“Tarboz” by Chad VanGaalen

“TARBOZ” is the animated short film from Chad VanGaalen, which saw it’s premiere yesterday.

Van Gaalen delivered this statement on the making of the film:

“TARBOZ was planned as the first episode of “Translated Log of Inhabitants”, and was an experiment to see if I could make a long-form improvised animation and still get out alive. I barely did!

The “Translated Log of Inhabitants” was conceived as a guide to the origin story of many different species. I imagined myself doing dozens of these episodes, focusing on a new life form very time — very much like a page from “Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials”. It expands a universe that I had already been developing in my own music videos, as well as ones for other bands. The videos for “Peace on the Rise” as well as ones for Black Mountain and Shabazz Palaces all exist in the same world (at least in my head).

TARBOZ is stream of consciousness, dreams, and friends. Alternate versions of my own reality. Coming to terms with the fact that I will never play freestyle disc professionally, but wanting to pay homage to the peaceful energy of that sport. It also reflects my needing to score a sci-fi film so badly that I ended up making my own.

I TARBOZed myself for two years, through software transitions and computer wastelands, and slowly the physical realm slipped away. I learned a lot about why you should get into something with a clear idea in mind. I would never make another animation in quite the same the way I made this again. After two years of working on it in solitude, I just wanted my life back. Doing it alone was my biggest mistake. I was very lonely.

It didn’t really end up like any of these things, but I hope this might help people understand the spirit of the piece. Although I’m not sure I understand it entirely myself. Sometimes you need to just do it in order to know how not to do it?”

Chad VanGaalen recently released Light Information, via Sub Pop and in Canada through Flemish Eye. Light Information was written, played, and produced by VanGaalen (save Ryan Bourne’s bass part on “Mystery Elementals” and vocals on “Static Shape” from his young daughters Ezzy and Pip). The album emerged from the experimental instruments that fill his Calgary garage studio. Among them is a beloved Korg 770 monosynth, which VanGaalen coveted for years before fixing one up and devoting a lot of recent energy to recording “duets” with it.

Chad VanGaalen live

2017 European Dates
Oct. 15 – Utrecht, NL – EKKO ^
Oct. 16 – Rotterdam, NL – Rotown ^
Oct. 17 – London, UK – Oslo ^
Oct. 18 – Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club ^
Oct. 20 – Hamburg, DE – Molotow (Sky Bar) ^
Oct. 21 – Copenhagen, DK – Stengade ^
Oct. 22 – Berlin, DE – Kantine am Berghain ^
Oct. 24 – Düdingen, CH – Bad Bonn ^
Oct. 25 – Lyon, FR – Le Sonic ^
Oct. 26 – Amiens, FR – La Lune des Pirates ^
Oct. 27 – Paris, FR – Point Ephemere ^
Oct. 28 – Nantes, FR – SOY Festival ^
Oct. 29 – Tourcoing, FR – Le Grand Mix ^
Oct. 30 – Luxemburg, LU – Rotondes ^
Oct. 31 – Gent, BE – NEST ^

2017 North American Dates
Nov. 09 – Vancouver, BC – The Biltmore Cabaret
Nov. 10 – Seattle, WA – Sunset Tavern *
Nov. 12 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir *
Nov. 14 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel *
Nov. 15 – Los Angeles, CA – Satellite Club *
Nov. 16 – San Diego, CA – Soda Bar *
Nov. 17 – Phoenix, AZ – Valley Bar *
Nov. 19 – Denver, CO – Hi Dive *
Nov. 20 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
Nov. 30 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
Dec. 01 – Detroit, MI – El Club **
Dec. 02 – Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle **
Dec. 03 – Indianapolis, IN – The Hi Fi **
Dec. 05 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Cafe **
Dec. 06 – Brooklyn, NY – Rough Trade NYC **
Dec. 07 – Allston, MA – Great Scott **
Dec. 08 – Montreal QC – Fairmount **
Jan. 19 – Winnipeg, MB – The Good Will
Jan. 20 – Saskatoon, SK – Winterruption! Festival
Jan. 25 – Calgary, AB – Commonwealth Bar and Stage
Jan. 26 – Red Deer, AB – Bo’s Bar
Jan. 27 – Edmonton, AB – The Needle Vinyl Tavern