The Grubbermeister's Blog

Freebie peddling

2012-01-26T23:04:00.001-06:00

New JATSDFM track available to download via Bandcamp. It's the first track completed for a "collection box" album entitled Repository: 2012, which will accumulate all non-LP/EP/etc. tunes throughout the year. So there.

And now... possibly the laziest attempt at an official promo video. Eat your heart out, Spike Jonze:

Constitution of today

2012-01-22T19:09:00.001-06:00

High winds, recording, and one of the few good things to originate from Texas: Mayo Thompson. The Red Crayola's Soldier-Talk (1979) and coffee is a nice way to start a Sunday, me thinks.

Live versions of a couple tunes from the LP (from Live In Paris 13/12/1978):

Power of suggestion

2012-01-15T17:44:00.002-06:00

Of my own doing... Spinning First Issue (1978) at the moment. Also found these gems on YouTube. Unedited footage from an interview with John and Keith (one of the last together before their "great schism") by the late J.J. Jackson on MTV, 16 September 1982.

Long player Saturday

2012-01-15T00:36:00.001-06:00

Spent the day working on a couple new tunes and a remix for Lalah Hathaway. Spending the night... well, listening to some music on the turntable. On the roster: The Stranglers (Rattus Norvegicus, No More Heroes, and The Raven).

Add Guinness and enjoy!

Rattus Norvegicus (1977)

No More Heroes (1977)

The Raven (1979)

Brrrmpht (to paraphrase a bit)

2012-01-12T14:57:00.003-06:00

Kurt Schwitters, Ursonate (1932; performer unknown).

De-bugged

2012-01-08T23:33:00.001-06:00

Nearly feeling back to normal after coming down with probably the worst stomach virus I've contracted so far on Wednesday evening. Four days with the inability to keep either food or liquids down, or using the toilet without having to simultaneously vomit, has left my body feeling like that it had a good going over by a mob armed with sledgehammers. Still felt quite fatigued today but a little tea has added a bit of pep (didn't want to miss the new series of Downton Abbey earlier this evening. Sad, I know... ). Back to work tomorrow, and hopefully make up for lost time on a couple projects this coming week.

Handel on the day

2012-01-04T15:18:00.002-06:00

A bad pun? Yes... but what did you expect, eh?

Keyboard suite in D minor (movement 4 "Sarabande"; 1703-06)

Oboe concerto No. 3 (1704-05)

One more day

2012-01-02T15:08:00.001-06:00

Thanks to the total failure of the electrics in the shop I headed home shortly after arriving at work this morning. A extra day for miscellanea and tuneage:

Aladdin Sane (1973)

A jewel from the cold land

2011-12-31T23:56:00.004-06:00

Sweden seems to contain a wealth of musical talent. Some of my favourite musicians and groups originate from Saab country (ABBA, Girlfriendo, and Love Is All), and yesterday I discovered another band which I'll add to the roster: First Aid Kit. Consisting of sisters Johanna and Klara Söderberg, the duo has been kicking around since 2007. Thanks to Radio 6 I have fallen head over heels for their new single (and title track) from their upcoming album, The Lion's Roar, which is scheduled for release 24 January 2012.

The video is a bit naft but it's a damn good tune, me thinks:

The Lion's Roar (2012)

A bit hawk-ish

2011-12-27T22:45:00.000-06:00

Spent part of my second day on holiday listening to Lemmy and Simon King's LP debut with the Ladbroke Grove lads (1972's Doremi Fasol Latido), Lemmy's LP finale (1975's Warrior on the Edge of Time), Bowie's The Man Who Sold the World (1970), and Love Is All's Two Thousand and Ten Injuries (2010). Even managed to (so far) avoid the persistent temptation of playing Skyrim (which I flushed away seven hours of my life doing yesterday) and spent time in the studio today. Where's my twelve hour sobriety chip...

Doremi Fasol Latido (1972)

Warrior on the Edge of Time (1975)

The Man Who Sold the World (1970)

Two Thousand and Ten Injuries (2010)

"I would like to thank the academy..."

2011-12-22T14:10:00.000-06:00

This past year has been another interesting one, and again within the framework of HIO. It continues to be a metamorphic entity, switching direction and alluding accurate prediction of where we will head next. The year of the ensemble's genesis (2009) was one in which Hentai Improvising Orchestra truly felt like a symphony, as its ranks swelled into the double digits playing cacophonies that sounded like baroque gone horribly wrong. 2010 saw us playing to students, garnering a toehold in the local art community (FWCAC and ArtsGoggle), and steadily "shrinking our waistlines" down to a core of three. Praise be to Captain Horn, the heading of HMS Boing-Boing-Scratch-Scratch-Ping-Ping in 2011 was a surprise, making an unexpected port call in the land of dance.

We were in Denton one Saturday in April for HIO alumni Michael Briggs' Violitionist Sessions podcast. A pit stop at Hooligans for a couple pints after recording led to witnessing people in pastels on the courthouse grounds across the road acting in a manner which, for some reason, conjured visions of the Manson Family... except more colourful and less murder-y. Terry's face-to-face encounter with the performers as we were leaving the pub left him feeling unnerved yet intrigued. The following week he reached out on Facebook and asked if any dancers would be interested in collaborating with our pokey little group. Sarah Gamblin, an Associate Professor of Dance at TWU, warmly responded. Through her we were introduced to the "Manson Family": Big Rig Dance Collective. Thus began a partnership with some of the nicest and most talented people that I had the pleasure of meeting.

From the inaugural collaboration at ArtsGoggle in May to the Black Box Theatre performances this past weekend, JAM! sessions and Houston Fringe Festival with Sarah, it has been a memorable and fun year. Where next, Captain? Silly question...

Lamb chops and fringe

2011-12-18T14:52:00.002-06:00

A hankering for Elvis on this Sunday, particularly the material from the late Sixties through the early Seventies, which is probably my favourite period of the King's. The TCB Band was one of the tightest and most versatile groups ever to exist, in my opinion, holding within its ranks such legendary talents as Ronnie Tutt (drums), Jerry Scheff (bass), and of course James Burton (guitar). Whoa momma!

*Apparently, the person who made this vid has a "thing" about Linda Thompson...

