Yesterday we did drums for three songs. We've devised a technique to allow overdubs, while keeping a "live" feel (especially for the drums sake). I have no doubt that we could each chug through to a click track solo. It's a lot better to record drums, one guitar, bass and vocals in one pass. It seemed to work out for "Stevie Johnston", so we've kept it up. The next couple of weeks means overdubs of violin, vocals, bass, cymbals and several guitars. I really enjoy working with everyone in the studio because it's all about teamwork and everyone does their part for the art. After we finish up, it actually feels good; like we've accomplished something.
My orange one's new pickups seem to sound pretty nice. The Fralins are definitely more aggressive than stock. I actually used the Sansamp (check out the new and improved model) as intended instead of using a Radial DI. Greg commented that it's nice because it compresses quite a bit, so I don't have to be so careful. I still think that the damn thing sounds too bright, but it actually sits in the mix (very rough at this point) pretty well. It's not as crunchy as my amps, but it'll work for the overdub sessions for everyone. Apparently, that bass has a lot more sustain than I thought it did. It was out-ringing cymbals and Josh's Reverend. We're all standing around looking at each other at the end of each song, waiting for the bass to stop. It was a lot like this:
Today I got asked if I'd like to play organ on a friend's upcoming record. Apparently, the word is out, and Jeremy Paul Jones rides again. I replied that I'd like to, but I can only give an Oklahoma guarantee as far as the quality of my performance goes.
Seriously. Channel 31 is more concerned that it's fucking snowing.
I can completely understand how someone can feel such a way. I've made it known that the Colorado Department of Revenue and Qwest aren't two of my favorite things. The IRS only sort of gets me down. My biggest gripes are with the inherent inefficiency in bureaucracy. I got in a (verbal) fight with a sociology professor about that once. Fucker.
There's some creepy (to me) details in CNN's Story:
It's crappy to crash a plane into an occupied building, for sure. My band mates also mostly avoid political and religious talk, because it could potentially tear the band apart. We're there to make beautiful music together, not bitch about the man. If something's really bothering any of us, though, it's not unusual to vent a little to each other. Both of my bands are quite therapeutic that way. They're awesome for me.
When I read about this today, I totally went to pieces. I think that I was happy, which I am--that was my favorite show from last year (I had a huge stupid grin on my face for the entire set). I hope that the record doesn't turn disappointing on me.
As for the tickle me emo stuff, I'm counting on practice Friday (COJ) and recording on Sunday (BLC) to help pull me out of this very terrible funk that I've been experiencing for the last few weeks. I just about cut a finger off again today, so this is all going to be interesting.
Even if I can't get over selling people mp3s, the internets are pretty cool for discovering music. On one of my frequented fora, someone posted about the bass sound on this:
It's totally got that earthquake kick drum, too. I do dig the blended/biamped glitchy fuzz tone bass. I wish that I could pull off sounding like that, but usually my fuzz sound sounds nothing but cheesy. I need to work on it, I think. I'm getting closer, though. I remember hearing playback on one particular recording, and being amazed at exactly how overdriven my sound is at times. Greg and I have sculpted some very nice bass sounds for the eminent BLC record. The funny thing is, it's mostly just a good passive DI, with the electric grandmother mic'ed about ten feet out. He used the 1176 to even out some of my excitement, much like McDonald did. (BTW--I've heard some of that guy's new stuff, and it's going to slay listeners when they hear it)
The moral of this long-winded post is that I'm checking out more of Oxbow's catalog.
This one reminds me of the notorious "Tough Talk" that the RC did back in the day. BLC is not sporty spice, but it's okay. We'll probably get used for some sad shit. Check out the trailer:
When we agreed to do "Tough Talk", I thought that it was a documentary about the Bluebird Theater. It's actually pretty damn funny and low budget:
It's not as interesting as the live score that we did for Bruce Bickford, but until Jan Švankmajer gives us a call (I'd shit, seriously), I'm happy with more movie usage.
That's what I get to listen to all day. My new mechanic, Vic, had to be broken of his "World Class Rock" habit. A couple of weeks ago I stumbled onto KYEN out of Severance, Colorado. They seem to play lots and lots of "deep cuts", including stuff that I've never even heard before. A couple of days ago, they played "Venus in Furs" which is one of my favorite tunes by the VU.
I love the noisy racket (and out of tune viola) on this YouTube find:
My favorite song has to be "Pale Blue Eyes", mostly because that's the song that blew me away when I heard the nascent Red Cloud duo do it at the hipster youth halfway house. It worked out with a sparse arrangement. I wish that someone had recorded that show.
Apparently, there's a record coming out with previously-unreleased Hendrix tracks. Billy Cox seems to be handling bass duties on what I've heard so far (awesome). Sometimes, listening to the classic rock radio station does have a payoff. Check this out.
I'd rather see the Lips do it than "Pink Floyd". Everything that the Floyd did after Meddle has been pretty underwhelming. That video sounds like someone's out of tune to me. I dig all of those exotic speaker cabinets. This reminds me that I still need to get my hands on four boomboxes to listen to Zaireeka properly.
Speaking of festivals: Road trip, anybody? Who's up for making the trek out to Bonnaroo this summer? We've always wanted to go but the date always conflicted with the Westword Music Showcase and even if it didn't, there just didn't seem to be a compelling enough reason to jump in the hoopty and head towards the land of Elvis.
We have one now, by god. Just read that the Flaming Lips will be playing Dark Side of the Moon in its entirety as it did this past New Year's Eve. We can hardly think of a better place to experience such an event than the woods of Tennesee. What do you say? You in?
I got turned on to this by the morning show on KHOW. They're doing some goofy conspiracy stuff with it. I generally cringe at the mention of God, but a short list of singers can pull it off without turning me off, and Johnny Cash is one of 'em.
I always thought that he wore black because it doesn't show dirt, so it means less dry cleaning. I really dig the Jew's harp. A pretty damn good music video, too:
The BLC somehow managed to get airplay on Route 78 West this last Sunday. Uncle Jeff's show usually makes my morning mood instead of going to church, and is probably my favorite radio show. Check out the play list and podcast here.
