It's 109 degrees outside. I'm sandwiching these words about the weather between 2 pictures of Angela and I which a fellow snapped of us at Mission Bay, on a day and time which was much cooler. One avoids the heat however they can.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Thinking My Way Out of Hell
It's 109 degrees outside. I'm sandwiching these words about the weather between 2 pictures of Angela and I which a fellow snapped of us at Mission Bay, on a day and time which was much cooler. One avoids the heat however they can.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Longing
It's been a long week. I keep staying up way to late and my job starts at the same time every day, regardless of how late I stay up. I'm ready for a bit of R& R this weekend, though there is a strong possibility that I'll end up working tomorrow for one of my bosses. I Like physical labor money, even more than I like sleeping.
I've been getting a little harder to be around lately. I'm getting so close to being able to do the things I wish to do musically that I have trouble turning my mind off and paying attention. When I used to get this way, back when I was working on my own music in Kansas City I was single. Now I find myself being less able to pay attention to the people around me because I'm thinking about music a lot. Much of it is not even productive thought, it's just spinning possibilities which I am currently not finding the time to make realities. These things can really do a number on me, there is truth to the analogy that ideas are viruses.
I realized last night that I owed my girlfriend an apology, for not being as present in my life as I desire to be. Writing, recording and performing music takes an incredible amount of time, unfortunately so does my life. Live for me will forever be a delicate balance of work, hedonistic desires and the simple pleasure of stillness. I've never believed in moderation in anything, I want all of everything.
I've learned throughout the years that it is important to streamline my methods for accomplishing anything. I sleep until the last minute possible to still get to work on time. I attempt always to simplify the set up of recording gear, so that I may be playing and recording within minutes of making the decision to do so. It's a strategy for dealing with this problem of limited time.
This battle I'm fighting against the clock is one we all lose in the end. We artists try to leave something behind us, that lays claim to the time we put in by existing as a consumable piece. In this manner what we create takes the time from the people who ultimately end up experiencing, observing or consuming our art.
I've lost my thread, I shall stop with the taking of your time, but I'll return to try another day.
I've been getting a little harder to be around lately. I'm getting so close to being able to do the things I wish to do musically that I have trouble turning my mind off and paying attention. When I used to get this way, back when I was working on my own music in Kansas City I was single. Now I find myself being less able to pay attention to the people around me because I'm thinking about music a lot. Much of it is not even productive thought, it's just spinning possibilities which I am currently not finding the time to make realities. These things can really do a number on me, there is truth to the analogy that ideas are viruses.
I realized last night that I owed my girlfriend an apology, for not being as present in my life as I desire to be. Writing, recording and performing music takes an incredible amount of time, unfortunately so does my life. Live for me will forever be a delicate balance of work, hedonistic desires and the simple pleasure of stillness. I've never believed in moderation in anything, I want all of everything.
I've learned throughout the years that it is important to streamline my methods for accomplishing anything. I sleep until the last minute possible to still get to work on time. I attempt always to simplify the set up of recording gear, so that I may be playing and recording within minutes of making the decision to do so. It's a strategy for dealing with this problem of limited time.
This battle I'm fighting against the clock is one we all lose in the end. We artists try to leave something behind us, that lays claim to the time we put in by existing as a consumable piece. In this manner what we create takes the time from the people who ultimately end up experiencing, observing or consuming our art.
I've lost my thread, I shall stop with the taking of your time, but I'll return to try another day.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
New Project
Monday night Ben and I drove out to Malibu with a load of drywall to meet with Hoagie and discuss plans for his studio build. Seamonster Sounds is going to be stepping up in the world! It's going to be a a very interesting project. Hoagie has already got a lot of the planning and preparation done. I'm super excited to see it evolve. I wish I had thought to take a camera out for some before pics.
Next month Devin will be playing a five song set at the palms and I am going to play with him. Angela is even going to lend some back ups live. I'm excited to get to play again.
Next month Devin will be playing a five song set at the palms and I am going to play with him. Angela is even going to lend some back ups live. I'm excited to get to play again.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
The Difference
I've been doing a bit of dieting and it's doing wonders. I've been at it about 13 days now and I'm down about 19 pounds. I had taken a week off running during this process since it's hard to find the energy when I'm restricting my carbohydrate in take. I went for my first run since droping some wieght the other night and my it felt great. At first I thought it was all just because I was lighter, that I was able to run faster, then I realized it also had to do with that I've been eating so much better. Also there is probably an added measure of confidence that comes from feeling slimmer. Whatever the reason it rocks. I was starting to think that I was getting older now and that I'd always feel a bit slugish on a run, not the case this week. A very nice feeling.
I've been working on my reverb nation page a bit, keeping myself motivated to get more work done. It's working.
