Found Sound #6 Ambient Music

It all started as fortuitous encounter with NRP’s excellent radio program entitled, “The 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century.” While scrolling through their selections I came across a composer called Steve Reich who I had recently read about on Pitchfork. During a bit of research on other minimalist composers like I began seeing a lot of references to ambient composers as well. As the names of Eno, Roach, Riley appeared with increasing frequency my curiosity was piqued and I decided to give them a listen. After about three months I am just starting to get my feet wet in the gigantic genre and as with all musical exploration the task has been both daunting and exciting. It has been a pleasure to find something so different from mainstream music even while remaining extremely engaging. And so it is my goal to provide a brief introduction of classic ambient works for those interested and willing to take chance on some exceptionally satisfying music.


Brian Eno – Music for Airports
Brian Eno's name is synonymous with ambient music. Although he is probably most widely recognized as the acclaimed producer for bands like the Takling Heads, he produced an album in 1978 that defined the ambient genre and remains a classic to this day. “Ambient 1/Music for Airports” is a spectacularly calm album with four movements. The first song entitled 1/1 is beautiful in its simplicity, a piano begins playing a melody which is then looped and added to as the song progresses. 2/2 the fourth track on the album moves slightly away from the first three quieter tracks and builds upon a few synth chords creating a powerfully compelling effect. Eno has said that “Ambient Music must be able to accommodate many levels of listening attention without enforcing one in particular; it must be as ignorable as it is interesting,” and I think this album typifies that sentiment creating something that is both interesting as well as relaxing. Sample this album here.

Aphex Twins – Selected Ambient Works 85-92
For those looking for a more contemporary composer Aphex Twin aka Richard David James is a good bet. His album Selected Ambient Works 85-92, was released in 1992 and was described as a "watershed of ambient music". Rolling Stone wrote of the album, "Aphex Twin expanded way beyond the ambient music of Brian Eno by fusing lush soundscapes with oceanic beats and bass lines". This album is much more listenable for those of us used to more structured music, the presence of the bass and drums provide a stronger movement to the music which can be a welcome change from much of the amorphous ambient out there. This album can be sampled here.

Steve Reich – Music for 18 Musicians
One of my favorite compositions from Steve Reich entitled, “Music for 18 Musicians” is a classic minimalist piece although it can also be categorized in the ambient genre.
It was written for a cello, violin, two clarinets, four pianos, three marimbas, two xylophones, a metallophone, maracas, and four women's voices. The categorization in ambient is probably due to the structure of the piece which is based around a cycle of eleven chords. A small piece of music is based around each chord, and the piece returns to the original cycle at the end. Even though many of the pieces are looped the diversity of sound is incredible. It at times somber, at others exciting, and always interesting. This composition is amazing and is worth a listen if you have any interest in classical, ambient, minimalist music, in fact I think everyone will enjoy this one. It can be sampled here.

William Basinski – The Disintegration Loops I-IV
The final ambient music I will highlight is certainly the longest. It also has one of the strangest stories accompanying any piece of music I have ever heard. William Basinski was worried about some analog tape loops he had created in the 1980s and had decided to transfer them to a digital format. What he found while playing the tapes was that because of their age the tapes themselves were literally disintegrating. Each time he would play the loop, bits of iron oxide would fall from the tape and the music on it would sound more fragmented during the next repetition. What makes the story incredible is that he was doing his recording in New York City on September 11, 2001. As he and his friends stood on the top of their building watching the twin towers falling they listened as the tape loops were similarly destroyed. As a result of the disintegration the first loops are the most coherent although it stays listenable right up until the end of the fourth album. Composed primarily of mellow orchestral melodies and synthesizers the pieces are immediately accessible. The individual “songs” range from a couple of minutes up to 65. For a unique listening experience that will leave you awed not only at its incredible coincidence but also its deep beauty check this one out. Sample I-IV here: I, II, III, IV.