This isn't really news, but it's cool that someone else likes to crank up the doom metal besides me and Dr. E-Dogg (we went through an "Omphase" a few years back; Al Cisneros' tone just slays me still). I still fantasize about getting one of those Bag End cabinets with the ELF processor for more rumble (although the addition of the 18" to my practice rig does help with that). Until then, I'll just have to enjoy the doom metal loudly in the car.
If you’re one of the many admirers who discovered Sunn O))) through last year’s galaxy-shaking Monoliths and Dimensions, then you understand the soothing effects of doom metal. As the band’s guitarist Greg Anderson told author and enthusiast John Wray in a 2006 New York Times Magazine profile, “I think low-frequency sound, when played above a certain volume, is very conducive to a meditative state or a trance.” This isn’t metal for headbanging; it’s metal to meditate to.
Although Anderson and his partner Stephen O’Malley have honed their brand of focused distortion to a therapeutic science, they’re far from the only metalheads employing extreme low-end rumblings for our metaphysical benefit. To aid you on your spiritual journey, we present this collection of notable releases from metal groups working to bring us closer to enlightenment through the heaviest of sounds. Namaste!
When Justin K. Broadrick disbanded Godflesh, one of the earliest industrial-metal bands, no one expected the former guitar prodigy to turn around and invent another metal subgenre. But that’s just what he did with Jesu, the one-man recording project he started in 2003 and named after Godflesh’s last recorded track.
Jesu have since grown to become a full, prolific band, releasing a bundle of EPs, splits, and albums each year. But their self-titled debut is still the best example of their transcendent blend of shoegazey melody and brutally heavy doom. Best moment: opener “Your Path to Divinity” features one of the greatest two-note riffs ever to sustain a nine-minute song.
The first thing that occurred to us upon hearing this two piece’s 2009 debut was: rock needs more Tuvan-style throat singing. But that’s ignoring the album’s other strengths. The tempos lurch along as if caught in a primordial ooze, and the register stays low thanks to singer/guitarist Gentry Densley’s gruff baritone. But the songs twist and turn through passages of free-form improv, pounding riffs, and pitch-black psychedelia, each less predictable than the last. It’s no wonder that during their 2009 gig opening for dream lineup Pelican, Earth, and Sunn O))), Eagle Twin more than held their own, almost blowing their stagemates out of the water.
Canadian guitarist and effects wizard Aidan Baker has already made a name for himself with his shimmery, fuzz-laden releases under the moniker Nadja, but in Whisper Room, a new instrumental trio with bassist Neil Wiernik and drummer Jakob Thiesen, he seems even more at home. Freed by the live-band setting, his otherworldly guitar effects probe corners unexplored by Nadja’s deliberately monotonous drones. Hushed and ambiguous, Birch White is the music you might hear in the back of your head upon reaching another plane of existence.
Portland-based collective Grails have always resisted the tropes of their underground metal scene, forsaking the power chord, the blues-based riff, and vocals of any kind in favor of Middle Eastern scales, Asian instruments, and the atmosphere of a smoke-filled, subterranean chamber. On 2008’s Doomsdayer’s Holiday, they let comparatively loose. Special honors go to “Reincarnation Blues” for the use of what sounds like a classical Chinese erhu in the name of rocking the hell out. Who says musical meditation can’t be this invigorating?
Boris are now well-known to American metal fans, thanks to their anthemic stoner-metal albums Akuma No Utaand Pink. But they’ve been plying their amp-worshiping trade since 1996 in their native Japan, where some of their most interesting records remain untouched by Western labels. 2000’s Flood is one of Boris’ most patient albums, building over many long minutes from a lonely, delay-drenched guitar lick to the crushing depth of oceans.
Boris have always been sort of a schizophrenic act, part drone, part pyrotechnic stoner rock, part doom metal riff-masters. All of their multiple identities are worth paying attention to.
Om are what metalheads dance to. Possessed with uncanny powers of rhythm, this guitarless two piece builds spiritually charged monuments to the almighty groove, shepherding eager followers along half-hour, three-note marathons. Om’s music may be minimalist, but simple it ain’t. This is rock pared of all its fat, without losing any of the power.
One of the best existing videos of Om’s live prowess takes place in a city that matches their music’s spiritual themes:
What do you get when you take drone metal and strip away all the distortion? Earth, reborn. One of the original drone-metal groups, they’ve gone so far as to re-release some earlier work in their newly clean style. The result resembles the soundtrack to a lost Sergio Leone film, if Ennio Morricone had contracted a four-piece rock band. The Bees Made Honey in the Lion’s Skull is proof that heaviness can be achieved through methods other than high volume.
Fans of these revered experimentalists hailed their last album, 2007’s Given to the Rising, as a return to form. That’s selling its predecessor short. Though substantially more melodic than Neurosis’ most popular albums — some of the heaviest music that exists — 2004’s The Eye of Every Storm strikes a near-perfect balance between loud and soft, menacing and melancholy. Neurosis are one of those rare bands that showcases metal at both its darkest and its most beautiful.
So tell us what you think. Did we miss anything? Which albums, metal or otherwise, bring you to that higher state?
Reading this was almost like a birthday present. I might have to take a road trip for this. A few months ago, I read that this was happening on some forum, and I didn't believe it.
I didn't know that this was being announced already. I'm stoked to do it again. It looks like we're going to have to eat candy canes and kick ass.
Red Cloud plans to put the old gang back together for a show later this summer By Dave Herrera in Hearsay Wed., Jan. 6 2010 @ 10:32AM
Just received word that Red Cloud (aka Red Cloud West), which has been on hiatus for quite some time now as its members devoted time to their other creative endeavors (Git Some, Bad Luck City, the Fire Drills, Ross Etherton & the Chariots of Judah), has plans to reconvene at some point this summer for a one-off show.
The revered live act, which features our own Jason Heller, will reportedly be playing its self-titled debut in its entirety with original bassist, Jeremy Ziehe (who now holds down the low end for Bad Luck City) in tow. If a single show doesn't sound all that noteworthy, you clearly haven't seen Red Cloud live -- or it's been so long you've forgotten just how epic the band can be. A date hasn't been set yet, but we hear that 3 Kings Tavern will most likely be the venue. We'll keep you posted.
