Strange Soup/The Thrift Store Tape Discussion

[Orbited insanitarium]

I'm deeply sorry but in my heart of hearts I do not believe this music at all is Artificial Intelligence.
Apologies to you if you do, and I wish not to be called a big thicko for my thoughts. I am taking this serious tone as I imagine it would be very disappointing for the creator if they read this, their work to be demeaned to that of skynet.

Oh gang, we better than believing this is just a case of 'feed the machines'?

I say screw the creator. This person has strung us along too far and missed their opportunity to come forward last year. My .02 of course.


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This is disappointing to read, Brendan Standing Alone.

With so much positivity and joy this thread has brought to many, I don't like this tone you are using to express your dissatisfaction with the music. Artificial Intelligence take beside.

Everything dandy atm with you fella?

[April 7th]

I got the impression I ruffled a few feathers when I asked if AI could have any part in this. For what its worth, this is what AI did with Wouldn't You Like to Be Free.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJgibAWjmZc

I think there's a case to be made against the thrift store tape being AI. Although I am satisfied that it probably isn't BOC. It's highly unlikely that the Redondo Vacuum and Janitorial commercial would have aired on British or Scottish regional radio, I don't think they would have backed up on VHS, the tracks are shorter than typical BOC tracks and artificially aging things with software doesn't seem like their style. They modified a VCR to record Semena Mertvykh.

I like the music though. Whoever -- or whatever -- created it.

[Brendan Standing Alone]

I got the impression I ruffled a few feathers when I asked if AI could have any part in this. For what its worth, this is what AI did with Wouldn't You Like to Be Free.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJgibAWjmZc

I think there's a case to be made against the thrift store tape being AI. Although I am satisfied that it probably isn't BOC. It's highly unlikely that the Redondo Vacuum and Janitorial commercial would have aired on British or Scottish regional radio, I don't think they would have backed up on VHS, the tracks are shorter than typical BOC tracks and artificially aging things with software doesn't seem like their style. They modified a VCR to record Semena Mertvykh.

I like the music though. Whoever -- or whatever -- created it.

Good take. I had forgotten about that Wouldn’t You Like to Be Free track being AI generated. That was a year ago and the technology has only improved by leaps and bounds since.


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[Eliotsworld1985]

Every track that I've listened to, generated by AI sounds like complete trash, or at least when the AI recreates music in the style of. Yes, it has recreated several sound-a-likes, but when you listen to it, it still sounds poor quality as if it's being ran through a bit crusher. Just like when AI generates "realistic" voices, you can still hear the imperfection that gives it away. Sure, it's not outside the realm of possibility of it being AI generated, but it's also not outside the realm of possibility that there's an individual that sat down wrote and recorded the music. As far fetched as it is, this idea of it being long lost recordings of BoC isn't out of the realm of possibility either. I'll say it again,,,,after all,,,we're not talking quantum physics or string theory here. I think it's less likely to be AI.

[Eliotsworld1985]

Every track that I've listened to, generated by AI sounds like complete trash, or at least when the AI recreates music in the style of. Yes, it has recreated several sound-a-likes, but when you listen to it, it still sounds poor quality as if it's being ran through a bit crusher. Just like when AI generates "realistic" voices, you can still hear the imperfection that gives it away. Sure, it's not outside the realm of possibility of it being AI generated, but it's also not outside the realm of possibility that there's an individual that sat down wrote and recorded the music. As far fetched as it is, this idea of it being long lost recordings of BoC isn't out of the realm of possibility either. I'll say it again,,,,after all,,,we're not talking quantum physics or string theory here. I think it's less likely to be AI.

Edit: What I mean to say is, that with AI, you can hear a lot of digital artifacts when it recreates in the style of. By all means if anyone knows of an advanced program open to the public where you can recreate BoC with just a few text prompts, I'd sure love to know.

[Electronaldmcdonald2]

I say let it continue. Since you don’t have definitive proof it’s not BOC, it should definitely stay open.

I think the idea that it’s ai is a little bit far-fetched. The ai art is very impressive, but useless without a skilled artist to write prompts for it. Even then the anatomy is totally bizarre.

I just think people here are too scared to believe it is in case they feel silly when its revealed to be someone elses work. Like a big bunch of Dana Scullys, saying “no, aliens don’t exist” despite being stood right next to one!!

Occams Razor, the duck test, the simplest explanation is usually the correct one (paraphrasing I know)

[Electronaldmcdonald2]

Theres another video btw. With a track list this time

[Fredd-E]

Occams Razor, the duck test, the simplest explanation is usually the correct one (paraphrasing I know)

The simplest explanation is usually the correct one indeed. Just have a look at this artwork and tell me you honestly believe this is truly created by BoC.

I rest my case.

[Electronaldmcdonald2]

That cover art is extremely dodgy, I’ll certainly agree with you there. But isn’t all their cover art pre- twoism a bit shaky looking

[Eliotsworld1985]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_RHHHyN9wQ&t=1062s
This is certainly the original creator of the Thrift store vhs tape. A second video entitled "Last" was posted. At 22:35 those same clouds appear from the original thrift store tape, but this time the camcorder zooms in on the same sky and you can hear the actual audio in it's original form. I think this the end.

