Toto forever

[MPH]

The Namib Desert in southern Africa may not be as desolately quiet as you'd expect, thanks to a new sound installation that aims to play Toto’s “Africa” on eternal repeat, NPR reports. Namibian-German artist Max Siedentopf’s installation is appropriately titled “Toto Forever.” Utilizing six speakers, an MP3 player featuring literally just that one song, and solar energy, the song will play “for all eternity,” according to the artist.

“I was very intrigued by this and wanted to pay the song the ultimate homage and physically exhibit ‘Africa’ in Africa,” Siedentopf wrote to NPR. “The Namibian desert—which is, with 55 million years, the oldest desert in the world—seemed to be the perfect spot for this.”

While you'll have to ask Siedentopf where he placed the installation among the desert's 31,300 square miles, you can see what it looks (and sounds) like below.

 

 

 

 

[ozleicester]

If it had been released there the first time, i wouldve been a lot happier.

 

edit. also, given my experience with solar power and Bluetooth devices, he'll be lucky to get 6 months out of it

Edited 17 January 2019 by ozleicester

[Alf Bentley]

Perhaps some Africans could return the favour? Produce some piece of annoying aural shite supposedly about Britain, then come and pump it out forever on Dartmoor or in the Scottish Highlands? 

 

Jem Finer of the Pogues came up with a similar musical artwork - "Longplayer" - in the year 2000 and I keep meaning to go along to that:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longplayer

 

"Longplayer is a self-extending composition by Jem Finer which is designed to continue for one thousand years. It started to play on 1 January 2000, and if all goes as planned, it will continue without repetition until 31 December 2999. It will restart on that date. Longplayer is based on an existing piece of music, 20 minutes and 20 seconds in length, which is processed by computer using a simple algorithm. This gives a large number of variations, which, when played consecutively, gives a total expected runtime of 1000 years. It uses Tibetan singing bowls and gongs, which are able to create a range of sounds by either striking or rolling pieces of wood around the rims. This source music was recorded in December 1999. 

Longplayer could be heard in the relaxation zone of the Millennium Dome in London during its year of opening in 2000. The piece was also played in the 19th century lighthouse at Trinity Buoy Wharf and other public listening posts in the United Kingdom, United States, Australia and Egypt, where it can still be heard today.^[2] It can also be heard via an Icecast Internet stream, hosted (as of 2008) by Greenwich-based SPC. Four excerpts of Longplayer were released on a vinyl LP."

 

Anyone been to that?

[Izzy]

There was also a story recently about a DJ who played this repeatedly all night in a club I recall. Back to back for 8 hours or something.

 

I love it and sadly know all the lyrics. Probably in my top 10 tunes of all time. Classic song.

[boots60]

12 hours ago, MPH said:

The Namib Desert in southern Africa may not be as desolately quiet as you'd expect, thanks to a new sound installation that aims to play Toto’s “Africa” on eternal repeat, NPR reports. Namibian-German artist Max Siedentopf’s installation is appropriately titled “Toto Forever.” Utilizing six speakers, an MP3 player featuring literally just that one song, and solar energy, the song will play “for all eternity,” according to the artist.

“I was very intrigued by this and wanted to pay the song the ultimate homage and physically exhibit ‘Africa’ in Africa,” Siedentopf wrote to NPR. “The Namibian desert—which is, with 55 million years, the oldest desert in the world—seemed to be the perfect spot for this.”

While you'll have to ask Siedentopf where he placed the installation among the desert's 31,300 square miles, you can see what it looks (and sounds) like below.

 

 

 

 

Hell on earth

[SouthStandUpperTier]

7 hours ago, Izzy said:

There was also a story recently about a DJ who played this repeatedly all night in a club I recall. Back to back for 8 hours or something.

 

I love it and sadly know all the lyrics. Probably in my top 10 tunes of all time. Classic song.

I'm with you Izzy. Love it, particularly when arsing about on Grand Theft Auto : Vice City with it blaring out of the car stereo.

Edited 17 January 2019 by SouthStandUpperTier