Have some recording scheduled tonight to have Angela do some more vocals on one of Devin's Tunes. I'm excited to get to it!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Backyard Blogger
In my jottings I have listed songs that I have found in going through my archives and songs I am currently working on that I might not care to use for Turbo Sunshine. In making the list it occurs to me that it is rather long. Thinking now that I will split them into 2 different s no s albums. The more polished and accessible will be "Albino Elephant" and the rougher, rawer often older tracks will be a sort of out take album called "the odds".
This plan is sitting well with me on a peaceful sunday afternoon. This will could put a tidy bow on top of the last 10 years of my creative life at just the right time too. New burners are beginning to boil.
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Thursday, September 09, 2010
The other reason I come to work.
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Wednesday, September 08, 2010
Hole in my mouth that goes all the way to China
I had a tooth pulled yesterday. It was not as scary as I imagined it to be. When/if we got to put an implant in, the price will be the scary part.
Due to the tooth I was able to go home early. I used the time to mix up versions of the songs I had been working on over the weekend. I was pleased with the initial results. Doom Sensation needs more work, but hearing Angela and I singing together was very encouraging, our voices blend well together on a double lead. I am hoping to have Devin help out in writing a second section to the chorus, he's sort of the master at the pop chorus, so it would be a real asset.
Devin's song Bridge to Nowhere is shaping up well. I need to refine the mix and Angela wants another crack at her vocals, but there are already some sublime moments happening.
I also managed to get a good half hour of guitar playing in. Still in love with my Telecaster all over again.
Today is gloomy, the day seems to be making empty promises of rain. I'll take it over the sunshine after the blazing summer sun of this past weekend.
This transition; my life grinds on.
Due to the tooth I was able to go home early. I used the time to mix up versions of the songs I had been working on over the weekend. I was pleased with the initial results. Doom Sensation needs more work, but hearing Angela and I singing together was very encouraging, our voices blend well together on a double lead. I am hoping to have Devin help out in writing a second section to the chorus, he's sort of the master at the pop chorus, so it would be a real asset.
Devin's song Bridge to Nowhere is shaping up well. I need to refine the mix and Angela wants another crack at her vocals, but there are already some sublime moments happening.
I also managed to get a good half hour of guitar playing in. Still in love with my Telecaster all over again.
Today is gloomy, the day seems to be making empty promises of rain. I'll take it over the sunshine after the blazing summer sun of this past weekend.
This transition; my life grinds on.
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
Labor Days
I had a long weekend. I ended up accidentally committing to work at 2 different people's homes over the weekend, doing general maintenance and yard work. It was 102 in the valley where both homes were so it ended up being not all that pleasant. Sunday was the worst. I was asked to spray paint a wrought iron fence, by the 14th can of spray paint I didn't actually have any fingers left that would hold down the little nozzle button. I'm sure they make some type of tool which makes that motion much easier. There is a numb tingly feeling still in the fingers on my right hand, I'm hoping that goes away soon.
For the record I'm complaining a bit about having too much work, at a time when most people don't have any. I acknowledge this. I do wish my monday through friday were more financially fulfilling, I would enjoy spending my weekends on myself. I suppose I don't love being idle, though I think I would like to give it a try.
My uncle Ronnie is now retired. He is the first friend of mine to retire, and he seems to have taken to it rather well. I think about not having a job to go to, what would that be like? I worry that I'd be less focused if I just had a sea of time stretching before me, but secretly I like to believe that I would use it, and that I would be much happier for it.
Yesterday was my day off. I slept in and it was nice. I woke up around 10am to the sound of Angela sweeping the patio. What a wonderful sound sweeping is. I like a simple tool, much like I like a complex one. Why even say things like that?
The sweeping was nice. Angela had figured out that movies at the burbank AMC that play before noon are $6. I got up and had a cup of coffee and dressed. We left home and headed out to see the last exorcism. It was fun to watch a horror movie at 11am.
We left the theater at 12:30. There is nothing so bright as the mid day sun after a morning movie.
We did some shopping then and went home to make a nice lunch. Then we made more coffee and I started to give some of my guitars a bit of love and affection. The Telecaster I used to play in SG has sat pretty much unused for the past 6 months. It had a broken string and was just a bit dirty. I removed all the strings and stickers from the guitar and used goo be gone on the residue. I then cleaned it lovingly and re-strung it. If a guitar were ever an old friend, and believe me they all are, this guitar is my old best friend. After I finished the makeover I set up a little recording station in the bedroom and laid down a simple guitar part on Devin's song "Bridge to Nowhere". The Tele felt so nice, and I feel like the simple part worked well for the song.
