Random ramblings
Friday at the Gadget
Another day.
I'm surprised where I got the motivation from today, to be quite honest. I
just purely and simply could not have been bothered with opening the shop and
getting everything fired up. I was in a different headspace. I could've
done with a whole day off just to write music. Sit in front of the computer
with a midi keyboard and compose.
Last night the Listen boys got together at the Australian Youth Hotel as we
often do the day after a gig for our regular post-mortem. We're happy that
we're moving on up in terms of our "sound" - the people who were at the
Annandale really enjoyed us and thought that we were the most agressive we
have ever sounded - which made me feel really good. The set was one of two
halves - The quiet[er] songs leading up to "There between you and me" - then
there were the rockers : "Burn Corona", "Little Princess" and our cover of
the Beatles' "Helter Skelter". It's almost as if we had complete control of
our confidence in the second half. By the time we were ready to close the
set, Javed was fully launched.
Saturday 26.02.05
Worst song of the week : Gamble everything for love - Ben Lee.
And to think that idiot was going out with Clare Danes at one stage. Yes, I'm
sure you'll be reading this years from now and going "No wayyy, man!!" Ahhh,
whilst we're on the subject of half decent-looking women, Julia Styles.
However, she was NOT good in Mona Lisa smile....don't ask why I went to see
that film. Suffice to say it was more for my girlfriend's sakes at the time.
Basically a women's "Dead poets society" without the death. And it was about
art as opposed to litertature. Mind you, I actually liked the art which was
displayed in Mona Lisa smile - it's just that damned Julia Roberts - they
could've re-written parts and cast Dame Judy Dench instead - now THERE'S an
acctress.
The day after the Oscars.
09:15 - Blondie - Heart of Glass [MMM]
The 77th Academy Awards have passed us on. And a good thing too. Mind you, I
was extremely happy that the awards handed out last night went to the people
who sincerely deserved them. Such as Clint Eastwood [Million Dollar Baby]
beating out Martin Scorcese [The Aviator] for best director. And Jamie Foxx
taking home the best actor award for his portrayal of Ray Charles over
Leonardo Di Caprio [a hack actor, in my opinion] for "The Aviator". Then
there was Morgan Freeman. The only other hardass apart from Samuel L.
Jackson, who wasn't getting anything, yet managed to get up and present and
award anyway. But Morgan Freeman won the best supporting actor for "Million
Dollar Baby" and easily could have taken out the award for best Oscar
acceptance speech on the night, if there was such a thing.
9:20 - U2 - Vertigo [MMM]
Clangers of the night : Hilary Swank in her dress with no back. WHAT was she
thinking? That, and the over-exposure of Beyonce Knowles [how much it pains
me to even mention that woman's name in print]....not ONCE, but THREE TIMES
for three seperate songs. She even had the nerve to discredit Andrew Lloyd
Webber [a composer I can't stand anyway, but I have resepct for
nonetheless]....Lloyd-Webber was playing the piano and Beyonce was singing
some tune that won't live long in the memory, and it's not something you can
hum along the high street. Highly uninspiring stuff. So, the classy people
: Morgan Freeman, Jamie Foxx, Clint Eastwood. Even host Chris Rock pushed
boundaries with his trademark cheekiness attacking everyone from George W [a
soft target, anyway] to Gwyneth Paltrow [the first woman to breastfeed an
"Apple" - referring to the latest child from the Chris Martin/Gwyneth Paltrow
clan]. Best dressed on the night would probably have to go to Johnny Depp
whose charming gothic attire could almost have been straight out of a
high-class Tim Burton film. Righto, that'll do. I've got work to get on
with. More later.
9:27 - Crash Test Dummies - Mmm mmm mmm mmm [MMM]....kinda funny when you
right it like that. Makes me wish for the 10,000 Maniacs version of "More
than this" by Roxy Music.
9:37 - Midnight Oil - Beds are Burning [MMM] - I HAD bummed over to WSFM there
for a minute [which plays a blend of more "classic hits" - but I'm back now
on MMM.
15:57 - The annoying afternoon school crowd begins to descend - low in
intelligence, they think they bloody run everything. I've got casuals
dropping around me - through no fault of their own - it just means that I'll
have to hire new casuals. Get some trained up.
The weekly wrap-up [04 03 2005]
Anna-Nicole. Who wouldn't want to be Daniel Johns of the Dissasociatives?
