In many variable

Now well it has been a few days since my last little nibble blog, yet I have not been hungry. Nay! I have been distracted, easily and by nothing in particular. Oh humbling moments of realization. Back from the fountain, The ivory turned, seasonal specials upon us at last.

I suppose "The incomparable White Six" single has been finished by Shitting Glitter, and mixed by yours truly. Gruesome work, frustrated to figure out a few things way too late but just in time. Now the period of distance must grow, and when it's taller than the weeds I will look at it and be very enthused that I was pushed into completion, but for now I am rather content to be aware that it is almost always the case of recordings I've helmed, that in the end I am proud if not happy and amazed. Work on the album "Free Alongside Ship" has begun, of this I am more excited than ever before. How long before I hold the item in my hands?

This weekend we are off to San Diego to headline a little gay gathering in a park! We are HUGE in San Diego.

I find that I am fulling enjoying "The Old Curiosity Shop" by Charles D.

Mind your stern

At work again and the full tilt of the week is before me. I can see into the barrel, a bullet named Monday already through my head, I can see Tuesday and I know there are more behind and below it.
The weekend was hot hot arduous. Nearly all the recording for the single is complete in nice level stacks of 15 or 16. A spare back up vocal and an errant baseline remain.
This week will no doubt be a mix of high temperature and frustrated mixing.
Today sadly the rightful owner of our fabulously borrowed microphone awoke to find it missing. A very kind girl got yelled at for the sake of the music and I feel really bad about that. The show goes on and I'm sure now that we will not be so lucky as to use it for our album. eesh.
As if sensing the week a to come last night we were treated to a plastic meal of fantastic raw fish that a king could consume in proper royal court. We followed the meal with a mad dash reminder to a karaoke host friend, a song and a beer when you least expected it, thanks for everything and here's to life.
Tonight I hope to tie up a those last few recording ends. Bend it all up and call it okay. Okay? Who really can tell?
I am a reluctant scarred cat sometimes, most times actually. I have reminded myself of that over and over... Don't say no so quick. Don't think of the reason it won't work. Be a fool who tried it. Shikes...I could dwell in the land of the inspirational poster and come back with a horn of plenty. I see those people around me who have made the decision that life is a one chance idea that you get to think up as you go. I have seen them hold rock steady to an idea they had the good chance to encounter and plug through all the negative nats in the world, only to surprise! Explosion! Succeed! Success! Some fucking people are just so precious that I need to stop and watch and grow the fuck on, move, warning shots are only fired in bad movies and occasionally, certain backwards southern states.

Possible explanation

I'm not eating carbohydrates today. I'm drinking coffee and eating crisp turkey bacon.
Last night was good, we watched the premier of Joey and I for one particularly enjoyed it. After the fine show we had a little meeting of the Glitters to discuss our pending album. We came to some agreements and hammered out a picture of what the work may be like.
Amy and I began writing a song for the album after the currently in process, It is a fun song and I'm excited to see that it takes place in present day.
I'll be touching up the recordings this weekend and mixing my silly self silly.

Whole proof of improvement

I'm awake today and much better off for it. I left home earlier than I ever do and I had a can of soda and a package of turkey bacon in my back pack. It did not take me long to appreciate the warm air on my slow walk to the bus. I could feel my self in a better head and I reacted in the positive.
Yesterday morning sucked, I couldn't get a handle on it, just kept getting away from me. I felt in a panic about our band, in a panic about cash. Just a big weight pressin' down... "Take a load off Brandon"... I wrote emails hoping to get responses with something sticking out of to hold onto. I pressed hard enough and before the working day ended the people that matter most had managed to give me a hand hold, I took hold and today feel thankful.
Last night was not as pressed as I thought. I broke my second and only low E, the second night in a row. We did laundry, sober, which is not really as fun as the drunken laundry that we normally do. It's really a good time to keep a cooler full of beer in the car and sneak a 7-11 cup full of brew into the gay disco laundry mat and drink and watch the wardrobe spin. Last night it was just nice to crawl into bed still inside my own temper.
Once inside bed a little marijuana reward was in order followed by the bizarre spectacle that is "The Mayor of Sunset Strip". It was funny watching this little troll of a boy navigate through life, it was also sad and disgusting. There were enough dashes of inspiration that a young Hollywood band can use, but there is also exposed in all it's ugly detail that wall that separates today's world and today's music with the music of Rodney's life which didn't have to try and block the divider out of the frame or keep it out of the groove of the record.