The difference is that it won't be nearly as drunk. Sadly, I don't remember most of those shows. Those early shows were a hell of a good time, even if they were drunk and hairy and sweaty:
I finally figured out DVD ripping, but I'm not getting the fiddle-dee that I'd like. Maybe there's a trick to YouTube that I don't know. If I figure this out, I'll "fix" it.
Julian Koster was a really nice guy when I emailed him. He also happens to rule at saw-playing. I should've picked up his Christmas album, but I was broke at the moment.
Great news really caps off a great weekend for me. I learned of this a few weeks ago, and I was stoked, but didn't want to announce it. Now that it's official, I can comment. It's about fuckin' time for this. I was pretty bummed out to hear about the break up. The SOBs are some of my favorite guys to hang out with. Here's the note from the band:
Hey ya'll,
Well, it's official.
On March 5th, come join us at Dante's for our first time on stage together in over three years. We're going to be playing a long set to fit in all of our favorite songs. It's going to be a night that you won't want to miss!
We'll have T-shirts available. If things go as planned, we will also have a new CD available containing songs that we had recorded, but not yet released. We're all excited that you'll finally get to hear them.
We haven't hammered out all of the details for the night yet, so check in with us before the show.
Come check us out on Facebook and leave a comment with the top three SOB songs you want to hear at the show, and a favorite SOB moment if you have one!
Lost And Found Three (this post actually took some effort)
I recently got into my head that I ought to do something about all of my digital music that doesn't have an artist tag. Over the years, I've had several knackered hard drives, so it's pretty amazing that anything is intact. I'm convinced that the ipod did some interesting stuff to some of the files. I found Smog's Forgotten Foundation among the mystery files. I also found some Big Black bootlegs, which are pretty great. The "auto-tag" function in Winamp is pretty good, but it doesn't help for King Crimson bootlegs, or some other unidentifiable cool stuff.
It did help out with a lot of strange stuff that I don't remember stealing/downloading--most of it seems to be relatively far-out stuff. I didn't bother to double-check to make sure that the software was right, though. Check it out (and let me know if I've got something wrong):
Cassandra Wilson - Easy Rider (7:03) -- I dig the glissando bass. One of these songs doesn't belong (this one). It's nice to have some bluesy chill-out music in the middle of the set, right?
The Zombies - You Make Me Feel Good (Live) (2:23) -- I think that one of my cousins married a zombie, but it might have been an animal. I can't remember. Something is wrong with the file, too, so it cuts off the ending of the song, apparently.
One of the best things about 1190's specialty shows on the weekend is that the DJs play some new stuff that I'd have to put forth effort to hear. Uncle Jeff played the album version of this one a couple of weeks ago, and it blew my mind. This live version doesn't have the ethereal pedal steel part, but it's cool anyway. I've always wanted to do a Willie Nelson tribute record, but it looks like Phosphorescent beat me to it.
We made our offering to the music and radio gods this morning. Technical issues aside, I think that we pulled it off. Magical Trevor was hung-over, and Ross hasn't had enough sleep recently, so we were a really rough bunch. It was fun, though.
Once the podcast is up, I'll link through to it here (the audio link is up at the top of the page). Photos were taken, so those will probably wind up somewhere, too. Hopefully, Ross' impromptu noise session will make it out for public consumption, even if it didn't go over the air. I did get a BLC mention on the air.
The Route 78 West crew are really a fun group. Music has been bumming me out lately. Talking to and seeing people really excited about music (all different kinds) really was helpful for curing my bad attitude. I wish that I had been feeling a little better (I feel like I'm coming down with some crud), and could have gone for the "traditional" post-show margaritas (maybe next time). Jeff said that he has a bunch of bootlegged early RC shows that I'm interested in getting my hands on.
I feel like I've got a hangover, but that's impossible. I've certainly got a case of the dehydration. I require fluids and vitamins.
I probably shouldn't even care, right? Is it really a moron-o-rama over there? I seem to remember playing in that band for a couple of years (maybe a year and a half, I don't know...it meant a lot of hours, for sure). From here:
Low End Theory: Received word over the weekend of a couple of notable lineup changes for two very admirable Denver bands, and both involves the lower frequencies. The first shift concerns A Shoreline Dream, one of the first bands confirmed to perform at next year's South By Southwest Festival. Longtime bassist Enoc Torraca has left the band for personal reasons and has been replaced by Adam Edwards, a formerly of Flyaway Minion and Mouth of the Architect. Likewise, Overcasters have parted ways with their original four-stringer Ed Marshall, who also left the band for personal reasons. His spot is being filled by bassist Matt Regan, who most recently played with Joy Subtraction and previously played upright bass as a member of Matson Jones.
This morning, I realized that while listening to some Boston. Maybe it's time for a fast, as far as music goes (easier said than done when I'm doing two busy bands). Maybe I should, just quit listening to so much of that damn jazz. I've been watching that Ken Burns documentary (I'm like 12 hours into it), and listening to a lot of KUVO (again) and I think it has gotten under my skin.
This one came on right after Boston, and really made me feel a little better, even if it's as contrived as the Boston song. The bass tone is great, and classic, and the second half has some cool layers:
Seriously, though, sometimes it feels like I'm learning someone else's stuff. That was one hell of a band, back in the day, even if it feels like I'm talkin' bout someone else, now.
I don't know if I like it quite as much as them playing our equipment; drunk as hell at Monkey Mania for one of those after-hours deals. That was a fun show/party.
I really don't dig the horns on this recording. I generally like horns, but it feels like it loses something, like some of those super-produced Who records. NMH did horns right.
I actually stuck it out and stayed for the whole show last night. I missed much of the first dude's set. I think that we did alright. BWC did a sloppy set, but they were still great (Joe apologized later for "being four hacks"). Nathan and Stephen did their thing, and got the crowd really wound up. I hope that those guys continue to make music around town.