Don't know what I'm talking about? Did you see the MTV Australia awards last
night? Mind you, that said - you have to question Anna-Nicole's
motives....the girl is unstable, and that's putting it mildly. Surely any
proposed long-term relationship with her would be impossible since her
fidelity would often come into question. But who would be looking for a
long-term thing with Anna-Nicole Smith? "Fire and forget" would be the
thought, no doubt.
Now, I've seen some electrical storms in Sydney before, but last night's
effort produced one of the best. At one point I could see lightening bolts
as clear as day only about a kilometre away. The sky would light up in
blinding white for a minute, and then it would be gone. Only to hit again a
couple of seconds later. Incredible. However, that's not what this
paragraph is about. Javed and I were on a mission because we had a problem.
And that problem was the crash cymbal on Javed's kit. After almost seven
years the Scimitar cymbal had developed a crack at the edge. The crack was
probably only a couple of millimetres long initially. But after the crack
had been made, it quickly spread to engulf the cymbal. So a new one had to
be bought. In a hurry. So at 6pm last night, Javed and I found ourselves
in Drum City Stanmmore - a place I'm beginning to admire as I make more and
more visits there. The cymbals were all laid out [as it should do in a good
drum shop], and it was simply a matter of getting a drumstick and bashing
each one - "mmm, that sounds good". "Yeah, let's make a shortlist". Because
the other members of the band claim I have perfect pitch [I guess it's kinda
true] I seem to have a better idea of what sounds good in cymbal tones.
Holy shit - they're playing "One Love" by Bob Marley and the
Wailers....class!! Over here on MMM [ a local FM radio station], they have
this competition called "Greedy Pig" - basically put there's a pot [say of 10
grand] and you can choose what money you want to go for - a slice of the pie,
or you could be a "greedy pig" and go for a large slab or even the lot.
Here's how it works, MMM play a section of a tune, and you have to guess the
title and the aritst. But if you go for a larger slice of the pie, then you
have a smaller section of the tune off which you have to guess. Anyway, this
lady had to guess "One Love" - and I knew what it was. Her answer : "Don't
worry, be happy" by Bobby Farrin!!! 2000 dollars went begging.
Last night we had the MTV Awards here at Luna Park in Sydney [as
aforementioned]....MMM had the good sense to play Green Day's set live on air
from last night - which included "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and then
"American Idiot". All profanities broadcast. That's radio the way that it
should be - free of censorship - and if people want to impose restrictions,
then the network should employ guerilla tactics. Now, I like "Boulevard of
Broken Dreams"...but it's the ending of that song which really does it for
me.....and of course "American Idiot" is brilliant. I get the feeling that
the majority of society today sits on the fence in regards to being
political, or anti-establishment. It's funny that Green Day have been
delivering the same message for years [anti-establishment, down with the
moral majority, etc etc] but only now certain people are standing up and
taking some notice. ANY kind of notice. Maybe when you up the ante and
really get in people's faces does anyone pay any attention.
Horror Movie - it's the 6:30 news. And it's shocking me right out of my
brain.
*************************************************
Saturday 5.2.05
"Hypocrite oppurtunist...don't infect me with your poison" - Thom Yorke of
Radiohead - "A punch-up at a wedding". From the record "Hail to the thief".
I'm excited about our band. Like Radiohead, we started with crap sound. [Case
in point : Stop Whispering] But gradually, we're buying various gear to
"fill out" our sound. Jamal has a cross-sound mashing up The Edge [U2],
Johnny Greenwood/Ed O'Brien/Thom Yorke [all responsible for the Radiohead
guitar sound] and elements even of Matt Bellamy [Muse]. I'm getting to be
quite excited about the prospect of recording the "EP" which we're
provisionally titling "Personal Effects". Jamal and I briefly discussed what
the methodology might be like for recording. Initially the idea was that the
drums would be recorded first, then we'd go back and take care of the
guitars, bass, any keyboard arrangements [strings, organs, atmospheres,
etc]....and then go BACK into the "professional" studio to do the vocals and
mix the thing. Now Jamal is talking about doing the entire thing in the
studio. I'm not sure of that idea [for financial reasons], but that would be
all. My concerns over doing the EP "half and half" would be : Is the audio
file which the "professional studio" uses compatible with "Sonar 4"-type
files [Sonar 4 being the recording program which our band utilizes at the
"home studio". If the answer to that is "yes", then I have no concerns. So
long as it's seamless to mix and master, then I'll have no dramas.
