The Caretaker
Conceived in 1999 as a side project to V/Vm, The Caretaker became the longest-running and best known act of James Kirby. Inspired by a scene from Stanley Kubrick's film version of "The Shining," the project used 78 RPM singles of ballroom recordings as its major source. Unlike V/Vm's rapid-fire approach, minimal effects were applied to these records. Over time, The Caretaker delved into the theme of neurodegenerative illness, using the records as a metaphor for the progressive failure of the human mind. This culminated in Everywhere At The End of Time, a six-part fictional account of early onset dementia told through surface noise and worn-out records.
In 2019, after two decades, The Caretaker concluded with Everywhere... James Kirby continues to create music under his other ongoing projects.