The phrase "Shell-Shock" gets throw around a lot in modern vernacular, but I doubt that the majority of the people who use the word really consider its meaning. In short, it is condition whose name historically refers to the manner in which a soldier would "lock up" due to the mental and emotional trauma of being constantly bombarded (or shelled). You will frequently hear this phrase uttered in plain dialogue... Dave walks through his office and sees his co-worker looking exhausted and frazzled and staring blankly at a computer screen, and says to his neighbor "Golly-gee, Bob looks shell shocked." But Bob hasn't been sitting in a trench, and Dave has never been behind enemy lines.
...and neither have I, for that matter.
But I do know the feeling of being constantly bombarded.
And anyone who knows me knows that I'm a little shell-shocked. Instead of tracking through the Ardennes Forest, music was my front-line offensive. And I'm only realizing now just how far I've retreated from the front lines over the last few years.
Unlike war, however, music is (or ought to be) a joyous facet of my life. It becomes an enemy when the joy goes out of it, when it becomes a struggle.
A few months ago I (quite literally) found joy again, as I helped to put together a new group called June and the Wolfe. No lofty goals, no uber-ambitions... just writing and singing and trying to forget about life for a few hours. In rediscovering the joy in playing music, I am reminded of all the things I used to love about music... and how the simple act of playing music for the sheer love of it will open up so many doors...
At a gig at Goodbye Blue Monday, I met a band... a band with a sound that stirred up feelings and emotions I hadn't felt in a very long time... not since I was a sound engineer at Hamilton St... the pleasure of not just being able to enjoy a piece of music, but also the rush of hearing something brand new for the first time... the surprise, the unexpectedness... the not-knowing-what-to-expect-ness and subsequently LOVING it... god, I missed that feeling.
This one definitely ranks up there with Joiya and Chalet Chalet and Pas/Cal.
Freedom Tickler. Brooklyn, NY.
A very simple quartet consisting of a singer, banjo/guitarist, bassist, and minimalist drummer. Appalachian Shape-Note-esque singing (if anyone even knows what shape notes are anymore) meets ambient drone-ish with some Uncle Tupelo and twang thrown in. Despite the instrumentation, the band reminds me a lot of Low or Ida at times. Played with them a few weeks ago... they've got an EP due out next week that I'm beyond jazzed on... They've got a demo for "Hot Tub" on their myspace. You might not dig it because of the demo-ness, but trust me, it was HUGE live.
I cannot wait for this EP.
Freedom Tickler... if you're reading this... Thank you.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Found: Something I didn't quite realize I'd lost.
I'm reaching a point in my life now where I am forcefully fighting off my age, passionately attempting to pursue many elements of my life I used to love but have since fallen by the wayside... literature, design, but most of all, record shopping.
I had a cathartic day at the record store last week. It has been so long since I've been record shopping.
So here's what I got.
Daniel Martin Moore - Stray Age (Shake It!/SubPop)... Just some dude from Kentucky that was picked up my Sub Pop. If you're into the whole M.Ward/T-Bone Burnett minimalist old-timey Americana sound, this record is for you. The Sub Pop release includes one extra song not on the Shake It release, and a limited edition (of less than 200) comes with a 4-song 7" of demos and alt takes and hand-numbered artwort. Good job, Sub Pop. The production is light, simple, yet at times striking and exceedingly fluid. Almost dreamy.
Santo and Uohnny - Hawaii (Canadian American) I'll confess... I have a weakness for Santo and Johnny. I've seen Johnny Farina more than once in concert. And when I die, I want "Sleepwalk" played at my funeral. Hawaii is a pure summer, outdoor, "sitting under the trees with lemonade in your hand" record. That said, I will undoubtedly wear this record out before the summer is through.
Thats a lie. I'm a workaholic. I have one day off every two weeks. Literally. So, no, I suppose I won't really be wearing this record out. But I will be playing it as much as I can.
Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Herb Alpert Presents... (A&M) No real reason behind this one, other than that my other copy is almost unplayable at this point, and is about to be chopped up and made into a pickguard for one of my custom-builds.
Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs - The Pillowcase EP (Shout!) I've been looking for this EP for ages, ever since Austin Powers came out and I'd heard that Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs were going to collaborate on a 60's-inspired covers-record (as a near-direct result of Ming Tea). That said, this EP is exactly what I expected it to sound like... poppy, jangly, nearly-British-but-not-quite... LOVE it.
Compass - Antonio Rumori b/w Estacion Especial 7" (Sharkattack!) Although I paid $4 bucks for this, I lump it in with my "dollar bin hopefuls"... nabbing a few records from the dollar bin about which I know nothing but look really well put together. Just from a design aspect, this record DESERVES to be bought. Two-color R/B press on unbleached recycled cardstock, excellent composition, clear red vinyl... Top notch. The tunes aren't bad, either, if you're into that minimalist-meets-casiotone/8bit sound. Calling it an 8bit 7" would be selling it short, however... its actually a very well put together piece. While Side A is abrasive, with a driving beat pushed along by a coarse sine wave an overly simplistic beat machine (which sounds like something along the lines of the old Ace Tone/Roland Rhythm Ace), the B side is quite soothing.
That last one was very important, as it did something to me that no record has done in a long time: It made me think. It made the gears start to turn... it made me ask questions... questions that had not been asked in a long time:
Who is Compass?
What label is this?
Do they still exist?
Who else is on this label, and are they as awesome as Compass?
I can say for certain that had I found this one single when it first came out in 2001, it would most likely have ranked up there with my personal discovery of The Robocop Kraus. Okay, maybe thats a little extreme. They are, however, at the very least on the same level as Chalet Chalet, for whom I ran sound once while they were on tour (crammed onto an awful and ill-fitting Hamilton St showcase), bought their CD (TWICE... after the first was stolen), and subsequently bought a bunch of stuff from their label.
This feels good.
I feel it is also important to note that I have begun reading Wax Poetics again.
This also feels good.
Good.
G'night.
I had a cathartic day at the record store last week. It has been so long since I've been record shopping.
So here's what I got.
Daniel Martin Moore - Stray Age (Shake It!/SubPop)... Just some dude from Kentucky that was picked up my Sub Pop. If you're into the whole M.Ward/T-Bone Burnett minimalist old-timey Americana sound, this record is for you. The Sub Pop release includes one extra song not on the Shake It release, and a limited edition (of less than 200) comes with a 4-song 7" of demos and alt takes and hand-numbered artwort. Good job, Sub Pop. The production is light, simple, yet at times striking and exceedingly fluid. Almost dreamy.
Santo and Uohnny - Hawaii (Canadian American) I'll confess... I have a weakness for Santo and Johnny. I've seen Johnny Farina more than once in concert. And when I die, I want "Sleepwalk" played at my funeral. Hawaii is a pure summer, outdoor, "sitting under the trees with lemonade in your hand" record. That said, I will undoubtedly wear this record out before the summer is through.
Thats a lie. I'm a workaholic. I have one day off every two weeks. Literally. So, no, I suppose I won't really be wearing this record out. But I will be playing it as much as I can.
Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Herb Alpert Presents... (A&M) No real reason behind this one, other than that my other copy is almost unplayable at this point, and is about to be chopped up and made into a pickguard for one of my custom-builds.
Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs - The Pillowcase EP (Shout!) I've been looking for this EP for ages, ever since Austin Powers came out and I'd heard that Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs were going to collaborate on a 60's-inspired covers-record (as a near-direct result of Ming Tea). That said, this EP is exactly what I expected it to sound like... poppy, jangly, nearly-British-but-not-quite... LOVE it.
Compass - Antonio Rumori b/w Estacion Especial 7" (Sharkattack!) Although I paid $4 bucks for this, I lump it in with my "dollar bin hopefuls"... nabbing a few records from the dollar bin about which I know nothing but look really well put together. Just from a design aspect, this record DESERVES to be bought. Two-color R/B press on unbleached recycled cardstock, excellent composition, clear red vinyl... Top notch. The tunes aren't bad, either, if you're into that minimalist-meets-casiotone/8bit sound. Calling it an 8bit 7" would be selling it short, however... its actually a very well put together piece. While Side A is abrasive, with a driving beat pushed along by a coarse sine wave an overly simplistic beat machine (which sounds like something along the lines of the old Ace Tone/Roland Rhythm Ace), the B side is quite soothing.
