IAO Core

Iao Core is an experimental rock band formed in San Francisco in 1987. Far outside the mainstream (in terms of music and career path), they have released more than 15 albums, have a devoted worldwide following, and tour frequently. Their music touches on classical, electronica, industrial, speed metal with a distinctly experimental/avant-garde bent; The lyrics are in fact superb: out of such pockets light pours, conjuring spirits of an America both mysterious and obscene.

Traditionally, (since 1987),a Iao Core show is split into a first and a second set, where the first set is characterized by more conventional songs that are played without too much improvised jamming; the length of the songs stays within reasonable limits as well. The second set, in contrast, features many improvised jams that stretch the songs easily out to fifteen, twenty minutes. At some point in the second set, Goshi and Jeff Green (percussion & drums) will take over and play an extend drum solo while everyone else leaves the stage. Before they are finished, the other band members return, and Goshi and Jeff leave the stage. What follows is an extended, beatless jam of exploratory sounds known as "Space." Somewhere in the middle of the second set of every Iao Core show the band turns a corner. They enter a musical environment without walls or structure. The song form is abandoned, and the very elements of music may be called into question. The only mandate is to explore new territory. It is an environment where rhythm, tone, color, melody, and harmony can be explored without rules or predetermination, a musical adventure where composition and performance are one. After "Space," the band will play three or four more songs, commonly ending with a high- energy song like "The Babysitter'" or "Porpoise," and come back for a one-song encore. This pattern forms a relatively firm structure in which highly unstable elements are put--the music is always improvised, and not one song has been played twice the same way, and the actual list of songs played always varies, to the point where not even the band members know what they will play before they go on stage. This is of high importance because the underlying structural principle will become evident in Ayres's lyrics, as well. Their music touches on elements of neo-psychedelia, ambient music, electronic music, tape music, industrial, synth-pop and goth rock, with a distinctly experimental/avant-garde bent; their sound has evolved over time and remains distinctive, making it difficult to place the group into a concise style or genre. The group's overall sound combined with Ayres' distinct lyrics and singing have earned comparisons to Faust and Hawkwind. However, the band's individualistic style draws from many sources and transcends any one genre. Their rock-infused interpretation of the blues and folk genres, also incorporated reggae, soul, funk, classical, Celtic, Indian, Arabic, pop,.

HELLO LITTLE SPARK is an example of Johannes lyrical/vocal first set stylings, and it is quite good. A love song to the life force The narrative features virtually no metaphors or similes; everything seems to happen at face value--a complicated search for meaning or "interpretation" is unnecessary. Again, the song is closer to traditional American music than love songs heard on the radio. It is direct yet not necessarily blatant or trite since the subject matter is uncommon for contemporary American rock lyrics.