I finally met Lance from The Flat Response. I've been checking out his nicely-done recordings from local shows for some time, and wondered to myself "what's this guys deal?" and "how come I never see a tape rig at shows?". As it turns out, he decided to record these shows because everyone tapes jam bands, and there's very little documentation for a lot of these small local shows. He seems like a pretty cool dude to me, and his rig is totally unobtrusive. I hope that he posts our set, because I really have little idea of how we sound live (the Red Rocks "tapes" are completely awash with reverberation).
I'm totally workin' for the weekend this week, just like Loverboy says:
Next weekend exemplifies why I require at least two music projects (Kelly and Andrew both make me horribly jealous because their other projects actually play out often--I do like that mine is Nice 'N Easy, though):
Friday night is a rehearsal cum laude with the Chariots.
Saturday night is with Bad Luck City, opening for Slim Cessna's Auto Club--this should be completely off the hook--costumes are ready; the music is ready.
Sunday night, Ross Etherton and The Chariots of Judah are live on the radio. Ross and I did our last (or only) live radio gig November 21, 2003 (listen over here)...this is going to be super-fun.
Ross finally put up one of the demos on the space. The track in question is 'Any Port in a Storm.'
"Magical" Trevor really did a nice job for a "let it bleed-style" recording in one room, really. All the years of recording econo have paid off. The solo guitars are overdubs, but that's it. The solo feels really like some slow version of low-fee NMH chaos, but that's completely understandable, because they rocked:
I still want to know how we got the "round sound" going on. The bass was so quiet during the tracking that the tubes couldn't really do their thing--I need to get myself a low-wattage rig for such nonsense.
That's not news, right? He's pretty bold, though. When I heard the news last week that he was working up a sequel to "Phantom of the Opera," at first, I thought that it was a joke. Apparently, it's set at Coney Island, and is titled "Love Never Dies". Dig it:
Twenty-one years ago, "The Phantom of the Opera" opened on Broadway to mixed reviews, but still went on to win seven Tony Awards, including best musical. And in the ultimate slap in the face to critics, the tuner became the longest-running show in the history of the rialto in January 2006 and is still packing them in. The show it edged out for this honor? "Cats," which was also penned by composer Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The titled tunesmith is finally ready to premiere the long-promised sequel to the world's most lucrative musical. Entitled "Love Never Dies," the new show tells the tale of the Phantom a decade on, with the action shifted from glamorous Paris to garish Coney Island. The book and lyrics are by Glenn Slaterwho worked on new material for the stage version of "The Little Mermaid."
"Love Never Dies" was to have premiered simultaneously on Broadway and in the West End sometime this year. Instead, the London production will open next March while the New York run begins next November. Iranian-born Ramin Karimloo -- who is currently playing the title role in the original West End show -- will star as the Phantom while American Sierra Boggess -- who debuted as Christine in the Las Vegas version of "Phantom" in 2006 -- returns to that role for the London run.
As the New York cast has not been announced, it is possible that both of these performers could originate their roles on both sides of the Atlantic. Michael Crawford, the original Phantom, won the Olivier in 1986 and then the Tony in 1988 as best actor in a musical. However, the original Christine -- Sarah Brightman who was then Mrs. Lloyd Webber -- was snubbed by both theater kudos.
Photo credit: Really Useful Group
It's too bad that "Love Never Dies" was the tagline for 1992's Dracula. I think that it's weak sauce to steal that.
What was truly stunning is that the production sounds, oddly like a remake of 1978's KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park (aka: "KISS in Attack of the Phantoms") Maybe I'm way off base here...
I finally got my hands on some of the video from Red Rocks. Those fancy cameras really do a nice job. It's an eye-opener to see myself playing: I've got way better right-hand technique than I used to (lots of masturbating, I'm sure); and I'm still really uncomfortable with being stage right. I'm apparently a graduate of the Entwistle school of stage presence. The bass tone sounds huge, despite the shitty stage sound and truly surreal natural reverb. It's totally not like this:
But I do love the pretension involved in double-necked instruments. Hilarious. I need one of those bass/12-string rigs.
Last night, The Chariots of Judah had our radio debut on Folksplosion. Awesome. Now, I'm totally in a folk band. Actually, I looked through dude's playlist, and he has Devendra in there and the Billy Nayer Show, so it's a loosely-defined "folk show". It's radio, but not like this:
I need to get one of the jazz basses on-line. The white one really doesn't require much work to be in go mode.
I've been going through my milk crates full of tapes, looking for some very specific recordings of my first band. So far, I've had no luck.
I did find a lot of music that really was life-changing when I was an alterna-teen (actually some of it predated that phase). One that I found was really great for me circa late 1989: Death's Scream Bloody Gore. I always thought that the lyrics on "Zombie Ritual" were really silly, but Chuck Schuldiner was a great player (RIP), and to a 14-year-old kid, it was cool:
And tonight, I'm going to a folk show....unbelievable.
I was doing my walking sideways with a giant rubber band on my feet "exercise" (which I'm sure that she makes me do so she can film it and upload it onto the YouTube), and the chick says, "I should put on some music."
This is when I realized that things were about to get weird, again. I shrugged my shoulders--I was focusing on not watching my feet with the giant fluorescent green rubber band wrapped around them.
She proceeded to put Dave (fuckin') Matthews on. I realize that they're great musicians, but that music really sucks, as far as I'm concerned. Great musicians can make shitty music, for sure. I've known people that have done it. Just when I thought I was done listening to crummy music, the (fuckin') Eagles came on. I can't stand that stuff, seriously. It always came across to me as some weak sauce, whether it's "country" or "rock" or "country-rock". The Eagles suck. Clearly, I was in hell (or something close to it). The music selections only served to agitate me, which may have been her plan.
On my way home, with my aching lower body, I realized that it totally wasn't hell. She didn't play any Boston.
