The Sinister Forest
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The Sinister Forest are an Australian Post-Modern "concept" band. They are considered to be the leaders of a rapidly growing movement of similar bands. The band formed in 2003 in the small NSW town of Bellingen. They are also considered to be a member of the Nu-folk movement. The band focuses on challenging notions of "what is music?" in the same way that Post-Modern artists challenge notions of "what is art?" Their music is 'process oriented' rather than focusing entirely on the music. The band is credited with enmeshing the philosophies of the "War on Modernism," into its music. The "War on Modernism" declares the prevailing 'modernist' world view as the cause of many of the worlds major problems, such as inequality and war. The supporters of the "War on Modernism" promote the importance of recognizing the subjective nature of belief and question notions of an objective truth (citing this concept as a cause of conflict).
[edit] Albums
- There Is A Salivating Panther In That Instrument!(2003)
- Do Elephants Understand Inflation?!(2005)
[edit] The 'Flying Puppy Tour'
The 'Flying Puppy Tour' was considered a landmark, a step towards the realization of 'pure' Post-Modern music. The tour began in Australia on 12 March 2006, spanned 4 continents, broke countless boundaries, made a gross profit of $0.00 and ended 5 May of the same year. Hailed by "Post-Modern" Scholar Richard Klause as "a pioneering effort, advancing the cause of both Post-Modern philosophy and music." The concept behind the tour is explained by band founder, Bede Newcombe;
After careful philosophical debate we concluded that the less a musician/band focused on pleasing their audience the better the music. however, it was obvious that if a band played intentionally to displease their audience the result would be bad music. And so the concept behind the tour was born, a tour without a human audience! The Australian leg of the tour began in our home town with a concert to my puppy. We then played to the stunning Gleniffer river, the shabby north Bellingen bus stop and the entirely un-notable 'North Street'. Naturally, at many of our more than 60 'concerts' small groupings of curious people gathered to watch. But we avoided giving them our attention. The tour (now sponsored by an anonymous but greatly generous patron of the arts) continued briefly to Brazil (where we played to various forests, a football field, and a slum) then the UK (where we played, amongst other things, to a stone circle, a church, a field of maize and a dead mouse). The toured continued in a similar style down through Europe and Asia, and when back in Australia our final concert was performed to an audience of over 50 large stick insects (which, thinking they are in a gust of wind, sway along to the vibrations of sound)
The tour attracted both praise and criticism, but was largely ignored by most mainstream media outlets, due to its lack of profitability.