That last one was very important, as it did something to me that no record has done in a long time: It made me think. It made the gears start to turn... it made me ask questions... questions that had not been asked in a long time:
Who is Compass?
What label is this?
Do they still exist?
Who else is on this label, and are they as awesome as Compass?
I can say for certain that had I found this one single when it first came out in 2001, it would most likely have ranked up there with my personal discovery of The Robocop Kraus. Okay, maybe thats a little extreme. They are, however, at the very least on the same level as Chalet Chalet, for whom I ran sound once while they were on tour (crammed onto an awful and ill-fitting Hamilton St showcase), bought their CD (TWICE... after the first was stolen), and subsequently bought a bunch of stuff from their label.
This feels good.
I feel it is also important to note that I have begun reading Wax Poetics again.
This also feels good.
Good.
G'night.
Monday, October 13, 2008
FOUND: 'Skankin the House Down' - The Loafers (VHS)... LOST: My youth?
I went to Curmudgeon today and nabbed some AMAZING records on the cheap... and as I was ringing them up, I peered into the glass display case and found a this VHS. I knew it existed, and I'd set it on the back burner of my mind about five or so years ago thinking I'd never find one... but there it was... and for FOUR DOLLARS no less!
Well! The 19-year-old inside me sprang to life and started kicking and swinging full force. Four whole dollars spent... an element of my youth reclaimed...
...or so I thought.
I have this album on LP. Its kind of a classic record for the ska scene... an early-80's British band get the chance to back up Laurel Aitken, The Godfather of Ska, for a few songs. I remember when I first heard this record... it was when Napster was free and all the rage... I had just started college, had high-speed for the first time, and spent many sleepless nights (and the following days) downloading music like crazy. This was one of the first full albums I downloaded, and at the time it blew me away.
I was WAY into ska and the ska scene... was for MANY years, and still am to an extent. This was one of those records that changed my whole perspective on the genre.
I hadn't listened to it in three or four years... and, of course, I'd NEVER seen the film version... so of course, part of my was bursting inside.
I slid the tape into the VHS and hit play.
The result was, well, not what I was expecting. Instead of reliving a fun and exciting part of my younger days, I felt annoyed. Aggravated. The Loafers were not the band I had in my mind. Instead of the boisterous, churning band I kept tucked in the back of my brain, I saw this sloppy group of goofballs bouncing around with one of my favorite JA artists. It was almost embarrassing to watch.
Watching this reminded me of the bands that made me not want to listen to Ska anymore.
All I know is that I don't really want to watch this tape again. I just couldn't bring myself to enjoy it. What should have been a fun, awesome experience was just mildly depressing. I mean... that shit was just REALLY CORNY... plain and simple.
And it makes me wonder if there is a part of my life that truly is gone... Have I just grown up? Or have I forgotten what fun really is? I'm not really sure right now. Am I still affected by the shit I went through while with The Beat? Am I just taking myself too seriously?
Maybe I've just finally grown out of 2tone... or maybe its just "2tone inspired" bands (a la Punk: Attitude's commentary on the duplicity of punk: the early days of "rock inspired punk bands" paving the road, and the modern era of "punk inspired rock bands" reaping the benefit of mass-market acceptance via homogenization). Seeing/playing with Bad Manners was okay... not the most thrilling experience of my life, but it was cool... (the best part was when they covered "You're Just Too Good To Be True")... Specials Self-Titled still gets me going... SOME Madness and Selecter stuff still pumps me up... but a lot of this stuff... Loafers... Potato 5... Body Snatchers... the "later" British sound... the early and modern American sound... it just does absolutely nothing anymore.
Its not the simplicity, either... I still get down on my Studio One comps...