Knee Deep in Feet

I forgot to wear my glasses to work today, I used to forget quite often but in the last Six months or so I have not forgotten at all. I remember now that I used to think it was rather fun, being a degree or two more than usually removed from the world. Somehow taking away the crispness of vision dulls out more than just the visual world. There is some space created in my brain by not having to read far away signs or look closely at people. Today all that extra power saved by not wearing glasses is focusing on the self. Oh me...
I think me in a funk of sorts, or at least feeling a little funking.
I can't manage to eat properly. Every morning I get to work a half hour early, not because I'm a go get it all kind of person but because I'm humbled every single day by the fact that I can't manage to have a car. So in my half hour after arriving to work I walk over to Vallarta supermarket, and proceed to find the most processed foods for consumption. Maybe it's a culture gap but there doesn't seem to be any real food in a Vallarta supermarket, So I end up with lunchables and little chocolate donuts, or hot pockets and frozen pizza.
If the bad food I eat at work is not to be the death of me I imagine the fact that I daily jay-walk across Vineland avenue in a sleep deprived state shoving little chocolate donuts in my mouth will. Should I have the poor fortune of living long enough I'll just have to have a back transplant because my chair is a big mess of uncomfort.
My blog is getting so emo today, and to take it further, one of the guys I work with just walked in to tell me that John Kerry was planted by the republicans to ensure an election victory for Dubya. I can't even begin to pick a part that mess...
I am really rather tired, and there is no sense in getting down to the truth in a blog.

Over labored day

Friday full of cheap food and cheaper beer at pit fire pizza in no ho, followed by a visit to the rather infamous "scott's" apartment. Distracted a bit by my own bad choices during Harold and Maude.
Saturday recording and living at Christopher's house of sexual offence in the valley. In the closet with an expensive beyond our reach microphone goes Amy, then Devin followed by Amy and M.Q., wonderful results, I would suppose if I were not a little nervous to listen to them again. Singing late into the night as Saturday becomes Sunday without even a hint of change. Trivia and Pink Dots dancing in our living room until "Chasing Amy" lulled us asleep.
The crowd around Pam Boobersons' Boobs wakes us up to meet her propped up smiling corpse. Her boobs have written a book with some other boob and many blogs are now taking notice.
Denny returns to find a very normal and warm welcome. Monday is tired and lazy and the "Garden State" is shown downtown, we watch it just fine. Drinks at the gay cabo cantina, followed by a crazed hair brained Idea to go to Pasadena.
Singing with Jackie, nerve about new songs, but all in all not very awful.

Bucker is a Fuckerhead

The mis-guided missing reaction slips the noose tails up the idea far behind and chasing the caboose catch up mr. Catcher, rye do you even bother? got issues to be discussed, far more than the cliff of youth farther to fall and more to use, sleeper strings of cheese attached to meals and monuments, what you said you meant, what I can forgive, if I could be forgotten, I'm not really as tired as it seems and I don't trifle, I am still steadfast and hungry and righteously pompous, I do know, I am the believer in the television, with the telecaster, shooting stars with my old gun.

Forward Tinker

K...I'm bored here today, I have done much work and I'm ready to go home.
I was able to place my self in an hourly rented room last night with the dirty whore that is my 16-track hard disk recording device. In an hour and 45 minutes I was able to complete the electric guitar for "iw6" and "shgc" I also did some flurries on "gw"... It was all fun and games but a little frustrating, still not entirely able to achieve the sounds I wish, I guess you need to pay a little more to actually like the recorded sound of an electric guitar. All in all it was nice and odd, me in a room with my amp and a useless drum kit, bashing it out hoping for the best.
Returned home to a locked up house and no keys in my pocket, luckily Pink Dot let me in.
Just finished reading "The Making Of The African Queen", finding myself locked into the rhythm logic of Kat Hep to burn, it's a rather proper feeling you know, which I've always found is the best kind of feeling there is. I think next I'll read "The Fourth Hand" by Irving, it sits there a top the bookcase winking at me.
Tonight I will help Melissa with mixing some M.Q. Musik songs, or at least look at her recorded set up and figure out a way in which I will be able to mix them. I've never mixed something I didn't record.

A Son of the Circus

No recording last night, those bastards at the sound arena had it all booked up. So tonight I have a room, 2 hours is all I get to get it right... It's only three songs so what the hey, I bet I can pull it off.
Finished reading "A Son of the Circus" last night. I've nothing profound or arty to say about it other than I liked it and think it was a damn fine creation. I am now reading "The Making of the African Queen" by Katherine Hepburn, delightful piss-whip that she was.
Have been as of late taking many fine meals at a cozy little place on Hayward just a stones throw north of Santa Monica called "Pizzetta" They don't sell booze but you can bring it in, which works out on the cheap. The sauce on the pizza we had last night was so spicy that my entire face was sweating, but damn fine none the less.

