Highgate

Monday

Sour Krauts/Geek Alert

Oh brother am I tired today; this weekend kicked my sorry butt. Saturday was one thing, and then Adam Lukins shows up from Brooklyn and the next thing I know me and Todd are staggering home from the O.P. at 1:30 so much for relaxing with Bergman; besides someone left a quarter bottle of JD at our place with no cap on it, and I figured it'd go bad if I didn't drink it, waste not want not is my motto, that and "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth." that one's a good one too.

Band practice in a few minutes, and I'm psyched, things have been getting really good lately we've got a new P.A. head that actually makes my Korg sound like it should, I get really huge bass now so things have been getting super-krauty and rhythmic; Brian and marney have settled in nicely and the rest of the gang are turning out some very remarkable and restrained textures. We've sworn off shows for the next few months so that we can work on finishing up and releasing a couple albums "Metaphysical Graffiti" (which is exactly the length of Zeplin's Physical graffiti) and "Sir Charles russell pussycat, is dead." And also so we can just get tight again, after the holidays and line-up changes we've all been feeling a little out of it. But like I said, it's looking good; Actually, now that I think of it we're going to be playing a show with the Cripples, Aaron Horneblas's new band and I really can't wait to see those guys in action; that dude shreds. I don't even give a damn about virtuosity in music, most of the time I think it's a crutch for the unimaginative, but some people are lucky enough to be both talented and creative and Aaron is one of them. Mark it on your calendar, Feb. 16th Hetro-Gnome. No wait...... I don't know where, maybe Pearls. Whatever, as long as someone in the band knows I'll get there.

Speaking of Krauty goodness, the Can DVD is coming out soon, my copy is coming in tomorrow (record store perks.) Though I hear it's a tad of a crap bomb, all the music is there later schlocky stuff, I don't care either way I just want to SEE them play that's cool enough for me; Plus Breiner is getting the "This Heat" remastered box set in soon and he's gonna let me touch it. the box set. Maybe even let me read the liner notes. ALSO today the promo for the Liars' new album "Drum Not Dead" came my way today and gotta say, i'm digging on it, aside from the the first track it's a whole new deal for them; I won't go into details, I need to listen to it a bunch more before I write a review, but suffice to say it's quite relaxed and, yes, krauty even - which makes sense given that they've got two drummers and live in Germany now.

Band Practice time.

------------------------------------

Geek Alert:
What a looser hu?
Maybe if he was as good as i am, then he wouldn't be dieing so much. Witness, my COD screen captures. Can you guess who Casiotone MT-40 is?


Want even more geek action? check out this stuff; it's called Ferofluid, and it's a liquid developed by NASA aparently to ensure that all our schools will remain under funded... but damn if it doesn't look amazing when it's magnetized. check it out.Video

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm coming into the store to steal, I mean, listen to that Liars promo.

the le duo said...

"I don't even give a damn about virtuosity in music, most of the time I think it's a crutch for the unimaginative"

sometimes you just drip pretensioness ;)

the le duo said...

Now that i got you all steamed, let me say this: maybe you're right, at least in rock+roll. in rock&roll the expression of anger and angst and pure raw emotion is way more important that virtuosity, but in other forms of music, such as jazz or classical or bluegrass (hillbilly jazz) the virtuosity is the expression of imagination and creativity and angst even. the free jazz movement of the late 50s and 60s was just as angry bleak and shockingly raw and stripped down as the grunge of the late 80s and 90s. but lets just agree to disagree, eh? :)

Anonymous said...

Looking forward to "Metaphysical Graffiti."

BTW, I agree 100% with le duo's second statement.

I think that poor musicianship from folks wearing the right pair of jeans could likewise be construed as unimaginative.

There are enough fucking dipshits in the experimental underground to drive a person to Dream Theater.

Well, not really.

Tanner M. said...

you both would think that wouldn't you ;)

Tanner M. said...

JB as usual, you're all encompassing knowledge of all forms and variations of music has proved me a trog, congratulations. But honnestly, that's why i said "most of the time." it's a little phrase that means, "Except for free jazz and hill billy jazz, which of course are about the ladies." And i agree with you Casey, there's just as much asshole/weiner ratio in experimental, well, almost as much. i guess i'd just rather listen to someone jerk making bad noise, than some douche making bad jazz; and beyond all that; i think the world will be forever rift between those who spent alot of time learning something and then want to justify that time spent by holding that knowledge above others, and those who didn't spend alot of time learning something and what to justify it by holding it over the heads of others... two sides of the same coin, in the end it comes down to what sounds good. any ratio of virtuosity and imagination can create beautifull music, i just happen to not play my instruments well. :)

(JB, you have been rebuted. sort of.)

the le duo said...

blah blah blah i'm tanner and work at a music store so i can get away with making all kinds of ridiculous statements as long as i the put an emoticon at the end :) ;) :( ;) ').?>. ":<{}_ "><:_%^ *()$@#:> rebuted touche on guard poo poo fart

the le duo said...

anyway, you dont need to rebute me because if you read my post you'd see that i agreed with you. I merely tried to point out that the same thing rock and rollers bring with their lack of virtue-osity (emotions etc.) can also be broughten by virtuosity. I've said and thought the word virtuosity so much this morning its absolutly meaningless. which it probably was in the beginning anyway. can dvd tonight? huh huh?

Anonymous said...

lol, ;D

now it is i who has been rebuted; Can DVD for sure, if it infact comes in, i should know by 1.

Tanner M. said...

Can DVD update: DVD viewing party at the Sin*a*Gog tonight, 6:00 Sharp, i've got a dinner date at 8:30, so it can't go on any later. everyone is invited!

gd said...

virtuosity is a bunch of bullshit.
so are masterpieces.
i went to music school and found that out.

virtuosity and masterpieces and technicality is an exclusive situation. we need a more inclusive and open situation towards sound/music.

what we need are more people who are virtuosic listeners and lovers & embracers of all-sound.

-gd

Anonymous said...

you dont have to be an expert to appreciate something expertly executed.

i dont have to be a sax player to appreciate 'interstellar space'

i guess i dont quite understand what you meant, greg

jb

Anonymous said...

"virtuosity and masterpieces and technicality is an exclusive situation. we need a more inclusive and open situation towards sound/music."

i think he's talking about HOME ITEMS

and "virtuosic listeners" is great. i read today that "the act of listening is in fact an act of composing", the extreme being silence plus imagination.

see you at the can-a-thon

michelle
;;''.>>]]{}{"//)))

Anonymous said...

You people are boring

-Miles Davis

Tanner M. said...

Yeah well, you're dead.

ha!

Anonymous said...

talk about virtuosity...one time me and McCoy Tyner shit in a can and then banged on it with a stick while talkin bout how much we hated pharoah sanders. now thats jazz, you buncha cracker freaks


-the ghost of elvin jones

Anonymous said...

id like to ask you all to refrain from smoking during our performance.

and now everyone please join us in a minute of silence before we begin our musical prayer.

-john mclaughlin