Harvey Pekar's New Opera: Leave Me Alone

Harvey Pekar, who you probably know from his most popular comics work American Splendor, has written an opera based on the life a math teacher who struggles to balance his day job with his passion for being a jazz musician. Pekar is trying to spark an interest in the average person in experimental music through this "jazz opera". You can stream the opera from Oberlin College's website, here.

Pekar quoted as saying:
"Well, I'm trying to get everyman involved in art," he says. "And I'm trying to get them involved in thinking about what it takes to get everyman into experimental music or painting or novel writing. I think it's important to have the support of the masses."

I see what Pekar is saying but really, he's being fairly idealistic. There's a reason why this stuff is considered experimental! because it's taking a chance and playing into some weird interest of the artist. In today's world, you can't expect to be successful without playing the game a little bit by at least, winning critical acclaim. It's also weird for his conduit for this message to be Opera, a notoriously polarizing art form.

This opinion puts me semi-parallel with R. Crumb, who discusses the similar topics with Pekar in the NPR podcast. It's interesting to hear the dichotomy between Pekar and Crumb in this podcast because Pekar is expressing his interest in the average person, which is also apparent through his comics, and Crumb is just being himself, a radical individualist. They end up discussing music and based on my previous knowledge of what Crumb likes and Pekar's interest in promoting experimental jazz, their differing tastes in music only further expresses their difference in attitude; Crumb does exactly what he wants and seems like an oddball, Pekar tries to be different, innovative--and maybe not always succeeding--with some interest in the outside world.

Crumb's Taste in Music

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Pekar's Taste in Music


BONUS: Crumb explains the BEAN effect

Music Video Animation by Overture

Overture are a husband and wife animation and art duo. Usually, I'm not partial to this type of animation but I think they do a good job visually representing experimental electronic music by way of really understanding the emotional undertones of the music. In the past couple years, they have released three music videos in addition to their animation shorts for TV, illustrations and personal art exhibitions. The first was for the Icelandic experimental electronic band, Múm, and the most recent two were for German Modern Classical pianist, Hauschka. Their animation style is reminiscent of Fantastic Planet with animal and plant-like characters and more textured and saturated colors. The Múm video seems really "far out" in a Fantasia way but with a more folk-y, storybook feeling.

Múm "Rhubarbidoo"


In contrast to Múm, Hauschka's music is experimental in a more subtle way, using the manipulation of the piano in combination with electronics. Hauschka has revealed in interviews that his album Ferndorf is about his childhood and the small German town where he grew up. Not suprisingly, the videos Overture did for Hauschka, "A Memory" and "An Idea", are about the interactions of two characters, Kapok and Bryum, with one another and their environment. Kapok kind of looks like a Shmoo with arms, legs and game show host hair and Bryum looks like a sad, hunchback sloth, Sanrio character. Both of the characters are really great! I wish Overture would make a comic book using them...maybe in the silent style of Gon! Anyway, watch these really great videos!

Bryum & Kapok: A Memory


Bryum & Kapok: An Idea