Next I did a scratch guitar part on a song for Turbo Sunshine called "doom sensation". Angela had wanted to do some singing so I quickly wrote the words for the song and recorded myself singing them. This is a song we want to sing together, so I then called her in and had her do her part. She did the first verse once, listened to it, and then made adjustments, listening carefully again at the end and asking to redo it. She did this several times, each time getting better. I was impressed. I have become so spoiled and lazy in my recording. I seldom listen back to anything to see how I like it, and if I can improve it. I'm always in a rush to get to the next instrument or the next chorus or the next song. I need to remember to take my time and do things right.
In the end she nailed the whole song word for word with me. I'm excited now to do a rough mix of it.
After we finished with Doom Sensation I had Angela track some vocals on Devin's song Bridge to Nowhere. She did some beautiful parts and I'm excited to share them with Devin.
We finished the day with a trip to Fresh and Easy, a home cooked meal and a few episodes of mad men. The weekend is now over and I miss it very much.
We are on a major health kick, Angela, Devin and Myself. It was funny to be out at a club on satruday night and have all three of us ordering club sodas. I feel good.
For the record I'm complaining a bit about having too much work, at a time when most people don't have any. I acknowledge this. I do wish my monday through friday were more financially fulfilling, I would enjoy spending my weekends on myself. I suppose I don't love being idle, though I think I would like to give it a try.
My uncle Ronnie is now retired. He is the first friend of mine to retire, and he seems to have taken to it rather well. I think about not having a job to go to, what would that be like? I worry that I'd be less focused if I just had a sea of time stretching before me, but secretly I like to believe that I would use it, and that I would be much happier for it.
Yesterday was my day off. I slept in and it was nice. I woke up around 10am to the sound of Angela sweeping the patio. What a wonderful sound sweeping is. I like a simple tool, much like I like a complex one. Why even say things like that?
The sweeping was nice. Angela had figured out that movies at the burbank AMC that play before noon are $6. I got up and had a cup of coffee and dressed. We left home and headed out to see the last exorcism. It was fun to watch a horror movie at 11am.
We left the theater at 12:30. There is nothing so bright as the mid day sun after a morning movie.
We did some shopping then and went home to make a nice lunch. Then we made more coffee and I started to give some of my guitars a bit of love and affection. The Telecaster I used to play in SG has sat pretty much unused for the past 6 months. It had a broken string and was just a bit dirty. I removed all the strings and stickers from the guitar and used goo be gone on the residue. I then cleaned it lovingly and re-strung it. If a guitar were ever an old friend, and believe me they all are, this guitar is my old best friend. After I finished the makeover I set up a little recording station in the bedroom and laid down a simple guitar part on Devin's song "Bridge to Nowhere". The Tele felt so nice, and I feel like the simple part worked well for the song.
Next I did a scratch guitar part on a song for Turbo Sunshine called "doom sensation". Angela had wanted to do some singing so I quickly wrote the words for the song and recorded myself singing them. This is a song we want to sing together, so I then called her in and had her do her part. She did the first verse once, listened to it, and then made adjustments, listening carefully again at the end and asking to redo it. She did this several times, each time getting better. I was impressed. I have become so spoiled and lazy in my recording. I seldom listen back to anything to see how I like it, and if I can improve it. I'm always in a rush to get to the next instrument or the next chorus or the next song. I need to remember to take my time and do things right.
In the end she nailed the whole song word for word with me. I'm excited now to do a rough mix of it.
After we finished with Doom Sensation I had Angela track some vocals on Devin's song Bridge to Nowhere. She did some beautiful parts and I'm excited to share them with Devin.
We finished the day with a trip to Fresh and Easy, a home cooked meal and a few episodes of mad men. The weekend is now over and I miss it very much.
We are on a major health kick, Angela, Devin and Myself. It was funny to be out at a club on satruday night and have all three of us ordering club sodas. I feel good.
Monday, September 06, 2010
Nodter got a bath and new strings.
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Friday, September 03, 2010
Neon Mirage
So this morning I have the pleasure of listening to the new Stan Ridgway album. I'm lucky to be hearing it, since I didn't really have the cash to purchase it yet. The person who introduced me to the music of Stan works with me and this morning he brough in the CD so that I could burn it into my Itunes. I promise I'll buy it when I'm a bit more flush, but until then I'll put into it in love what I can't put in with money.
The first two tracks set the mood nicely.
1. Big Green Tree - A soft start to the album, I'm catching up to my listening as I type, so I won't have good notes on the first three.
2. This Town Called Fate - This is a re-record of an old Stan standard, I believe it was certainly worth the revisis.
3. Desert of Dreams - this is what the original album was called. A fine bit of saxaphone here.
4. Halfway There - A beautiful song. Nice fiddle work! Lyrically I love this song too.
5. Turn a Blind Eye - The first dramatic change in tone of the album, we've turned a bit darker. Is this a bossa nova? I have no idea. The character singing here seems to have a dark side, but he seems to be on some sort of a journey. I dig it.
