A Boards theory,

Jonse · Post by **Jonse** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 9:29 am

WARNING: THIS IS JUST A THEORY, MERE SPECULATION. IT'S ALSO PROBABLY NOT A NEW THEORY. PLEASE, JUST DO NOT FLAME.

I've been wondering about this over the past year or so and I'm actually open to the possibility of it. Let's go back to when TCH (campfire) came out. Boards had claimed they spent "3 years" working very hard on this album. Many of us after its release were disappointed and felt it was a step down from Geogaddi and the rest of their previous efforts.

So what gives? They worked somewhere around 3 years from MHTRTC to Geogaddi, and that album was a whole lot more elaborate.

Well, what if Boards of Canada were not two people. What if Mike and Marcus were not the sole band members and instead, were basically elected to represent the minimal image and publicity the band had. What if there's lots of people working under this "Boards of Canada" pseudonym? What if The Campfire Headphase actually was broadly not even worked on by the same people who worked on Geogaddi, and the structure and songwriting was done mostly by different individuals than Mike or Marcus. Sounds ridiculous, but it certainly would explain the vast change in pace, style and layering that happened between the two. I mean, I never brought any of this up because I honestly don't think it's really the case, but considering the elusive nature of the band and how little we really know for sure about them, it's not out of the realm of possibility.

Anyways, that's just my idea.

Regardless of whatever pace change or layering it has I'm still looking forward to this double CD they're apparently going to put out.

bluesky · Post by **Fredd-E** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 9:45 am

It's really easy to debunk this speculation though.

You should do some searches on BMI.com, for instance: http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?bln ... ype=WorkID

Just do a lookup on the tracks of TCH and you'll see only Marcus and Mike are credited for royalties. No other persons involved.

bluesky · Post by **Fredd-E** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 9:46 am

Also have a look at: http://bocpages.org/wiki/Registered_works

Cupz · Post by **Cupz** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 9:53 am

BoC = Gorillaz :lol:

portiss · Post by **portiss** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 10:11 am

Even though it's a different Boards of Canada album, and the overall sound of it is pretty different from Geogaddi and MHTRTC I don't think this is possible. Even though it's different, there is also a lot in comparison, it just has that Mike and Marcus sound. Peacock tail for instance, begins really mellow, but later on in the song you hear sounds (don't know how to describe it, the weird voice/noises) that you also hear on Geogaddi. For me, your theory is not possible.

GH · Post by GH » Thu Feb 23, 2012 10:42 am

TCH was always going to be different. Those guys aren't interested in sticking too tightly to any formula. That's what happened with the next release.

My theory on that:

They decided to try something different for the next album. So they ditched all their hardware, and analogue equipment in the hope of obtaining a more digital sound.

They purchased all kinds of obscure VST plugins, and actually finished recording the album in 2009.

They went to mix the album after upgrading to Windows 7, only to find that none of their plugins worked anymore.

So they put it down to experience, started again, buying back all of their analogue recording gear.

The album will be called 6>7

:wink:

Cupz · Post by **Cupz** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 11:34 am

portiss wrote:Even though it's a different Boards of Canada album, and the overall sound of it is pretty different from Geogaddi and MHTRTC I don't think this is possible. Even though it's different, there is also a lot in comparison, it just has that Mike and Marcus sound. Peacock tail for instance, begins really mellow, but later on in the song you hear sounds (don't know how to describe it, the weird voice/noises) that you also hear on Geogaddi. For me, your theory is not possible.

I agree. Those mellow chords in Satalite Anthem Icarus just scream mike and marcus :lol:

Same goes for that melody at the end of left side drive. Priddledieeeee die-diedlediieeee duuuuu.

Jonse · Post by **Jonse** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 1:35 pm

Fredd-E wrote:It's really easy to debunk this speculation though.

You should do some searches on BMI.com, for instance: http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?bln ... ype=WorkID

Just do a lookup on the tracks of TCH and you'll see only Marcus and Mike are credited for royalties. No other persons involved.

In the case of this being possible I'd see no reason why they couldn't be the ones to pay the royalties either.

Just trying to make sense out of a situation that doesn't make sense to me. The likely alternative is that Mike and Marcus just aren't as good as they used to be. I don't care to believe that.

Cupz wrote:
portiss wrote:Even though it's a different Boards of Canada album, and the overall sound of it is pretty different from Geogaddi and MHTRTC I don't think this is possible. Even though it's different, there is also a lot in comparison, it just has that Mike and Marcus sound. Peacock tail for instance, begins really mellow, but later on in the song you hear sounds (don't know how to describe it, the weird voice/noises) that you also hear on Geogaddi. For me, your theory is not possible.

I agree. Those mellow chords in Satalite Anthem Icarus just scream mike and marcus Same goes for that melody at the end of left side drive. Priddledieeeee die-diedlediieeee duuuuu.

