Materials: cabin with mirrors, reflecting outside, transparent from the inside. Microphone for recording or broadcast (the booth was on the radio, occasionally). Audio playback system with headphones.
Recordings: karaoke backing track, version sung by Steve, version mixed with chorus of many singers, done live at radio program Magazzenobis in Bologna in 2006.
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In Copenhagen, for public art sound installations organized by AUX in an exhibition called Technical Breakdown. A new shopping mall just outside of town, a wooden box/room with headphones inside (called the Panic Room). The idea of the piece is to be conscious of the large amount of video and sound surveillance that is there all around us. If people are watching us and listening to us constantly, why not send them a message? Turn surveillance into a channel of communication.
After an intro containing a bureaucratic voice reading a real US Govt document on surveillance of employees, the karaoke track begins.
To try it, repeat the procedure. Play the track. Enter when my voice says: “Now please sing along for the bugs”.
Sing any melody you like.
lyrics:
I sing because I know someone is listening
I sing because I know someone is there
Everyone needs attention
But they don’t always know how much they’re getting
So remember
Remember me
Watch me
Listen to me
I sing because I know someone is out there
Somewhere
Listening
Out there
Listening
Here’s the backing track.
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Here’s Steve’s version.
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Here’s the version mixed live with many voices at Magazzenobis radio program in Bologna in 2006.
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