Microsoft is using this song on one of the Windows 7 advertisements (More Happy). I think that they've recycled the little Asian girl from a previous ad, too. I hope that those Swedes played their cards right and got a small fortune for licensing. I like the bad cover version better:
This one takes the cake for dreadful, though. I was looking for videos of Roscoe Beck after seeing Leonard Cohen Live in London on PBS last night, again. Roscoe has a really fat tone on that signature bass, and I was impressed. As it turns out, he's from Austin, like these guys. Growing up in the valley, I always thought that Austin was supposed to only have great musical acts. I guess they're good at what they do:
I've been waiting for this for months. Katherine over at Radio 1190 has herded cats for the Local Shakedown Volume 3 compilation. Lucky for us, we had just finished tracking the instruments for our upcoming release--we pretty much only had to pick pick a song to gussy up for our submission. It looks like a lot of other unreleased goodies found their way onto los discos, too. Dig it (I'm way too lazy to edit something that's perfectly intelligible, except for the linkage):
PRESS RELEASE: Local Shakedown Vol. 3 CD out 10/16
The 3rd Local Shakedown CD will be released on Friday, October 16th. The double disc features 41 bands of many different styles from Colorado's thriving indie music scene. This CD follows the release of the 1st Local Shakedown CD in 2000 and the 2nd Local Shakedown CD in 2004, both on Smooch Records. It was mastered with assistance from Bob Ferbrache at Absinthe Studios. As a producer and sound engineer Ferbrache has worked with many of Denver's finest bands including The Fluid, Bum Kon, 16 Horsepower, Slim Cessna's Auto Club and many more. Artwork for the CD was done by cartoonist Noah Van Sciver who is the author of Blammo and the Westword's weekly strip "4 Questions".
The Local Shakedown is a radio show which exclusively plays local music from Colorado and hosts regular band interviews and live performances. It can be heard on Radio1190 AM each Friday from 4-6 pm and it can be found online at www.radio1190.org/localshakedown.
RELEASE PARTIES
The Local Shakedown Vol. 3 CD was kindly co-released by your favorite local record stores: Twist and Shout, Wax Trax and Bart's CD Cellar. To celebrate its release there will be live music at each store the weekend of October 16th. The double-CD will be for sale at each location for $11.90. Below is a schedule of live music and attached is a flyer for the event.
Friday, Oct. 16th Twist and Shout 2508 E. Colfax Ave., Denver 6:00 PM - The Kissing Party
Saturday, Oct. 17th Bart's CD Cellar 1015 Pearl St., Boulder 2:00 PM - Thee Goochi Boiz, otem rellik, Aënka
Sunday, Oct. 18th Wax Trax 638 E. 13th Ave., Denver 2:00 PM - Bad Weather California, Magic Cyclops, The Fire Drills, The GetDown!
TRACK LISTING
(**) indicates that song is currently unreleased ($$) indicates that song is exclusive to this CD
Disc One 1. Magic Cyclops - Intro 2. Mr. Pacman - David Blaine's Erotic Mansion ($$) 3. Fire Drills - Hole For a Heart 4. The Kissing Party - The Heart of It All 5. Young Coyotes - Buried 6. Dethbox - xhatexedgexonxthexstraightxedgex 7. otem rellik - Better Times (**) 8. Kal Cahoone - Build the Fire 9. Littles Paia - Cyberpunk's Not Dead (for Tom Murphy and Carles) ($$) 10. Multicast - Hawaii ($$) 11. Pictureplane - Cyclical Cyclical (Atlantis) 12. Swayback - Steamrolling (**) 13. Bad Luck City - Stevie Johnston (**) 14. Elin Palmer - Time 15. Reverend Deadeye - Snake Bite 16. Crack Magik - Ike Turner 17. Wire Faces - Portable Castles 18. Cowboy Curse - Negative Space 19. Overcasters - Way of the World 20. The Wheel - Oil and Lavender (**) 21. Munly and the Luprecalians - Grandfather (**)
Disc Two 1. Aënka - Mylarism (**) 2. Bad Weather California - I Don't Know 3. Lady Parts - Mums for Mice (**) 4. The Omens - She's Just Fine 5. Moonspeed - 27000 MPH 6. Chad Price - With Bleeding Wrists (**) 7. Married in Berdichev - Funnel Clouds (**) 8. Coconut Beach - I'm Gone (**) 9. BDRMPPL - 2013 Pt. 2 ($$) 10. Milton Melvin Croissant III - Blizzaga (**) 11. Thee Goochi Boiz - Summer Song (**) 12. Paper Bird - Lost Boys 13. Roger Green - Get Up (**) 14. Bela Karoli - Prelude 3 (**) 15. d. biddle - You Are the Sea ($$) 16. Blue Million Miles - Pterodactyl (**) 17. The GetDown! - The First 'A' in Omaha ft. Carrie Beeder and Sara Fischer (**) 18. Wentworth Kersey - Wealth 19. Cacheflowe - Flowebot ft. Brer Rabbit 20. Time - Cockroach Goddess
If you would like to get more information about the CD, request a digital copy of the CD for review purposes, or get in contact with the bands, please email Katherine Peterson.
I think that's what it's called, and it's been vibing me out.
Last week, we sold some mp3s for the first time, ever. It is my belief that we broke even on Adelaide a couple of months ago, without ever having sold mp3s, which is pretty cool (having a decent free studio helps keep the overhead low, for sure). Selling mp3s feels like getting something for nothing in this case. It doesn't quite feel like an honest way to make money to me, yet.
Some dude contacted us about releasing masters for the Rock Band® video game. This is certainly an interesting idea--I've wanted to break into soundtracks for video games since Trent Reznor did the Quake soundtrack. Rock Band® isn't quite what I had in mind, though. Apparently, he's soliciting lots of Denver bands. Dude offered up a classic quote: "Anybody feel like busting out the vox on BLC’s “Stealth”?" Seriously? Not me.
The Beatles Rock Band release, which seems to be coinciding with the re-release of re-mastered albums has me sickened. If I hear "Come Together" one more time in a commercial, I might lose my mind. It's in at least four commercials that I've heard on the radio and TV recently (including, of all things, one that I heard on La Tricolor). I'm curious who makes the royalties on that stuff. BTW--the re-mastered tracks really do sound a lot more clear--you can hear mistakes plain as day.