I hope you enoy some of this stuff, if there is anything you especially enjoyed or are interested in let me know and I can do a follow up with some more similar artists.

Pitchfork's Top 50 Albums of 2006 Abridged

It’s that most wonderful time of year, no not Christmas, Pitchfork has again published its picks for the best albums of 2006 and regardless of your feelings towards the pretentious site it is hard to ignore its influence and the generally accurate reviews they generate. To look through the entire list click here. As I, along with most other people, have not had the chance or money to enjoy all of the albums on the list I thought I would offer an abridged version of my favorites.

43. Sonic Youth – Rather Ripped





After missing the first seven albums on Pitchfork’s list, mine starts off with a bang. Sonic Youth’s streamlined album “Rather Ripped” is an excellent introduction to one of the most influential bands of our generation, and an exciting variation for long time fans. This release was a departure from their longer and more difficult “Sonic Nurse” but was able to do so without losing any of the no-wave, noise rock charm that has defined them for more than twenty years.

Top Tracks: "Do You Believe in Rapture?" and “Incinerate"


41. The Decembrists – The Crane Wife

The Decembrists have long been one of my favorite bands and thanks to an ever evolving sound and superb song writing by Colin Meloy they keep getting better. Merging elements of their post rocky EP “The Tain” with the literate pop that has made them famous on the indie scene they create one of the most adventurous and yet inviting albums of the year based on an ancient Japanese tale.

Top Tracks: "The Island" and "The Crane Wife 1 & 2"


40. Tapes ‘n Tapes – The Loon



Minnesota natives Tapes ‘n Tapes were a surprise for many readers, partially due to the bands penchant for plundering elements of Modest Mouse, Pavement and the Pixies for much of the album. However “The Loon” does so with such magnificent results that simply naming influences does an injustice to this catchy album.

Top Tracks: "Insistor" and "Cowbell"


36. Brightblack Morning Light - Brightblack Morning Light

Combine one part indie, one part hippie and stir in a good deal of guitar noodling, Rhodes organ, group chanting, flutes and you have something like Brightblack Morning Light. With all tracks nearing or exceeding the six minute mark this isn’t an album for the impatient, but for the indie fan who isn’t afraid to admit a fondness for Phish, this is the album for you.

Top Track: “Fry Bread” and “A River Could Be Loved”


34. Girl Talk - Night Ripper

One of the most fun and most danceable albums of the year, this effort by Gregg Gillis a.k.a. Girl Talk takes the practice of mashing up and turns it into an art form. With over 120 samples throughout the album you are guranteed to catch some of your favorites intermixed with current rap hits and classic oldies. Interested listeners can check out a compiled list of all samples here.

Top Tracks: "Bounce That" and "Smash Your Head"


31. Danielson - Ships



Daniel Smith has appeared over the years in many forms, sometimes with his family as Danielson Familie, a smaller version called Brother Danielson, sometimes even as a lone tree. No matter the incarnation he always creates beautiful, if sometimes grating, lush music accompanied by his unusaul voice. Here he constructs a masterpiece, a song cycle based on ships creating what Pitchfork aptly calls a “majestic, melodic beast.”

Top Tracks: "Did I Step on Your Trumpet" and "Ship the Majestic Suffix"


28. Cat Power - The Greatest



I did not think this was one of Cat Power’s greatest. In fact after about a week of initial listening I haven’t returned to Chan Marshall’s Memphis infused album. Sure the instrumentation is excellent and her voice is great but something just didn’t click. Many listeners would disagree so if you have liked her previous works don’t let me discourage you.


20. Man Man - Six Demon Bag

Man Man is consistently one of the strangest bands in the indie arena and “Six Demon Bag” finds them channeling the best parts of Captain Beefheart and Tom Waits along with some of their own flair to create their best album to date. Able to create both quietly emotional songs along side jaunty rock dirges this album takes a while to get used to but is immensely fun when you get there.