So recording, mixing and mastering is Phase 1.
Phase 2 is marketing and releasing the beast. Decisions. Do we release to
radio first? Do we take it to CD stores and see if they'll play it over
their PA and then encourage them to sell it on our behalf? And how about a
distribution firm like MGM doing a deal with us? This is our
specifically-minded campaign to break the "unknown audience" - those folks
which aren't the "bribe our friends" crew. The unconverted. If we're to
make it big, then we can't kid ourselves. We need to make a contrived effort
to go hard at this. I'm actually really warming to the idea of us
self-managing. I'm sure eventually we'll get so busy with our commitments
that we'll need to hire someone else again, but personally I'm actually keen
on retaining the cash and possibly re-using it to buy more and better gear.
Maybe even slowly building up the home studio.
Ahhh, Saturday at the Gadget. Earlier in the morning MMM played "Come on,
Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners - a great tune. And unusually popular
amongst the Irish for some reason!! I reckon it's just a top song to boogie
on down to. But other than that, it's another boring day where I can sit
back, do some dusting, serve the odd customer who may choose to walk through
our door, but otherwise sit back and collect my 40,000 a year.
The Manic Street Preachers - "The Masses against the Classes"
Hello, it's us again
We're still so in love with you
And yes, we mean it too
Yes, we're so in love with you
Hello it's us again
You thought you were our friend
Success is an ugly word
Especially in your tiny world
The masses - against the classes
I'm tired of giving a reason
When the future is what we believe in
We love the winter
It brings us closer together....ahhhhh......
So can you hurt as anymore
Can you feel like it was before
Or are you lost forever more
Messed up and dead on alcohol
Hello, fond farewell my dears
I hope you hear this nice and clear
Our love is unconditional
Our hate is yours to feed upon
The masses - against the classes
I'm tired of giving a reason
When the future is what we believe in
We love the winter
It brings us closer together....ahhhhh......
Yes, you'll notice I'm randomizing quite a bit. You can "selectively read"
what you like. These are just thoughts from being right in the middle of a
12-day stretch at work. And you get the odd customer walking through that
will talk to you about Bob Hawke and the Unions, account trade defecits [will
there ever be an account trade surplus?] and the state of the world in
general, then move into things like how a dysfunctional family can leave
resonating negative psychological influences on any children involved, for
sometimes decades to come. I know about this one personally, but it's
something I'm happy to have overcome.
It's those sorts of people who I like communicating with the best. That
really engage the mind. I suppose it helps if I've downed my "V" for the day
also!! I've just been so tired recently from not so much working long days,
but working a lot of them. And then there's been band practice on top of
that. I tell you what - doing a 4-hour band practice sometimes is harder
work than doing an 8-hour shift AT work!! Imagine playing about 130
beats-per-minute on the drums at volume. Keeping up a quality of sound
especially when the endurance is waning. My Thomas Lang instructional video
is coming in rather handy!! :)
*************************************************
Sunday 06.03.05
You've been working so hard
And you're never in charge
Your death creates success
Rebuild and suppress
Change in the air
And they hide everyhwere
And no-one knows who's in control
Muse - "Ruled by secrecy"
*************************************************
I'd just rather be at band practice right now than at home. Not that I'm at
home, of course. I'm at work. And I've just learnt that that the casual who
was meant to be working with me today had been "bottled" last night at the
Mardi Gras. Great - so that's a whole weekend that I've gone without
casuals. Not that I REALLY mind - I mean, I can survive running it just by
myself - and it's not like Sunday's are really all that busy. But I just
want that same feeling that I had last night when the band got together and
we started jamming out an idea which Leighton had. Leighton comes up with
these terrific noodles which end up being just that - noodles. But there's
just no such thing as playing a "noodle" when Jamal is around. Jamal is to
"Listen" what The Edge is to U2 - the guy with the screwdriver. So Leighton
would do his wee noodle, and Jamal would prick up his ears, get everyone to
stop what they were doing and suggest that we take a serious hard look at
ourselves and think not musically, but try to imagine what the colours of the
song are like, what the feeling is....some sort of landscape. Here's what
the four of us came up with :
Newton's Cradle
-----------------------
I - Pendulum I
II - Atom
III - Falling/Impact
IV - Fallout
V - Pendulum II
We got into a discussion about basic physics (something I felt a bit out of
depth with, since I stopped taking Science as soon as it stopped being
compulsory at high school), but Jamal and Leighton were talking about atoms,
and planets spinning and such things. Now, I can eaily understand the sort
of emotion that kind of imagery inspires on a creative level - but not from a
scientific viewpoint, which is fine. And then - here's the best part - we
starting talking about atom bombs - and how we get from the point of
splitting the atom....and that which us responsible for building man in the
first place is [through mans influence] responsible for the destruction of
man as a species through the abuse of nuclear technology. So we conjured up
a scene of nuclear holocaust with our instruments, or at least attempted to.
