The FSOL Message Board

Why is it that FSOL don't always get the credit they deserve apart from us here on this message board? I've watched documentaries and read articles about pioneers of electronic music from the 90's yet no mention of FSOL yet they were talking about similar type acts like The Orb, Aphex Twin, Orbital etc . But FSOL were just as influential as those artists perhaps even more so i don't get why their achievements and influence on electronic music in the 90s is often overlooked. I own music from the all the acts mentioned, and while it's good, it doesn't stand up to FSOL's best work in my opinion. I think one doc mentioned Stakker Humanoid, but they didn't say who was behind it and that he is now one half of FSOL.

What do you guys think, are they underrated by music media?

I'd say that all those acts mentioned are way more accessible that FSOL, as strange as it sounds. It's hard to explain, Orbitals' "Belfast" is kinda of an ecstasy anthem, Aphex Twin can be understood even with pot.. TBH it's so much about drugs, since we are actually talking about electronic music here. FSOL can sound very "pure" and clinical in way, it just doesn't necessarily carry that pop element that the other acts do. In a nutshell, they're not so catchy.

Look at something that The Prodigy is doing now and compare that to FSOL

tryptych wrote:In a nutshell, they're not so catchy.

Yeah, this is probably it.

When you think about it, they really are not commercial and they were released by Virgin,
so in a way - they got more media attention than they imagined or needed.

They are mentioned in all the serious electronic music books/encyclopedias and a fair amount of music documentaries.
You can use them as a guide even - if they're not in a book about electronic music - then the book sucks

They get namechecked a lot - so many reviews have them as a comparison point, lots of artists talk about them, they turn up in lists by music fans.
The media lost interest in them because it can't understand them - they disappeared for 6 years, came back with a completely different project, then revived the FSOL name without alerting the media (i.e. no promo stuff sent out). They're off the media radar these days.

I do agree that it can be frustrating that a wider audience don't get their importance - a browse through our sample spotting thread should alert anyone to just how innovative they are. But hey, they seem happy enough.

Ive had the same question in my mind when watching various documentaries. Ive seen FSOL in a doc or two, I think it was the one where Mixmaster Morris tried to call them on the phone while being interviewed, lol. I believe FSOL are the most underground mainstream electronica project, and I do believe they were more influential than all the other acts, and not musically speaking only but regarding graphic design as well.. Music is not sports or competition, but the way I see it there are FSOL and there are all the others.

So, I think it's safe to say that every musician knows FSOL, but the wide audience does not...

They make music for musicians

The documentary is "Modulations", nice compilation of some few words from electronic artists on 90´s

http://www.discogs.com/Various-Modulati ... se/1521742

lol yeah Gary is a twat in Modulations. as far as rep, I think a lot of critics and websites wrote them off after Iness, their loss. I still take crap from my electronic music friends who think they suck now.

Love the way Brian just walks off during that.

tryptych wrote: look at something that The Prodigy is doing now and compare that to FSOL

Yeah, i used to like The Prodigy their older stuff. But even my mates that mainly just listen to mainstream pop & R & B like their newer material.

Pandemonium wrote: if they're not in a book about electronic music - then the book sucks

True

dubmasta wrote:Ive had the same question in my mind when watching various documentaries. Ive seen FSOL in a doc or two, I think it was the one where Mixmaster Morris tried to call them on the phone while being interviewed, lol. I believe FSOL are the most underground mainstream electronica project, and I do believe they were more influential than all the other acts, and not musically speaking only but regarding graphic design as well.. Music is not sports or competition, but the way I see it there are FSOL and there are all the others.

I agree with you.

Tito Lozano wrote:The documentary is "Modulations", nice compilation of some few words from electronic artists on 90´s

http://www.discogs.com/Various-Modulati ... se/1521742

Don't think I've watched this one before, thanks for posting.

ronniedobbs wrote:lol yeah Gary is a twat in Modulations. as far as rep, I think a lot of critics and websites wrote them off after Iness, their loss. I still take crap from my electronic music friends who think they suck now.

Well, at least your friends are in to electronic music. Most of mine wouldn't know good music if it came and punched them in the face lol

I actually couldn't care less what the masses think about FSOL.. it's so hard to access that I really don't blame them. Their music is timeless, incredibly detailed and diverse. Most people don't have any opinion, since they're so subtle and have been around for so long.

If you look at the Last.fm statistics (which is not a meter of anything 'tho), you'll see that they're gaining new fans in a very stable manner.. and that a lot of fans become hardcore fans.

As a musician, I would rather have a small, smart, dedicated fanbase rather than a herd of pill poppin' teenagers who will just jump the next fad ASAP

..then again, were the fans this way before listening to FSOL? IT'S A PARADOX!111

Didn't know this documentary, thanks for posting, very interesting watch.

The FSOL part is especially interesting, I always thought they did their ISDN performances straight to radio stations, but they really seemed to transmit their shows to concert or festival venues complete with screaming audience and a huge wall of monitors on stage? Thats pretty cool.

And yeah, Gaz is very 'funny' in this interview, It's no wonder they were 'surrounded by rumours of mental illness' at the end of the nineties with interview performances like that . I wonder what Gaz would say today if confronted with these recordings...

tryptych wrote:If you look at the Last.fm statistics (which is not a meter of anything 'tho), you'll see that they're gaining new fans in a very stable manner.. and that a lot of fans become hardcore fans.

Yup, that's me (except for the Last.fm bit).

Dennis wrote:Didn't know this documentary, thanks for posting, very interesting watch.

The FSOL part is especially interesting, I always thought they did their ISDN performances straight to radio stations, but they really seemed to transmit their shows to concert or festival venues complete with screaming audience and a huge wall of monitors on stage? Thats pretty cool

They only did it a couple of times - Art Futura in 95 and Essential Festival in 97. Plus the recent ones, of course.

Ah ok. Is it known from which one those snippets in the documentary are? I had guessed from around 94 with that Expander/PNG opening.