Top Tracks: "Young Einstein on the Beach" and "Van Helsing Boombox"


18. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies

On “Destroyer’s Rubies” Dan Bejar crafts another outstanding album, exceptional song writing has always been his strong suit and here he finds the melodies and instruments to back it up. This is a great album but not the best he released this year, as one third of the band Swan Lake he released what I thought to be a far superior album entitled “Beast Moans”. Anyone who is a fan of Destroyer, Wolf Parade, Sunset Rubdown or Frog Eyes should be sure to check it out.

Top Tracks: "Your Blood" and "Watercolours into the Ocean"


08. Grizzly Bear - Yellow House

Certainly in my top three of this year and maybe my overall favorite, the Canadians called Grizzly Bear do everything right on this their sophomore effort. After their first album “Horn of Plenty” drew comparisons to Animal Collective this second album did a great deal to create a completely individual identity for the band. Recorded in Edward Droste's mother's Cape Cod home, “Yellow House” contains beautiful acoustic interludes, plucked banjo and flute, but can quickly change into a driving rocker and then just as quickly devolve into a psychedelic jam. Beautiful harmonized vocals flow through songs that one wishes would never end. Every track on the album is good. Do not miss out on this excellent record.

Top Tracks: “Knife” and “On a Neck, On a Spit”


06. Liars - Drum's Not Dead



A surprising favorite this year came from one of the most indefinable bands on the scene today. They began their career during the garage rock boom, followed up with a weird and critically canned album and only to come back and deliver one of the best albums of 2006. It is a dark album, it includes elements of electronica, folk and indie rock. The lead singer Angus Andrew has a somewhat scary but overall endearing falsetto, which is not so much the focal point of many of the songs but another instrument. While it may not be for everyone this is really an exceptional album.

Top Tracks: "The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack" and "Let's Not Wrestle Mt. Heart Attack"


03. Joanna Newsom – Ys

There is no doubt that this is a beautiful record, her voice accompanied by a harp and full orchestra on four of the five tracks makes sure of that. However, I am not a huge fan of the album. It feels long and at times grating, an album I can’t imagine ever really getting into. Like a lot of classical music, it is gorgeous but, at least for me has little replay ability. Again, this was a pretty universally praised album so if you like lush orchestral music be sure to give it a chance.

02. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain

I have mentioned previous to this point that there are a few albums in contention for my favorite of the year, but in the end I do think TV on the Radio’s second album wins. As a result of an uninviting name and very little publicity I was late in listening to their first album “Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes” but I was immediately taken in with the emotional heft of the singing and electronic/rock elements of the music. On “Return to Cookie Mountain” they have refined their song craft and deliver one of the most emotionally charged albums all while remaining lyrically obscure. Ripping guitars, ominous bass and frantic drumming all add a sense of urgency to the record. It is a dense and dark album that gets better with every listen, and traditional music lovers will be sure to enjoy the beautiful harmonies and excellent instrumentation. Get it, you won’t regret it!

Top Tracks: "I Was a Lover" and “Wolf Like Me”


01. The Knife - Silent Shout

Finally we have reached Pitchfork’s number one album of the year. Over the past five months I have begun to listen to and enjoy electronic music, even to the extent of preferring it over most other types. This may not be a direct result of The Knife (Four Tet, Fennesz, STS9 and My Bloody Valentine certainly played a part) but has had a significant impact. The album, like many of the best this year, is dark, menacing chords play over ghostly vocals but at the same time listening to it makes you want to dance. It certainly is not the usual techno one hears on the radio, complex sampling and intense instrumental segments are matched with beautiful washes and ambient soundscapes. The vocals keep the listener interested when other electronic music might get repetitive. For the adventurous or already electronically initiated there is no doubt why this was named the best album of the year.

Top Tracks: "Silent Shout" and "We Share Our Mother's Health"


That ends the round-up of the albums I had the pleasure of listening to this year, if anyone would like to add on, just post in the comments section and I can add it later.