Awe Shucks...That was deep.

An evening spent relaxing. Dinner at the French Market, followed by reading in bed and sleeping early.
Reading "A Son of the Circus" by John Irving, started slow but has hooked my imagination as I head into the home stretch.
I woke up at 2:00 a.m. my side of the bed drenched in sweat, I am soaked head to foot. I guess my body had some toxic matter to dispense with. Later I dreamed that Shitting Glitter was on a tour of Russia, the details are blurry but I do recall we were treated well so we must have been in demand.
Tonight I intend to rent a room where I can Loudly record my guitar, I am giddy at the prospect.

Slip Walking

Oh me, my rotten head is tired and rather close to being empty. Luckily my hair is still tingling. This weekend was a long one. Saturday we played at the Derby in support of Kelly Mantle's CD release party. It was good fun, and a nice return to a venue I really appreciate. The Derby was the site of my first ever good show with SG, just a bit more than a year ago. This time around our performance was tighter, and the drums much more manageable. It was nice playing with Kelly, he is a very sweet person, and rather talented as well. After the show was mild crazy, Amy and I talking Melissa's ear off with questions. Sunday after fitful sleep Amy proclaims her desire for mimosa's, a downward spiral way to spend a day...

Anarchy in the Library and other things

We had a show a couple nights ago at the Anarchy Library in Downey, we played with The Skates which is Melissa from M.Q. Musik's new band. It was a fun time. The Skates are doing a very unique thing and I look forward to seeing more from them. Our set was decent but I was not all up to the task of playing an entire set. My hands were rather tired and my picking arm is starting to rub itself raw on the body of my guitar, it is an occasional problem where my arm gets lazy and or something, it can be really rather painful. This is the second time we've played the A.L., it's oddly one of my favorite places to play. The owner is very serious about his bar, but does seem to love us. He has showered us in free booze on both occasions of our playing there. I wasn't very pleased with the way he treated Melissa, they had a few feedback problems caused by a set up thingy issue and he was very blunt in incorrectly blaming it on the music itself. I took particular annoyance at someone questioning the artistic merit of a band in their second ever live performance, simply because they had issues with equipment not being up to the task of meeting the needs of their creation. He went so far as to speak on behalf of most of Europe and America, delivering their message that apparently The Skates will not be well received.... On and on with no respect for personal space, not nice things to say in such a manner. Don't speak for me please, and let Europe make up their own mind, Downey is not the seat of the universe, The Skates are a unique band with good songs and that is all that matters, a little feedback never really ruins anyone's good time.
Last night was easy breezy, dinner at Marco's in WeHo, listening to Amy and asking a few questions. My how I love the evening meal.
Sleeping hard under the influence of pot and little golden sleeping pills, dreaming very lightly about things I know. Waking up hard to cuddle and go back to sleep, waking up just as hard 38 minutes later. Leaving the house very late this morning, walking very fast to make up for it.
It seems I am always walking fast to account for my lack of a vehicle. In the evenings a new routine has developed, I take the 217 from the Hollywood/Highland station to Fairfax and Sixth, from there I walk down sixth towards Sweetzer to meet Amy. I could scarcely find a better street for walking then Sixth in this part of town. The tree lined street flashes cozy apartment buildings that appeal to me. I walk fast, even through this peaceful wealth because I am excited to see Amy and get in a car.

Where there's smoke...

A rather triumphant return to smoking grass! After a long lull in usage I willowed away an entire weekend smoking marijuana. We recorded a great deal, and slept far more than usual. How very interesting.

Wound Dead

Play and record over and over amounting to nothing more than good solid practice because my fucking acoustic guitar strings were dead dead dead. I certainly knew better, but I recorded it anyway, I guess just teaching myself a lesson about letting the strings stay on the guitar far too long. Before the poverty I would change my acoustic strings weekly, but that was prior to having to change electric strings before every show, and prior to the poverty.
The point was that I was working on the b-sides for the IW 6 single last night and I was unable to use anything because the strings just sounded bad.
On a good sounding note Amy did a scratch vocal for the minimal version of IW 6 and it sounded wonderful! I think it's going to turn out to be one of my favorite recordings.

Ground Up

Last night I typed an email to my long lost cousin while hitting play and record for my Brother who was playing a beautiful piano part on a keyboard. I'm not the most involved producer but I will on occasion go so far as to make you turkey bacon to get the take. Devin was recording the backbone for a stripped down version of Shitting Glitters next single, "The Incomparable White Six". The windows were wide open so the neighbors got what I consider to be a treat, but nothing is free so if they want to hear the music with out the beep beep click of the click track then they are going to have to fork over just a little cash. And if the neighbors would prefer to hear nothing at all then they best send over some major cash cause no one in our band can pay for studio time.

