Anklepants has a dick where his nose should be.
(Alright, “should” is really not the right word, I mean, who am I to say what someone should or shouldn’t have dangling from the middle of their face? And besides, Anklepants just wouldn’t be Anklepants without this stunningly unique and beautiful feature. Let’s just say, a nose is the expectation, but a penis is the pleasant surprise you get with Anklepants.)
Anklepants, the Australian electronic artist and mad-genius-of-all-trades, is descending upon Buenos Aires for the first time ever. It is said that an Anklepants live performance can not be described in mere human words, but must be experienced first-hand. I am fully expecting this show to be one of the wildest musical/artistic experiences I’ve had since moving to this city – and I climbed inside Björk’s virtual reality vagina at Usina del Arte in 2017. (Yes, genitalia is IN among mad-genius-creative-musician-digital-wizard types.) (Speaking of vaginas, check out this “pussymask” made by the creator of Anklepants.)
The dick-nose is controlled by sensors on the face and hands of its wearer, Dr. Reecard Farché, expert in (among other things) animatronics, prosthetics, mechanics, and latex sculpting and design, who also happens to be a prolific musician. The mask, which has become what Anklepants is most broadly known for, is only one of many similarly bizarre and impressive home-grown gadgets (including but not limited to additional animatronic masks and suits, and an array of motion-controlled musical instruments), the fruits of the synthesis of his many interests and skills.
Let me back up for a moment and attempt to explain the multiple layers of identity at play here: Reecard Farché is actually, to my understanding, something between a character, a pseudonym, or perhaps even an alter ego (I’m not exactly sure and I think that’s the idea), created by the actual human mastermind behind the project, which is called Anklepants. The real identity of that human person is not publicly known (but his name might be Josh Head, whose IMDb profile includes special effects credits on a whole slew of works including the X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith).
In our interview, Farché had some pretty wacky things to say. To some, his answers might make no sense at all. But to others, they might be just the answers we have been seeking, and seeking, and not finding. Until now.
Does Anklepants have any memories of his childhood? What was it like?
Asteroid, extremophiles, small solar system bodies and naturally ultraviolet radiation.
Where did Anklepants come from? Is he human, or something else?
The energy acting as a dimensional positive, crafting Reecard Farché, is from origins unknown, or more accurately unexplainable and/or inconceivable, indigestible for the people now seated at the table.
Does Anklepants have a life outside of when he is performing? What kinds of things does he do? Does he have a family? Romance?
Reecard Farché only exists to provide, he is the provider.
What is the relationship like between Anklepants and Reecard Farché? Are they mutually aware of each other? Are they in any sense aware of you, their creator?
Anklepants is a band name (not impressive) for a band of which Reecard Farché is the singular member. This made more sense in the 1st Anklepants show when there were 2 Reecard Farchés, and will make more sense in the future. I’m not sure if Anklepants (the word) is aware of Reecard Farché (the wheel barrow).
What made you decide to come to South America this year? Do you think you’ll come back?
An organism practicing the ancient unobstructed communication method without device, known as telepathy, contacted me from one colony to another (sent out beacon), in which I responded with the gesture of kindness and admiration in Chile. After and during these events Alice has been in contact with some other Beautiful members of neighbouring countries in the form of W.I.T.C.H.E.S and Parasonica in Buenos Aires, and MAMBA NEGRA in Sáo Paulo, and the short tour materialized, and I can’t wait to do the two next and final shows, and I will most certainly be back to play hopefully the same shows again as well as Mexico and other countries, cities, or towns close-by.
Have you noticed any ways in which South American audiences tend to react differently to your show? As opposed to, say, European or Australian audiences?
No, there was no stand out reactions, though other countries like the prison camp / English colony of Australia (still under control of the queen) where glass turns to plastic at midnight and the pumpkin carriage better have a locking differential in it because the LSD is just not good enough, the Chilean crowd were amazing and seemed to have fun dancing and doing what seemed to be natural to them.
How do you expect your show to be received in Buenos Aires? (I read that in Chile they called you phallocentric. I’m sorry, that wasn’t very nice!)
I have no idea what to expect, but so far , the guys from Parasonica and WITCHES have been doing an unbelievable job, and putting huge effort into the promotion for the event, with amazing artwork and doing everything they can to make the event fun for everyone. I’m honoured to be a part of it, and I will be putting in the same amount of effort on my end, and I hope everyone feels closer to me after the event.
They didn’t call me phallocentric, they asked me if I find my work phallocentric, which is a very, very strange question IMO, no one really has the right to critique god’s work, I mean even if Jesus outsourced the sculpt of my face to Sigmund Freud and or his brat nephew Edward (Eddie) Bernyonnaise, his (their) idea of my face is only really just (their) idea, and just because someone says something does not necessarily mean that an entire century should just echo that idea now, does it? …I mean if you were clawing at any little thing you could to impress your office mates, then maybe this could be valid, but the world is forever changing, and sitting on a chair and thinking your flying is not really flying.
What other musical projects are you currently working on, unrelated to Anklepants?
There is an enormous backlog of music and new instruments and the new show I’m trying to get through. I’m trying to get a chance to work on music from another one of my bands, Squat Club, but I’m not getting to it right now, but hopefully it will get done this year.
In 2018 I released Pollen and Ocker; 2019 should see the release of Memory loss after incarnation, which I have been working on for around 5 years.
What other art/non-musical creations are you currently working on?
Nothing I can speak about.
Tell me one/some of your favorite and least-favorite things about performing as Anklepants
I don’t use the term favourite; it is the seed of many of the issues in human behaviours.
You can catch Anklepants this Saturday night at Otra Historia Club Cultural.