Nico Demonte

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EJ, futurist, visionary, programmer, Hacker, artist, musician, agent, video artist, model, composer, songwriter, producer, arranger, audio engineer, VJ, and impresario known for his exciting fashion and art video installations and disc jocking set of house and post futuristic synthesizer music. A descendant of the House of Borghese (Paul V, Prince Borghese, Prince Lorenzo Borghese) and the House of Savoy (Charles VIII of France, Giuseppe Mazzini, King Victor Emmanuel III, Napoleon, King Amadeus I of Spain), Borgia Family (Pope [[<span style="display: none;" />]]Calixtus III , Alexander VI , Lucrezia Borgia , Cesare Borgia) and proponent of Die Musik der Futurismus, Die russische Avantgarde, Post Avante Garde-ism, Die Avantgarde der ElectroRock-Musik) and electronica and der ElectroRock-Musik. The machine's proto-machinistic soundwaves have travelled across radio stations WNUR 89.3 FM, WLUW 88.7 FM, WZBC 90.3 FM Newton/Boston, WZLY 91.5 FM, 93.1 FM, and WMBR 88.1 FM in Cambridge where he hosted his own electronic Chicago house show.

About

The Hot Mix 5 on WBMX was a constant for Nico in the 1980s. The synthesizer lines and whirring Commodore 64 and Amiga 500 computers are dystopic influenced soundscapes, from Japanese post-Devo Bauhaus, Blade Runner to the Illiac Experiment, Computer Music Scientific America CCI 1959, and Research in Music With Electronics. The legendary Dave Medusa who promoted the great acts of Chicago house, techno and the likes of Nitzereb, Front 242, an Ministry had his hand in bringing Nico for live shows at Medusa's avante-garde discotheques where fashion was a priority.

Nico coined the genre Chip Wave, that merges Chicago house, the Roland 303, new wave, and the 8 bit sound. It was Kraftwerk's masterpiece, The Man Machine (1978), and Jean Michel Jarre's Oxygen EP's that formed the inspiration for the “Man Machine” classic. Kraftwerk's "Showroom Dummies" also formed the creative direction for Nico's "Mannequins in Alleys" singles. The band has been known to be a bit reclusive, refusing to be interviewed and closing off their studio to journalists and the record industry while working on the Parallel Super Computer Project.

Giorgio Moroder, synth pop, and his Amiga 500 and Commodore 64 music workstations, including the steady imports of Italo disco records coming from Rome, Naples, Milan, is where Nico had found his fantasy.

Nico (class of 1991) and rock legend Billy Corgan and lead singer of the “Smashing Pumpkins” (class of 1985) both graduated from Glenbard North High School in Illinois. As Billy Corgan was forming his first band “The Marked” in 1985 (prior to Billy Corgan forming the Smashing Pumpkins), Nico Demonte played jazz, classical, and experimental music as a saxaphonist, while dabbling in electronics like the Speak & Spell, Commodore 64 personal computer, and the Commodore VIC-20.

Early tapes written in assembly language were composed with the SID’s 64 kilobytes of RAM and sounds of the VIC-20 with the Commodore 1530 (C2N) Datassette. In 1990, Nico studied acting under the teacher of Animal House and SNL actor John Belushi. Nico is Co-founder of the EJ MIDI Turntable (EJ Enterprises Worldwide), specializing in the world’s first video turntable, ScratchTV, and other future music technologies. Nico is founder of the 8 bit pop group Commodore 64 Orchestra.