Forming

My sister and a friend were in our city for a visit this weekend. I do believe Amy and I were drunk for a large portion of it. As the wheel swings, we have rocked our way into a moments sobriety.
During my sisters visit we had many an odd, often prematurely aborted adventures. Friday morning following her arrival Thursday night we decided to hit the beach. A hot, sunny day in Korea Town faded with approaching Santa Monica into a chilly over cast afternoon. We made it only far enough to prove that we did live near the ocean. We stopped for CPK and the turned around.
Friday night proved far more successful, Amy and I proved that we can throw a decent cocktail party at a moments notice, and that it is cheaper for us to drink at home and provide plenty alcohol for all of our friends to get lightly loaded, than it is for the two of us to go out for dinner and then swill away hours in a bar.
Saturday morning well hung, almost as bitchy as Saturday night. Playing Hamburger mare's in the LBC, waiting for karaoke bands to finish, only to suffer sound that had obviously not been carefully planned, or even thought of. A frustrating infuriating experience, like breaking down and fucking someone you hate only to have awful sex.
Sunday to China Town, Kansas girls hate China food. Sunday night at Barney's, straight men are retarded.
Monday to El Coyote, apparently the reigning star of my blog. Arriving a little later than the rest of our party Amy and I noticed a rather ugly woman in a bad turquoise hat looking far more like Steven Tyler than should be recommended. Using the look-alike as a wedge we were able to pry the others from the large circle table near the east bathrooms and shoo them onto the patio, where one can drink much louder. Just before the arrival of our food an acquaintance of sorts happened towards our table, his party had decided upon the Coyote to celebrate and commemorate the fact that the Sharon Tate party had taken their last meal there exactly 35 years ago today. He noticed us only by chance, in entering the dining area his group immediately checked upon the availability of the large circular table near east restroom, now occupied by a less than aware family. Upon seeing the new occupants of the table one of my acquaintances friends shrieked "Those people shouldn't be sitting there, it should be a group like that!" And who should be on the pointy end of the finger, but our party. I'd like to think the Steven Tyler look-alike saved us from a rather hairy fate.

***

Last night recording continued on the IW6 single. Devin finished off his keyboard parts on the new version of S.H.G.C., I hacked out a rough idea of a guitar part for Guerilla (warfare) and the two of us bopped out most of the idea portions of one last new song. Tonight we continue recording, Devin will record the piano for the alternate version of IW 6, and I will possibly be allowed some acoustic guitar time.

pottery

I write better poems about nothing. I deal best with meaning at an angle.

Vaguely Annoying

Why even blog if I'm not going to bother writing in a readable form? Some people...Sheesh.

Ebay can be such a pain in the ass, but it is so fun. People are so extra nice cause no one wants to get a bad report card. I think that is so cute!

I should write poems more often. I'll write one now. I've been told it's cheap to write poems about nothing, so I'm going to write this poem about my office dog Buddy, suddenly becoming self aware.

I'm glad I figured out how to get on top of desks,
from way up here I am so much easier to pet,
how long can the hair on my ears grow,
I should get it cut, no, I'll let it go,
It's not really a bother, and they seem to think me cute

flashy

Long drive for pride, hard parking and out of control country beer line. Our entire San Diego trip in the balance, todder frodder to either side of a mood. Four people on picnic table, A capable sound man and nothing to lose. Maybe our best show to ever, folks running down the hill, a bunch of hippies dancing. Punks refuse to dance, but they can't fail to tap their feet a little and wonder about their choices. Happy man in a hat tells me at the end that above all else, my guitar fucking rules, pretty happy about that.
Far away hotel, good for sleeping.
Another long drive home.
Kittens miss us.

Scissor sisters management wants to feel out package!! We are happy!!

Rehearsal sounds like shit. All the equipment in the hourly studio could have been purchased for $5. Horrible sinking feeling. Hate bad rehearsal. Feeling very low.
Unexplained trouble sleeping.

Feeling better.

Need very much to get some recordings recorded.

Cycles and circles.

super reasonable distraction

I've been playing a video game for an entire week of work.  I have completed my tasks, and rewarded myself with completion of this evil distraction.  It is now back to productive town, where important things such as blogging and reading message boards are common place.

In preparation for the new S.G. album I reviewed our recorded history late last night.  Driving around with Amy, realizing that Post No Bills is not nearly as bad as I had tricked myself into thinking and that Sexy Clown Circus is a tidy little package that can actually pack a bit of a punch.  R SO has my favorite guitars thus far, but I'm looking to vastly improve upon that. 

This weekend we head to San Diego, what awaits us there we do not yet know.