DJ Spooky’s “Rhythm Science” sparked new thoughts and questions through surprising means. The writing is really only a part of the argument; the book’s design and execution adds more to the way in which Spooky speaks to us.
The most immediately obvious feature of the book is the hole right in the center. We discussed this fairly thoroughly in class so I’ll only briefly comment. The hole as the first and most logical conclusion is part of the mixing board on the cover and every text page that follows. It penetrates straight through an otherwise solid object, all the way to the “C” side. In a sense turning the pages becomes an act of selecting a record or CD, a degree of control and empowerment is returned to the reader. I liked the comment of one classmate who said that there is no central or definite meaning, only the nothingness it all swirls around (I think Spooky says several times that he’s trying to play around his points, so that seems right on). My thought on the issue is essentially spoken on page 13: “But I’m more concerned with praxis—how to foster a milieu where dialog about culture becomes a way to move into the pictures we describe with words, text, sounds…” It seems to me the hole is an open doorway inside a potentially intimidating work.
The alternating pages are a subject of study. One spread is white and rough while the next is green and smooth. On the white pages comes the expected text of a book, albeit a text interrupted by the hole. The green pages present an illustration and a few words from the previous page (which I only noticed later are also on the white pages). This art is strange but possesses a sort of flow. The quotes are a continuation of the previous page, once written in the narrative and once in the background, next leaping onto the green. The drawings continue this flow to some degree. I notice in most if not all of the drawings there is an element taken from the previous fold. The exact construction of these pages is less clear to me. I think we all grasp the meaning of the “spooky” ghost, but several of the others are a little less clear. The one I saw repeated a lot was the Playboy bunny icon. I didn’t understand why at all until I came to the B-Side. I’m guessing the bunny is “the prostitute” although I’m not sure I understand the full-impact of this. The prostitute seems to be a major part of the argument, so much so that it holds down its own side and encroaches on the other.
A few stray thoughts floating around: I’m still trying to understand the reasons for the scientific terminology that’s so prevalent throughout the book. I know it’s called “Rhythm SCIENCE” but I’m sure there’s more to it than that. There’s also the musician’s terminology—many groups I’ve never heard of. I wonder how it reads to someone inside DJ culture.
As for the C-Side, I haven’t finished listening to the entire thing yet but as I do I’m trying to determine how it’s a continuation of A and B. I think the music could make for a very effective story telling technique because of its power to take us places and make us feel things, while at the same time remaining fairly subjective. In fact I’ve been trying to read the book more like listening to a CD. When I read the first section I wasn’t in the right mindset. I decided to go back later and get in the mood for it. What I found was that the read was far more enjoyable and hit the right note, if you will, when I had the right attitude to go with it. Other than that, I think it’s pretty obvious that the C-Side has crept into A and B. Portions of the text fly away and become musical with just a little beat behind them.
In summary, DJ Spooky’s “Rhythm Science” makes its case in a very strange and multi-dimensional way unusual to the average reader. In building a multi-faceted creation, I think Spooky transcends the constraints of paper and ink and gives his words a life beyond the cover not frequently found in print.
