I often think my ears need a good clean. But since someone told me last year that you shouldn’t use cotton buds or stick anything larger than an elbow in your ear (first I heard of it), I’m going to hang back.

This is a bad lead in to the subject of what is pleasant, easy listening sound to what’s a bit more tough to handle. I’m thinking about oral histories and how best to share them. Is it recording in a linear way – edited seamlessly. Or would an abstract approach give a more emotional edge for your listener?

Here’s what I call a CLEAN version.

The beautiful art deco Gaumont Cinema in N Finchley was destroyed in the 1980’s but had a glamorous 50 years standing.

It’s a project for the artsdepot where I’ve been researcher/archivist – a bit more about that here.

Then there’s DIRTY.

Originally, there were 3 interviews here each lasting about half an hour. I laid them all on the timeline together and blindly cut chunks from each without listening to what was being removed. And then I dipped and amplified the audio by looking at the spikey levels with no real importance placed anywhere and added in a few studentesque repeats. I feel no shame – I’m playing around. And this is for the games/play project I’ve also been coordinating – booklet has just been printed and you can see that here.

Of course, they both work in different contexts. This time, I’m going for dirty + narration to inspire me for a short radio programme that’s coming up.