The Mystery of BoC

[wash]

This is an argument I have noticed here in the wake of the debunked remix. The mysterious origins and various unknown circumstances around Boards of Canada make them one of the most interesting bands in the world to me, and make me love their music even more. Their songs sound dreamlike enough, but coupled with the odd websites, the TH campaign, and their early releases, they become something so much more powerful and entrancing to me. However, not everyone seems to feel the same way. I've heard from a handful of people that they should do away with the mysterious shadowy aura and just come clean about the early tapes, various rumors, etc etc. I heard mixed reception on the recent album promotion in particular. People I know who love Boards music thought that the way they built up hype was a gimmicky ploy that distracted from the actual music itself. I can't disagree more - if anything, being part of the ARG enhanced my listening experience - but I definitely see where these people are coming from.

Any thoughts? Does the aura of mystery enhance or cheapen the BoC experience?

[harpoon dodger]

I think the mystery is a key selling point. I, for one, have the same feelings toward BoC as you. Countless fans on this board feel the same way. We do exist! To twist Marshall McLuhan's words....

The mystery is the message.

[circleofthesun]

Their music is not only mysterious, but incredibly vivid and imaginative.
If I tried to make a fake or more honestly tried to cover a BoC, even if I had the authentic gear, samples, synths, I wouldn't pull it off if I didn't have the specific emotion and imagery of their stuff inside me.
Also their impeccable sense of melody and attention to detail adds to this haze around their music. Like the little introductory melodies and vignettes they write are some of their best work because of that, and it took a bit of time for me as a listener to really distinguish "this is what makes a BoC tune a BoC tune, even the "filler" and the stuff that sounds like it was recorded with Casio presets."

[Opothecary]

I think with the TH campaign, they finally just "went with it".

I always thought their MO derived from an honest desire to not want a life of glamour and being in the spotlight to distract from the purity of their work. I am guessing a solid upbringing and experimentation with psychedelics could lead anyone to the same conclusion with regard to how to live their life. Especially now, in a world where social media is so prevalent, so many people are on a 24/7 ego trip, which does no one any good and is refreshing to see from an artist, despite their rabid online following.

So it feels like they went this route out of necessity to maintain the quality of their life and subsequently the quality of their art. A side effect (as they've mentioned) is that when you don't talk about yourself and you're in the public eye, people will fill in the blanks on their own as they see fit. Reclusiveness serves them twofold, its an important part of their identity and is what allows them to do what they do.

I am not big on astrology generally, but it is funny how both Mike and I are Gemini (it was really nice to get the first BoC in years 2 days after my birthday!) and I feel like I'm of two minds about things in a lot of cases, which is a thing that people of that sign are sometimes accused of. As much as they seem hesitant to visit their back catalog publically, he and Marcus seem happy to talk about the piles of unreleased tapes and music they have sitting around in their "bunker", so their mysteriousness (and their willingness to discuss, but not share) is sometimes frustrating in a way!

[zeoevil]

I am not big on astrology generally, but it is funny how both Mike and I are Gemini (it was really nice to get the first BoC in years 2 days after my birthday!) and I feel like I'm of two minds about things in a lot of cases, which is a thing that people of that sign are sometimes accused of. As much as they seem hesitant to visit their back catalog publicly, he and Marcus seem happy to talk about the piles of unreleased tapes and music they have sitting around in their "bunker", so their mysteriousness (and their willingness to discuss, but not share) is sometimes frustrating in a way!

I too have made that same connection. Like Marcus, I am a Cancer. We are said to be very personal people that have long memories. I've always imagined that must be at least part of why the band can summon up very personal memories so easily with their work. Funny thing is, I also have a brother and we do not use the same last name, but that is another story.

[naicob]

The music definitely sets the tone. They are obviously brilliant yet down to earth individuals who prefer to stay out of the limelight and don't feel the need to draw attention to themselves or the lives they lead. The only mystery to me is the overwhelming abundance of egoists, frauds, and anti-talents (everywhere) compared to the relatively small amount of artists who are content with simply creating.

The TH campaign was awesome. I can't ever remember an ad campaign engaging the fan base in such a way. It was brilliant. I can understand how some could see it as gimmicky, but I think they just need to lighten up a bit.

[kelp]

Any thoughts? Does the aura of mystery enhance or cheapen the BoC experience?

For me it only adds to the enjoyability of their music. I love it when bands somehow manage to create this mystery around them (I recently discovered a band called Cardiacs who also have a cult following and have this 'mysterious' organisation called Alphabet Business Concern managing them, this really adds to the whole experience for me). I don't think it detracts at all and the promo campaign for TH was excellent and much needed in this digital age.

[Ottomatik]

Does the aura of mystery enhance or cheapen the BoC experience?

