100.3 FM: Non-remedial transmissions
Here in my car
I feel safest of all
I can lock all my doors
It's the only way to live
In cars
Gary Numan: Cars, 1979
Between 16.00 and 18.00 on April 20 the participants of the Orgsmobile Sound Workshop did a break-in radio transmission on 100.3 FM, the frequency of a popular commercial radio station in Paris. Motorists tuned into this station, at the busy crossing under the La Peripherique bridge in St Ouen, all got a 10-60 seconds dose of specially composed Orgsmobile sounds.
Many car-designers put a lot of effort in making a tedious and congestive driviving experience more bearable, for example by producing better in-car entertainment systems - with the troubling result of simply making a problematic situation a bit more bearable. Instead of producing more remedial goods the Orgsmobile Sound Workshop was a sonic attempt to add a slight twist to the everyday driving situation, to subtly question some preconceptions of personal transportation.
The sounds produced by the workshop participants ranged from slamming doors, manic motors, intrusive geese, Frankie Knickers, feral windows, tired hits, digital killing sprees to soothing travel advise.
(Moving images from this intervention will be available soon.)