Fakeproject
Fakeproject is a Fargo group first conceived in February 2001 and finally implemented in Fall 2001. Their output consisted mostly of hardcore electronic music, usually elaborating on a single theme. Compositions often featured lengthy expositions on a single beat, jarring transitions, and surveillance-derived samples.
The primary members of Fakeproject were Dan Reetz and Shaun Fort. Fakeproject, however, never operated in isolation and had many, many contributors.
These included:
The group was never signed and, being resistant to commercial enterprise, made only half an attempt to get their music commercially published. They produced one complete album: "Oversight". This album was run in an edition of 200. The album was hand-produced on CD-R, with a screenprinted cover that folded out into a poster. As with everything Fakeproject related the album featured themes of surveillance. Track details follow.
Fakeproject::: Oversight
Album Details
1. Gated Community 4:08
2. Remote Control 4:26
3. To Pieces 3:18
4. And You're A Beautiful Girl 3:35
5. Point of Departure 7:32
6. Methadone 7:14
7. Methadone Reprise 6:02>
8. Certain Painful States (Lobotomy) 7:02
9. With Children, Not Far From The School 5:35
10. Air Raid 3:17
11. Antenna Research 8:57
Total Time: 61:06
This album had generally good reception/reviews and garnered the band many interesting contacts. The band's first show was in the ill-fated space above the Moose Lodge, a party put on by the ever-brilliant St. Vitas (Casey Borchert). Mike Dagen of the Abandoned Scout Camp ran sound. This show provided both the motivation and the contacts for all other Fakeproject activities, including later anti-war and anti-Bush shows. Fakeproject was probably best known for their performance at the Fargo Winter Carnivale. The performance featured intense live computer music synced almost perfectly to a video collage of surveillance footage, anti-war sentiment, and archival footage from the Prelinger Archives. That performance, and the next year's subsequent performance by Fake, were high-water marks in Fakeproject's creative output. Around that time, Fakeproject also became acquainted with the brilliant Ken Parker, of Not To Be Mixed With Any Other Chemicals, who was also later associated with the Abandoned Scout Camp.
Fakeproject had a number of smaller demo releases on their website. Many of these demo tracks were later reworked into new songs by Fake, the post Fakeproject... project.
Fakeproject was slowly dissolved, disassembled, scrapped for parts, and smelted for precious metals when Mr. Fort had to leave Fargo for an extended period of time. In spite of this, both Dan and Shaun continue to write music to this day. Dan now goes under the moniker "Fake" and "The Fakeproject Corporation of America". These projects are representative of a new body of work. Like the old Fakeproject, the new work is not only music, it includes art, political action, video, and many other things. Fake, Fakeproject, and the Fakeproject Corporation of America have never been strictly one medium, one message, or one person.
External Links: [ http://www.fakeproject.com (official Fakeproject website, now almost 6 years old)] http://www.danreetz.com (website of the frontman of everything Fake) http://www.abandonedscoutcamp.com (dear friends of the group, organizers and promoters) http://www.deepsicks.com (current contributor to the FPCoA http://www.afiler.com (contributor and longtime friend)
