The power of the synchronicity was enough to convince them to make the messages available to other artists. Where do they come from? Eno claims that he and Schmidt devised almost identical Oblique Strategy systems, at the same time and using almost exactly the same words, but completely independently of each other. How do they work? The actual instructions? Try getting your heads around these: 'Discard an axiom' 'Honor thy error as a hidden intention' 'Not building a wall, but making a brick' 'What are the sections sections of?' 'Always first steps' 'Idiot glee', or indeed, 'Short-circuit principle – a man eating peas in the belief that they will improve virility shovels them straight into his lap.' More recently, Coldplay used Oblique Strategies when working with Eno on Viva La Vida, and Phoenix – rather than shelling out for Eno himself – bought a deck to use while recording Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. Who uses them? Oblique Strategies is most associated with bands Eno famously produced during his mid to late-70s creative highpoint, including Talking Heads, Berlin trilogy-era Bowie and Devo. On each card is printed an (often quite abstract) instruction, which is invoked when an artist, producer or band has reached some form of creative impasse and requires external disruptive influence to suggest new ideas. The original Oblique Strategies (Over One Hundred Worthwhile Dilemmas), was a set of cards created by Eno and his painter friend Peter Schmidt, and published as a signed limited edition in 1975. What are they? The most famous of Brian Eno's dadaist mind games with music production.

Brian eno oblique strategies card game