Consequences

Introduction

In 1976 Kevin Godley and Lol Creme invented a device called a Gizmo that could expand the note played on a guitar, and change the sound generated to sound like among other things, violins and an orchestra.

One of the results of this was the album "Consequences", which started off as a demo 45rpm sing and resulted in a three-album box set. You can see all of the details of it on this link below.

The album concept is about the human race being punished by an irate nature and is probably even more relevant today than when the album was made. It is introduced with the following quote:

"In nature, there are neither rewards nor punishments - there are Consequences"

R.G. Ingersoll, 1833-1899

Consequences and The Gizmo

10CC - "Gizmo My Way"

This was my first experience of hearing the Gizmo, it was the "B" side of the 10CC single "Wall Street Shuffle". Remember this was not a digital device it was mechanical.

The introduction to "Consequences" explains about how the album came about after Creme and Godley created their device.

CONSEQUENCES, the story of man's last defence against an irate Nature, is the first triple album to have been originally conceived as a 45 rpm record. When writing songs with the group IOCC Kevin Godley and Lol Creme invented the gizmo, an instrument which resembles a guitar with a small typewriter keyboard placed over the strings. Godley and Creme decided to record a single as a demonstration record for their invention. They found the gizmo was capable of producing far more instrumental sounds than they had guessed. The creative uses of these sounds required first, an album and, ultimately, a triple album. Kevin and Lol realised they could not take the time to record three LPs and remain with IOCC, so they left the internationally successful quartet to work on their experiment. The things we do for art...

This booklet chronicles two struggles, man's battle against the hostile elements and Godley and Creme's year-long effort to complete a kind of album no one had attempted before, for which their reputations would have to accept the uncertain...consequences.

This is about putting the Gizmo into production, with examples of the sounds the machine can make with it.

The album is available as a playlist here but I will share some of the songs with you. Apologies if you cannot listen to the songs.

"Seascape/Wind"

This opens Part One and is a true soundscape. Almost all the sounds here are created using the Gizmo applied to guitars. The album is split into three parts, defined as three vinyl albums.

The voice of the wind is very creepy in this piece, nature coming for humanity.

This is my copy:

"Five O'Clock in the Morning"

This opens Part Two and has an actual song woven into the soundscape. You could almost mistake this for 10CC. After about four minutes there is dialogue from Peter Cook explaining the natural disasters that were happening while most of the human race were still concentrating on their jobs and life as normal.

"It's Cool, Cool, Cool In The Morning"

This is another song from the album and this sounds, shall we say, unusual. Nearly fifty years on this still sounds so different and reminds me a little of a dark take by Sparks. After this Godley and Creme did not stay in the same place, and had many hit singles, as well as using their own soundscapes and time signatures.

This closes Part Two and Opens Part Three

Conclusion

If you can listen to the playlist or find one online. This is an excellent unusual and incredible musical experience.