Content Warning: Transphobia
The landscape of electronic music is a constantly shifting molten earth that is terraformed by those who push the needle forward, whether that is done through conjuring innovative new sounds or breaking boundaries with hardware development. Wendy Carlos did both.
Born in 1938, she played a pivotal role in synthesiser development working alongside Robert Moog, the inventor of the Moog synthesiser. Carlos provided feedback and recommendations which shaped the design and capabilities of the instrument (Holmes, 2008). Her input was crucial in the development of the modular synthesizer system that is still widely used today.
Wendy utilised the advancements she had helped create with the Moog synthesiser on her first album, Switched-On Bach, in 1968. The album featured electronic reworkings of Johann Sebastian Bach’s music and was well received by both audiences and critics, selling over a million copies. Her talent was recognised with three Grammy Awards, making her the first transgender person to win a Grammy in 1969. The release of the album also caused cultural ripples by demonstrating electronic music to be a viable and artistic medium rather than novelty. Through this work, Carlos paved the way for a wave of synthesised music in the 1970s, as other artists began to explore the possibilities of the instruments she helped create. Carlos continued to experiment with new sounds and techniques, releasing several more albums throughout the decade. Billboard issued a boxset review of a reissue of her debut in 1999 and had this to say: “Carlos’ renditions remain the platinum standard of their ilk”, and “her own orchestral palette was so unique: Her “instruments” huffed, wheezed, and clanked like an intergalactic music box.” Clearly Carlos’ efforts have withstood the test of time.
Carlos is also well known for her contributions to film soundtracks, including the scores for ‘A Clockwork Orange’, ‘The Shining’ and ‘Tron’ (1982). Stanley Kubrick recognised Carlos’ innovation and the potential of electronic music to create haunting and otherworldly soundscapes within film. Anyone who has seen ‘The Shining’ knows how eerie and discomforting the ‘Main Theme’ is and how well it accompanies the horrors that unfold within the film. In ‘A Clockwork Orange’, Carlos’ interpretation of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, used during the film’s notorious ‘Ludovico Technique’ scene, is a haunting and unforgettable piece of music that perfectly captures the film’s dark and dystopian vision. The dissonance of the classical music accompanied by the disturbing visuals achieve cinematic heights only Kubrick and Carlos could muster together.
Through all of this success, Carlos found it extremely difficult navigating her transition alongside her newfound fame. For a period of time, she would continue to appear in public presenting as masculine in order to avoid any stigma from those unaccepting of her gender. She eventually boldly came out in an interview published in Playboy Magazine in 1979. Please be warned, the article features outdated language and views referring to transgender identities that are now deemed offensive.
Many contemporary electronic musicians take great inspiration from Carlos within their work. Artists such as Daft Punk (Lewis, 2010), Aphex Twin (Maconie, 1994), and Trent Reznor (Pond, 2010) have all cited her as an inspiration, and her impact on the genre ripples through each artist she influences in a domino effect.
Further accolades attributed to Carlos include being awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1975 and a Doctor of Music degree from Brown University in 2005. Her work has also been recognised by the Electronic Music Foundation, which established the Wendy Carlos Award for Innovation in Electronic Music in her honour. If you are interested in learning more about Carlos, please visit her website: ‘www.wendycarlos.com’.
Anyone who appreciates electronic music in some capacity should know Wendy Carlos and her impact. We should celebrate the artistry of transgender musicians such as Carlos, Arca, SOPHIE and others, not just now, in LGBTQ+ History month, but for the rest of time.
Image “Wendy Carlos” by believekevin is licensed under CC BY 2.0.