YouTube has been vibing out the whole band for months because we're not proud of some of the stuff that winds up there. The sound quality sucks, the picture quality sucks, and often there are embarassing moments captured. I found a couple of videos from our July 17th show at The Meadowlark. I'm always concerned about those "no PA support" shows, but this one wasn't as bad as I thought it was. The violin is a little screechy, but everything else seems relatively balanced, as much as one can tell from YouTube live videos. The poster's commentary is hilarious:
Terrific Denver band, never mind not being able to see anything in the video...listen to the music...
Can't see a thing, but still worth listening to...
I've Never Been Home This Early After Playing A Show.
This one goes down as one of the best damn shows that we've played together. Peppered among the unsuspecting, inappropriately-dressed cougars, were some of our superfans (who've heard these damn songs enough times that they know what the mix is supposed to be). The superfans (something like the SuperFriends) said that the sound was great. As far as "monitors," it was way sweeter than a certain sandstone amphitheater that I can think of. Actually, it was just like rehearsal, except not in a boomy concrete room, and with freaked-out-looking watchers. We're often much better at rehearsal because we're comfortable. Shania gets to experience the best versions of everything.
Apparently (I played virtually the whole set with my eyes closed), a little girl made her way to the "stage," and was looking rather stunned, according to onlookers. I hope that it wasn't during the "fuck" songs. We've been trying with these last few sets to build up to "Stealth" and "Blood Trail" since every BLC + unsuspecting public is an experiment. Apparently, they had some truly terrible shows before I joined the band (the Ogden; the burrito place). I really want to play a chicken wire country bar (there's a term for that, but I can't think of it) with this band, as well as a real juke (we'll have to go to 'sippi for that).
I did, however, have one missed note. A dude was doing flash photography (odd since the lights were on), and it totally got me for a beat. I had one measure of bizarreness on "Stealth" when the hands were doing their own thing for whatever reason (I was thinking about this leg/foot/ankle pain). I got right back on it, and I don't feel that bad 'bout it since the rest of the set was damn good.
Andrew Warner is my favorite drummer to play with, period. After all this time (starting in 2002 with the OG-RC), we generally play pretty damn well together, but tonight was really really special for me. The rhythm section was on like donkey kong, and I think that the rest of the band grooved (far out, man) on that. I love that guy. I can't imagine playing better with anyone else. I do indeed use him to make it sound like I'm playing with power. He's probably my best musical buddy. It was a trascendental set, rhythmically, for me. I hope that he gets that. Somehow, we were completely on the same wavelength for the fills [our art (improvisation) is in the fill, a la Ringo]. I love that guy.
This is very cool. Cool enough to embed, at least. When I used to practice with a strobe light, I used to see some stuff like this. I think that I'd vomit these days, though. There's no slow motion on this, just a fast shutter speed and slow strings. Pretty cool-looking, from urbanscreen on Vimeo:
If I had some spare time, I'd get an upright and some lessons. I would have to get a different car, though. That's the real deal-breaker.
A Sausage Fest (could be "Gothic Power Violence" v. JZ)
Recording was a hoot, and there was a lot of sausage eaten (seriously, no double entendre here). Dameon, Andrew, Greg and I did parts for two songs: "God Damn Sinner" and "Rebel". Both were a piece of cake. Shortly after we did our parts, some of Uncle Chuck's friends arrived (BLC is too punctual, usually). The female voices really filled the parts out nicely--you get punch from the male voices and clarity from the female voices. It could have been done in a handful of takes, but Chuck wanted some really thick sounds (probably to compete with those bad-ass guitars). This is going to be a great record. Of course, Eve got in on the action, and she doesn't stick out in the unmixed group (totally amazed me; she's a neat kid, even if she's taken to calling me ZEEHEE).
Margret brought more [Polish] sausage and [Polish] cheese and [Polish] beer. After bratwurst, I was waiting for someone to have an infarction. There otta be a law...
Greg introduced me to someone as "our amazing bassist and, now, organist." That was actually pretty cool, because I'm not amazing, but I've learned to take a compliment. Ray Manzarek I'm not, but I guess that once that comp drops (late September is what that email sez), I'll be the bassist/organist. It doesn't count if you don't do it live, though. I won't allow that to happen. I never really dug playing keys live, although it gives you a good place to hide when the sequencer goes berserk (MIDI is evil; don't get me started).
I heard some stuff from the RR show, too. It was Andrew's recorder that was stationed at the FOH desk. The mix was a lot better there than in the monitors, for sure. Besides the lush lush lush natural reverb (too much, really), it sounds pretty good. We're going to see if we can dry it up a bit with the SPL Transient Designer. It seems that there's no limit to signal processing these days. The Norse Audio God was explaining this "magic box" to me, and I'm stunned that one can manipulate transients' attack and decay so easily. I'd have to fiddle a lot with compressors and gating to remove excessive reverb, but this thing apparently makes it easy easy.
We actually recorded eight songs last Tuesday. I thought that it was seven, but, as a bass player, I rarely have to count past six, and usually four. So, I can't count to eight--oh well.
I got the rough mix today and it's lacking in several areas (when listened to on my bass-infested computer and car--on the 1970s Sansui, I can EQ the badness away). I have to keep in mind that these are mere demos and far from perfect:
The songwriting and arrangements really work, though. We did a good job with Ross' songs. I'm so proud of us.
If we can tighten up the bass track's low end and carefully tweak the midrange, we'll be set. I think that if I did a DI track and we used an in-phase room mic for the bass a way off, it'll fix my floppiness, which is the worst part of all of this (still not playing like I need to for a three piece, perhaps). Maybe some crap was done to the bass track unbeknownst to me--Greg did it right with a DI and a room mic on the 8x10" moderately loud with a touch of limiting on the DI (the UA 1176 plug in rocks). Maybe I just need to record with a different setup entirely.
The drums weren't terrible, but again, the low end is really loose. There's virtually no crispness on the cymbals. I'd like to hear more of that. I want the snare to crack a little more, too. The percussion just ain't quite as tight-sounding as I'd like.
The guitar actually sounds much better than I thought it would after listening to the playback. It could use a little bit more presence, but basically, it's cool.
