CAR TUNES

Who's in the Music For Maniacs parking lot?

The Car Music Project: Believe it or not, sounds produced are made using automotive parts. Guitars, bass, even what sounds like a sax is done by blowing thru tubes: "Noodles Test Mix 1"
Wendy Chambers: Back in the early '80s, this New Yorker invented the Car Horn organ, which is exactly what you think it is. She plays popular favorites like Christmas standards, "New York, New York" and "The Star Spangled Banner."
The La Drivers Union Por Por Group - From Ghana, Africa comes this album of music made by taxi drivers using parts from their vehicles - not the modern electric horns Ms. Chambers uses, tho. They still use honk-horns. Car Horns Unplugged? "Por Por Horn to Horn Fireworks." Throw in some singing, chanting, and auto-part percussion along with the horns, and you got

"Otsokobila."

I'm sure most of you know who Negativland is, but a survey of car music isn't complete without a mention of their 2002 album "Deathsentences of the Polished & Structurally Weak," which not only made electronically-processed music from wrecked cars found in junk yards, but also included a booklet of objects found in the actual cars. Unnerving.

"Only You Can Rock Me."

Happy motoring!