The week in summary

2011-12-11T14:27:00.001-06:00

Barring the bits involving my job (which will continue to be a miserable environment for the next couple weeks as my company tries to complete and ship orders to customers before they close down for the winter hols) it has been a fantastic one, spent with some of my favourite people on earth. The shows with HIO and Big Rig Dance Collective during the middle of the week were a blast; getting the chance to finally(!) witness a JAM! session on Friday was a great experience and quite inspirational, to say the least; last night's "Cavalcade of Unpopular Music 2" was a joy to partake in with some of the nicest musos one could ever hope to know (and the added bonus to be joined on stage by Stone Machine Electric's Mark Kitchens). Huzzah!

Foxx-ed

2011-12-04T22:31:00.001-06:00

Still have some catching up to do regarding this man's output. Just a few:

Metamatic (1980)

"No-One Driving/Glimmer/Mr. No" (1980)

The Garden (1981)

'Tis the season for Hentai

2011-12-04T19:17:00.001-06:00

(A loaded header? Yes.)

The HIO trio heads to Denton on Tuesday for "tech/dress" with comrades, Big Rig Dance Collective, and will return Thursday to commence Homing Where I Roam for a private function. On Saturday we're partaking in "Cavalcade of Unpopular Musics 2" along with Drift Era, The Panic Basket, Darrin Kobetich, and Breaking Light at new Doc's Records and Vintage location. HIO will be back in Denton on the 16th and 17th to perform Homing Where I Roam with Big Rig and composer, John Osburn, this time open to the public at The Black Box Theatre.

Next month we'll have a recording session at the bearded scribe's house with Mr. Osburn, Patrick Crossland (who recorded with us a couple years ago), and possibly the fourth permanent Hentai member, Marcus Brunt; a show at the Simone Lounge in Denton; begin our residency at The Cellar at the end of the month for "Improvised Silence".

So there.

Lorbeer in...

2011-11-30T22:58:00.001-06:00

Berlin at Künstlerhaus Bethanien sometime in 1998:

Three of four

2011-11-26T23:05:00.001-06:00

The "God Squad" holiday weekend so far has consisted of:

1. Food, family, and laundry on Thursday.
2. An overdose of Skyrim on Friday.
3. Dishes, traditional weekend brekkie, Let England Shake, recording a new tune, and remastering ones from a very distant past today.

Tomorrow? Heading to the fort for miscellaneous errands.

L'Olympia, Paris, 24 February 2011

The waiting game

2011-11-24T20:36:00.001-06:00

Still anxiously anticipating the arrival of Kate Bush's latest creation in the post. In the meanwhile, here be the interview from this past Tuesday's "Front Row" on Radio 4 (which I was lucky enough to catch while driving to work) and a track from 50 Words for Snow:

More product of the auditory kind

2011-11-20T05:13:00.001-06:00

Just completed and uploaded a new work under the JATSDFM moniker, which I began two days after LCD was released. Funny how and when inspiration occurs...

This piece (entitled Monobus) is made up of five parts which derive from a six second piano piece I wrote and a two second rumba beat pulled from a cheapie keyboard (have I put you off yet?). As per usual, this composition is free to listen and/or download:

Monobus by Joe and The Sonic Dirt From Madagascar

More Logic

2011-11-15T22:09:00.001-06:00

Couple more of Whitby's wonderful work:

Wake Up (single; 1979)

Eugene (single; 1980)

Sample and hold

2011-11-14T23:42:00.001-06:00

I'm still(!) on a major Ultravox "kick". Chalk it up to making up for lost time...

Though I've been aware of the group for about twenty-seven years (I remember watching the video for "Vienna" for the first time when I was six. Though it was several years old years old by the time I caught it, the video was played shortly after the debut of Duran Duran's "A View To A Kill" on MTV. Blame my sister for my enduring love of Duran Duran... ), they had remain "under the radar" (more quotation marks... and parenthesis!) due to various circumstances. I am absolutely enthralled with the John Foxx-era material but I also love the first three LPs under the guidance of Midge Ure (Vienna, Rage in Eden, and Quartet).

Ultravox! (1977)

Ha!-Ha!-Ha! (1977)

Systems of Romance (1978; The exclamation was dropped in the name by the group at time of this album, FYI.)

Vienna (1980)

Rage in Eden (1981)

Quartet (1982)

Weekend blurbage

2011-11-13T01:27:00.001-06:00

Had a good time in Denton on Saturday, and looking forward to playing with HIO later this evening at The Cellar in the Fort. That's about it, really.

And now... How about a video?

Psychic Life EP (2011; with Julie Campbell and Keith Levene. Win/win/win!)

Confectionery assault

2011-11-08T00:44:00.002-06:00

As a result of a nap induced by a couple of bad doughnut holes (via the Walmart bakery department. What was I thinking?!?) I am now dealing with my old friend insomnia. Might as well make the most of it and spin one of my mentors, John Clark's (under the Debukas moniker), recordings. One of the great releases to come out this year, me thinks:

I Am Machinery EP (2011)

Done and released

2011-11-06T20:04:00.001-06:00

The new JATSDFM album is complete and available for listening and/or download... for free! A bonus track is included with the download, so go and obtain a copy for yourself below:

LCD by Joe and The Sonic Dirt From Madagascar

Towards the end (and a bit of whinging)

2011-11-04T02:00:00.000-05:00

Been mixing and recording this past week with just two tunes left to complete for LCD. Nearly five months working on this "album" with only eight songs (clocking in at well under thirty minutes) to show for it... and I am out of ideas. Sans a couple projects, this year has been a write-off regarding output. Some sort of change in strategy is in order...

This, that, and some of those

2011-10-31T00:49:00.001-05:00

It's been a bit of an "off-kilter" sort of week. I was also sick to varying degrees for most of it. Glad to see it off. I did manage to record and mix two songs for the upcoming JATSDFM album, LCD, which is a project that I am more than ready to wrap up.

Continuing with the Ultravox obsessive listening (with and without exclamation, and mostly the John Foxx-era material), which began on Saturday without any explanation of sorts. A group that I respect but regrettably paid very little attention to before. Better late than never, eh?

Ultravox! (1977)

Ha!-Ha!-Ha! (1977)

Systems of Romance (1978)

With and without exclamation

2011-10-30T01:38:00.001-05:00

Ending a busy and somewhat productive day with:

Ha!-Ha!-Ha! (1977)

Vienna (1980)

To the collection

2011-10-28T23:40:00.000-05:00

Found pristine copies of Genesis' Spot The Pigeon EP (1977; Steve Hackett's last outing with the group in the studio) and the "Girls & Boys" single by Blur with the Pet Shop Boys remixes (1994; complete with original poster. Hooray!) during a pre-drinkie/talkie stop at Doc's Records and Vintage this past Tuesday. Now, if I only had a turntable....