They measure a producer by the Moog synthesizers, analoge sequencers, custom built german drum machines, and equipment in their studio. This can hardly be said for this artist. Nico has continued to work with hardware and software programmers to test pilot new technology and vintage computers such as the Commodore 64, 128, PET, and Amiga, SuperPET, Plus/4, sound on the 6510 Central Processor, GEOS Operating System, C65, SXE MIDI Music composer synthesizer, C-One, Commodore SX-100, Executive 64 with 170 KB floppy, Commodore 264, Commodore C16 / 116, Commodore 364, Commodore 232, SinclairV 3200, Commodore 116 NTSC Prototype, MAX Machine, Commodore 1541C, 7–14 MHz 68000-family CPUs, A4000 and A1200 computers, Commodore KIM-1, Commodore CBM-II range - aka B-range aka 600/700 range, Commodore SX-64, Commodore 900 (the Z-8000), Zilog Z8000 CPU, Amiga Symond 883D, Korg Enhanced Poly Vision 8000, 2000 Motorola 68000 (7.16 MHz NTSC, 7.09 MHz PAL), AmigaOS Workbench 1.3, 2.04, speech synthesis AmigaOS Kickstart ROM, AmigaBasic, AmigaXL, CyberGraphX, Octamed, SVC-350 Roland VP-330 Sennheiser VSM-201 ARP 2600 semi modular synthesiser EMS 2000/3000/5000 series Synton 221 Korg PS-3100 Korg PS-3200 Korg PS-3300 Doepfer A-100 Roland S-770 Vox Percussion King Yamaha TX816 synthesiser, and Kawai K-500 EMS 2000/3000/5000 series. [edit] Arts and Performing

Art and performance found their way from The Situationist International and Neoism movements for the GPR years. The early album covers and music moved from electropop and science fiction themes to Dadaism, Surrealism, Concept Art, Fluxus, post-punk, and the industrial music of Front 242.

In 1995, Nico and Stymie began Genesis Project Recordings in Chicago, running it out of an old warehouse. In 1998, Nico expanded his sound following numerous trips to Zurich, Switzerland, and Rome and at the legendary club Tresor in Berlin.

Der Auslander

Nico’s release of his full length CD "Der Auslander" (1999) made it to the CMJ charts and was followed up by singles and remixes like the 12" EP Phantasmagoria and the remix of skylab 2000’s hit “Ten Re-Entry” EP.

Ministry's Al Jourgensen, Wax Trax! Records, the keyboard sequences of My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult and the industrial sounds of Front 242 are part of the programming.

909, 808, Moog and studio productions with a Chicago house set of legendary Frankie Knuckles, Madonna, Telex, and David Bowie.

Near Death Electrocution

Anna Astley confirmed that the artist was shocked at the Chicago studio during the recording of Alive. The agent's assistant reported that a master of the "ATM GIRL©®" reel-to-reel tapes from "Alive" went missing during his electric shock in the Chicago-based studio. Amidst the chaos and confusion, the studio's power shut down, leaving darkness and a plume of smoke in the air. The artist's sources and Rubenstein's assessments in the Top 40 Charts release cite that Nico Demonte was knocked unconscious, shocked and near death, was rushed for immediate medical treatment, and released. The Alive album was released as planned. The last reported appearance by the artist was the 93.1 performances with Commodore 64 Orchestra.

Radio

2001-2004 Nico broadcasted on WMBR 88.1 FM in Cambridge. The shows Odysssey and Machine Language premiered techno, house, electro, and acid house. The artist was also touring and playing on WNUR 89.3 FM, WLUW 88.7 FM, WZBC 90.3 FM Newton/Boston, WZLY 91.5 FM, 93.1 FM and other stations.

In 2006, he began broadcasting on 93.1 FM and 92.9 FM. The radio show officially launched on August 2006 by Nico (Founder and Program Director of Death Disco Radio). The show was originally launched as D.E.A.T.H. D.I.S.C.O. RADIO in 1996 but is now known as Death Disco Radio. Death Disco Radio has single handedly brought the computer disco movement to the forefront and continues to be an innovator of the electronic sound across the world. Nico has aired the likes of DJ Hell (Label boss of International Deejay Gigolo Records, recorded on the legendary Tresor records and worked with Jeff Mills, Pet Shop Boys), Larry Tee (produced and recorded the Scissor Sisters, Fischerspooner, RuPaul, Peaches), Nico, Kraftwerk, Ron Hardy, Mr. K-Alexi (Remixed and produced The Pet Shop Boys, Derrick May), Adriano Canzian, The Model, Mihai Popoviciu, Masstyk, Mick Wills, Play Paul (remixed Kylie Minogue, Basement Jaxx), Princess Superstar (remixing and producing with The Prodigy, Moby, Disco D), Gene Farris (Virgin, Studio !K7, Cajual Records, Ministry Of Sound), Reid Speed, Salvatore Cusato aka Casco (with the 1983 hit Cybernetic Love), LeChic, Savas Pascadilis, xxNaughty Wood, Jor-el, Mr. Pauli, and Funky Junction (Warner Bros. Records, Reprise Records, Hooj Choons, Kinetic Records, Global Underground Ltd.) among other artists

