Too Funny

Snapped this picture on the way back from lunch today. Cracks me up.

A review I found the other day, I likey it.

The Bluesbunny - Independent Music Reviews
The Bluesbunny Music Reviews

Shitting Glitter
Sidesaddle Sweet Talk
Decadrisco Records
2007

Even here at the home of the eclectic we were taken aback by this one. Think of John Waters at his excessive best put to the music of Giorgio Moroder and you have the less than subtly named Shitting Glitter. This band can be rude, crude and certainly not for prudes. And frankly we approve whole heartedly.

"Slut Buffet" is the centerpiece of this seven track EP, although with three versions they are perhaps being a touch over indulgent even if it is easily the best track on the CD. The "Solar City Slutty Radio Edit" is our favourite version and one that can challenge even the late lamented Divine for the title of crown prince (or should that be princess!) of over the top bad taste Europop style synth-music. You will catch yourself humming along to it, so infectious is the rhythm. We do however advise against singing it aloud at work - you are liable to be sacked as it is likely to offend everyone. "Mustache Rides 5 Cents" is the other standout track - another piece of hi-energy 'trash' that you just can't help but like.

The only thing that's stopping "Slut Buffet" becoming a deserved hit is the title, and perhaps the lyrics… actually the band's name probably is helping either! Nevertheless this is CD is outrageous fun. So play it to your friends but just don't stand too close otherwise you'll end up with bruised toes as their jaws hit the ground. Available from CD Baby.


Review by: Bluesbunny

Before I Sputter Out

So much to be done. After a day or two of feeling a bit less than thrilled about all things, I've regained my thrills. I am back deeply on top of them. If you are sitting there in ponderance of why, then I'll tell you that time heals all wounds. If that doesn't satisfy you then I will tell you things are looking up. Then I'll change the subject.

I had a great idea last night. SG has a song that was floundering in a limbodic state, not certain of it's fate and our new album. My brand spanking idea though shot it in the arm with adrenaline. We have been waiting to collaborate with an old friend, a certain bisexual electro punk rapper, who won't be named until he consents to the collaboration. I'm really excited about the prospect, I am shocked I didn't think of him for this song earlier.

The song is called Milk Money. It's a school yard bully scenario. It will feature rad trade off lyrics and a super hot beat. I'm in it to win it.

This whole business of attempting to entertain people is the oddest. What an ego trip we are all on. Why bother?! There just happens to be something in certain people that needs to do this. We are all crazy for it.

*****

I like to make those five stars when I've essentially finished the blog but for what ever reason I don't want to stop typing. Now you are in on an obvious secret of my blog.

Lots of shows are coming up. This tomorrow is a fun one at the Anarchy Library. I enjoy playing in that place, always. It really suits me.

Art on the Outside/Art on the Inside

Last night Amy and I went to see this thing. It's part of West Hollywood's Art on the outside program. It's neat. It's kind of big. It's Dan Corson's "Empyrean Passage". It would be fun to exprience in an altered state.

here is more info

This week SG recieved bad news on 2 shows we had been hoping to play. Thick skin is such a requirment in this venture, but more important than that is what is inside, becasue the skin will never be thick enough to keep all this out. At some point of constantly struggling for art and life and love the blackness will get it, not even armor could hold up. The insides need to be able to keep light when the dark does get in.

the rainy shades

Things plod along. Some disappointing news over the weekend. We won't be playing Athens Pride in Greece as I had been Hoping. So now already it would appear that one item on my list will not come to pass. This is not exactly heart breaking, it's just unfortunate. I have always wanted to go to Greece.

SG is currently going full force after a brief side tracking. Recording on Album number 3 is hitting a higher gear than it's been at for some time. Last week I spent both Tuesday and Thursday night working with Hoagie at Seamonster Sounds. Wednesday night I spent practicing at home. It can get difficult to work an 8 hour day, drive for close to an hour then play guitar for 4 or 5 hours, only to turn around drive a half hour home walk in the door, plop down and have a drink, retire to the bedroom to sleep less 6 or 7 hours and wake up for work again. My god, that sounds like complaining. I actually put it out there just as a way of recognizing how much I love doing what I'm doing.