Bits of this past week in review

2011-10-23T22:05:00.001-05:00

I had the honor of checking up on Midnight and Auggie (the "Lambert and Stamp" of HIO) while the Shimamotos were on holiday this past week. On Thursday when I swung by their house to return the house key, Kat surprised me with the four LP Kleenex/LiLiPUT box set release by Mississippi Records which they acquired during their excursion to the East Coast. Quite a wonderful and generous gift!

Spent most of Saturday in Denton. Met with Terry and Big Rig Dance Collective comrades, Amanda and Whitney, at the location which the 8 December performance of "Homing Where I Roam" will take place for a general assessment regarding the space and performance aspects. Afterward we had lunch at Mr. Chopsticks, which is probably my favorite spot in town to grab a bite (had the chirashi with smoked salmon. Absolutely delish!). We parted company and I set course to meet up with my friend, Christi, and her family in Lewisville. Christi and I would head to Chili's later for dins, drinks, and to be joined by her pals, Christian and Linc. Wrapped up the day with BBC Radio 3 to accompany me on the drive back home (starting with Mahler's Resurrection and pulling in the drive with Dvorák's V Prirode still in progress). A good one, me thinks.

Insert post title here

2011-10-17T01:28:00.000-05:00

An excursion to the fort on Sunday with Roxy Music's post-Eno debut, Stranded (1973), in tow.

That's it, really. Should tell you what kind of weekend it's been. Or not.

Getting more than expected

2011-10-11T11:53:00.001-05:00

Among the three pennies received for change from purchasing a sandwich from QuikTrip (I'm living life on the edge, folks!) yesterday, I noticed this:

After taking into account the current value of the nickel, instead of receiving $0.08 in change I got $1.38 back. Trivial? Yes but it's a pretty nifty little nickel, nevertheless!

Loopy loop

2011-10-09T00:37:00.002-05:00

A doco regarding Neil Young and watching Doc Martin. The needle seems to get stuck quite easily for me...

Harvest (1972)

Come Fly with Me (Series 1, Episode 1; originally aired 25 December 2010)

Roggin Noggin

2011-10-07T00:19:00.001-05:00

Not the world's biggest fan of ELO, so why the blazes is this damn tune stuck on a loop in ole grey matter? Make it stop...

The Electric Light Orchestra (1971)

The compressed weekend

2011-10-03T00:09:00.001-05:00

Friday: Went to Dallas with Mr. Horn. Had dins and beers at Oak Cliff BBQ. Terry found a suitable analog for the bearded scribe under the wheel of a parked Mercedes. Headed across the road to catch Roky Erickson's performance at The Kessler Theater that night, which was good. The opening act... not so much.

Saturday: Failed to set alarm and woke up late. Lazy day. Caught the series' closer of Doctor Who. All hail Moffat!

Sunday: Managed to set the alarm and woke up much earlier than the previous day. Stumbled across Love Is All's debut album, Nine Times That Same Song, which I thought was left in my Dodge that was traded several months ago and thus lost forever. Played it a few times as part of "makeup listening" while I had brekkie and set up the studio for recording. Did some writing, along with a spot of laundry, and a dash of Oblivion. Grab dinner from Dairy Queen and surprised that my heart hasn't exploded... or other bits of me.

Nine Times That Same Song (2005)

Problems... -ish

2011-09-24T00:48:00.001-05:00

The studio is still "out of order", which means that for a second week in a row no recording will transpire for the LCD project. Hopefully the parts to mend the ailing computer will arrive early next week. Work regarding the album has not ceased, though, as there are other aspects of the project that does not require recording to develop.

So there!

St. Elsewhere (2006)

Session work

2011-09-19T22:56:00.004-05:00

HIO's recording at Michael Briggs' casa (aka the Violitionist Sessions) back in April is now available for your viewing and listening pleasure/displeasure/indifference/Elvis Presley, which you can experience here:

Hentai Improvising Orchestra by Violitionist Sessions

We also received some press coverage regarding the session in DFW.com via Preston Jones, which you can read here.

Spedding Sunday

2011-09-18T01:26:00.001-05:00

A few from the hired gun/former Womble's own catalogue:

Mean & Moody (1970)

Chris Spedding (1976)

Hurt (1977)

Two and awaiting the third

2011-09-17T23:03:00.000-05:00

To summarize the main events of the day: Lost my phone and the studio's computer died (luckily, though, I did eventually manage to get it running long enough to back up all of my audio files). Joy of joys...

Glacial proportions

2011-09-17T01:24:00.000-05:00

The ever-prolific Phil Ford releases a new album, Moraine, from his latest project, glxcxxrs. As per usual in regards to Mr. Ford, it's simply fantastic. A biased opinion? Maybe, but check it out for yourself and come to your own conclusion. The good man has also made it available as a free download. Huzzah!

Moriane by glxcxxrs

Bogeyland

2011-09-14T18:53:00.000-05:00

Spent the day at home due to the creeping crud I've been fighting for the last several days. Besides sleeping and getting online for a bit (like now, obviously), the other activity that's been encompassing this Wednesday is listening to Iron Maiden's first two albums:

Iron Maiden (1980)

Iron Maiden (1980); Performance at the Rainbow Theatre in London, 21 December 1980

Iron Maiden (1980); Performance at the Marquee in London, 19 October 1979

Killers (1981); Performance at the Rainbow Theatre in London, 21 December 1980

Killers (1981)

Hotchpotch

2011-09-13T02:18:00.002-05:00

1. Spent the weekend recording four chords. Pathetic. Shooting for a November release of LCD.

2. Somewhat under the weather since Sunday.

3. Had a two foot long tan and brown rat snake keep me company while readjusting the sprinkler in the backyard tonight.

4. Currently craving an Orange Julius.

Пaддинг испытания

2011-09-07T23:14:00.004-05:00

The most views I had on a post (currently at 270 hits) was one which had a title written in Cyrillic. Let's see if the results can be repeated utilizing the same method. Well... actually a wee bit different, as I had typed the rest of this post in Russian (it's that kind of night. Sigh... ):

Если вы синего и вы не знаете,
Куда идти к почему ты не идти,
Где заседает моды,
Путин в Ритз

Brillo!

2011-09-07T01:34:00.002-05:00

Good choice, me thinks. PJ Harvey won the Mercury Prize for Let England Shake, an album which embodies the definition of perfection for me. Congratulations!... as if she reads this blog.