[SonnyJim]

I would like to believe this but that zoom with the clouds can be done with software easily, a zoom out would be evidence for sure..
I was going to say after listening to last it is clear that the 4226/dbz/random stranger did not make the thrift shop tape, to my ears all the tracks that are from the thrift vid are just sampled and redone with some filters to mess with certain frequencies, there's nothing that shows they have access to the original mixes of the tracks.

This is not definitive I only listened to it once and somehow it seems there could be more to this story and maybe it really is BOC gamejacking their own game. The original stuff made by 4226 is cool and hopefully we hear more of it.

[Eliotsworld1985]

I would love to know about this software you speak of that can recreate a vhs camera zoom-in and video all together. I get your critical thinking and being skeptical. Nothing wrong with that. I imagin there would be digital artifacts. I would love to recreate exactly what they did. Just let me know what to look up.

[Magic Orange]

A final message

[SonnyJim]

All good video editing software can do it, if you search sony vegas zoom tutorial or same for adobe after effects. There are plug ins that can do it as well that would include the shaking etc to make it more realistic. It's true what you say if it had just been ripped zoom in would show the low resolution. Unless it was made smaller to start with. Just went to look again and the vid is gone. I have a ripped copy of it in mp4 if anyone wants to see. And a copy of the tracklist.

Not saying definitively that it is the case that it's not real I haven't spent enough time on it and would need to compare to the original thrift tape. The pink tiger chicks dancing is legit new footage and to me proves that random stranger is indeed 4226/dbz.

[Magic Orange]

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[Sky and Trails]

It got pretty pessimistic in these last several posts...

Maybe we're not asking the right question.
Why is there such division in this community over this music? It seems to come from different modes of thinking. On one hand, a bunch of us really love this. Some of us believe it's BoC and some of us don't care, we just want more of it, and NOW.
On the other hand, there are those who seem hell bent against this music.

I suspect that it is a fine line to walk - there's the possibility that, by thinking something IS BoC, you might be wrong, and then what? Embarrassed for a wrong guess about a band who none of us knows personally?

Screw it, and enjoy being wrong because, if you're wrong, you've found a talented artist.

Please don't lock down this thread.

And whoever is making this music, whether BoC or someone else, COME HANG OUT WITH ME! Send me more music. Send me a post card. Email me. Just don't go away. The music speaks for itself.

[Orbited insanitarium]

It got pretty pessimistic in these last several posts...

Maybe we're not asking the right question.
Why is there such division in this community over this music? It seems to come from different modes of thinking. On one hand, a bunch of us really love this. Some of us believe it's BoC and some of us don't care, we just want more of it, and NOW.
On the other hand, there are those who seem hell bent against this music.

I suspect that it is a fine line to walk - there's the possibility that, by thinking something IS BoC, you might be wrong, and then what? Embarrassed for a wrong guess about a band who none of us knows personally?

Screw it, and enjoy being wrong because, if you're wrong, you've found a talented artist.

Please don't lock down this thread.

And whoever is making this music, whether BoC or someone else, COME HANG OUT WITH ME! Send me more music. Send me a post card. Email me. Just don't go away. The music speaks for itself.

You are one of the more concise and balanced posters in this thread Mr Trails , I respect and agree with your points, this is admirable from you.

[Sky and Trails]

Thanks, Oribited. You are a beacon of optimism, by the way. I always look to your words to be the calming voice folks need.

The best thing to come out of this forum, for me personally, has been this music by people I will likely never meet.
But it is worth remembering that these people are amongst us, share our interests and love for good music. They are not coming here to be enemies - I hope it's clear that I'm addressing anyone who thinks that anyone else making this music is, for some reason, laughing at all of us.

I can't imagine creating a piece of art, showing it to a group of like-minded people, then having those people say that I'm sitting at home laughing because I passed off a fake. It's hostile thinking.

I love you all, I really do.
Some of you, I love more than others.

I think that all it would take is for BoC, or some source this forum trusts, to do ANYTHING that connects all of this together, for the entire forum to go nuts out of excitement.

[Orbited insanitarium]

Thanks, Oribited. You are a beacon of optimism, by the way. I always look to your words to be the calming voice folks need.

Here's the thing: Aye, the first and original tape may have had different versions of BoC tracks on it, but as far as I know, everything since then has been self-composed. Aside from a few similar beat loops or samples here and there, it may be judged as a sound-alike, I'd still differ from the norm to say the music has quite a few original traits.

So that got me thinking about this division, do you think the dislike is towards the music? I think not, maybe towards the longevity of the ARG? Perhaps. And the division seems to stem towards those interested enough to follow along with it. We just can't all be of the same ilk. (that's a ruddy good thing even though it seems like there is a lot of negativity towards the whole kaboodle.)

It's really not for me to put forward my thoughts in a quite endless discussion of who made it all, we shall never agree completely until the creator steps out of the shadows. I've always noted that I'm firmly in a casual listener camp that just doesn't mind not knowing. I'm finding this music quite evocative. That's enough for me. And it tis my bottom line.

G'way and have my analysis, have it large but don't rip into it! I have finally spoke my mind here and in these written words is where I'll leave it!! Smooches x

(oh crikey, submit)

[Quadrivium]

What about last years 'leak'? Haven't read much discussion on this one. The same people could very well be behind the thrift store tapes.

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