Kraftwerk

In 2006, The Agency invited Nico Demonte to submit questions for the exclusive Wolfgang Flur interview. Nico's questions focused on Flur's background, musical inspirations, and customized drum machines and synthesizers that Flur created for Kraftwerk from 1973 to 1987. Nico has also started the Petition for the induction of Kraftwerk into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Nico began curating a video installation at Dance Quest in 2008 with XXNaughty Wood. Sunday night Danceteria featuring Avante-garde, Disco Nuovo, 80s Obscuro, Italo disco, Indie, Jakbeat, High Energy, Electronica, Disco Wave Cult classics and LIVE 360 º Video Mixing. Dance Quest multimedia experience with fashion videos (Gucci, Prada, Vogue), artistic videos of the 1960's, 1970s, 1980s, and music videos of the new wave movement (Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, New Order, Kraftwerk, Devo, David Bowie). Video couture designs by 000000000001, EJ K (Justin Kent), EBN, film directors, fashion designers and Mr. Dada.

EJ Midi Turntable Nico and Justin Kent (Inventor, EJ Midi Turntable) performed with the world's first MIDI Turntable and ScratchTV. Video installations, fashion shows, museums, and public festivals marked the unveiling of the EJ MIDI Turntable. Remix Magazine wrote of the EJ Midi Turntable:

"If tools for DJs keep getting more and more futuristic, then the latest oddity from EJ Enterprises blasts the market into something like the year 2099. " Remix Magazine.

Nico revived the Commodore 64 and Amiga 500 computers from the vintage tech dump viz a viz Radio Shack's Tandy computer. The 8 bit videos and video montage is "mashup of neo-fururist post modernism of Martin Heidegger vs. Jean Baudrillard. From 1981's Simulacra and Simulation to the 1982 video installations, the symbols and signs of our times become blended in Nico's representations of Multinational capitalism, Urbanization, Contemporary media, pluralism, modernism, and bourgeois culture.

Computer Vision's video performances can be seen on their upcoming tour starting in Minneapolis. Nico's direction of Computer Vision produces 8 bit vision will be released worldwide and is in true 3D technology. ScratchTV and the SV8000 with GenLock technologies will be employed for the Chicago based studio. Nico at Gallery 13 recently performed a pop sensational video performance complete with Andy Warhol, pop culture. 8 bit video gaming, and other nostalgic videos of the 80s.

Nico's performance at First Avenue VIP with Rastermind featured the latest in multimedia performance with ScratchTV and The EJ Midi Turntable. First Avenue also appeared in Prince's 1984 film Purple Rain. Nico has curated video installations alongside Tommie Sunshine, Frankie Bones, Traxx, Naughty Wood, Mike Grant (Detroit), SOVIETPANDA, Fashion Function (Miami), E3, WMC Conference, DJ Times, Motorola, and more.

VIC-I, SID 6580 and 8580, CSIRAC and Ferranti Mark 1, P824X, UVI, SN76489AN (SN76496 SN94624N), POKEY, AY-3-8910 (8912/8913/8914/2149F chips), TIA, Commodore 64, the Nintendo NES, the Game Boy, the Atari, the Vic20, Atari 400/800, Ricoh 2A03, Konami SCC, the Yamaha YM2413 (MSX-MUSIC) and Yamaha Y8950 (MSX-AUDIO, predecessor of the OPL3) and the OPL4-based Moonsound, AY-3-8910 or 8912 on Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, MSX and Sinclair ZX Spectrum 128.

FILM SOUNDTRACKS AND MEDIA

Eleven o One / DVD New Media 2008

1 0 1 0 1 0 DVD and Video Installation 2008

Arnold Schwarzenegger 2006

Canvas (Directed by Jimmy Custer) 5 2000

Revulsion (Directed by Graham Baclagon) 7 1998

Cars Music Video 1989

EJ Enterprises DVD V.1 (Published by EJ Enterprises Worldwide, Inc.) 2003

EJ Enterprises DVD V.2 (Published by EJ Enterprises Worldwide, Inc.) 2004

Super Collision: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Art and Technology Show

10/ 2001

Genesis Project Recordings Music Video 6 / 2001