Clearcutting The Human Forest

2011-09-05T16:52:00.001-05:00

Mr. Horn has released a new album under the The Owl and the Octopus moniker with a few blips and squeaks contributed by me (under the JATSDFM moniker). Check it out and download it if you like. It's free, by golly!

clearcutting the human forest by the owl and the octopus

Two As and a B

2011-09-04T16:59:00.002-05:00

If I had the dosh and/or wasn't such a cheap bastard, the latest JATSDFM single would have been released as a 7" with two A-sides and a B-side. Go and download it for free if you like.

Here's a bit of (albeit) boring trivia: Only one song from this single will be released on the upcoming "iAlbum", LCD. Can you guess which one it will be? Do you even really care, especially with the foreknowledge that no prize is being offered for the correct, or incorrect, answer?

Damon Albarn (version 1) by JATSDFM

Damon Albarn (version 2) by JATSDFM

Longwave Ghosting by JATSDFM

A record to remember

2011-08-30T23:05:00.009-05:00

Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev.

At the age of four it was the first music recording on vinyl - or in any format, for that matter - I could call my own. I forgot about this fact until I heard it played on WRR 101.1 FM during the commute today. The version that the station aired had Patrick Stewart narrating with the Orchestre de L'Opéra Lyon performing the composition, which of course was done quite well. Memories began to flood back of hearing Peter Ustinov and Philharmonia Orchestra (which, come to think of it, may explain the origins of my, er, "Anglophiliactic tendencies") bringing Prokofiev's sublime creation come to life through the medium of a portable record player in my room during the early/mid-Eighties, becoming immersed in the story of Peter's adventurous day in the woods and being mesmerized by the sounds of an orchestra (particularly the oboe and bassoon). Good, good memories.

I haven't listen to Peter and the Wolf since I was a child but this composition has stayed with me, apparently on a subconscious level. When I'm home alone cleaning, doing laundry, and/or any other similarly mundane task, I'll find myself whistling a tune that for all the tea in India could not think of what it was... until today, when I discovered that it was the bit played to represent Peter. Never ceases to amaze me how music can become so fundamentally entrenched into our lives.

The day the music died and other similarly uninteresting events

2011-08-28T15:46:00.002-05:00

This past week I took several steps towards completing my goal of obtaining the original Essential Logic and Lora Logic releases on vinyl. I located these jewels of music through the vendors listed on Discogs.com, ordering the Essential Logic singles "Aerosol Burns" (B/W "World Friction", 1978), "Popcorn Boy - Waddle Ya Do?" (B/W "Flora Force", 1979); the Lora Logic single "Wonderful Offer" (7" version, B/W "Stereo", 1981); and Lora Logic's only LP Pedigree Charm (1982).

"Popcorn Boy" was the first order I received, which arrived in the post on Friday. With great excitement, upon returning home from work I hooked up the record player to hear for the first time the single's B-side "Flora Force". Last year I purchased a new turntable made by Ion that I had used only twice since acquiring it, albeit two marathon sessions of transferring my vinyl collection to digital. As I turned on the record player on Friday, though, the machine made a horrible buzzing noise as it came to life. Then it died, only managing to play several seconds of the tune with the apparatus' annoying audio addition washing over Susan Whitby and company's mini-masterpiece (yes, I realize that this is a heavily biased assumption. The woman can do no wrong in my eyes. So, there!) before it shirked off from this mortal coil. Shit.

I had saved a few bob to buy these records but not enough at the moment to purchase a new turntable, especially since I need a plumber now to remedy a malfunctioning shower which developed a leak couple days ago (not long after placing my orders!) that has also spread its liquid terror into the adjoining room. Murphy's Law in play, it seems...

Oh, and I caught the new episode of Doctor Who and did some recording. Big surprise, yes?

(B/W "Moontown", 1980)

Pedigree Charm (1982)

Ham and cheese randomness

2011-08-22T23:51:00.002-05:00

Linty, lentil, Yentl, Yugo, Hugo, bugle, dental, hairspray, Boris, my knee itches.

A bit obvious but...

2011-08-21T19:41:00.003-05:00

Nevertheless:

Rockpalast, 7 April 1996

Probably a more honest assessment is that I would be happier if it rained and was cooler, and would be happiest if it rained and was cool virtually all the time. Think it's time to pack and head for Scotland...

Resuming normal service

2011-08-19T00:04:00.003-05:00

Back to donning the JATSDFM hat. Time to get things done. Did some recording last night for the LCD album and tinkered with a piano piece for the glacial-paced "fourth" album (which I have continued work on tonight). The plan for this weekend is to also continue work on the Phil Ford collaboration and get some tracks finished on my end to send Mr. Horn.

And now residing on the stereo:

Press action

2011-08-15T22:32:00.002-05:00

A review of this past Friday's show by Abby Koenig of the Houston Press:

Choreographer and dancer Sarah Gamblin presented a sharp and cutting solo dance performance set against a live musical accompaniment. The music was an amalgamation of strings and keys, with one of the instruments being a homemade electronic Bengali Ektara made from a Folgers coffee container. It was really cool to watch.

The "trio" didn't steal anything from Gamblin's dancing; the spotlight was all hers. Her movements ranged from vulnerable to strong and back again. She exuded a confidence that was beautifully juxtaposed against the music's erratic sensibility. Her 15-minute piece didn't feel long enough; it left you wanting more.

Tour diary: Houston, 14 August

2011-08-15T15:16:00.003-05:00

I defer to Bede of Hentai's Historia tourica gentis HIO for the complete chronology of the Houston trip, which of course includes the account of the last day of our adventure in the coastal region of Texas.

Thanks again to the wonderful Sarah Gamblin for giving us the opportunity to collaborate with her, and Ryan Supak and Sara Van Buskirk for their generous hospitality and allowing the HIO trio to stay with them.

Tour diary: Houston/Galveston, 13 August

2011-08-13T23:55:00.006-05:00

My plan was to post entries regarding this "tour" that would conclude with a Doogie Howser-esque life lesson. Fatigue got the best of me yesterday but tonight I will attempt to do better. No promises, though...

This morning I woke up around nine to an asthmatic cat breathing in my face and a huge dog kicking me in the back. Terry's friends were good enough to give us shelter in their adobe while we stayed in a city that has really grown on us.

The HIO trio packed their gear and headed for Galveston to spend the early afternoon by the seaside. Took a stroll on the seawall and made our way to Gaido's for lunch (a place which the bearded scribe worked at for a week in the late Seventies). The entrance had a horrible smell reminiscent of cat urine (a woman actually made a hasty retreat from the establishment due to the offending niff) but luckily the rest of the restaurant was not afflicted with the odour. After a fantastic meal we stopped off a cemetery on Broadway Avenue J which reminded us of some of the grand necropolises in New Orleans. Mr. Horn snapped pictures of a few ancient mausoleums while I continued to develop a significant sunburned head and face. The image of a wooden matchstick comes to mind...