Well now, I don't mean to imply that it's not Mike and Marcus (even though I don't see how Peacock Tail really resembles any of their previous sound), but just that it seems like they aren't the kind of people to half-ass even the slightest thing in their music. Yet, TCH has four or so tracks that are roughly the same formula, which go pretty much nowhere. Satalite Anthem Icarus, '84 Pontiac Dream, Oscar See Through Red Eye and Hey Saturday Sun (even as good as it is) all on the same album, composed of the sounds they have, seem sort of irregular. It's almost like it's a trick, it feels like it's Boards but at the same time it's not. Like somebody spent several months making a key point of Boards of Canada's style then tried to imitate it, throwing guitars on top somewhere along the way and using far less expansive of a sound range than Boards did. And I mean this with no intention to belittle the album or anyone who really likes it, I just get this sort of vibe from it.

If nobody else was involved then it leaves me wondering sincerely where all the time went. Maybe they really do spend weeks on making a hi-hat. Maybe after Geogaddi they just decided to relax and not make music at career-pacing. Whichever one it was, I completely support them. They don't have to make another MHTRTC or Geogaddi or Hi Scores or Twoism sort of album, but this whole transition is just puzzling.

I think TCH might be partially responsible for this long absence as well. Possibly they took the same vibe that much of the fanbase did after its release and felt that it wasn't quite up to par, so they've spent six years making their greatest album yet. Who knows.

Jonse · Post by **Jonse** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 2:00 pm

GH wrote:TCH was always going to be different. Those guys aren't interested in sticking too tightly to any formula. That's what happened with the next release.

My theory on that:

They decided to try something different for the next album. So they ditched all their hardware, and analogue equipment in the hope of obtaining a more digital sound.

They purchased all kinds of obscure VST plugins, and actually finished recording the album in 2009.

They went to mix the album after upgrading to Windows 7, only to find that none of their plugins worked anymore.

So they put it down to experience, started again, buying back all of their analogue recording gear.

The album will be called 6>7

WOAH DUDE, better watch what you say there. Windows 6 was Vista! You SURE you want to make that joke? :wink:

Cupz · Post by **Cupz** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 2:05 pm

I think the sound of TCH was a very logical step to make after geogaddi. Not that those kind of steps are made intentionally (for me at least). One thing I can't seem to put my finger on is....what the hell is next? What else can they do?

Jonse · Post by **Jonse** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 2:14 pm

Cupz wrote:I think the sound of TCH was a very logical step to make after geogaddi. Not that those kind of steps are made intentionally (for me at least). One thing I can't seem to put my finger on is....what the hell is next? What else can they do?

I don't know. Glitch maybe? Trance? They've obviously got something up their sleeves, guess we'll just have to wait and find out.

Not You · Post by **Not You** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 3:18 pm

Sorry, this is kinda terrible, lol. I don't mean to flame... just no reason to think it and it doesn't add any interest to even wonder about... I don't get it. I'm all into BoC mysteriousness and speculation but.... yeah. I have a stretch armstrong doll that reaches less than this theory

Pantheon · Post by **Pantheon** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 3:42 pm

Not You wrote:but.... yeah. I have a stretch armstrong doll that reaches less than this theory

Haha

krs · Post by **krs** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 5:02 pm

I thought TCH was brilliant, never understood why some people thought it was a 'step down' from what they'd done before.

turquoise70 · Post by **turquoise70** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 5:03 pm

I think it's an interesting idea. I don't think it's true, but I think it's a neat speculation. And it's not totally outside the realm of possibility, even if it isn't true - Hexagon Sun is a collective, and BoC used to have more members than just the two brothers. At one time or another, this could have been the case.

Jonse · Post by **Jonse** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 5:45 pm

Not You wrote:Sorry, this is kinda terrible, lol. I don't mean to flame... just no reason to think it and it doesn't add any interest to even wonder about... I don't get it. I'm all into BoC mysteriousness and speculation but.... yeah. I have a stretch armstrong doll that reaches less than this theory

Sorry, you feel that way. Please call our support hotline between the hours of 8 AM and 8 PM and we'll find someone to help you.

Jonse · Post by **Jonse** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 5:52 pm

krs wrote:I thought TCH was brilliant, never understood why some people thought it was a 'step down' from what they'd done before.

This clip pretty much explains it: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/38909028/a.mp3

There's just a serious contrast in sound density, ambiguity, layering, etc. Personally, my opinion on it is pretty basic, Geogaddi feels immensely stimulating to me and requires my full attention to its detail, while The Campfire Headphase feels more like relaxed background to your life music. I'll completely respect the opinion of someone who prefers TCH or thinks it's brilliant. This mainly is the reason why it's seen as a step down by many though.

aged sea · Post by **aged sea** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 6:17 pm

This is going to sound like a jab at BOC or something, but it is not (and I do like TCH). Some artists try new things out and they just don't work as well as some of their other efforts. Perhaps that is what happened here?

GH · Post by GH » Thu Feb 23, 2012 6:34 pm

I for one have always loved TCH. Loved loved loved.

I always veer towards BoCs less aggressive sounding stuff though.

7113(18|3) · Post by **7113(18|3)** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 7:53 pm

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