Vending Machines of the British Isles

 

Sound Diaries is interested in exploring the sounds produced by various vending machines, and from January – April 2011, we collected submissions from contributors and made recordings ourselves featuring the sounds produced by Vending Machines of the British Isles.

Vending Machines of the British Isles was exhibited in Beijing as part of an exhibition entitled Half Rabbit, organised by Audio Architecture.

Vending Machines of the British Isles was also presented at the Boring 2011 conference and Ian Rawes contributed an interview about the sounds of vending machines. Both the Boring Conference presentation by Felicity Ford and Ian’s interview can be read in the Texts & Papers section of this website.

This project features recordings by Felicity Ford, Paul Whitty, Alasdair Pettinger and Sarah Belfort.

The coffee machine in the Richard Hamilton Building at Oxford Brookes University, recorded by Paul Whitty in 2008 for The Fantastical Reality Radio Show in association with Mundane Appreciation

Wispa – 70p – Vending Machines of the British Isles #1
Recorded by Felicity Ford on Wednesday, January 5th, 2011 in the Pit Stop area of the Oracle shopping centre, Reading

Vitamin Water – £2.00 – Vending Machines of the British Isles #2
Recorded by Felicity Ford on Thursday, January 6th, 2011, in the Pit Stop area of the Oracle shopping centre, Reading

Malvern Water – £1.20 – Vending Machines of the British Isles #3
Recorded by Felicity Ford on Saturday, January 8th, 2011, in the Pit Stop area of the Oracle shopping centre, Reading*

Coca Cola – £1.20 – Vending Machines of the British Isles #4
Recorded by Alasdair Pettinger on Saturday, January 8th, 2011, in the St Enoch shopping centre, Glasgow

Mini Cheddars – 50p – Vending Machines of the British Isles #5 + #6
Recorded by Paul Whitty on Thursday, January 13th, 2011, in the Richard Hamilton Building at Oxford Brookes University, Oxford

+ BONUS TRACK! Richard Hamilton Building Vending Machine being serviced

The Vending Machine on Platform 4, Reading Station – Vending Machines of the British Isles #7
Recorded by Paul Whitty on Thursday, February 10th, 2011, on Platform 4, Reading train station, Reading

Tepid cup PG Tips tea – 50p – Vending Machines of the British Isles #8
Recorded by Sarah Belfort on Friday, March 11th, 2011, at the University of Edinburgh main library at George Square, Edinburgh

Snickers – 60p – Vending Machines of the British Isles #9
Recorded by Felicity Ford on Friday, March 18th, 2011, in the Gipsy Lane Campus at Oxford Brookes University, Oxford

Diet Pepsi – £1.00 – Vending Machines of the British Isles #10
Recorded by Felicity Ford on April 18th, 2011, at the Sports Centre, Palmer Park, Reading