Back to Houston to unload gear for the second of three nights that Sarah Gamblin and us are performing at the Frenetic Theater (performances which Mr. Ken will probably recount in a more elaborate and elegant rendition of events at a future date... because I am a lazy bastard and a bit shit at chronicling events). To replace a string that broke on Terry's ehru the previous night we made a pit stop at Rockin Robin Guitars and Music. We then stopped off for a spot of dins at one of the wonderful taquieras that has become a staple for our meals during this trip.

Fast forward to the show... it felt like everyone locked in from the outset better than the Friday's performance. It's not my intention to give the impression that last night's show was a disaster (quite the opposite) but it seems that the four of us felt more comfortable and confident tonight. Definitely looking forward to tomorrow's show.

The quartet set course for Moon Tower Inn for dogs, suds, chinwag, and chuckles to end a great day. Life lesson learned? A PowerPoint presentation, a t-shirt with a date on it, and Charles II's hair does not make for a good night.

Tour diary: Houston, 12 August

2011-08-13T00:53:00.002-05:00

I'm ruddy tired, so here is the first day summarized: Terry's house, rental car, my work, I-45 South, petrol, walking, sweating, tacos, house, dogs, cats, phosphate sodas, venue, sound check, more sweat, beer, waiting, more beer, performance, and now... sleep.

Sound and vision

2011-08-08T21:45:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was rehearsal day for the HIO trio and Sarah Gamblin's performances at the Houston Fringe Festival this coming weekend. The plan was for me to head over to Kat and Ken's house for brekkies, then for Ken and I to set course for Terry's house to load our gear (as Mr. Horn is recovering from a surgical procedure and cannot lift anything, unless he wanted to an impersonation of a Play-Doh Fun Factory kit... ), and leave for Denton by eleven to make it to TWU by noon. Due to a dominant plonker gene, though, I overslept and didn't arrive at Kat and Ken's until eleven. Sigh.

I was quite grateful that Sarah showed mercy and didn't garrotte me when we finally docked at a quarter to one. After a couple of productive run-throughs (would had a few more but thanks to my morning tardiness we were a bit short on time. I owe Sarah big time!) the Hentai guys headed to Hooligans for a spot of lunch and some pints, all the while watching my truck with gear loaded in the bed become a bystander in a water balloon fight that broke out on the square. Luckily, nothing got wet. Stupid hipsters...

Wrapped up the day with a lovely dinner made by Kat, and then it was back home for me. Not much of a final paragraph, I admit, but this concludes the post.

And now... How about a video that doesn't pertain to anything that I just wrote?

Bookendish

2011-08-06T23:04:00.002-05:00

Started the day with Erik Satie's Gymnopédies, and I'll end the day with it:

(First and third Gymnopédie published in 1888, the second Gymnopédie was published in 1895.)

Now and the recently "then"... whatever that means

2011-08-03T23:19:00.005-05:00

Besides the ole nine-to-five today I:

1. Had a thoroughly disgusting lunch via Taco Casa (didn't eat until after four in the afternoon, which was the first meal of the day for me and I was quite hungry. As if that is any sort of excuse... ).

2. Worked on some of the recording projects in the, er, works.

3. Watched The Tudors, and...

4. Listening to The Stranglers' The Early Years (74-75-76 Rare Live and Unreleased) (1992) on the turntable.

Accompanied by a nice bottle of Merlot it is a pretty good night, me thinks.

Portions of the weekend with lashings of links

2011-07-31T22:27:00.005-05:00

Besides the bleeding heat (I do a quite good impersonation of a sieve, even in forty degree weather), the HIO show behind - and a bit to the side of - Doc's on Saturday was fun. Read the bearded scribe's account here.

Sunday was spent hammering out a couple of new tunes under the JATSDFM moniker, rescuing the goats from no man's land, and getting my Britcom fix. 'Tis the jet-set life that I lead...

Parklife (1994)

Randomassacre

2011-07-29T18:04:00.002-05:00

Some people really do my head in, and leave me to wonder how they have survived sixty-plus years without common sense and intelligence.

Hot stuff*

2011-07-27T15:46:00.004-05:00

*A nod to the late, great dub master and toaster extraordinaire, I-Roy:

Don't Check Me With No Lightweight Stuff (1972-75) (1997)

The relentless 100+ degree heat is doing the home air conditioner in. Currently listening to the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt's Tabula Rasa (1977) as I wait for the repairman to arrive and service the poor, overworked unit.

"Ludus"

"Silentium"

The weekend that was

2011-07-25T12:07:00.006-05:00

Worked on the current JATSDFM projects (LCD, the "fourth" album, the collaboration with Phil Ford, and aural shenanigans with Terry Horn) and... that's about it, really. Besides performing the average mundane human functions such as eating, sleeping, and the all important (lucky for you, the reader) et cetera, it was a pretty quiet weekend which is the way I like it.

Lorbeer in...

2011-07-22T21:54:00.003-05:00

Pictures:

A brief word

2011-07-19T11:58:00.001-05:00

Succinct.

Sacrebleu!

2011-07-14T11:40:00.005-05:00

What better way to celebrate Bastille Day than to have some cheese*...

La Génération Perdue (1966)

*I kid! Okay, not really.

Five

2011-07-10T22:33:00.003-05:00

This weekend:

1. Recording.
2. Pet sitting.
3. Allergies.
4. Brekkies.
5. "The Archers" omnibus.

Failed. Again.

2011-07-07T11:57:00.003-05:00

As I had admitted in an earlier post, I am a poor multitasker. Here are a few clips of Pulp's set at the Wireless Festival last Sunday:

Phlegm flam

2011-07-03T23:07:00.002-05:00

I've been a bit ill for the duration of the holiday weekend and thus not as productive as I would have liked to had been. Managed to mix a track for a JATSDFM album in the works called LCD today, and hoping to get started on the Phil Ford collaboration sometime this upcoming week.

Here's a full preview of one of the tracks from LCD. Bon apetite!

Swedish Erotica (full preview) by Joe and The Sonic Dirt From Madagascar

Continuing the obsessive nutter theme...

