Philip Brophy
Encyclopedia
Philip Brophy, born in Reservoir
, Melbourne 1959 is an Australia
n musician, composer, sound designer, filmmaker, writer, graphic designer, educator and academic.
or Tch Tch Tch, with Ralph Traviato and Leigh Parkhill. Sometimes compared to Andy Warhol
's Factory, the group produced experimental music (Brophy on drums or synthesiser), films, videos, and live theatrical performances exploring Brophy's aesthetic and cultural interests, often on a minimal budget. Over the ten years of the group's operation it involved over sixty of Brophy's friends and acquaintances including musician David Chesworth
, and visual artists Maria Kozic and Jayne Stevenson. They performed in a wide range of Australian venues including pubs, galleries, university campuses and the Clifton Hill Community Music Centre
. They also performed or exhibited in Europe, including London
's ICA
. Brophy dissolved the group in the late 1980s, issuing a retrospective book "Made by → ↑ →", but continued to work with Kozic for some time.
In 1980, he founded the Innocent Records label with fellow Melbourne musician David Chesworth
. Throughout the early 1980s, Brophy wrote numerous compositions and multi-media pieces. In the late 1990s, Brophy founded the Sound Punch label, and released both solo works, and collaborations with Maria Kozic, Bill McDonald, and fellow RMIT academic Philip Samartzis.
In 1988 he made an experimental short film Salt, Saliva, Sperm and Sweat. His first feature film, Body Melt
, was released in 1993, and was funded by the Australian Film Commission
and Film Victoria
. Two short films were produced in 2004, The Sound Of Milk and Words In My Mouth - Voices In My Head (Anna).
in 1982. He began teaching cinema studies at RMIT
in 1986.
, the irreverent cultural theory and music radio show Eeek!, on Melbourne radio station 3RRR
(102.7 MHz). At the time it was the most popular show on the station.
Brophy has regularly written for The Wire
magazine about film soundtracks, also Film Comment
. He was the director of the Cinesonic International Conference on Film Scores & Sound Design, and has edited three journals from the conference.
He has had two books published by the British Film Institute
, including 100 Anime, exploring Japanese animation
.
Philip Brophy has also exhibited his artworks in Art Galleries for exhibitions such as 'Vox'.
Reservoir, Victoria
Reservoir is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Darebin. At the 2006 Census, Reservoir had a population of 45,970....
, Melbourne 1959 is an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n musician, composer, sound designer, filmmaker, writer, graphic designer, educator and academic.
Music
In 1977, Brophy formed the experimental group → ↑ → more often written (though wrongly) as Tsk Tsk TskTsk Tsk Tsk
→ ↑ → was an Australian experimental music project formed in Melbourne in 1977 and led by Philip Brophy. Aside from performing music the project produced artwork, films, videos, live theatre, multi-media, and wrote literature.-History:...
or Tch Tch Tch, with Ralph Traviato and Leigh Parkhill. Sometimes compared to Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
's Factory, the group produced experimental music (Brophy on drums or synthesiser), films, videos, and live theatrical performances exploring Brophy's aesthetic and cultural interests, often on a minimal budget. Over the ten years of the group's operation it involved over sixty of Brophy's friends and acquaintances including musician David Chesworth
David Chesworth
David Chesworth is an award-winning Australian-based composer and installation artist. Known for his experimental, and at times minimalist music, he has worked in rock groups, classical ensembles, theatre, opera...
, and visual artists Maria Kozic and Jayne Stevenson. They performed in a wide range of Australian venues including pubs, galleries, university campuses and the Clifton Hill Community Music Centre
Clifton Hill Community Music Centre
Clifton Hill Community Music Centre was established in 1976 to provide a space for the playing and rehearsal of music that was not of a commercial nature. The building was an old two storey organ factory...
