Toys
are Us
LOCAL
ART BAND REALLY PLAYS.
BY
HELEN SHUMACHER
About a year ago, while enrolled in a class on digital
video and audio, Mary Rasmussen, an art student at the University
of Oregon, began to take an interest in the work of John Cage. It
was while learning about Cage and his ideas on the art of noise
that a toy leaf blower from Value Village inspired Rasmussen to
start a band.
She shared her idea for a band with several friends
at Max's Tavern, and that night The Playskool Fools and The Noisy
Toys featuring the Weightlifter became Eugene's only band that plays
children's toys instead of guitars. Even though most songs include
a keyboard and programmed beats, the sounds made from second-hand
plastic toys are the main element of the band's music.
The line-up has changed a couple of times due to
members moving away, but the Noisy Toys currently consists of Rasmussen,
Nathan Hazard, Liz Lessner, Timothy Cooke, Alexis Stevens and Judah
Switzer who goes by "The Weightlifter" and commonly graces the stage
in a pair of American flag patterned spandex shorts.
Because the Noisy Toys is made up mostly of art
students instead of musicians, the band takes a more performance-based
approach to their shows, which they describe as a danceable combination
of design and improv, or a post-apocalyptic Fleetwood Mac.
"We want to keep the element of art really apparent,"
Rasmussen said. "Every aspect of what we do is about design, from
flyers to costumes."
Each Noisy Toys show is different because the performances
are catered to the venue. When they opened up for Tracy and the
Plastics last fall in the EMU fishbowl at the university, the band
wore service outfits and hairnets to match their cafeteria type
surroundings.
"The aim is to create something totally new every
time," Rasmussen said.
Future plans for the band include a tour and producing
a music video for each of their songs, and maybe even an album.
The Playskool Fools and the Noisy Toys can next be seen playing
at the Tiny Tavern on April 24.