2011-06-29T22:09:00.003-05:00

(And a bit of a rant)

After last Friday's post and yesterday's anti-Bangs-esque critique (which frankly makes anything that NME has ever published in their rag look like a Shakespearean sonnet by comparison) I am still absolutely enthralled with PJ Harvey's latest release. It has virtually played non-stop on the stereo at home for the last six days (well... except when I'm asleep, or when I'm taking care of the goats. And, no, that last one is not a euphemism!). Consequently though, this has thrown a bit of a wrench in my recording productivity lately... which, strangely enough, might be a good thing. That, and I probably need help.

This album is a "game-changer" for me, one of just a handful that has made me reevaluate my views on what music could be. Sure, there is nothing that revolutionary or different about the structure and theme of Let England Shake compared to most albums. In my opinion (obviously) what sets it apart from most albums is Harvey's flawless pairing of music and words. These respective parts carry an enormous amount of emotional weight, and their combination leaves me feeling breathless after each listen.

I know. What a big Jessy...

This is what I imagined the perfect album to be. It does leave me feeling somewhat ambivalent in regards to my own capabilities, though. On one hand, it inspires me. On the other, it leaves me with the feeling that I will never create something as masterful or even a fraction as good as Let England Shake. Regardless though, I am glad that this album exists.

Expand and elaborate

2011-06-27T22:31:00.005-05:00

I had unfortunately "lost the thread" to Polly Jean Harvey a couple times over the years, which has obviously been my loss. The first time was shortly after the release of her third studio album, To Bring You My Love (1995). The second time I committed this unforgivable act was not too long after she reemerged upon my consciousness via the long defunct PBS live music show, Sessions at West 54th, in 1999 performing tunes from her then current release, Is This Desire?, with longtime friend/band mate John Parish.

There is no viable excuse. Everything I've heard by Miss Harvey is brilliant. The only feeble defense I can put forth is that I am a poor multitasker. When I become occupied with a particular group, musician, and/or genre I tend to neglect all others. PJ Harvey is the metaphorical child left forgotten in a vehicle and I am the negligent father. Hyperbole? A bit, maybe...

The tables have now turned, though. She has created an album which has made me forsake any other recording that has ever existed (now, THAT is hyperbole!). The truth is that I have listened to nothing else since hearing the stellar title track to Let England Shake on Radio 6 this past Friday. Not only is it the best album to come out this year (so far... to be fair, since there are six months left) but it could be PJ Harvey's best, which is saying a lot. It's also possibly one of my favorite albums of all time... which is probably not be saying a lot.

Yes, I am a wee bit late to the party. Let England Shake was released on 14 February and it has garnered quite a bit of well-deserved critical acclaim (surprisingly most of the reviews seemed to be pretty spot-on for the album). Harvey has always had a knack for writing great lyrics that grab your emotions, and she writes what I believe her best for Let England Shake. Her proses of the mortal fear and losses suffered during the First World War ("All and Everyone", "On Battleship Hill", "Hanging in the Wire", "The Colour of the Earth") are integral to the album's overall theme of England's past bloody imperial glories and self-destruction, and with the nation's current psyche of still trying come to terms with its consequences. The most poignant song to me is "England", which Harvey articulates her ambivalence towards her homeland with such a raw and pure honesty as to make my heart break each time I hear it:

Most albums seem to have at least one element that isn't up to par, whether it's the lyrics or the music. That is not the case on Let England Shake. The music itself is equally as fantastic as the lyrics, and share the latter's dichotomy of simplicity and depth. The album feels personal and intimate. There isn't one wasted moment on any of the tracks. It should considered the standard of efficient effort by which all other albums should be measured. More hyperbole? Well, yes but hopefully you get my point.

If you haven't already gathered from this post, Let England Shake is a absolutely stellar album, me thinks. I'm sure that I deserve a good slap for the audacity to forget about PJ Harvey, and I believe that I owe it to myself to obtain the rest of her catalogue.

Here are the rest of the wonderful short films by Seamus Murphy which accompany Let England Shake:

Here and now

2011-06-24T13:45:00.002-05:00

After a somewhat hectic morning I can now sit back and listen to Let England Shake (2011) by the always brilliant PJ Harvey:

Mixed bag

2011-06-22T01:10:00.004-05:00

Been ill off and on for over a week; recorded a couple new tunes in the last couple of days; continued to be accompanied by my old companion insomnia; had a pretty good chinwag with a cousin which I haven't seen in nearly seven years; was a pallbearer at a funeral once again.

The Good, the Bad & the Queen (2007)

End of the journey

2011-06-19T22:01:00.002-05:00

The last of my grandparents passed away in her sleep Friday afternoon at the age of ninety-one. Thoughts now turn to the coming storm ahead...

Have random will random

2011-06-12T23:08:00.002-05:00

Preen, or an apple...

Spanner and hammer

2011-06-10T00:49:00.004-05:00

Managed to do some DIY work this evening without losing life or limb... surprisingly. Fixed a leaky kitchen faucet and installed a new thermostat control for the central heating and a/c. The latter project was particularly nerve-wracking, as my history with electrical wiring has been hit-and-(very) miss. Luckily, it went without incident and seems to be working. Hopefully there won't be a need to tinker with the home electrical system again soon. Never again would be ideal, though...

And now: some vids. I used to love watching Ed Feldman and Joe L'Erario's DIY programs (Furniture on the Mend, Furniture to Go, and Men in Tool Belts) when they aired on PBS and TLC in the early to mid-Nineties. Absurdist humour and offbeat banter paired with the format of the shows was just fantastic, me thinks.

From Furniture to Go (most of the episodes below are from the 1996 series):

Well, you get the idea... if you actually watched these.

Stick to the plan

2011-06-09T01:13:00.000-05:00

Banana. Yogurt. Bed.

Getting Cozy... again

2011-06-05T22:34:00.004-05:00

I've been on a bit of a Cozy Powell "kick" ever since his cameo in a dream I had last Thursday (he played a cat box and pencil sharpener with HIO during a gig in the cafeteria at the elementary school I attended). Sooo... here be some vids with the late, great drummer in action:

B/W "Mistral" (1974)

Promo film recorded at Music Hall in Houston, 10 July 1976

"Killer" and "The Loner" from the album, Over the Top (1979)

JAM!-abulous

2011-06-03T23:28:00.003-05:00

The HIO trio went to Denton this past Thursday to participate in a dance and sounds session at TWU with Contact Improvisation Jams of Denton, TX. Before the event we met up with Sarah Gamblin for dins and discussion regarding our collaboration for the Houston Fringe Festival in August, which we're quite looking forward to (TARDIS, anyone?).

