Clock DVA is an electronic music group from Sheffield, England. Originally … Read Full Bio ↴Clock DVA is an electronic music group from Sheffield, England. Originally founded, in late-1977, by Adi Newton and Steven Turner. They were first known for experimental electronic music.

They became associated with industrial music with the 1980 release of their album White Souls in Black Suits on Industrial Records, although in reality the early material that predates this release is a blend of extreme electronics and frequencies that was heard only by a spartan few, including Jhon Balance and other notaries. (This early archive material, which includes the Sex Works Beyond Entanglement 12" EP (1979) originally planned for release by Cherry Red with the tracks Throbbing Sweeping Obscene/Coil/The Pop Hell, is due for release with a number of other extreme pure-electronic compositions and will readdress the morphology of DVA history.) The album Thirst followed in 1981, by which time Adi Newton and Steven Judd Turner had combined musique concrète techniques with guitar, bass, and drum instrumentation, fused with Newton's unique art direction and existential lyrics and writing.

After the tragic death of Steven Judd Turner, Adi Newton formed a new version of the band in 1983. First releasing the singles Passions Still Aflame and High Holy Disco Mass on the major label Polydor under the name DVA, the group then released the album Advantage (along with several singles). During a European tour a dispute amongst the musicians occurred resulting in Adi Newton disbanding the group. However the remaining musicians attempted an abortive continuation of the tour without him, which resulted in negative reaction from DVA fans appalled by Newton's absence.

After the 1983 breakup of Clock DVA, Adi Newton put in process his original concept of the multimedia arts project The Anti-Group aka T.A.G.C., which staged a number of performances directed and choreographed solely by Adi Newton. T.A.G.C. released a series of films and recordings, namely The Disscussion Anti-Theatre piece/Dual 16mm Film and Soundtrack, Ha/Zulu, ShT, Big Sex, The Ambisonic Album Digitaria, Meontological Recording Record 1, Meontological Recording Record 2 (Teste Tones), Burning Water Film/ Soundtrack, and Iso-Erotic Calibrations.

In 1987 Adi Newton, while still working within TAGC, allowed a reformation of DVA. He was at the time experimenting with computer sound sampling techniques and sequencing and had already created a blueprint for a track originally titled "Diamond Bullet," which later became "The Hacker." This reformed line-up consisted of creative director Adi Newton; vocalist, sound designer, Dean Dennis; and Paul Browse. From this line-up came the album Buried Dreams.

After the release of Buried Dreams and a series of singles taken from the album, a number of problems occurred. Paul Browse left to try to resolve issues with the record label in Berlin but remained in Germany and never returned. As a result, Robert Baker joined the line up, which then released the albums Man-Amplified and Digital Soundtracks. Dean Dennis left to start work on a new project. The album Sign followed during a transitional period in which Adi Newton relocated to Italy, taking Clock DVA/TAGC with him as sole director and reactivating the project in a new direction.

Adi Newton and creative partner Jane Radion Newton are currently working on the remastered release of their whole back catalog, which was set to be released in the autumn of 2008 by Mute records as a box set including a 120-page book. They are also working with invited guest artists on new Clock DVA/TAGC studio albums, which are scheduled for a 2009 release to coincide with a number of key European performances and installations.

Sites: YouTube and http://MySpace.com/ClockDVAauthorized (official)

Connection Machine
Clock DVA Lyrics

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"Listen, listen, my name is Harry Caul. Can you hear me? Don't be afraid. I know you don't know who I am, but I know you. There isn't much to say about myself. I...I was very sick when I was a boy, I was paralyzed in my left arm and my left leg. I couldn't walk for six months. One doctor said that I would probably never walk again. My mother...my mother used to lower me into a hot bath. It was therapy. One time the door bell rang, and she went down to answer. I started sliding down. I could feel the water. It started to come into my chin and into my nose. And when I woke up, my body was all greasy from the holy oil she used to put on my body. I remember being disappointed I survived. When I was five, my father took me to a friend of his, and for no reason at all I hit him right in the stomach. with all my strength. He died a year later. He'll kill you if he gets a chance. I'm not afraid of death. I am afraid of murder."
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Sampled from The Conversation (1974)

Overall Meaning

Clock DVA's song Connection Machine features a sample from the film The Conversation (1974) and uses the dialogue from the character Harry Caul to create an eerie and unsettling atmosphere. The lyrics tell the story of Harry Caul, a character who has had a traumatic and difficult life. He was once paralyzed in his left arm and leg and was told he may never walk again. His mother used to lower him into a hot bath for therapy and one time, while she was answering the doorbell, he started sliding down and almost drowned. When he was five, he hit his father's friend and the man died a year later. The lyrics suggest that Harry is speaking to someone, warning them that he is not afraid of death but is afraid of being murdered.

The lyrics are haunting and convey a sense of unease and foreboding. The use of a sampled dialogue adds an eerie layer to the music and draws the listener in to Harry's story. The lyrics offer a glimpse into the mind of a troubled and tortured character, highlighting the impact of trauma and violence on his life. Clock DVA's use of this sample, and their ability to weave it into the song's dark and moody electronic sound, creates a powerful and evocative piece of music.

Line by Line Meaning

Listen, listen, my name is Harry Caul. Can you hear me?
I am Harry Caul and I want your attention. Can you hear me?

Don't be afraid. I know you don't know who I am, but I know you.
Don't worry or fear. Although you might not be familiar with me, I am aware of you.

There isn't much to say about myself.
I am not particularly interesting or noteworthy.

I...I was very sick when I was a boy, I was paralyzed in my left arm and my left leg. I couldn't walk for six months.
As a child, I experienced a period of severe illness that rendered my left arm and leg paralysed, making me unable to walk for six months.

One doctor said that I would probably never walk again.
According to one medical professional, I was unlikely to ever recover my mobility.

My mother...my mother used to lower me into a hot bath. It was therapy.
As part of my treatment, my mother would submerge me in a hot bath, which was a recommended form of therapy.

One time the door bell rang, and she went down to answer. I started sliding down. I could feel the water. It started to come into my chin and into my nose.
Once, while my mother was answering the door, I began slipping down in the bath and the water level rose up to my chin and nose.

And when I woke up, my body was all greasy from the holy oil she used to put on my body.
When I regained consciousness, my body was covered in oily residue from the holy oil my mother used to apply.

I remember being disappointed I survived.
I recall feeling let down that I had survived the incident.

When I was five, my father took me to a friend of his, and for no reason at all I hit him right in the stomach. with all my strength.
At the age of five, my father introduced me to an acquaintance and, without reason or provocation, I punched him forcefully in the stomach.

He died a year later.
To my knowledge, this individual passed away a year after our meeting.

He'll kill you if he gets a chance.
This person, whom I struck, is capable of homicide if given the opportunity.

I'm not afraid of death. I am afraid of murder.
While I do not fear dying, I do harbour apprehension towards being killed by another person.

Contributed by Camilla E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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