Real News #1 Kansas Outlaws Practice Of Evolution

In response to a Nov. 7 referendum, Kansas lawmakers passed emergency legislation outlawing evolution, the highly controversial process responsible for the development and diversity of species and the continued survival of all life.

"From now on, the streets, forests, plains, and rivers of Kansas will be safe from the godless practice of evolution, and species will be able to procreate without deviating from God's intended design," said Bob Bethell, a member of the state House of Representatives. "This is about protecting the integrity of all creation."

The sweeping new law prohibits all living beings within state borders from being born with random genetic mutations that could make them better suited to evade predators, secure a mate, or, adapt to a changing environment. In addition, it bars any sexual reproduction, battles for survival, or instances of pure happenstance that might lead, after several generations, to a more well-adapted species or subspecies.

Violators of the new law may face punishments that include jail time, stiff fines, and rehabilitative education and training to rid organisms suspected of evolutionary tendencies. Repeat offenders could face chemical sterilization.

To enforce the law, Kansas state police will be trained to investigate and apprehend organisms who exhibit suspected signs of evolutionary behavior, such as natural selection or speciation. Plans are underway to track and monitor DNA strands in every Kansan life form for even the slightest change in allele frequencies.

"Barn swallows that develop lighter, more streamlined builds to enable faster migration, for example, could live out the rest of their brief lives in prison," said Indiana University chemist and pro-intelligent-design author Robert Hellenbaum, who helped compose the language of the law. "And butterflies who mimic the wing patterns and colors of other butterflies for an adaptive advantage, well, their days of flouting God's will are over."

Human beings may be the species most deeply affected by the new legislation. Those whose cytochrome-c molecules vary less than 2 percent from those of chimpanzees will be in direct violation of the law.

Under particular scrutiny are single-cell microorganisms, with thousands of field labs being installed across the state to ensure that these self-replicating molecules, notorious for mutation, do not do so in a fashion benefitting their long-term survival.

Anti-evolutionists such as Hellenbaum have long accused microorganisms of popularizing "an otherwise obscure, agonizingly slow, and hard-to-understand" biological process. "These repeat offenders are at the root of the problem," Hellenbaum said. "We have the fossil records to prove it."

"No species is exempt," said Marcus Holloway, a state police spokesman. "Whether you're a human being or a fruit fly—if we detect one homologous chromosome trying to cross over during the process of meiosis, you will be punished to the full extent of the law."

Although the full impact of the new law will likely not be felt for approximately 10 million years, most Kansans say they are relieved that the ban went into effect this week, claiming that evolution may have gone too far already.

"If Earth's species were meant to change over successive generations through physical modifications resulting from the adaptation to environmental challenges, then God would have given them the genetic predisposition to select mates and reproduce based on their favorable heritable traits and their ability to thrive under changing conditions so that these advantageous qualities would be passed down and eventually encoded into the DNA of each generation of offspring," Olathe public school teacher and creationist Joyce Eckhardt said. "It's just not natural."

Some warn that the strict wording of the law could have a deleterious effect on Kansas' mostly agricultural economy, since it also prohibits all forms of man-made artificial selection, such as plant hybridization, genetic engineering, and animal husbandry. A police raid on an alleged artificial-insemination facility outside McPherson, KS on Friday resulted in the arrest of a farmer, a veterinarian, four assistants, one bull, and several dozen cows.

Agribusiness leaders, who rely on evolution science to genetically modify crops, have voiced concerns about doing business with Kansas farmers.

"If Kansans want to ban evolution, that is their right, but they must understand that we rely on a certain flexibility in the natural order of things to be able to deliver healthy food products to millions of Americans," said Carl Casale, a vice president with the agricultural giant Monsanto. "We're not talking about playing God here. We are talking about succeeding in the competitive veggie-burger market."

Taken from TheOnion.com

The Verdict is Still Out...