"out in the fields the fire is up and the water is runnin' dry
folk of the earth see the storm clouds coming
while the rest just turn a blind eye"
6. Wandering Star - First time I've noticed his signature harmonica this record. Seems to be a song about a broken relationship. One person seems to down to earth, the other in the heavens.
"infinity in your eyes, incadescent and bright you are"
7. Flag Up On a Pole - Harmonica in full effect on this track. Strong low down grooe from the bass here too.
"Battle lines drawn there in the dirt, no one wins and everyone gets hurt, up ahead, drive the highway, pay the toll, for a flag up on a pole"
Yes, I like this one a lot.
8. Lenny Bruce (bob dylan cover) - I don't know the Dylan version. Very nice tune.
9. Scavenger Hunt - Nice lead guitar line. A nice narrative song about coming home, presumably after fight and then searching for the partner who left, possibly for the last time.
10. Behind the Mask - This one winds out sweet and slow, but stunning in it's beatury. So much landscape and space. I hope that I'm still recording music when I can just lay back and let it wind out like this.
"And when the parties over, and confettie's on the floor, will I be grateful? or will I just ask for more?"
11. Neon Mirage - Instrumental. This is thicker than spaghetti western, it's lasganga western.
12. Day up in the Sun - Very nice organ happening here.
Wow, the album is over so fast. It's a beautiful piece of work. Not as many immediate stand out songs as his last album. Lyrically it's a very well donw album, and it sounds stunning, spacious and beautiful. There is much more listening to be done.
From Stan Himself:
"It's like a Rubik's Cube, you view it from every angle and make decisions. The choices define what people hear or see, and it's hard to say where they come from. They're choices that made the creator comfortable, which doesn't mean they're right. It breaks down to about 50-50 - half work, half don't. All you can do is sweat it and try to find the right way. It's like 'career strategies,' a notion that is somewhat laughable. It's all gonna just roll over ya anyway."
Listening to this makes me want to keep on recording.
I've been working on mixing a couple more songs from Devin's album. Trying to put a bow on sleepy town, but it's a massive song and it's become a bear. I'll make it happen though, I'm close.
The first two tracks set the mood nicely.
1. Big Green Tree - A soft start to the album, I'm catching up to my listening as I type, so I won't have good notes on the first three.
2. This Town Called Fate - This is a re-record of an old Stan standard, I believe it was certainly worth the revisis.
3. Desert of Dreams - this is what the original album was called. A fine bit of saxaphone here.
4. Halfway There - A beautiful song. Nice fiddle work! Lyrically I love this song too.
5. Turn a Blind Eye - The first dramatic change in tone of the album, we've turned a bit darker. Is this a bossa nova? I have no idea. The character singing here seems to have a dark side, but he seems to be on some sort of a journey. I dig it.
"out in the fields the fire is up and the water is runnin' dry
folk of the earth see the storm clouds coming
while the rest just turn a blind eye"
6. Wandering Star - First time I've noticed his signature harmonica this record. Seems to be a song about a broken relationship. One person seems to down to earth, the other in the heavens.
"infinity in your eyes, incadescent and bright you are"
7. Flag Up On a Pole - Harmonica in full effect on this track. Strong low down grooe from the bass here too.
"Battle lines drawn there in the dirt, no one wins and everyone gets hurt, up ahead, drive the highway, pay the toll, for a flag up on a pole"
Yes, I like this one a lot.
8. Lenny Bruce (bob dylan cover) - I don't know the Dylan version. Very nice tune.
9. Scavenger Hunt - Nice lead guitar line. A nice narrative song about coming home, presumably after fight and then searching for the partner who left, possibly for the last time.
10. Behind the Mask - This one winds out sweet and slow, but stunning in it's beatury. So much landscape and space. I hope that I'm still recording music when I can just lay back and let it wind out like this.
"And when the parties over, and confettie's on the floor, will I be grateful? or will I just ask for more?"
11. Neon Mirage - Instrumental. This is thicker than spaghetti western, it's lasganga western.
12. Day up in the Sun - Very nice organ happening here.
Wow, the album is over so fast. It's a beautiful piece of work. Not as many immediate stand out songs as his last album. Lyrically it's a very well donw album, and it sounds stunning, spacious and beautiful. There is much more listening to be done.
From Stan Himself:
"It's like a Rubik's Cube, you view it from every angle and make decisions. The choices define what people hear or see, and it's hard to say where they come from. They're choices that made the creator comfortable, which doesn't mean they're right. It breaks down to about 50-50 - half work, half don't. All you can do is sweat it and try to find the right way. It's like 'career strategies,' a notion that is somewhat laughable. It's all gonna just roll over ya anyway."
Listening to this makes me want to keep on recording.
I've been working on mixing a couple more songs from Devin's album. Trying to put a bow on sleepy town, but it's a massive song and it's become a bear. I'll make it happen though, I'm close.
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