To me it surely enhances the BoC experience. Just like Burial, it's all only about the music, not who they are, what they look like, what they think. The music gets more mysterious, more "involving", more powerful. It's really difficult to describe it!
However, I really liked reading their interviews about TH, we can have a better idea of what they tried to communicate with their music, even though interviews make them less mysterious.
The TH campaign was awesome, it was so exciting to see the new clues, the mystery around their meanings, the different ways they gave them (the Twoism banner one was incredible).
Now, I sometimes wonder if I'd actually like to see them live. There is so much mystery around them, I'm wondering if it could kill it. Am I the only one thinking like that?

[Torn n Frayed]

Any thoughts? Does the aura of mystery enhance or cheapen the BoC experience?

For me it only adds to the enjoyability of their music. I love it when bands somehow manage to create this mystery around them (I recently discovered a band called Cardiacs who also have a cult following and have this 'mysterious' organisation called Alphabet Business Concern managing them, this really adds to the whole experience for me). I don't think it detracts at all and the promo campaign for TH was excellent and much needed in this digital age.

Yeah! Christian "Bic" Hayes is a guitar legend! He went on to be in 2 GREAT bands, Levitation and his own thing called Darkstar.

[WeHadNormality]

Any thoughts? Does the aura of mystery enhance or cheapen the BoC experience?

For me it only adds to the enjoyability of their music. I love it when bands somehow manage to create this mystery around them (I recently discovered a band called Cardiacs who also have a cult following and have this 'mysterious' organisation called Alphabet Business Concern managing them, this really adds to the whole experience for me). I don't think it detracts at all and the promo campaign for TH was excellent and much needed in this digital age.

Yeah! Christian "Bic" Hayes is a guitar legend! He went on to be in 2 GREAT bands, Levitation and his own thing called Darkstar.

Off topic, but just had to say it's good to see some Cardiacs fans here. I've been caught up in the cult of Cardiacs for about 15 years now. Amazing band.

[Twoist]

BoC start with the music and enhance with the mystery. I'm glad they're not more outgoing or open with every thought they hold spilling onto every muso website or trade rag. When I see a reference to them or hear of news, I still get a little excited. It's awesome that they've maintained this aura (subconciously or otherwise) for so long.

We were totally spoilt during the TH campaign - which was great - but now it's (quiet) business as usual. I believe most of us probably prefer it that way.

[Stickyfingers72]

The mystery and hype that surrounds them should cease. Hopefully the brothers will come out of the shadows and give more back to you lot that put them up to these great heights in the first place.

I love their music more than I can convey on here but anymore mystery and it'll get tiresome. They were taking the piss out of the die hards saying TH had more subliminal/hidden shit than ever. Lol

[irv]

anymore mystery and it'll get tiresome.

Speak for yourself! I'm more than happy for more mystery.

The mystery and hype that surrounds them should cease. Hopefully the brothers will come out of the shadows and give more back to you lot that put them up to these great heights in the first place.

Weird that you think they owe you anything.

[Stickyfingers72]

anymore mystery and it'll get tiresome.

Speak for yourself! I'm more than happy for more mystery.

The mystery and hype that surrounds them should cease. Hopefully the brothers will come out of the shadows and give more back to you lot that put them up to these great heights in the first place.

Weird that you think they owe you anything.

I'm not saying they owe anybody anything.

[kelp]

Yeah! Christian "Bic" Hayes is a guitar legend! He went on to be in 2 GREAT bands, Levitation and his own thing called Darkstar.

Off topic, but just had to say it's good to see some Cardiacs fans here. I've been caught up in the cult of Cardiacs for about 15 years now. Amazing band.

Ha, we may be the only three Great to know others have heard of them though indeed...

[bleak.]

Yeah! Christian "Bic" Hayes is a guitar legend! He went on to be in 2 GREAT bands, Levitation and his own thing called Darkstar.

Off topic, but just had to say it's good to see some Cardiacs fans here. I've been caught up in the cult of Cardiacs for about 15 years now. Amazing band.

Ha, we may be the only three Great to know others have heard of them though indeed...

saw them live back in 2007...incredible experience.

[WeHadNormality]

Off topic, but just had to say it's good to see some Cardiacs fans here. I've been caught up in the cult of Cardiacs for about 15 years now. Amazing band.

Ha, we may be the only three Great to know others have heard of them though indeed...

saw them live back in 2007...incredible experience.

Think I've seen them live more than any other band. Where was the show? I might've at the same one as they only played a couple a of gigs year for throughout the 00's up until Tim got ill.

Anyway, back to BoC. The aura of mystery can be frustrating at times, but fundamentally it doesn't affect their music for me.

[bleak.]

Ha, we may be the only three Great to know others have heard of them though indeed...

saw them live back in 2007...incredible experience.

Think I've seen them live more than any other band. Where was the show? I might've at the same one as they only played a couple a of gigs year for throughout the 00's up until Tim got ill.

Anyway, back to BoC. The aura of mystery can be frustrating at times, but fundamentally it doesn't affect their music for me.

it was at Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff, Novemer 2007. at the time i knew absolutely nothing about the band. a friend recommended them as oceansize had dropped their name a few times as a main source of their influence. i was absolutely blown away. the energy they gave off was so intriguing...i just remember being transfixed throughout the whole experience. most definitely one of the best acts i've seen live.