In 1979 four composers of vaguely electronic orientation decided that they needed a record label of their own to put out work that really had no way of being presented except as a recording.  Fun Music began as an outlet for Scott Fraser, David Ocker, "Blue" Gene Tyranny (his more obscure works not then available from Lovely Music) and me.  After a few years "Blue" and David lost interest in the label, and it continued on as a vehicle for recordings by Scott Fraser and myself.  I still have stock of most of my old records, as indicated below, and the label has been revived (in 2009) for the release

of Philip Perkins’ AT THE OTHER END OF THE DAY  (see the “solo recordings” page on this site).

PHILIP PERKINS' albums on FUN MUSIC:

(for info on any of these albums, email me at philper@earthlink.net)

VIRGO RAMAYANA and other works for radio:  Fun 18  1994

Four works for radio:

Virgo Ramayana: made from music, ambient and voice recordings made in Indonesia and arranged via a primitive

live computer-controlled editing and mixing system.  (23 min.)

Radio Music: John Cage’s 1956 composition in a studio realization. (6 min.)

Remotitude: an edit of my live radio work BERKELEY REMOTE (KPFA 1989)  (6 min.)

Say Again: a live radio work broadcast on KPFA 5.6.91 featuring Bonnie Barnett (voice), Tim Perkis (computer/synth)

Scott Fraser (percussion, guitar), and Philip Perkins (mix, radios, signal and MIDI processing, sampler, tapes, electric

bass).  Produced by Ben Lindgren.

THE REMOTES: Fun 17  1990

In 1988 I began a series of live radio performance works called THE REMOTES.  In these shows various locally-recruited guest musicians and I  would play with and through an electronic system that allowed a unique synthesis of automatic and intuitive process in a work that continually created itself in real time.  This live studio remix (using some of the same systems) of elements of nine of the live radio versions of the work is a sort of "super Remote", and presents some of the best moments of the series.  Later versions were made for NPR, CBC and Japanese radio.   Other series spun off of this one were made, including the SURFACE TO AIR series for performance over phone lines to far-away radio stations.

SHAPIRO, VERMEER, FLORIDA and SAN FRANCISCO   Fun 1006  1989

This CD includes 4 works:

Shapiro Songs: settings of 7 poems by Pulitzer Prize-winning American poet Karl Shapiro in a variety of styles. 

Vocalist: Frederick Goff.

re:Vermeer: a five part melodic and electroacoustic work inspired by the paintings of Jan Vermeer (1632-75).

South Florida Remote:  A highly subjective radio documentary on the Miami area. Commissioned by New Music America 1988 and WLRN-FM Miami.  Produced by Steve Malagodi.

San Francisco Remote:  This is a documentary recording of this audio installation as it stood in the San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery in Oct. 1988. Commissioned by the San Francisco Arts Commission.  Produced by Russ Jennings.

HALL OF FLOWERS / THE FLAME OF AMBITION (excerpts) Fun 1005 1988

Side 1 of this LP contains the 21 min. first section of HALL OF FLOWERS a work for radio broadcast.  The piece moves through a tremendous variety of sound material configured around a single multirhythmic "cell".

Side 2 has 7 excerpts from THE FLAME OF AMBITION , a collection of short, mostly melodic works about what ambition causes (or enables) people to do.  The title refers to the "burning" nature of ambition within those who are literally being consumed by it.

HALL OF FLOWERS  Fun 16  1987

This is the full length version of this work for radio. HALL OF FLOWERS was designed so that a listener could tune in at any point, listen for any length of time over a minute or so and get the jist of the piece, while making the hearing of the full length an enjoyable experience also.

THE FLAME OF AMBITION  Fun 16 1986

Ambition in these times is particularly visible in the actions of large multi-national corporations, who seem to live by their own laws and politics, while having internal hierarchies as complex as a Renaissance royal court.  This varied collection of 14 songs and electroacoustic works reflects on aspects of a consuming desire for power and wealth.

THE ROSETTA STONE  Fun 15  1986

Very young children hear language and noise as basically the same phenomena, with occasional "windows" of understanding that widen as the child learns the difference.  The Rosetta Stone creates a sonic portrait of this process of discovery through sound composition, melody and location recordings. Side B contains “Horizontal”, a gently melodic ambient work commissioned as an intermission music for a performance-art piece.

DRIVE TIME:  Fun 1004  1985

DRIVE TIME is a series of pieces composed as an alternative to early morning commute or "drive time" radio.  The piece alternates melodic songs (often  parodies of commercial tunes) with electronic washes and stereo location recordings of street bands, parades, animals, ambiances etc. etc..  The whole is assembled with segues like a live radio show.

KING OF THE WORLD  Fun 1003 1984

This album was inspired by the lives and works of three ancient monarchs, all of whom considered themselves to be the absolute ruler of all mankind.  The  music was made as a meditation on myth, tragedy caused by pride and extreme distance in time.

PACAL (the shield) Fun 13  1983

This work is based on an inference of what the life of this 7th century Mayan king mighthave been like, based on the art and details of his tomb (Palenque).   It follows the chronology of a "noble" life against the sweep and flow of Mayan culture in general. This work is included in the LP KING OF THE WORLD.

NEIGHBORHOOD WITH A SKY  (Bird Variations)  Fun 1002  1982

This album was conceived of as a "neighborhood" of short, highly evocative audio pieces, similar in size and structure, that would present an audioscape to the listener in much the same way as a neighborhood of buildings and streets  presents itself to one walking through it.

APARTMENT LIFE  Fun 11  1980

The city as permanent ongoing sound piece.  A series of 6 electroacoustic works in which the aural topography of city life is disassembled, examined and finally remade with highly processed mirror images of itself.

TAPEWORKS  Fun 12  1975-80

Nine audio works in a variety of styles, from the purely abstract to settings for poetry.

TOOL'S PAINT / READING THE MAIL  Fun 1001  (7 inch 45rpm)  1981

One cut each from the APARTMENT LIFE and TAPEWORKS albums.

for info on any of the above albums, e-mail me at philper@earthlink.net

SCOTT FRASER's albums on FUN MUSIC:

ARCHITECTURE   Fun 3001   1989

THE WATER ALBUM   Fun 32  1983

NATURAL HISTORIES   Fun 31  1980

are now available directly from him at scott_fraser@earthlink.com

"BLUE" GENE TYRANNY's  album on FUN MUSIC:

REAL LIFE AND THE MOVIES Fun 21  1980

is now available directly from him at BLUEGENET@aol.com

DAVID OCKER’s album on FUN MUSIC:

TWO PIECES   Fun 41 (1979)

This might be available from:  http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Square/1991/