From The Badger’s Lair #4

Prepare yourself for another trip deep into the arms of the internet as Mark Broadbent brings back memories of strange times from the past that (hopefully) we'll never have to encounter again. Also, there are some very nice bits of music, poetry and thoughtfulness wrapped into this week's batch so we won't keep you any longer;

The Monkey In The Machine And The Machine In The Monkey.

All Watched Over By Machines Of Loving Grace.

Give this a watch. (We'd love to embed it but we can't)

In short. A series of films about how humans have been colonized by the machines we have built. Although we don't realize it, the way we see everything in the world today is through the eyes of the computers. The series argues that computers have failed to liberate humanity and instead have "distorted and simplified our view of the world around us. The original idea of systems to help mankind have become polluted through idealism and misunderstanding. And downright “invention” of facts.

Fantastic page on the project outlining each program.

This week's slice of Kraut. The wonderfully apt and always relevant Kraftwork tell us how much they prefer computers to their wives. I think that’s the message anyway.

The title for the series is from a short poem by Richard Brautigan written in 1967 and shows how these meddlesome brainiacs had managed to infiltrate the counterculture and win over it’s leaders who were unwittingly led down the garden path to slavery through “freedom";

I like to think (and
the sooner the better!)
of a cybernetic meadow
where mammals and computers
live together in mutually
programming harmony
like pure water
touching clear sky.

I like to think
(right now, please!)
of a cybernetic forest
filled with pines and electronics
where deer stroll peacefully
past computers
as if they were flowers
with spinning blossoms.

I like to think
(it has to be!)
of a cybernetic ecology
where we are free of our labors
and joined back to nature,
returned to our mammal
brothers and sisters,
and all watched over
by machines of loving grace.

Not everybody enjoyed the music at Woodstock.

As relevant today as it was back then.

Not as relevant today as it was back then.

Serves him right for drinking Bud Light.

More on Street Gangs next week.

Old school photo.

Another fantastic Policeman.

Very questionable advert.

After looking at disturbing or worrying images and reading messages of impending doom I like to listen to Matthew Hallsal (predictive text insists on calling him Matthew Halal which just goes to show how much we are moving forwards). Anyway, Matthew makes music to soothe the soul under a few different monikers that can be listened to and then bought on Bandcamp here – support whenever possible.

Another great Bandcamp find is Scrimshire who also makes soul soothing sounds. He even gives some of them away for free. Well, you're kind of expected to pay something but….

And, finally, something funny or not funny depending on which side of the fence you sit.

Mark Broadbent can be found running Pikes On Sundays over in Ibiza.