The vocals actually are great, and that's what I think that the magical one was shooting for. Sometimes, they sit in a weird place, but I think that's because it has a really smiley EQ curve (no mids) on everything else. There's a couple of places that ADT would be cool, or RDT as the case may be.
I'm trying to not let this bum me out at all. This isn't for real, after all. This is just for (fuckin') Ronny to figure out if the arrangements will work. I think that we've made impressive progress in two months. Mostly, it's production problems that have shown up, which is the whole point of pre-production, I think. Some of the improvisation is brilliant, though. I love it when things happen.
The new and improved 'Army of Stars' is really the best I've heard since Last Man on the Moon. Somehow, we managed a rock 'n' roll fine, which I didn't think that I had in me.
This new one is great, with a little bass-cut, man.
Last night, the BLC did the UMS set fairly well, considering that 2/3 of the band was injured. The magic of pharmaceuticals was working for us.
I actually think that we killed. The crowd was into it, but more people were probably at the HD to check out the quitter bands. Uncle Chuck was stoked on our set, and he's seen this band longer than anyone. I hope that LA works out for him--he's worked pretty damn hard at what he does.
I realized that I actually know quite a few folks, too. Once a year, everyone comes out of their hobbit hole for the UMS, and it's cool to see some people and say high.
It was a good time, even if I had to work very early this morning. The oxycodone and soma are treating me well, even if I'm not so into doing much of anything. Hopefully, this injury will subside soon.
I don't know if it means that the BLC is more "underground" or less "underground" this year than last--it isn't congruous with the name--perhaps a name-change is in order (then it would sound like Chinese restaurant--Good Fortune Town). We're still on a plateau but that's totally cool, since the only really interesting thing that we did in the last year was that live score for the Bruce Bickford animation. Every time I see the results of such a contest, I'm really curious about what goes through a voter's mind. Did they get "instructions for the jury?" The spurious regressor in me really would love to get the data and make some bullshit hypotheses up.
I'm stoked that Ian won, though. His record really doesn't do it for me, but when he opened for us at the Artopia (just before the break dancers), he blew me away solo. I don't understand how some groups didn't garner more (or any) votes--certainly some folks work a lot harder than we do.
Ross asked me recently for a compilation of the old RC crap that I have. Unfortunately, I think that I have lost some tracks (notably, "AM Radio"), due to hard drive mortality. I still have the drives in question, but I'm not that motivated to pay someone to retrieve the data. Among the classic rock is surely crap that'll embarrass me. Once I'm dead, someone can recover that stuff.
I haven't listened to much RC for a long long lonely time (like Robert Plant). I still stand behind my playing, though. We were actually a passable band. I'd love to redo it all now, though, because we're all certainly better players now.
One of the coolest things that I heard tonight is the Local Shakedown live set from 11-21-2003 (I think that it was 2004, but that's what it's tagged as). I love that my brother recorded it off the air, so this recording has all the am boom box goodness:
There's so much material, mistakes, out takes, and instrumental stuff (and some duplicates). It's quite a catalog that I've kept up. Once I give Ross this crap, I think that I'll delete it once and for all.
I'm finally getting back in the swing with two bands. BLC is digging through all of our old recordings, so that we can finally bury all those unfinished ones. It's interesting to hear scraps of songs that already got used in some way. Some of the material is really quite metallic, which is okay, because those Master of Puppets-esque lines are a lot of fun to play (certainly, we thrash much slower, but I get lots more time to play fills, if I choose to, so it's cool). I still love that record.
I'm really digging the 4x10" since I switched out the Chinese drivers. It's a lot more aggressive and doesn't have the muffled tone so much anymore. It still doesn't exactly do that crappy compressed 4x10" sound (probably since Greg modified it into a ported cab). I've been obsessing about some folded horn designs that I found recently found on the internets, though. I don't know wtf is up with doppler distortion in drivers, but I'm reading a lengthy article about it. I might just have to build one once I get through with my other projects. That shouldn't take too long, really, if I just do it. I have a great start and I've learned some tricks at this point that will speed up the process of redoing the four cabinets.
I saw Bad Weather California Friday night, and they were bad ass. I don't know who the dude playing drums is, but he kicked some ass. The whole band was on. They've done some work at the Bluebird since I was there last, and I like the darker walls (the lighting isn't so freak-me-out in the crowd).
I went to the American Relay show last night, and they were great. 3Kings seems to have fortified the PA, maybe. I never pay attention unless I'm in the crowd. The real treat for me was Adam Lee and the Dead Horse Sound Company. They're doing a honky tonk-esque deal. I would've preferred a whole band, but the duo pulled it off. Add a string bass, and they would've been fucking amazing.
Tomorrow night, I'm going to make it to the Bill Callahan show. That guy's music mostly blows my mind. Last time he came through, I had some other obligation or illness.
Thor Harris is one of my favorite drummers. Seriously. I love that tiny rock-stick...most vile tones from that longhorn, though.
The Private Club of the Satan's Helpers debut show is on Friday. It's practically a secret show, which is how I'd like it to go off. I'm actually quite nervous (as one should be for a debut). We'll get through it, but I'm doing my O'Dea visualizations (which are hard to do since I know nothing about the venue). I've been pimping the band around town to people who will talk to me. At least one dude seemed excited about the new project. I'm excited to play in a trio because I actually get to play and filling in the gaps is great fun.
July and August are going to be off the hook busy for me. BLC has another two-month break coming up (that was the big news today). We're going to use it to write/record some shit. We're going to wind up with a full-length release if we're not careful.
I monitor the FEEDJIT Live nonsense, and I'm frequently amused by the search terms that get hits here. I'm confounded by my Laramie reader, especially. Whoever you are, you totally ought to email me, totally (I'm callin' your ass out).