I don't pursue my musical obsession because I am chasing a carrot stick of fame and fortune, I do it because I love it. In our pop culture obsessed country, particularly my pop culture obsessed corner of it; is easy to become confused about ones own motivations. Cashing in as it were. Sure it would be nice to not have to suffer through the early mornings of work after the late nights of my life. On those mornings I just lean in close to my desk, pull my hat down to the top of my eyebrows and close my eyes. As I drift a bit in the ether I think about the music I have still to make, and how important it is to me to make it. Then I don't feel more tired then alive.

*****

Yesterday was a good day. Woke up late and watched 2 episodes of the show "The Riches". Then picked up Devin and went to rehearsal at Satellite Studios in Atwater Village. We got to play with our drummer Alexa for the first time in almost 2 months. Rehearsal went great and we started hatching many plans. Afterwards I got to go eat Baja Fresh w/ Devin and then the two of us went to see "There Will be Blood" at the arclight Theater. It was nice to just be out doing something alone with my brother. I loved the movie. It was all the sweeping scenery that a person needs sometimes. It was beautiful and could probably have gone on for another 2 hours.

*****

Today I am again a bit beat. I've already pulled my self through the time of the ether and I'm now using this blog to awaken my fingers. Sipping wonderful coffee.

I'd die for my life but I wouldn't kill for it.

patter

Yes, the rain continues. You know that phraase about pouring? Let's make an effort to apply it to the positive things one can engage in. Let us try to be better friends. More empathetic people.
But let us stick to our guns to. Lets us fire from the hip. Let us have the good instinct to not regret those shots. Let us.

I'm going to have a great day today. I'm smitten with the grey. I've been more productive in it's presence. Maybe I need to move to Portland.

All the possibilities.

I'm going to sit calmly back, and make a list of things that I'd like to see transpire in the new year.

1. Elect a new president.
2. Learn more Mandolin Chords.
3. Finish the the third Shitting Glitter Album.
4. Finish the Fourth Shitting Glitter Album.
5. Run More than last year.
6. Read Ulysses - Then make Jason explain it.
7. Spend more time with Jason. Somehow, Some way.
8. Start blogging short pieces of fiction.
9. Play in Greece.
10. Be a good person.

pitter

I blog in the rain. I think it's very nearly a fact. Go through my blogs, and check the farmers almanac. I think it might be a Hunter S. Thompson thing. I was reading a piece written by a long term editor of his and the editor spoke about how Hunter had to set the scene to begin a piece, had to describe the weather, and therefore had to have something to describe. Maybe I am caught up in that mess from to much reading of his work. Could be. Bloody hell.
I just read a book about Hunter, an oral history of those that knew him and worked with him, suffered through him if you will. It was called Gonzo and I enjoyed it greatly. I read it through one pink eye.
Also in my one pink eye reading was a book called "Survivor" by Chuck Palahniuk. I really enjoyed reading this one. Read the first half really late at night and finished the second half the next day. Much enjoyed. I should have read it all the first night though because It seemed to fall off a bit in the second half, and that might have just been me.
I'm listening right now to the Frames. Fits the rain quite well. I'm drinking tea. I have a knit cap on. The dog buddy is under my desk, just left of my feet. These are the factors. They've all happened recently on other occasions, yet I have not blogged.

Last January I made a small list of things I hoped to accomplish last year, lets see how I did shall we.

Brandon's 2007 half ass goal list:

1. Rename the blog
2. Finish blog entry started 2 years ago, a detailed description of the landscape of my boyhood farm.
3. Somehow obtain a new "number 1" guitar.
4. Return to Iceland
5. Play in the UK
6. Eat Healthy
7. Exercise
8. Read
9. Go back to Kansas
10. Skip 10 year High School Reunion

Brandon's 2008 check in what was actually half assed accomplished in 2007:

1. Check! I did this one. I kicked this ones ass. Probably the day after I said it. The blog used to be Believable needs, now it's External Mind Drive. YAY!

2. Number 2 is still in the works and I feel horrid about it. I should finish it soon before my capacity to do it as it's been started vanishes.