. They also performed or exhibited in Europe, including London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's ICA
Institute of Contemporary Arts
The Institute of Contemporary Arts is an artistic and cultural centre on The Mall in London, just off Trafalgar Square. It is located within Nash House, part of Carlton House Terrace, near the Duke of York Steps and Admiralty Arch...
. Brophy dissolved the group in the late 1980s, issuing a retrospective book "Made by → ↑ →", but continued to work with Kozic for some time.
In 1980, he founded the Innocent Records label with fellow Melbourne musician David Chesworth
David Chesworth
David Chesworth is an award-winning Australian-based composer and installation artist. Known for his experimental, and at times minimalist music, he has worked in rock groups, classical ensembles, theatre, opera...
. Throughout the early 1980s, Brophy wrote numerous compositions and multi-media pieces. In the late 1990s, Brophy founded the Sound Punch label, and released both solo works, and collaborations with Maria Kozic, Bill McDonald, and fellow RMIT academic Philip Samartzis.
Film
After the dissolution of → ↑ →, with whom Brophy had made numerous collaborative film and video works (including Super-8 and 16mm versions of No Dance), he set his ambitions on making higher budget films, and became more involved in Sound Design.In 1988 he made an experimental short film Salt, Saliva, Sperm and Sweat. His first feature film, Body Melt
Body Melt
Body Melt is a satirical Australian horror film directed by Philip Brophy and written by Brophy and Rod Bishop , influenced by "splatstick" Peter Jackson films like Bad Taste and Braindead.-Plot:...
, was released in 1993, and was funded by the Australian Film Commission
Australian Film Commission
The Australian Film Commission was an Australian government agency with a mandate to promote the creation and distribution of films in Australia as well as to preserve the country's film history. It also had a production arm responsible for production and commissioning of films for government...
and Film Victoria
Film Victoria
Film Victoria is a statutory authority of the State Government of Victorian, Australia that provides strategic leadership and assistance for film, television, and digital media production in the Australian state of Victoria....
. Two short films were produced in 2004, The Sound Of Milk and Words In My Mouth - Voices In My Head (Anna).
Academia
Brophy has had works published in journals such as Virgin Press, Art & Text and Fast Forward and has presented papers at various film conferences since the early 1980s. He began teaching sound and media at the Phillip Institute of TechnologyPhillip Institute of Technology
Phillip Institute of Technology or Preston Institute of Technology was a well known Melbourne Art School in the 1970s and 80's it is now known as a part of RMIT...
in 1982. He began teaching cinema studies at RMIT
RMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
in 1986.
Other activities
Between 1985 and 2002 he co-presented, with Bruce MilneBruce Milne
Bruce Milne is an Australian music entrepreneur closely linked to the Melbourne post-punk scene. He founded the independent record label Au-Go-Go in 1979....
, the irreverent cultural theory and music radio show Eeek!, on Melbourne radio station 3RRR
3RRR
3RRR is a popular Australian community radio station, based in Melbourne. It is the largest per capita subscribed radio station in the world....
(102.7 MHz). At the time it was the most popular show on the station.
Brophy has regularly written for The Wire
The Wire (magazine)
The Wire is a British avant garde music magazine, founded in 1982 by jazz promoter Anthony Wood and journalist Chrissie Murray. The magazine initially concentrated on contemporary jazz and improvised music, but branched out in the early 1990s to various types of experimental music...
magazine about film soundtracks, also Film Comment
Film Comment
Film Comment is an arts and culture magazine published by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, of which it is the official publication. Film Comment features critical reviews and in-depth analysis of mainstream, art-house, and avant-garde filmmaking from around the world...
. He was the director of the Cinesonic International Conference on Film Scores & Sound Design, and has edited three journals from the conference.
He has had two books published by the British Film Institute
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...
, including 100 Anime, exploring Japanese animation
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
.
Philip Brophy has also exhibited his artworks in Art Galleries for exhibitions such as 'Vox'.
External links
- Kill 'Em All: An Interview with Philip Brophy Scabrous interview with Brophy