My favorites are below (poetry, really):
i accidentally drank dishwasher soap
homeless guy named josh
whores i've fucked in rantoul illinois
galanti guitar wiring bypass
what is "420 situation"
vocabulary scramble for eyl
black hoes
alembic pickups magnet dimension
formaldehyde endo paste banned in the united states
ivory snow box with marilyn chambers and baby with finger in mouth
Back in the day, while watching a live Eric Clapton video, my brother and I realized that dude uses a lot of "bird" chords. Certainly, these are related to barré chords, but when Beavis and Butthead and watching, it's a "bird" chord. I thought for years that Clapton does it for the A-barré chords, but the cover of Slowhand (probably my favorite EC record--call me lame) reveals that it's a really serious G chord (with a high D...nice). I love the "bird" chords:
Doug Beam caught me with my eyes open last Saturday night. I've harassed him before, but this one is pretty good (NOT a D.Boon shot, thanks so much, Doug):
Clearly, I'm doing a "bird" chord (I'm watching my hands). Doug must've snapped me during "Choptank River", "Stealth", or "Accident". I'm in fifth position, without teeth-gritting, so it's probably at the coda of "Accident". I play a lot of chords in this band, so that the 'fuckin'' guitarists can do their 'banjo' stuff.
Damn...my past life's (one of 'em, anyway) hand-breakage is evident in that photo. I would've taken better care of my hands if I ever would've thunk that I'd be playing a stringed instrument.
If I could go back in time, I'd have a talk with myself.
1190 has been really cool to us, and Katherine asked us to play a benefit months ago. We're all over the occasional benefit show. Even if this one's not a life or death deal, it's easily the best local station. See y'all there.
Today was too weird for me. I slept through the alarm and was late for work by about 20 minutes.
After checking my truck and obtaining the sheets (we're like the KKK and can't do anything without the sheets--our daily route notes), I headed over to the nearby gas station for my traditional breakfast of a bean and cheese burrito and a Mountain Dew. The dude, Roger, rang up my ticket, and a handed him my check card (which is annoying to everyone, because it's an old verification system). As he handed me back my card, I noticed that he was REALLY shaky. He bugged out his eyes, sort of 'wobbled', but unlike Weebles, he did fall down. Indeed, the clerk was out cold with his eyes rolled back. Then, he starts this horrible gasping.
All I could do is stand there with my mouth open, waiting to sign the slip. Luckily, some Mexican behind me in line had his phone with him (mine was in the truck), and called the paramedics. They carted Roger off to the hospital.
I think that maybe I need to work on my crisis-coping-with skills, seriously.
Later, I caught the UFO with the camera phone. I'm all Pete Townsend on that one.
Everything else was cool today until I heard KVOD on the way home. It was "Adagio from Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor "Quasi una fantasia", Op. 27, No. 2, by Ludwig van Beethoven. I can't remember who was playing it, but they pushed Adagio a lot, almost getting into Lento territory. It was like Swans was covering Ludwig Van.
The Moonlight Sonata's first movement is pretty damn cool, but my favorite is the third, especially the Horowitz version--really a beautiful interpretation with lots of great dynamics:
My grandfather forced me to watch Horowitz on TV when I was a kid, and I still can't get over his hands (he wasn't Gattaca material). His hands mimic the hammers, really. Chopin is pretty good--this one's from Austria in 1987, a couple of years before he died:
I love this Horowitz quote:
"There are three kinds of pianists: Jewish pianists, homosexual pianists, and bad pianists."
A couple of days of burning the candle at both ends, and I'm done. I totally require some performance-enhancing drugs, or something (sleep would be best).
The recording didn't happen for me; I played control room terrorist, instead. Seriously, though the songs wouldn't be served best if I were to do my thing. Once a drummer is secured, then I think that bass will be required. Baritone singer-songwriter stylings are going to be buried by bass guitar. The songs are fucking great, though. Short, but really great. My favorite one was the "Sirens' Song," which is a translation done from The Odyssey done up as a blues holler deal. It's really really really amazing.
Dude needs to release a solo ep ahora, if only to get a couple o' dollars. I think that an electronic (cheap) release could be best, and pay for a 'real' record.
I've volunteered to play bass for a quick recording project. Should be pretty painless, but could turn into something very interesting. It's not really too unusual, but sort of 'folkie' (I'll get my ass chewed for saying that), but in a sort of John Fahey sort of way. The songs are translations of Chinese death poetry, and actually really cool. I'm excited. Tonight, I'm practicing this new music.
We were far from perfect, but the crowd was pissed enough that they didn't care (this is what we count on). We made some new friends, and sold some cds. I'm still astounded by the amount of money--when I joined the band, a point was made that this band is not commercially successful (that isn't isn't even the case).
The Limbs is a one-man deal. Dude did a Tom Waits cover to close his set, and, although TW gets on my nerves usually, I was stoked. Totally worth seeing; I'll be a repeat offender.
The DJ/VJ did a mashup of Wild Thing
and Lick It Up
it was awesome.
Light Travels Faster did their thing (solid set). Later, Todd and I talked amps. I really like that guy, the rest of the band isn't very chatty.
It was great to re-connect with Mark from The Construct. I played with him 15 years ago, briefly during that post Neglected Mind period. Mark is really flourishing with the loop pedals. Dude always had impeccable time, so I'm not surprised that he's doing something technical. He's really a great drummer, along the lines of Mike Ricketts.
Tito made it down. He isn't used to seeing me play with so much tone. The new electronics and new BLC songs that I'm playing helmsman on really are different for me. I used to be uncomfortable with sparse arrangements, but not so much anymore.
BLC had some equipment casualties, though. Greg's two Les Pauls were not happy with tuning and it sounded bad, or in another key. Either my amp or Josh's made some bizarre sounds (the verge of pure DC clipping) 3/4 of the way through the set. I think that I was the offender--but it could have been the PA. After I get some rest, I need to see WTF. At least we don't have anything scheduled until 5/16, so I can work out the amp crap.
I'm stoked that I have the BLC cab at home with me, so that I can play the new bass through it and see if a useful BLC eq is to be found with a 4x10".
It looks like we're on the hook for a major (maybe) fiasco in October. Whatever...we'll be stoked to do it up--playin' for despondent college kids is totally our bag. Playing in a truck is an experience that I welcome.
I heard the preliminary mix for the compilation submission. Dameon sounds a little too AM radio; I'd like the bass and drums louder. I'm not going to bitch too much. The fuckin' Hammond track doesn't sound too bad with the new context (Josh really did some nice distortion guitar work).
