Initially, I wanted to build a banjo out of aluminium cans. A 'canjo'. The plan was to cut the cans in various ways (as shown above) to patchwork the frame of the banjo together, using rubber bands as the strings. 

A few days after the initial idea's conception, I thought it might be a good idea to look up how to build a banjo, just in case it was actually impossible. This was also when I learned that banjos in fact do not have a little hole like guitars do, and that they actually use leathery, fabric-y material, stretched taught over the frame. 

Upon starting construction of the banjo, I discovered that aluminium cans are actually very, VERY difficult to cut. Like, impossible. I promptly abandoned the canjo, and with the bitter taste of defeat in my mouth and an ominously looming deadline, I spent the better part of my weekend trying to think of what else I could do with two bags full of cans and seven rubber bands. 

The credit for the final iteration of this experiment should really go to my long suffering friends. While chatting, one of them asked how the canjo was coming along. It was when I replied "it's due on Thursday and I have two bags of cans" a lightbulb went off inside my head. "What if I just shake my bags of cans? Can I do that? I mean it makes noise, nobody said it had to be pleasant noise." Thus, the 'I Hate My Flatmates' was born. 

The process of turning two bags of trash into an "instrument" was fairly simple. I tied each of the two tote bags of cans' handles together at the top, then using four rubber bands, connected the two bags together. I thread the rubber band connection through a Pringles can that I'd cut the bottom off, to give it a sort of handle. It didn't need a handle to function but it made it feel a little more secure. Unfortunately, hot glue is not super great at bearing the weight of a decent amount of recycling, and the glue holding the rubber bands together ended up failing during a test run. Luckily, because it is literally just two bags full of empty cans, it doesn't actually need the rubber bands to be used. 

The name of my instrument is inspired by my own living situation. I do not like my flatmates. One in particular is a real a-hole. His name is Ben. I do not like Ben. I would very much like to make loud crashing noises with my bags of cans while he is trying to sleep. Both the video and bespoke score are influenced heavily by my immense dislike of my flatmates. 

The video features a recording of the instrument being played, which I then edited to give it some pizazz.

I have titled the score (above) 'Rise and Shine'.