3. Somehow obtain a new "Number 1" guitar. This is tricky, but in late December I think I did just that. It's hard to tell though, because it's a way different beast than the first number 1. you probably saw the picture of it last month. It's a beautiful semi-hollow body electric. It plays very nice. Thus far I've only had one occasion to use it live, and It performed wonderfully. Yet it's HUGE! So my dancing suffers a bit, that and I feel pretty precious about it so I get concerned about dingy it around. That's a Problem I've never had with the telecaster since it's basically a plank with strings and pickups. Anyway, Angie Diamond deserves huge thanks for giving me a guitar. That is a great thing to do for me, and it makes me feel special. I actually just two nights ago got to hear the recorded result of the guitar and they were amazing. WOW.

4. Return to Iceland. No! Fuck. maybe this year.

5. Play in the UK. nope. This is actually already in the works for this year though, so we will see.

6. I did eat healthy, just not the entire year.

7. I did exercise more in 2007 than I did in 2006. This will be on the 2008 list as well, hopefully I can do a little better every year.

8. I did read, a lot. Happy about that.

9. I went back to Kansas to see my wonderful sister graduate from law school. I was very happy about this.

10. I didn't even consider going to my 10 year reunion.

I'm going to score this a 7 out of 10. Stay tuned for my 2008 list.

Eye yi Eye

I'm tired of having conjunctivitis. It's a shitty way to start a new year. It makes all my usual beginning of anything new feeling feel not there. Amy suffered through this horrid affliction for a bit over two weeks. Today I am at 8 days and so not happy about it. Oh well, it will pass.

I have other stuff I want to type about but I'm thinking I'll wait.

Welcome to 2008, year of the EYE.

Laura Irene Tregellas

My Grandmother on my Mother's side passed away this morning. She went peacefully in the world and peacefully in the thoughts of those who love her.
As a young child I knew of grandma Irene peripherally. She lived in Pratt, Kansas, which seemed thousands of miles away from the farm where I grew up. My earliest recollection of Grandma is a car pulling into the shady spot beneath a large tree that bordered the yard of our farm house and coming to a stop. I knew that my Grandma was in that car. I know that I had previously been in the presence of this woman, but later in life memory is what counts. I didn't until this point really remember her.
Grandma Irene remained to me somewhat of a mystery her entire life. Much like I'm sure all grandparents do. It's very difficult to try and understand the daily reality of generations far removed. When I was Ten years old Grandma had moved to Hays, KS, just 40 miles away. Around this time my mother started to attend weekly meetings on Wednesday nights in Hays as well (as a family aside, isn't it odd that Devin and I would end up living in a house within 50 ft of where Mom used to go for those meetings?). The logistics of farming, working and advanced education my siblings and I were unable to stay home with our busy father on those Wednesday nights. We would spend those evenings with Grandma Irene in Centennial Towers. Mother would drop us off with money to order Domino's Pizza. It was on those nights that I first began to know Irene as a person instead of a Pro-noun. We would eat our pizza and whatever cookies grandma managed to pull out of the odd places she seemed to stash her food (was a that a throw back to poverty?). We would then go for a walk around the grounds. Once I think I even tried to skateboard there, oh how that must have frightened her.
Sitting here today in north Hollywood in a rainy office I'm feeling grateful to have spent those nights with Grandma. She was very patient and gentle. The world she lived in was so simple, she seemed to appreciate everything. I know that life wasn't really like that for her always, but she didn't show it to us at all as far as I can recall. I just remember how she could see beauty in an ugly doll, and marvel at the worst channels on television. Watching us kids on those nights were a blessing, and in some ways penance, maybe she understood why my mother needed to go to those meetings, and what her role in that had been. Maybe she didn't know, I don't really care I guess. I'm just glad it worked out the way it did.

I learned the news of her passing this morning from my uncle Ronnie, in gmail chat. That may seem crass but it wasn't. I passed the news on to my sister Adrienne in the same way. Adrienne located mother, talked to her and then passed on the telephone number to me where she could be reached at her Sister's house. I called and spoke briefly with my Aunt Sharon, and then with my mother. All three of her children were serene. I found out from Mom that Devin didn't yet know, so I called him and called him till I reached him. I was worried that it might upset Devin more than anyone else, as he seems to have a deeper connection, but he is heartier than I sometimes give him credit for. As I think about Grandma this morning I think about my family, and how fortunate we all our to be in contact with one another, no matter what the context.
We all come from her, and we will all one day go to her.