I think its the lack of genuineness- and an over-abundance of cliches- that turns me off to this sound now. Everything is "Rudy"-this and "Rudy"-that... throwbacks to first-generation JA references... Henry Mancini and Neal Hefti lead-line rips... 1-4-5 procressions (throw in a minor key for spice)... the post-2Tone British sound is directly comparable to the pop-punk explosion (at least in regard to the homogenization) of the late 90's/early 00's... Nothing is fresh, nothing is original, and worst of all, nothing is done as well as the original.
And while at one time it was amazing to watch/listen, it is not almost sad to see someone like Laurel Aitken backed up by this band. It literally pains me to watch this.
Which brings me back to my problem...
Is it me?
Or is it the music?
A little of both, I think.
I think I can be okay with that.
TRACK LIST:
The Undertaker
Too Late Rudy
It's So Easy
'Z' Cars
Follow My Leader
Liquidator
The Laughing Loafer
Everyday
Skankenstein
Sally Brown (feat Laurel Aitken)
Rudy Got Married (feat Laurel Aitken)
Skinhead (feat Laurel Aitken)
Mad About You (feat Laurel Aitken)
Well! The 19-year-old inside me sprang to life and started kicking and swinging full force. Four whole dollars spent... an element of my youth reclaimed...
...or so I thought.
I have this album on LP. Its kind of a classic record for the ska scene... an early-80's British band get the chance to back up Laurel Aitken, The Godfather of Ska, for a few songs. I remember when I first heard this record... it was when Napster was free and all the rage... I had just started college, had high-speed for the first time, and spent many sleepless nights (and the following days) downloading music like crazy. This was one of the first full albums I downloaded, and at the time it blew me away.
I was WAY into ska and the ska scene... was for MANY years, and still am to an extent. This was one of those records that changed my whole perspective on the genre.
I hadn't listened to it in three or four years... and, of course, I'd NEVER seen the film version... so of course, part of my was bursting inside.
I slid the tape into the VHS and hit play.
The result was, well, not what I was expecting. Instead of reliving a fun and exciting part of my younger days, I felt annoyed. Aggravated. The Loafers were not the band I had in my mind. Instead of the boisterous, churning band I kept tucked in the back of my brain, I saw this sloppy group of goofballs bouncing around with one of my favorite JA artists. It was almost embarrassing to watch.
Watching this reminded me of the bands that made me not want to listen to Ska anymore.
All I know is that I don't really want to watch this tape again. I just couldn't bring myself to enjoy it. What should have been a fun, awesome experience was just mildly depressing. I mean... that shit was just REALLY CORNY... plain and simple.
And it makes me wonder if there is a part of my life that truly is gone... Have I just grown up? Or have I forgotten what fun really is? I'm not really sure right now. Am I still affected by the shit I went through while with The Beat? Am I just taking myself too seriously?
Maybe I've just finally grown out of 2tone... or maybe its just "2tone inspired" bands (a la Punk: Attitude's commentary on the duplicity of punk: the early days of "rock inspired punk bands" paving the road, and the modern era of "punk inspired rock bands" reaping the benefit of mass-market acceptance via homogenization). Seeing/playing with Bad Manners was okay... not the most thrilling experience of my life, but it was cool... (the best part was when they covered "You're Just Too Good To Be True")... Specials Self-Titled still gets me going... SOME Madness and Selecter stuff still pumps me up... but a lot of this stuff... Loafers... Potato 5... Body Snatchers... the "later" British sound... the early and modern American sound... it just does absolutely nothing anymore.
Its not the simplicity, either... I still get down on my Studio One comps...
I think its the lack of genuineness- and an over-abundance of cliches- that turns me off to this sound now. Everything is "Rudy"-this and "Rudy"-that... throwbacks to first-generation JA references... Henry Mancini and Neal Hefti lead-line rips... 1-4-5 procressions (throw in a minor key for spice)... the post-2Tone British sound is directly comparable to the pop-punk explosion (at least in regard to the homogenization) of the late 90's/early 00's... Nothing is fresh, nothing is original, and worst of all, nothing is done as well as the original.
And while at one time it was amazing to watch/listen, it is not almost sad to see someone like Laurel Aitken backed up by this band. It literally pains me to watch this.