The jam with the dancers and other musos was great. The visual aspect provided by the dancers seems to be keeping us on our toes (not literally, though. Any attempt made by me to play en pointe would most likely result with an extended stay in hospital), adding another element in which to take "cues" from. Getting to work with this talented lot from Denton has been a blast and I hope our partnership, to paraphrase Spock, is long and prosperous.

Speaking of Spock (and careening totally off-subject)...

Two Sides of Leonard Nimoy (1968)

Waddle ya play?

2011-06-01T22:24:00.002-05:00

This, thank you very much:

Beat Rhythm News (Waddle Ya Play?) (1979)

Weekendables

2011-05-29T22:13:00.000-05:00

Friday: Kat and Ken invited me to see The Mikado at Bass Hall with them. Utilizing a contemporary palette (Japanese gentlemen as corporate droids, Yum-Yum and her friends donning Sailor Moon-esque outfits, and some contemporary dialogue, for example) was an interesting move by the director, John de los Santos, and executed quite well. We went to Risky's after the show for dins before heading home. Fantastic day with good friends. What else could one want?

Saturday: Practiced the ol' willpower and avoided watching the Doctor Who marathon on the Beeb. Recorded most of the day, particularly (and annoyingly) on one problematic tune for the on-again "fourth" album.

Sunday: Housecleaning and grocery run. Watched part of the Top Gear marathon (the ol' willpower went on holiday, apparently). Drinking coffee and typing this. Lazy day, indeed.

Sym-ply wonderful

2011-05-26T12:07:00.007-05:00

Back in February when Phil Ford sent me the demo for his latest release under the Sym moniker, Trade$ecrets, I couldn't imagine how he could improve on tunes that sounded more like a finished product than just a rough outline. Each of the twenty-plus tracks were absolutely fantastic, each a mini-masterpiece.

And they still are. Between February and this past Monday when Trade$ecrets was set free in its entirety on the web Mr. Ford has added new tunes, scrapped a few, reworked some, and fine-tuned the mixes, bringing the total number of tracks up to thirty. Though the album clocks in at over two hours it feels short and doesn't lose momentum. Phil Ford is a master alchemist of sound, blending samples, beats, various instruments, turntables, and miscellaneous noises to create aural gold. Simply wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.

You can download Trade$ecrets for free by Sym via:

Bandcamp
Internet Archive
Soundcloud

Hentai pics

2011-05-23T00:04:00.004-05:00

Possibly not what you were expecting. (Photos: Terry Horn)

Lorbeer in Vitoria-Gasteiz

2011-05-19T11:36:00.002-05:00

At the Atrium for Magialdia last September:

But wait... there's more

2011-05-15T21:46:00.002-05:00

I'll let the bearded scribe provide the description of yesterday's events (excerpt from Ken's blog):

Saturday arvo, my sweetie 'n' I joined T. Horn for lunch at Carshon's deli before heading over to Landers Machine Shop for the Arts Goggle event where HIO and the li'l Stoogeband would perform. The space has come a long way since HIO last played there in November. A lot of clutter has been removed, and a couple of spaces rented out to a dance studio and a local politico's campaign headquarters. The event was better attended than last fall's; it seems there are more businesses open and buildings being refurbished in the area, too -- a good thing. Breaking Light had some power problems, so we helped him move to another location in the big room where he could run his amp without blowing the circuit. He played some nice stuff along with the drummers who accompanied the hula hoop people. HIO set up and played there, too, before the dude that donated the PA showed up to make things work onstage.

HIO performed with Denton's Big Rig Dance Collective for the second time. We like working with the dancers, and it makes us less prone to meander, which probably makes our noises more accessible to civilians. They seem to like working with us as well, and they told Hickey while we were loading out that they have an event planned at Dan's Silverleaf on August 19th that they'd like us on board for. Terry also spoke to a woman who's apparently an internationally known improvisational dancer, affiliated with TCU, who expressed interest in doing something with HIO. He gave her a Sustrepo CD. Film, as they say, at 11.

I also had the chance to catch Stoogeaphila's set, which was great (the last time I saw the group was over two years ago at The Moon when they were on the bill with my band, The Fellow Americans, for our final adieu). Overall, it was a wonderful day and I look forward to working with our comrades in improv, Big Rig Dance Collective, again!

More HIO-mania

2011-05-14T03:40:00.004-05:00

Because I have an ample amount of disposable time and lack any real talent for this sort of thing, the second video for Sustrepo was completed within a couple hours tonight and is now available to watch via YouTube. Behold its cut-and-paste magnificence:

HIO-mania

2011-05-13T12:36:00.003-05:00

First off:

The sounds available on Soundcloud, including the current album Sustrepo (in four parts labelled "A", "B", "C", and "D") and its remix companion 5'5".

Secondly:

An excerpt of a video for Sustrepo by Mr. Horn. I am also currently working on a short clip in regards to the album.

Third and last:

The troupe will be performing at Landers Machine Shop as part of the Arts Goggle festivities this Saturday with our comrades, Big Rig Dance Collective. Terry will also have a video piece on exhibition and Ken will be doing guitar duty with Stoogeaphilia, who headlines the live performances that night. Come on down, why don't ya?

Haydn seek

2011-05-11T21:58:00.000-05:00

Last night I was listening to SiriusXM Symphony Hall while "spinning my wheels" in regards to a couple projects in the works and Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 104 in D major (1795) was played. It's been stuck in the grey matter ever since. Not complaining, mind you.

Sleep?

2011-05-10T02:39:00.002-05:00

Obviously not. Sigh.

The attempt to stave off the pangs of insomnia (whatever that means) had inevitably led me into YouTubeland and listening to the 2011 Deluxe Edition mixes of Rainbow's Rising (1976). Believe this will become the next album purchase.

Sigh again.

Days and days

2011-05-09T11:20:00.006-05:00

Well, at least three of them.

Friday: Set course for Denton in the afternoon for a gig with HIO and Big Rig Dance Collective. Strolled around the square, finally going into sedentary mode and exercised the drinking hand at Hooligans to await Ken and Terry's arrival. After dins and beer we headed over to Recycled Books for a quick rummage before returning to our respected vehicles for the journey to Yogurt Fusion... which was a mistake. Being the masters of direction and perception we failed to notice that the venue was only a short distance from our original parking spots and ended up spending around twenty minutes to find another place to park, which was neither close or convenient. Sans the unloading bit it was a fun show. Ken's daughter and newest granddaughter were present for the festivities (Mr. Horn claims that the youngest addition to the Shimamoto family tossed a ball at him during the set, which could be an indication that Ken's critic gene has been passed down successfully). Running on just a couple hours sleep from the previous night I was feeling quite spent well before the show was over and grabbed a cup of coffee before leaving. Great night, and looking forward to next Saturday's show at Lander's Machine Shop where we'll team up with the Big Rig crew again.

