Dude Builds Flamethrowing Organ: Blows Minds

Dutch "chemo acoustic" artist Bastiaan Maris calls it the “Crack Pipe Orchestra,” but this explosive-rigged instrument is better-known as the “Fire Organ”.

The 12-meter-high organ will play over 10 nights as part of Hobart's Dark Mofo festival, which celebrates the bleakest part of winter with an all-out party. This means harmonic “tune flame throwers” pumping fire and noise into the night sky, resonators converting heat into the earthy drones, and “detonating crack pipes” that’ll roar like jet engines. At least, that’s what Maris hopes will happen. The organ has never been built before, so there’s no telling what might come out of it. The Creators Project spoke to Maris about blasting heat and noise through steel.

The Creators Project: Tell us about the Fire Organ. 

Bastiaan Maris: The whole thing has three elements. There are the resonators: big steel tubes that look a little bit like rockets. These are also the carrying structure of the whole thing. I call the second element “tune flame throwers”, there are seven of them. They are basically pressure vessels that shoot gas through a tube that is ignited. The tubes and barrels have different lengths, so as they ignite they all have a different tone. The resonator parts also have tunes, but they are more drone-like, very deep drones. The third element, which for me is the most exciting part, is called the crack pipe. These pipes inject gas and ignite it, which then detonates in a controlled explosion. Hopefully they will make a tone like a jet engine.

Like a 747?

Yes, and with a bit of luck they are also supposed to create pressure rings. This is Co2 and water vapor coming out at a very high velocity that under the right circumstances should be visible as a silver ring flying very fast. These are a bit like smoke rings, but there is no smoke.

Have you tested the organ before?

We have, but we’ve only built one prototype for the crack pipes so it’s an experiment. It’s also uncertain as we’re working with hot gas, a different material to normal air, which should bend the light differently so it will appear to be silvery. At least, that is what I hope is going to happen. It depends very much on the weather and circumstances.

What are the ideal conditions? 

It should be dark. It should be moist and not so warm. I think we have the perfect circumstances in Hobart.

How dangerous are the materials you’re working with?

So far in my life nothing has gone terribly wrong, but you have to take precautions. You don't stand next to a big flame in nylon clothes, for example. I’m pretty cautious, especially with other people. I’m careful myself, but I definitely try to avoid hurting others! I’ve lost hair on my hands and stuff, but nothing too bad.

Do you actually “play” the organ?

We have two standard midi keyboards that we use to make music live, and we control the ignitions and the gas valves to compose music.

All original compositions?

We don't do covers! Maybe we could try “Caravan”? I will always play that on everything, but no. We will compose music especially for Hobart and for the festival. The organ is tuned, but it is tuned to itself. Together it forms a sort of orchestra.

How often will you play? 

We are doing one show every day. The instrument will be running from four in the afternoon to 10 at night. We will be trying things out and composing songs. It will be partly preprogrammed and a big part live. As the 10 days progress we will build up the repertoire and every night we will have something new to show.

How did you get into fire as an art / musical form?

It started when I was very young. I’ve been playing with fire since I was a kid, as most kids should I think. I must have been three. My father, who is an engineer, was sitting around the fireplace with some friends of his, they were trying to have a business meeting or something. Us little kids were in the way so a friend of my father’s took a big box of matches and said: “Here, go and play.” That’s what I’ve been doing ever since.

You owe that guy a beer… 

Yes! I’ve had good times with him, he’s a fantastic guy. I’ve always been interested in mechanical things and I went through a period of making lots and lots of bombs. Not for blowing up things, but for the sound, the release of energy.

So “chemo acoustic” is more about exploring the process of energy transformation through sound…

That’s basically it. What interests me has always been the conversion of energy, certainly of making energy visible. If you want to understand things, hearing it gives you a very clear picture. A lot of the time I can hear more details than I can see. That has always fascinated me. It’s one of the things I am always busy with. If I hear a strange sound, some industrial things, I’m fascinated with the sound—the approach behind it and forming it. This is why I call myself a chemo acoustic artist.

Why an organ over other instruments? Why not a fire guitar, or exploding drums, or a flaming clarinet?

It’s more about the fire and the sound than the organ. It has to do with resonance of pipes. You have to get to a certain size if you want to get into the low ranges and I like to physically feel the sound. You have to go large to end up in those ranges. It becomes an organ. It never set out to be one. You have lots of really large pipes and people are like: “It’s an organ!”

You mentioned you burnt all the hair off your arms. Have you had any intense accidents?

Never. Well, one time when I was really young I managed to lose my eyebrows. But no. No permanent burns. No marks or anything. I have all my fingers. My eyes are fine, although I do need reading glasses. I’ve damaged my ears a little, but not as bad as a rock musician.

No gnarly burns down the side of your body…

None of that. I’m sorry. If you really want it maybe I can do it here?

No! Please stay safe. So the organ will be in a park for Dark Mofo. What happens if it rains? 

We keep playing. If we have a really bad storm or really bad sideways torrential rain we’ll have to shut it down, but a bit of rain doesn’t matter. All fine for outdoors, especially in the cold.

It’ll be nice place, by the Fire Organ. 

Yes! It will be really warm. Everyone is welcome.

Find out more about Maris' Fire Organ and other deep-winter events over at Dark Mofo.

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