Which brings me back to my problem...
Is it me?
Or is it the music?
A little of both, I think.
I think I can be okay with that.
TRACK LIST:
The Undertaker
Too Late Rudy
It's So Easy
'Z' Cars
Follow My Leader
Liquidator
The Laughing Loafer
Everyday
Skankenstein
Sally Brown (feat Laurel Aitken)
Rudy Got Married (feat Laurel Aitken)
Skinhead (feat Laurel Aitken)
Mad About You (feat Laurel Aitken)
Thursday, September 25, 2008
DIY Drum Sander... will it work?
I need to get a drum/spindle sander in order to finish off some of the custom guitars I'm working on, but quite frankly I've dumped more of my personal money into shop setup than I'd like to acknowledge.
What am I to do?
Maybe try building my own!!
I found a 1.5 HP electric motor in the basement.
I THINK I have parts from a broken electric drill somewhere... if I could find the chuck at least, that would be great.
I've got an old Masonite tabletop downstairs... and with that I'm just a few steps away from constructing my own Spindle Sander!
Will it work? I just don't know!... but I'll find out in the next few days... because I REALLY need to get a move on with these guitars!!!
What am I to do?
Maybe try building my own!!
I found a 1.5 HP electric motor in the basement.
I THINK I have parts from a broken electric drill somewhere... if I could find the chuck at least, that would be great.
I've got an old Masonite tabletop downstairs... and with that I'm just a few steps away from constructing my own Spindle Sander!
Will it work? I just don't know!... but I'll find out in the next few days... because I REALLY need to get a move on with these guitars!!!
UPDATE: Manelectro.
Just a little update. It looks like there's nothing but some filled holes under the top paint... and oddly enough, there's no bridge pickup! I've never actually seen a Dano with just a neck pickup. Very interesting. More research is required... but I'm thinking white with gold hardware. Good times.
Malcolm Sex becomes the MANelectro.
Allow me to preface this post with a little background information on the above terms.
First. There was a company founded in the late 1940's called Danelectro. They produced what at the time were considered to be lower-end guitars and amps... but are now considered gems and fetch quite a price. (More info: Wikipedia)
Second. Malcolm X was an African American Muslim minister, public speaker, and human rights activist. To his admirers, he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its crimes against black Americans.[2] His detractors accused him of preaching racism and violence. He has been described as one of the most influential African Americans of the 20th century. (Source: Wikipedia)
Is stated earlier, I build and re-build guitars. A few weeks ago, I nabbed a 1958 Danelectro U-1 from ebay listen in "project" condition. I think even that was a bit generous. The guitar came with no tuners or electronics (save for an unwired insert). The pot-holes had been sealed over, and a portrait of Malcolm X had been painted on top.
Its a work in progress, but I am currently sanding down the entire body. It was a tough decision to make... someone had put a lot of time into this portrait... should I really do this? But I came to the conclusion that a guitar is meant to be played... and I just cannot see myself playing a guitar with a portrait of Malcolm X on it... and much as I am loathe to say it, I can't see myself SELLING such a guitar either (which is why I bought it in the first place). The portrait is not too bad when viewed from a distance, but up close you see that the majority of it is completed with Sharpie and White-out (dated at 1991 when the White Out Pen was all the rage).
Almost done... discovering what is underneath the surface paint will enable me to decide my paint scheme, but I've settled on either white or black, completed with gold hardware.
More soon!!
First. There was a company founded in the late 1940's called Danelectro. They produced what at the time were considered to be lower-end guitars and amps... but are now considered gems and fetch quite a price. (More info: Wikipedia)
Second. Malcolm X was an African American Muslim minister, public speaker, and human rights activist. To his admirers, he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its crimes against black Americans.[2] His detractors accused him of preaching racism and violence. He has been described as one of the most influential African Americans of the 20th century. (Source: Wikipedia)
Is stated earlier, I build and re-build guitars. A few weeks ago, I nabbed a 1958 Danelectro U-1 from ebay listen in "project" condition. I think even that was a bit generous. The guitar came with no tuners or electronics (save for an unwired insert). The pot-holes had been sealed over, and a portrait of Malcolm X had been painted on top.
