More on Answering Machines: An Audio Essay

Music: Fischerspooner: Odyssey Last week while getting some grub at the student union, I waited patiently in line as the cashier kept staring at me. When I was paying for my meal, I asked for five ones instead of a five, because I needed to use the stamp machine downstairs. "Oh my goodness," she said, "your voice is so sweet, but you look so mean."

As I was reviewing my audio essay, which I've finished and sent off to our respondent, I was wishing my voice was at least deeper. And the essay is soooooooo stupid. I'm delighted with its stupidity. It will play in lieu of me at a panel titled, "On Disembodied Voices" at the SSCA convention here in Baton Rouge. I've uploaded pieces online here; the whole thing is about eighteen mintues.

PART ONE: On the Haunting of the Obscene Phone Call

PART TWO: Pazuzu Speaks! More on The Exorcist

PART THREE: Mercedes McCambridge Is (Not)Dead, or, Three Packs A Day

PART FOUR: Backmasking and the Replication of the Abject Voice

Perhaps I should do all my convention papers this way and simply stop showing up. I hear some lame DJs are doing that: instead of showing up at a club to spin a gig, they send iPods pre-mixed to port into the system. At the very least, I can remix this puppy. Indeed, I intend to do just that for NCA next year if our panel makes . . . .