“Here are we, one magical moment, such is the stuff, From where dreams are woven”
You no doubt saw television previews and news reports from Jeremy Deller’s acclaimed exhibition at the 55th Venice Biennale last week. The exhibition opened to the public on June 1st and runs through to November 24th 2013.
Jeremy has taken over the British Pavilion for his English Magic project, wherein images from David Bowie’s 1973 UK tour are displayed alongside images of civil unrest in 1970s Britain.
The British Pavilion has two large banners either side of the entrance displaying the lyrics: “I searched for form and land” and “For years and years I roamed”.
The launch party included instrumental music from the Melodians Steel Orchestra including a version of the Bowie song those lyrics originally appeared in, The Man Who Sold The World.
In celebration of the exhibition, The Vinyl Factory has announced a collaboration with Deller on the musical soundtrack to a new film work to be exhibited in the British Pavilion.
The soundtrack is a composition of three classic British pieces of music; Symphony in D Minor by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Voodoo Ray by A Guy Called Gerald and The Man Who Sold The World by David Bowie – all covered by the Melodians Steel Orchestra, an English/Trinidadian steel band, based in South London.
Released and produced by The Vinyl Factory, the English Magic EP will be released on vinyl and digital tomorrow, June 10th.
There will also be a limited triple vinyl edition of 300 copies, hand signed and numbered by Deller with record sleeve artwork created by the artist, including a 10×10” photographic print hand tipped on the front cover. Order here.
The soundtrack was recorded at Abbey Road, in keeping with the British theme. The Melodians Steel Orchestra played live at both the Pavilion’s official inauguration on May 29th and later that evening at The Vinyl Factory & British Council party on the Isla Vignole, Venice.
English Magic EP Details
* English Magic EP consisting of 3 cover versions produced by Jeremy Deller in collaboration with The Vinyl Factory and performed by Melodians Steel Orchestra
* Vaughan Williams ‘Symphony in D minor’, David Bowie’s ‘The Man Who Sold The World’ and A Guy Called Gerald’s ‘Voodoo Ray’
* Recorded at Studio 2, Abbey Road, London
* Direct to metal mastering at Abbey Road
* Pressed on 180-gram black vinyl
* Full colour sleeve with artwork by Jeremy Deller
Go here to order the EP and to listen to all three tracks. While you’re there, check out the three minute promo film: The Vinyl Factory Presents Jeremy Deller English Magic EP.