As with nearly all polarizing issues it is best to circumvent the politics of the issue and, when possible, go straight to the science. With the release of Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” earlier this year we were all treated to a firestorm of punditry, everyone from the right and the left seemed sure they had it right. Yet very few actually looked at the science of the issue. I feel obliged to write about the issue after I read an article concerning the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) refusal to accept 50,000 free DVD’s from the producers of the film. Now as this is a sensitive issue you may think the teachers made the right decision in staying out of a political debate. Well, unfortunately, you would be wrong on two counts.

Firstly, as can be read from the original Op-Ed by Laurie David, for you Curb fans that’s Larry David’s wife, the NSTA does not have a history of abstention from politics. While they claim to be wary of offering a "political" endorsement of the film, they have been content to accept over $6 million dollars from Exxon Mobile since 1996. Even more shocking NSTA's list of corporate donors also includes Shell Oil and the American Petroleum Institute (API), which funds NSTA's Web site on the science of energy. NSTA has also distributed a video produced by API called "You Can't Be Cool Without Fuel."

As one would expect the NSTA has issued a response, and as always things aren’t as black and white as we would like them to be. It would be unfair to demonize this group of teachers after being put in such a difficult position. However, there is little question that having some of your biggest sponsors as the target of a video would certainly weigh heavily in a decision about whether to distribute the DVD.

More importantly, however, is the fact that the vast majority of “An Inconvenient Truth” is supported by an even vaster majority of scientists. Next time someone informs you that “the verdict is still out on global warming” ask them where they are they getting their information. Bill O’Reilly? Rush Limbaugh? While these men may attract an incredible amount of daily listeners they are not scientists and it is very likely they, like most of us, have no idea what climatologists are talking about. Below is a short clip from the movie, if you haven’t seen it yet it is certainly worth your while.



So let’s turn to the facts, and let me preface this by saying that like all other theories in the soft sciences, there are still questions about global warming. However, when the top scientists of climatology, geology, and biology are in agreement it would seem prudent to listen.

In 2001 the Committee on the Science of Climate Change of the National Research Council published Climate Change Science: An Analysis of Some Key Questions. This report explicitly endorses the view of attribution of recent climate change as representing the view of the science community. It begins by stating that, “Greenhouse gases are accumulating in Earth's atmosphere as a result of human activities, causing surface air temperatures and subsurface ocean temperatures to rise. Temperatures are, in fact, rising. The changes observed over the last several decades are likely mostly due to human activities, but we cannot rule out that some significant part of these changes is also a reflection of natural variability. Human-induced warming and associated sea level rises are expected to continue through the 21st century.” The full report can be read here.

On May 2, 2006, the Federal Climate Change Science Program commissioned by the Bush administration in 2002 released the first of 21 assessments that concluded that there is, “clear evidence of human influences on the climate system (due to changes in greenhouse gases, aerosols, and stratospheric ozone).” And went on to say that, “observed patterns of change over the past 50 years cannot be explained by natural processes alone.” The full report can be read here.

In December 2004, Science published an essay by geologist and science historian Naomi Oreskesthat summarized a study of the scientific literature on climate change. The essay concluded that there is a scientific consensus on the reality of anthropogenic climate change. The author analyzed 928 abstracts of papers from refereed scientific journals between 1993 and 2003. 75% of the abstracts were placed in categories which either explicitly or implicitly accepted the consensus view of human caused climate change. 25% dealt with methods or paleoclimate and made no statement about the causes of change. This means that out of 928 peer reviewed scientific articles not one argued against the basic ideas of human caused climate change. It was pointed out thatsome of the authors in the last 25% may believe that current climate change is natural. However, none of these papers argued that point. The full article can be read here.



