Officer!, die bereits vor knapp 40 Jahren von Bassist und Gitarrist Mick Hobbs ins Leben gerufene Combo, veröffentlicht in erweiterter Besetzung ein Tribute-Album mit Neuinterpretationen ausgewählten Arbeiten des Komponisten Cornelius Cardew. Cardew studierte Klavier, Komposition und elektronische Musik und gilt als einer der einflussreichsten Komponisten des späten 20. Jahrhunderts. Als Musiker war er Mitglied des bekannten Improvisations-Kollektivs AMM. Ebenfalls weit über die Grenzen der Neuen Musik hinaus einflussreich waren seine Arbeiten im Bereich grafischer Partituren, seine Komposition “Treatise” wurde von zahlreichen Acts unterschiedlicher musikalischer Herkunft interpretiert. Die heute aus Hobbs, Felix Fiedorowicz und Bill Gilonis bestehende Kernbesetzung wird auf dem “Paragraphs and Principles” betitelten Album von 30 internationalen Musikerinnen und Musikern. Das Album erscheint bereits Anfang Dezember auf CD bei Klanggalerie, die limitierte Vinyledition erscheint beim französischen Jelodanti-Label und ist auf Ende Januar angesetzt.
“Officer! was founded by Londoner Mick Hobbs. His roots were in the Rock In Opposition scene of the late 70s and early 80s. Initially he worked as bass player in The Work, where Bill was the guitarist (one of them). He became closely associated with This Heat and their Cold Storage Studio in Brixton, working with artists like Family Fodder, Catherine Jauniaux and Zeena Parkins. Felix was involved in Officer! recordings from the earliest days. The band’s first album 8 New Songs By Mick Hobbs came out in 1982 on cassette only. It was followed by the second album, Ossification. Paragraphs and Principles is the most ambitious album yet by the experimental, maverick pop group Officer!. The band has surprised itself with this dazzling yet almost dangerous collection of pieces that keep alive the glorious memory of composer Cornelius Cardew – comrade and champion. His work, whilst of its time, remains strangely contemporary. 
It is difficult music – mystifying perhaps, idealistic certainly, and contentious, without doubt. That said, Cardew was also drawn to rousing, goose-bump melodies that wear their politics on their sleeve. Since his untimely and sinister death in 1981, the world has come full circle and Cardew’s desire for rebellion, democratisation, rejection of crass popularism, and a revolution in politics, thought and approach have all become relevant once more. Officer!’s tribute to Cardew features several dynamic re-interpretations of his key works, as well as new music that draws inspiration from his principles and philosophy.” (Klanggalerie / Jelodanti)