The concept of mash-ups is all the rage with marketers and music bloggers these days, but Negativland has been appropriating sounds, images and text and re-arranging them into new works of art since 1980. The members of the collective (for lack of a better word) mix original music and materials with bits and bytes from corporately owned mass culture and re-create them into original political and artistic statements. Culture jamming? They coined the term.
While they have, since getting sued, been publicly involved in advocating reforms in copyright laws [watch the video about the Creative Commons Sampling License], they are artists first and activists second. Negativland will make a rare appearance on October 26th and 27th at the Great American Music Hall. The performance, entitled "It's All In Your Head FM," brings their 24+ year old Over The Edge radio show (KPFA) to the live stage by creating a live radio program with the studio audience. They also have a new release out entitled No Business consisting of a 56 page booklet, CD and copyright symbol whoopee cushion [buy it].
SFist wants you to experience Negativland. Enter to win 2 tickets to their performance on Thursday the 26th at Great American Music Hall. (Deadline for entry is Monday at noon.)