Until I Find You

I was in Nashville, Tennesee last year. After the show I went to a Waffle House. I'm not proud of it, I was hungry. And I'm alone, I'm eating and I'm reading a book, right? Waitress walks over to me: " Hey, whatchoo readin' for?"

Isn't that the weirdest fucking question you've ever heard? Not what am I readING, but what am I reading *for*? Well, godammit, ya stumped me! Why do I read? Well... hmmm... I dunno... I guess I read for a lot of reasons, and the main one is so I don't end up being a fucking waffle waitress.

A bit of humor there, from Bill Hicks. I wasa thinking about books and what not, and I spent way to much time looking around for that little piece so I could qoute it here. So now my flow is slow and I gotta get it back while I remember what it was I wanted to type about.

There are a great many books in the world, far too many for anyone person to even make a decent dent in the stack. There are entire stores of books, and huge online warehouses and central shipping hubs, all stacked high with them. There are personal libraries and books on line and books on tape. There are book clubs and electronic books.

You can't listen to the radio or watch the TV without hearing about books. You can't sit darkly in a corner at a party without somone sauntering over and telling you about the book they are reading. People will travel around the whole country placing a bad book in hotel room night stands. Books Books Books.

Some weeks ago I was asked by a person how I pick what books I read. I admit that this question can strike a bit of terror in me, depending on who's asking it, because it can often be followed shortly there after by a gift, or god forbid an unsolicited loan of a sucker book. I'm going to call them that, because they come into your life and they suck from you your will to read. Ouch. Keep your sucker books to yourself folks.

What are sucker books? How can you define them?

You can't, that is why they are so hated and tricky. There is no formula or reason to it. You can't spot it. At one time in your life a book my be sent from heaven as God's direct dialogue to your brain, and that very same book at a different time is gods cement shoes sent to drown you in the ocean of Oprah's book club. Sometimes they are so sneaky you get half way through the thing before the true soul sucking I haven't picked up anything thicker than a periodical in a 3 weeks nature of the evil tomb presents itself to you.

So in this world of reading, a person must watch out for these things. A reader must be steadfast and vigilint in dealing with what they read. My first peice of reading advice is do not hesitate to just stop reading one book. Be a fickle lover of books. Make a date to the book prom and then take another book if you don't like the first one's jacket when you go to pick it up. It's not worth forcing. It's not worth finding yourself reaching for the stupid travel magazine that AAA auto club sends out just because your current book is being a boring prick fish. Put it out of your head and take something at random from your roommate.

I was thinking of this, because of that question; "how do you decide what books to read?"

My answer, in so many words. They just come to me. I rarely now by books, yet I have more of them laying around waiting to be read. They seem to multiply. People hand them to me, people leave them in things they lend you. People force them on me. My mother sends me them (to be fair I ask). Or I just find them.

Saturday night I was walking down the street and what should I see on the ground, top book on a stack of discarded books. a Pristine, un-spine cracked copy of John Irving's "Until I Find You". A book I have been wanting to read since it was out in hard back. A book I would have bought. But nope. There it was, just fricking laying there, hoping I'd notice. So now as I'm reading that, did I actually even decide to read that book, or did the book decide I'd read it?

Maybe the answer to the question "How do you decide what books to read?" is that I don't. The books make the decisions.

At any rate I'm glad they do. I love books. Books make me a better person.

wish you were here

Yet Another

The Faroes

Location and size
Situated in the heart of the Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic at 62°00’N, the Faroe Islands lie northwest of Scotland and halfway between Iceland and Norway. The archipelago is composed of 18 islands covering 1399 km2 (545.3 sq.miles) and is 113 km (70 miles) long and 75 km (47 miles) wide, roughly in the shape of an arrowhead. There are 1100 km (687 miles) of coastline and at no time is one more than 5 km (3 miles) away from the ocean. The highest mountain is 882 m (2883 ft) above sea level and the average height above sea level for the country is 300 m (982 ft).