By now I hope that my thesis is clear, even if the NSTA would like to stay out of political battles, the overwhelming scientific evidence is in support of this theory and as a result should be taught regardless of popular opinion. I am dismayed to realize the parallels between the teaching of climate change and the equally verifiable evolution; both are strongly supported scientific theory and yet poorly understood by the general populace. It is a shame that due to those special interests who hope to muddy the waters by casting “doubt” on otherwise extremely important science so many remain in the dark about these important issues. We as Americans need to learn to disregard the ten second statements from our favorite pundits, this world we live in is important enough that we should take some time to listen and read articles by people who know what they are talking about.

In regard to “An Inconvenient Truth” I think Eric Steig, a climatologist and isotope geochemist, summarizes things well in his article for RealClimate.com, “It is remarkably up to date, with reference to some of the very latest research…for the most part, I think Gore gets the science right...the small errors don't detract from Gore's main point, which is that we in the United States have the technological and institutional ability to have a significant impact on the future trajectory of climate change.”

Tom Waits Addendum

A few days after I posted my Tom Waits story Pitchfork did a pretty interesting inverview with him. They talk about music, life and his new three cd set entitled Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers, and Bastards. If you are interested in some more Waits check it out here.

Primary Movers #3 Tom Waits

Sometimes for those of us not artistically inclined it is hard to understand the process by which a musician creates music or an actor portrays a character. It is especially astounding when an individual can excel at both tasks, and do so with an utterly unique style. It may seem as though there is an excess of actor/musicians out there these days but I challenge you to name more than a handful who do it well. Tom Waits has succeeded where most fail by creating, both in his acting and in his musical career something distinct.

I was first introduced to Mr. Waits by way of an excellent movie entitled “Down By Law” written and directed by the brilliant Jim Jarmusch. Mr. Waits plays Jack, one of three prisoners who escape a New Orleans prison. Mr. Jarmusch’s black and white camera and gritty set pieces work perfectly with Mr. Waits’ portrayal of the disaffected outlaw. The cautious friendship that evolves as the three prisoners spend time together in and out of prison makes for some incredibly affecting cinema. Below you can watch a short clip of the movie, Tom Waits is the guy on the right, you may also recognize the Italian guy named Roberto Benigni from “Life is Beautiful”.



As must happen with most who see the movie I sought out more of Mr. Waits’ material and was pleased to find a great deal to investigate. He has played a variety of roles in both small and large budget films, most notably The Fisher King and Bram Stoker's Dracula.

While he brings a great deal of value to acting it is his musical composing and performance that really sets him apart. I am working my way through his sizable catalogue and while I cannot speak to the entire list, the music I have heard has not disappointed. Although not well known in the United States his music, like many other great musicians, is well known abroad. His music often takes the form of narratives, the combination of his gritty, unrefined voice coupled with elements blues, jazz, and Vaudeville and is often immediately recognizable. For those of you who have listened to Captain Beefheart’s, Trout Mask Replica you will recognize the experimental tone and disregard for many musical conventions characteristic in much of Mr. Waits’ music. You may also recognize his voice from the Primus song Tommy the Cat.

What I find particularly attractive about many of his albums is the breadth of musical genres sampled, all while retaining a central feel to the album. Rain Dogs, my personal favorite at the moment, is full of jarring rhythms and unusual instrumentation provided by marimba, accordion and various percussion instruments. Mr. Waits’ sings along with lyrics seemingly chosen for rhythm rather than for sense. While it makes for a chaotic and sometimes cacophonic record and it does provide for interesting musical exploration and a downright enjoyable musical experience. Watch below for an example of Mr. Waits’ skillful songwriting from his album Mule Variations with a song entitled “Hold On”.



Another of Mr. Wait’s admirable qualities is his complete refusal to allow the use of his material in commercials. He has even gone so far as to sue companies who use his music. Frito Lay had approached him to use one of his songs in an advertisement and Mr. Waits declined. Instead, Frito Lay hired a Waits sound-alike and made the commercial. Mr. Waits won the lawsuit, becoming the first artist to successfully sue a company for using an impersonator without permission.

