Ignoramus is a project is to produce new and different sounds by unconventional means. To borrow a phrase from Pete Townsend, Ignoramus is a gynormouse ego trip for me.

So what does this unconventional music sound like? For the most part Ignoramus defies classification into any existing genre. So if you want to know what famous band Ignoramus sounds like, forget it, it doesn't sound like anything else. A fusion of industrial, space rock, drum and bass, electronic and avante-garde directions might be a close approximation. One is tempted to say that since it doesn't really fit the mold for any other genre, then Ignoramus must be a new genre. You might be able to get a little more insight from another point of view in the RadioIndy review.

Whatever you might want to call it, it doesn't really matter. The music is mainly a percussive extravaganza with injections of heavily post-processed vocal expressions. Unconventional instruments are anything from a wok to a rubber band to a circular saw to literally the kitchen sink. It's all done with sampling technology where any sound can be a complete instrument. No doubt you have heard of the garage sound. Ignoramus is more like the sound of the garage.

Driving forces behind the music of Ignoramus start with my unfortunate very low threshold of boredom. I find it difficult to listen to most songs or watch TV show episodes or movies more than once. Even such things as going out for a bike ride or hike at the same place two Sundays in a row is usually too much to bear. In other words, the music is an extension of a quest for as much variety and as little repetition as possible. To that end Ignoramus is a project to explore new musical directions and break through the repetition of mainstream recordings and conventional musical instruments and rhythms.

Influences come from many directions. Virtually all mainstream music is a 4 beat rhythm. Ignoramus attempts to break out of the 4/4 rut with heavy reliance on odd beats - 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 etc. Odd beats can sound great without the listener even knowing about it. Usually the result is, it sounds strange but it sounds good and I don't know why. For example, the Pailhead track Anthem (side project of Ministry in the late 80's) is in 5/4 time. You have to listen to it many times over to finally click on that fact. I figure that's the main reason I found that track to be so exceptional and was able to listen to it repeatedly without gagging mentally. Sure, I know odd beats are a hallmark of jazz, so I guess you could say Ignoramus has some jazz roots too.

Another strong influence, although it may sound rather trivial, is a technique that Muslimgauze (Bryn Jones, RIP great prolific one) used frequently, the pause. The pause is said to be a staple of middle eastern music which Muslimgauze of course was focused on. But pauses can be very powerful elements in any form of music when used properly. So pauses are found frequently in Ignoramus tracks at critical points.

Another characteristic of Ignoramus is that the music is designed not only to be heard and enjoyed but to felt physically as well. What does that mean exactly? To fully appreciate it you need to play it loud and through a good speaker system with good bass response. If you do you should find that at various times the bones in your legs or the teeth inside your head will feel like they're resonating or a beat will be drumming along inside your lungs.

There isn't much more I can say other than listen to it and find out for yourself what it's all about. Keep in mind it's not mainstream stuff and most people will freak when they hear it. If you want to hear the same stuff you have heard over and over again in a slightly different way with a new ooh or ahh or twang here and there, this isn't for you. But if you're bored like I am with the same old stuff then this is where it's at.