Website: https://wavefarm.org/ta/archive/works/g7yqrm
Stream URL: https://audio.wavefarm.org/weatherwarlock.mp3
Radio Rewind is a random “pop-up” series that looks back at a Hitchhiker Station (a strange radio station) from the past. It’s been 2 years since my last Radio Rewind, so I’m long overdue for another edition, and this one’s a doozy.
In September of 2021, I wrote about a bizarre Internet radio station with an equally bizarre name: Weather Warlock Quintronics. The Weather Warlock device is connected to outdoor sensors located at a place called Wave Farm in New York’s Upper Hudson Valley. The sensors measure wind, precipitation, temperature, and sunlight. Makes sense. So, what’s the Weather Warlock and why is it bizarre?
The Weather Warlock is a custom-built analog synthesizer…a musical instrument of sorts, that’s “played” by the weather. It doesn’t display readings from the sensors like a traditional weather base station. Instead, it converts the weather data it receives from the sensors into electronic sounds and streams them live over Wave Farm’s Internet station. It’s a musical instrument and Mother Nature is the musician.
The more complicated Mother Nature gets, the more complex the sounds. The Weather Warlock is most active at sunrise and sunset, though a lightning storm or a very bright moon would also trigger dramatic sounds. Tune this Internet station and you’ll essentially hear the weather. “Quintron” (Robert Rolston), the inventor of the Weather Warlock, would love to have Weather Warlocks installed all over the world “so that listeners may experience musical interpretations of a variety of different climates and time zones – from Iceland to the Amazon.” In addition to the Weather Warlock at Wave Farm in New York, there’s a second Weather Warlock located in New Orleans where Quintron makes his home.
Constantly Vibrating
Why craft music from weather? As Quintron explains on bandcamp.com, “the resulting music was designed for self-hypnosis and healing. I wanted something with movement and changes, but completely devoid of human organization – like a fire, or a lake reflecting moonlight. Constantly vibrating with change but also very still.” Okay.
Try and Catch the Wind
I’ve mentioned Wave Farm several times so an explanation is in order. Wave Farm is based in Acra, New York, and was founded in 1997 as a non-profit organization dedicated to experimentation with airwaves and broadcast media. You’ve probably never heard of it before, yet it’s been around for almost 30 years. According to their website, Wave Farm is “an international transmission arts organization driven by experimentation with the electromagnetic spectrum. We cultivate creative practices in radio and support artists and nonprofits in their cultural endeavors.” Their slogan is “Radio for Open Ears”. They feel strongly that airwaves should be used for creative and experimentation purposes and accessible to the public.
Made Possible by Andy Warhol
As I mentioned, the Weather Warlock was invented by Quintron in 2014 and was made possible in part by support from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Exactly who or what is Quintron? I was afraid you’d ask that. Grab my hand and let’s jump down another rabbit hole.
The Spit Machine
Quintron is a New Orleans-based, one-man band, organ player, music club proprietor, and inventor with several patents to his name. If you think the Weather Warlock is odd, hold on to your umbrella. Building on the theme, Quintron created “Traffic Saxx”. The device transforms the “noise of tire traffic on NY 23 into a signal that can be mutated and manipulated by DJs” on Wave Farm’s radio station.
Another of his inventions is the “Drum Buddy”, a light-activated drum machine that uses a rotating empty tin can with a light inside it. According to Wikipedia, “as the can rotates, its holes pass the Drum Buddy’s photoelectric cells, firing drum-like tones and theremin or Moog synthesizer-like chirps or buzzes.”
“Bath Buddy”, yet another Quintron invention, is described as a “water conservation device” which sold for $65 and came in 3 exciting colors. It had a long, wired sensor that activated an alarm when your bath tub reached the desired level to prevent accidental overflowing.
My favorite invention, however, is Quintron’s “Spit Machine” which uses human saliva as a tuning conductor. Pause for laughter. Quintron described its operation on Wikipedia: “You had to spit on a stick, like a paint stir stick, and you had two metal leads that you would touch to either end of the line of spit and then you would move the leads closer together – higher pitch – and farther apart – lower pitch.” I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried.
Sleazy Nightclubs
Quintron’s wife, Panacea Pussycat (aka “Miss Pussycat”), is also an inventor. According to their website, she created “an inflatable puppet theater which fits into her purse.” Besides her “technicolor puppet shows”, Miss Pussycat also sings backup vocals and plays the maracas in her husband’s band. They describe their music as “barely controlled electronic chaos, ‘Swamp-Tech’ dance beats, small explosions, incredible clothes, and entertaining puppet stories.” Jane, stop this crazy thing. Quintron has recorded more than 20 albums and performs live using a Weather Warlock and/or several Drum Buddies as musical instruments. The band has performed in clubs all over the world, but according to their agent’s website, is equally at home in “sleazy nightclubs, pizza restaurants, and university lecture halls.” They’re available for private bookings should you feel so inclined.
I know all of this was a lot for you to digest…weather music, spit machines, light activated drum sounds, bath tub alarms, inflatable puppet shows, sleazy nightclubs, etc., but that’s what my Hitchhiker Stations are all about, and you won’t hear about them anywhere else. I love shining a Drum Buddy light on strange stations you never knew existed. Discover more fun and interesting Internet radio stations on my Patreon site and help support my website blog at the same time. Thanks to my 300+ Patreon members for making this blog possible, and thanks to Quintron and Miss Pussycat for keeping Internet radio interesting.
Trivia (from Wikipedia): “Quintron utilizes a custom-made Hammond organ/Fender Rhodes synthesizer combo which he has had outfitted to resemble the body of a car, complete with working headlights and a Louisiana license plate which reads ‘Quintron’.”