Saturday: Same story as most of my Saturdays, really. Breakfast, tunes on the stereo (for this particular morning: King Missile's They), recording, and Doctor Who.

Sunday: Brekkie, tunes (Manda Rin's My DNA and Bis' Fukd ID #5), and some more recording. Took my mother out for a Mother's Day dinner. Home again and some more recording. The end... ish.

Things, stuff, and other various tidbits

2011-05-05T11:40:00.003-05:00

This past week so far as a list:

1. Recording, cleaning, and cooking.

2. Pints and food with Mr. Horn.

3. Listening to what I consider the first great album of the current decade (the particular song below is about half the length of the allotted time for the "video". The rest is silence. Your guess is as good as mine... ).

Two Thousand and Ten Injuries (2010)

Events-o-rama (titles are running short for the weekend recaps)

2011-05-02T11:18:00.004-05:00

Friday: Ken, Terry, and I converged at Bull & Bush in the evening for a "working pint", which entailed assembling the packaging created by Mr. Horn for the latest HIO product... and beer (obviously). Due to my dismal DIY skills I was demoted to supervised gluing fairly early in the process.

Saturday: Bit of a lazy day. Had the weekend brekkie, vacuumed, did laundry, and watched Doctor Who. Did some recording later that night and early Sunday morning which might be the basis for another project of some sort. The production of what was originally intended to be the fourth JATSDFM album (until Mr. Ford presented an opportunity too good to pass up, making Academician Drift in Fjords number four instead) has pretty much ground to a halt at this time. Not currently planning to scrap it, mind you.

Sunday: Went to Ken and Kat's for a marathon of The Prisoner and dins. Kat made a fantastic scallop and asparagus dish, followed by angel food cake with strawberries and homemade creme. Quite sad when Kat discovered a cat in their neighbor's driveway that had apparently been hit and killed by a vehicle. We gathered the poor creature and buried it in the garden.

Early departure

2011-04-27T00:12:00.004-05:00

Not a good way to start the day learning that the report of Poly Styrene's passing from the previous day was not a cruel rumour but confirmed to be true. Don't believe there are words to adequately express just how much of an impression Poly's voice and lyrics made on me. She will be sorely missed.

Live on ITV's Revolver (1978)

Translucence (1980)

Generation Indigo (2011)

Alan Hovhaness documentary

2011-04-26T16:04:00.003-05:00

From 1984.

Surprise! A weekend recap

2011-04-25T00:26:00.005-05:00

Saturday: Had the weekend staple brekkie (beans on toast, coffee, and yogurt) and caught a few Doctor Who episodes during a marathon leading up to the new series in the evening. Left the house about half past four to pick up Ken and then set course for Terry's casa for some HIO recording action. After proceeding to do Ken's head in by playing the world's worst rendition of "Highway Star" during setup, we were treated to Terry's absolutely fab turkey burgers and beer. With dinner consumed, recording commenced, adding balloons, oven timer, and refrigerator door to the list (metaphorical, of course... unless Mr. Horn/Mr. Shimamoto/both keep a log regarding such matters) of objects played. After recording we watched a doco about the war in Afghanistan (Restrepo) and Suspiria (which was somewhat of a cross between Vangelis and an Italian ice cream) while Terry transferred the evening's audio and video evidence to his laptop, making me a copy to edit, mix, and remix. Then it was home again (after a return to Mr. Horn's for the bearded scribe's keys that were left behind), home again. Always a great day when it involves these guys... the ultimate mucking about crew! Read Ken's more detailed account here.

Sunday: Was able to catch a repeat of the Doctor Who series opener after arriving home from the HIO extravaganza. Had Easter lunch with my mother and family friend in the afternoon. Did laundry. That's about it, really.

Directorial debut of sorts

2011-04-22T00:17:00.004-05:00

Finally partook in the 21st century activity of creating a video of epic amateurish proportions and uploading it onto YouTube. Consider yourself warned:

Again!

2011-04-20T00:49:00.002-05:00

Remixed "Capt. Saddo and Twig" which is available for listening pleasure, displeasure, and/or apathy on Bandcamp. The original had too much low end mud and frying crackly high (technical jargon. Okay, it's not) for these ears after I gave them a proper rest, which I should had done in the first place. Will I ever learn...

Capt. Saddo and Twig (Rough and Ready... ish) (single) by Joe and The Sonic Dirt From Madagascar

Spot the common theme

2011-04-18T22:54:00.004-05:00

Today consisted of a speeding ticket, drivers apparently possessed by a "divine wind", and a puncture on I-30 (all unrelated events, mind you). An uneventful day would had been preferable.

A/W "Harmony in My Head" (1979)

How not to PR

2011-04-17T18:46:00.004-05:00

Woke up Saturday morning with a tune in the ole noggin (and remnants of a dream in which Sean Connery and I had bits of us missing after an altercation with Klingon-esque aliens. No, not those "bits"... ), and proceeded to spend the next fourteen hours writing and recording a song which only consists of two chords. Pathetic. Topping it all off, to quote Ringo:

"I've got blisters on me fingers!"

Credit the fact that I've only picked up the guitar a couple of times in the last two and half years and the calluses on the fingertips have disappeared. That, and coupled with playing nearly eight hours straight (just to give a clue how mediocre my abilities on stringed instruments are), the digits on the left hand are a wee bit tender. Again, pathetic.

Overall, I am pleased with the final product... just the amount of effort far outweighed the result, me thinks.

After what could only be described as the most shit way to promote something, here it be.

Sod it. Time for...

2011-04-14T23:59:00.002-05:00

Mystical Shit (1990)

Whatever that means.

When the mind goes...

2011-04-14T23:50:00.000-05:00

______

Hovhaness-mania

2011-04-11T00:06:00.003-05:00

This weekend: Concerto No. 8, Op. 117 (1957); Symphony No. 9, Op. 180 (1949-50); Artik, Op. 78 (1948); Anahid, Op. 57 #1 (1944-45); Elibris, Op. 50 (1944); Alleluia and Fugue, Op. 40b (1940).

And:

Psalm and Fugue, Op. 40a (Performed by the South Carolina Senior Regional Orchestra at Cane Bay High School, 20 November 2010. Conductor: Neil Casey)