The Founding and Manifesto of VaVa
Written by Brent Handlebear and Don Kazek
Arise my fellow musicians and break free of the tyranny of harmonic and formulaic oppression. Drop that 12 bar, drop that Binary form, throw out that 7 sharp 9 or that funky 9th chord or the standard voicing you were reaching for.
Did Schoenberg nod towards tradition? Christ there were riots in the streets after his new works were performed, Did Charlie Parker say I am going to keep playing that swing thing? Did Coltrane stick with the standard two, five, one? What about Lydian-Dominant theory? Without Miles reading the book we wouldn’t have Kind of Blue. The list goes on but in striving to avoid cliché (whether by design or subconsciously) music evolves and changes in leaps not steps. Even in failing we may still progress the art.
It is not enough for us to read that something is good or bad. We need to feel it. We have little use for any information that is not followed by sensation. How can you sing the blues of Laurel Canyon if you’ve never been there?
It is time to score what would be a victory for the less fortunate of us ruined by modern world. Let us welcome contemparary living, that which is ablaze with colourful lights and faceless villains. Eat it up then spit it out and let us not be afraid or in awe of the new technological landscape or the latest futuristic visions invented by modern man, utilise their machinery and loathe them. Even in this world the soul is the only thing that matters.
Let’s go, embrace every last drop of impurity, breathe in your last foul scent of durge, only now will your fears be finally defeated. Welcome to your birth, the first true dawn.
Today begins the era of passion.
The VaVafesto
1. We must reduce ourselves to an unlimited refusal to be anything whatsoever.
2. To entertain danger, encourage revolt, exchange fear for courage and exclude habit and that which is known.
3. Avoid all things that are close to the average tone.
4. Whatever the form, execute with great gusto, value and honesty.
5. When stuck, lost or uninspired we will embark on something that will upset our fellow man, especially things that will not go down well with the hot gospel crowd.
6. We affirm that the world's magnificence has been enriched by a new beauty, that beauty, in the eye of the beholder is complete with a strong sense of self, relevance and conscious.
7. Except in mystery, there is nothing beautiful, sweet or great in life.
8. Always keep one eye on the potential while remembering that a return to the lustral waves of tradition is avoidable.
9. We must strive to avoid all cliché in music, aim high, tradition whether by nod or by imitation can lead to ossification and a sense of the familiar. One must strive to destabilise, upset and disorientate the listener.
10. We will live freely and pay no attention to any rules, not even these, for these are not rules but guidelines of which can help any aspirations of purpose.