Climate
The weather is maritime and quite changeable, from moments of brilliant sunshine to misty hill fog, to showers. The Gulf Stream encircling the islands tempers the climate. The harbours never freeze and the temperature in winter time is very moderate considering the high latitude. Snowfall occurs, but is shortlived. The average temperature ranges from 3°C in winter to 11°C in the summer. In sheltered areas, the temperature can be much higher, but the air is always fresh and clean no matter what the season.

Population
The population is 48,359 (1st January 2007). About 19,400 people live in the metropolitan area which comprises Tórshavn, Kirkjubøur, Velbastaður, Nólsoy, Hestur, Koltur, Hoyvík, Argir, Kaldbak, Kaldbaksbotnur, Kollafjørður, Signabøur and Oyrareingir, while about 4,700 people live in Klaksvík, the second largest town in the Faroe Islands

Sickipedia

Last night there was illness in the house where I reside. Amy was afflicted to an extreme degree with what we gather was some food borne illness. It was quite a rough night. I was convinced early this morning, sometime around 6 or 7, after a night of little to no sleep that I would be making a trip to the hospital. Things did finally let up, allowing her to keep down liquid. I called into work late then slept until 11. I am tired as I type.
Feeling none to with it, I have spent the day investigating remote places of the world on wikipedia. These are places I would love to one day visit. And a person of interest thrown in for good measure.

Tristan da Cunha

St. Helena
- A Doctor's story of living on St. Helena

Ascension Island
-Details of a family's visit to Ascension Island

Leendert Hasenbosch, (c.1695–probably end of 1725) was a Dutchman, an employee of the VOC (Dutch East India Company) who was set ashore as a castaway on uninhabited Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean, as a punishment for sodomy. He wrote a diary until his death.

Falkland Islands

Punta Arenas

Keeping Up and On

Last month was a fine a month. Like all months it had it's moments where it wasn't fine. In fact it had some down-home-right-on awful moments. Moments that make you want to puke blood, then drown yourself in the puddle. The funny thing is I can't even tell you what moments those were, i'm just sure that they were there and lived through and then all but vaguely forgotten, leaving me with the audacity to say that last month was a fine month. There was much done. Early in the month we played a show at Cinespace which was filmed for the logo network. We played a very fine show and I hope against hope that it makes it onto the network. We could use the national exposure.
The month was also a delight in that I had our fine trip to Flagstaff and Albuquerque to look forward to, and then experience. That trip just made me feel good. I love taht part of the country. This is why I took so many pictures of nothing and sent them to my blog while driving. Makes me feel fine you know.
Staying with Amy's family was nice. They prepared delicious food and met us at the door with a beer. It feels good to be around a family sometimes. Certainly it feels good to be inside a house with good food while it's snowing outside.
Being in Flagstaff was certainly nice. I swear I could live in that town with a minimal amount of complaint. There is a nice feeling about being there. The show was a fun show to play. I felt appreciated on several occasions through the night. Probably none more than my head hitting the pillow in our wonderful room. A room where Humphrey Bogart once let his head hit the pillow. I really like Bogie, I enjoy watching his movies, they as well make me feel something that I could call fine.
From all of this happening there seems to be a re-newed push of work happeneing on our new album. This momentum is nice. It's difficult to stay focused in the world in which we currently reside. Let all months be fine ones.

Why I don't paint

Surfing the net a while back I came across an old website for my first solo project. I was surprised to find it still up and running. Being the type of person that I am, I decided to snag the artwork and background paintings. I will now upload them here, without comment, to preserve them for a bit longer, and to remind myself why I don't paint. However I will say that these paintings were more for art therapy purposes. It wasn't about the finished piece, it was about the doing. In all honesty I enjoyed doing them. I also really enjoyed that back then I had the time to take up an artistic endeavor of which I had no knowledge at all. Everyone should have that kind of time now and then. Maybe this post should have been titled, "Why I Should Paint".

Shows over. nothing to see here.

This picture is snapped through the window of the humphrey Bogart suite at the monte vista hotel where we played last night. The hotel is wonderful and the people are all great. we had a fun show. i played my new gift guitar last night For the entire first set. it sounds amazing. buck is thrilled.

we made it!

We are in Humphrey bogarts room!