the label formed in the wake of ongoing discussions between Schnitzler, Montgomery and himself, in which they "found that we had not only a lot in common, but particularly interesting differences which led to our each strengthening and developing out notions of music, art and life.
On this last count, the space was noted in particular for its connection to the 'Cassette Culture' networks of the 1980s and the 1990s, and for its status as a "centralized location where at least one segment of the cassette underground could congregate": a rarity in an artistic milieu that otherwise relied upon postal communication and mini-media such as fanzines to initiate and maintain contacts.
"[20] The foundation of the Generator space was partially inspired by Montgomery's trips to Europe, in which he encountered likeminded multi-purpose venues (citing the Staaltape cassette shop in Amsterdam and the Gelbe Musik in Berlin as significant influences in this regard):[21] "I saw all these kinds of places and every time I came back to New York I got very frustrated, because it seemed like there was nothing like that here.
Like the original Generator, though, the inspiration for its establishment lay partially in Montgomery's trans-Atlantic communications and collaborations, and the perceived disparity in available performance and installation spaces in Europe.
[23] "Artists Throwing Money Out The Window" is a Generator Sound Arts sub-label focusing more exclusively on conceptual recordings, non-music and "irritainment."