Although I do love writing about music and movies it is clearly no substitute for the real thing, so if you like what you have heard and read go listen to a record, make sure to give it a little time, his records like so many good ones take some time to figure out.

Pre-Midway

Hello everyone, as you may or may not know I have been hunting for a volunteer position for the past five months. I was having a great deal of difficulty finding something that would not only allow me to help out a worth while cause but also something that didn’t cost a fortune. Last March I applied for a position on Midway Island as a ecological volunteer. I had not heard back until about a week ago when I received an emial inquiring about times I was availble. As it turns out I was accepted for a position on the island starting January 25th and going through April 21st. I am elated, it allows me time to get my law school applications done and gives me a great excuse to go somewhere warm and sunny during the cold strech following Christmas here in Minnesota.

Accoring to the website I will be assisting with habitat restoration, growing native plants in a greenhouse, outplanting plants, and hand-pulling verbesina and other nonnative plants. I will also help with seabird monitoring and marine debris removal. I did not really know a whole lot about Midway so I thought as I learned about the island I would post the information here.



Midway Atoll is a 6.2 square kilometer atoll located in the North Pacific Ocean, and is about one-third of the way between Honolulu and Tokyo. It consists of a ring-shaped barrier reef and several sand islets.

The atoll is an unincorporated territory of the United States, part of the United States Minor Outlying Islands, designated an insular area under the authority of the U.S. Department of the Interior. It is a National Wildlife Refuge administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
It is probably best known as the location of the Battle of Midway, fought in World War II on June 4, 1942. Nearby, United States Navy defeated a Japanese attack against the "Midway Islands," marking a turning point in the war in the Pacific theater.

Midway was designated an overlay National Wildlife Refuge on April 22, 1988 while still under the primary jurisdiction of the Navy. As part of the Base Realignment and Closure process, the Navy facility on Midway has been operationally closed since September 10, 1993, although the Navy assumed responsibility for cleaning up environmental contamination at Naval Air Facility Midway Island.

On October 31, 1996, President Bill Clinton signed Executive Order 13022, which transferred the jurisdiction and control of the atoll to the US Department of the Interior. The US Fish and Wildlife Service assumed management of the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge. The last contingent of Navy personnel left Midway on 30 June 1997, after an ambitious environmental cleanup program was completed. The atoll fell under the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National Monument that was established in 2006.

The islands of Midway Atoll have been extensively altered as a result of human habitation. Ironwood trees from Australia were planted to act as windbreaks, removal of these trees will be one of my primary jobs while on the island.

The island was made to support as many as 5,000 people. A lot of the infrastructure including buildings were removed when the Navy transferred the property to USFWS, but approximately 120 buildings remain as well as roadways, piers, an airfield, fuel farm, and harbor. Suprisingly, and luckily for me there are a variety of other buildings still open on the island including a movie theatre, racketball court, pub and library.

When I arrive there will be approximately 65 people living and working at Midway Atoll including 4 USFWS staff, 2-4 USFWS volunteers, 1-6 cooperating researchers, and about 50 people working directly for or as subcontractors to Chugach Industries Incorporated.

When I was looking for a volunteer position I tried to limit my search to places where there would be a certain amount of adventure associated. I did not want to work in an office or as part of a “tourist” volunteer group where the idea is to give of yourself yet you are bused in to thte poor areas in the morning and bused out at night to live in nice hotels. With Midway I think I will avoid that type of experience. However there are some downsides as I will be cohabitating with a variety of dangerous creatures. Centipedes, jellyfish, ticks, spiders, and sharks will all be sharing the island or sea with me. According to an email I received several people have been bitten by centipedes while in bed, while others have been bitten by black widows and bird ticks. Swimming at night is highly discouraged due to the sharks.

Thats about all I have for today, I will keep you posted as the departure date gets closer. I will have access to email on the island so I hope to keep this site updated and I plan to put up pictures as I take them.