Its a work in progress, but I am currently sanding down the entire body. It was a tough decision to make... someone had put a lot of time into this portrait... should I really do this? But I came to the conclusion that a guitar is meant to be played... and I just cannot see myself playing a guitar with a portrait of Malcolm X on it... and much as I am loathe to say it, I can't see myself SELLING such a guitar either (which is why I bought it in the first place). The portrait is not too bad when viewed from a distance, but up close you see that the majority of it is completed with Sharpie and White-out (dated at 1991 when the White Out Pen was all the rage).
Almost done... discovering what is underneath the surface paint will enable me to decide my paint scheme, but I've settled on either white or black, completed with gold hardware.
More soon!!
FOUND: The Survivors (LIVE) - Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis
AMAZING record. Easily the record find of the month.
Cash and Lewis are CLEARLY liquored up... Perkins is clear as a bell (I think he had "found Jesus" at this point)... with Cash you can definitely hear the sauce in his playing, but Lewis is the other way around; he plays beautifully but the booze comes out in his voice. Its a little irratating from time to time (Mid-set there's a few Git-Out-And-Walks, and they just can't seem to hold them together), but its kinda like adding two shots of Jack Daniels to your BBQ baked beans... its all flavor. Its about as real as it gets.
Do not get this record if you want to hear a straight-up greatest hits live record. There's a few on there, of course... Whole Lotta Shakin, Blue Suede Shoes... but honestly, if it were all "hits," I probably would have walked right past it. The bulk of the record is old gospel tunes... "May the Circle Be Unbroken" and "There Will Be Peace in the Valley" and the like.
When the three-part harmonies kick in between Perkins, Cash, and Lewis... man oh man, it just blows me away.
BIG thumbs up.
Find this record.
The Survivors (LIVE) - Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis
Side A:
Get Rhythm (Cash)
I Forgot to Remember to Forget (Cash)
Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad (Cash & Perkins)
That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine (Cash & Perkins)
Matchbox (Perkins)
I'll Fly Away (Cash, Lewis, Perkins)
Side B:
Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On (Lewis)
Rockin' My Life Away (Lewis)
Blue Suede Shoes (Perkins)
There Will Be Peace in the Valley for Me (Cash, Lewis, Perkins)
Can the Circle Be Unbroken (Cash, Lewis, Perkins)
I Saw the Light (Cash, Lewis, Perkins)
Cash and Lewis are CLEARLY liquored up... Perkins is clear as a bell (I think he had "found Jesus" at this point)... with Cash you can definitely hear the sauce in his playing, but Lewis is the other way around; he plays beautifully but the booze comes out in his voice. Its a little irratating from time to time (Mid-set there's a few Git-Out-And-Walks, and they just can't seem to hold them together), but its kinda like adding two shots of Jack Daniels to your BBQ baked beans... its all flavor. Its about as real as it gets.
Do not get this record if you want to hear a straight-up greatest hits live record. There's a few on there, of course... Whole Lotta Shakin, Blue Suede Shoes... but honestly, if it were all "hits," I probably would have walked right past it. The bulk of the record is old gospel tunes... "May the Circle Be Unbroken" and "There Will Be Peace in the Valley" and the like.
When the three-part harmonies kick in between Perkins, Cash, and Lewis... man oh man, it just blows me away.
BIG thumbs up.
Find this record.
The Survivors (LIVE) - Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis
Side A:
Get Rhythm (Cash)
I Forgot to Remember to Forget (Cash)
Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad (Cash & Perkins)
That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine (Cash & Perkins)
Matchbox (Perkins)
I'll Fly Away (Cash, Lewis, Perkins)
Side B:
Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On (Lewis)
Rockin' My Life Away (Lewis)
Blue Suede Shoes (Perkins)
There Will Be Peace in the Valley for Me (Cash, Lewis, Perkins)
Can the Circle Be Unbroken (Cash, Lewis, Perkins)
I Saw the Light (Cash, Lewis, Perkins)
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