Yes, the words "prog" and "rock" were used. But only as a vague musical
start point. Once we were in the mindset of thinking about physics and
contemplating the sheer physical destructive power of something like a
nuclear weapon the music [as well as the force at which certain chords were
played] were set in motion. With Jamal's new effects pedal he could conjur
up some frightening sounds which were simply breathtaking to behold. And of
course, there was the new crash cymbal to incorporate into the rest of the
drum rig. Initially when I bashed it on it's own [after it was set up on the
stand] Leighton passed the comment that he wasn't sure if the crash was the
right sound. I mentioned to him that when the drums were all assembled
together that the new crash would feel right at home. And sure enough, it
was as I said it would be. That's easily the most satisfying $339 I've spent
in a while. Watching everyone's face just light up every time I hit it was
simply a great feeling. And the best comment was passed by Javed - or was it
Jamal - about how well the crash cymbal related to the Zildjan A Series
hi-hat I was already playing [since both cymbals are Zildjan A Series, except
the crash goes one further by being a "Custom" A Series fast crash. I know,
to most common observers it counts for nothing, but when you've just
painfully parted with a fair wad of cash, you'll want to know the ins and
outs of your newly-acquired product. Now, crash cymbals as far as
complicated musical instruments go are so basic that they obviously don't
require any sort of manual whatsoever - but if they DID come with a manual,
you can bet that I'd be reading it. I can be like that.
I'm bored - so much so that I'm making a note of certain songs which MMM plays
that get me going - songs which I have to remind myself to get hold of on CD
later - or make an "80's indie dance" mixtape. Leighton and I are both fans
of that "indie" sound - certain tones that come out of drum loops or vibes
coming off guitar effects. Take Radiohead's "Where Bluebirds Fly", for
example off the "Comlag" EP.
When I'm-a walking, I strut my stuff
Then I'm so strung out
I'm high as a kite, I just might
Start to check you out.
Violent Femmes - Blister in the sun
*************************************************
Well, 8 minutes to 14:00. Go home and make a CD - the first Stonepost
compilation. Rip a couple of more discs before dinner and get a CD out.
Maybe do a sleeve for it as well. Think about design. Then watch another
bit of "Chocolat" or maybe "Human Traffic"....this is just great - second
time in the day I've heard "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" by Greenday. Ok,
this has reduced merely to me talking crap now. I'm off.
Another day.
I'm surprised where I got the motivation from today, to be quite honest. I
just purely and simply could not have been bothered with opening the shop and
getting everything fired up. I was in a different headspace. I could've
done with a whole day off just to write music. Sit in front of the computer
with a midi keyboard and compose.
Last night the Listen boys got together at the Australian Youth Hotel as we
often do the day after a gig for our regular post-mortem. We're happy that
we're moving on up in terms of our "sound" - the people who were at the
Annandale really enjoyed us and thought that we were the most agressive we
have ever sounded - which made me feel really good. The set was one of two
halves - The quiet[er] songs leading up to "There between you and me" - then
there were the rockers : "Burn Corona", "Little Princess" and our cover of
the Beatles' "Helter Skelter". It's almost as if we had complete control of
our confidence in the second half. By the time we were ready to close the
set, Javed was fully launched.
Saturday 26.02.05
Worst song of the week : Gamble everything for love - Ben Lee.
And to think that idiot was going out with Clare Danes at one stage. Yes, I'm
sure you'll be reading this years from now and going "No wayyy, man!!" Ahhh,
whilst we're on the subject of half decent-looking women, Julia Styles.
However, she was NOT good in Mona Lisa smile....don't ask why I went to see
that film. Suffice to say it was more for my girlfriend's sakes at the time.
Basically a women's "Dead poets society" without the death. And it was about
art as opposed to litertature. Mind you, I actually liked the art which was
displayed in Mona Lisa smile - it's just that damned Julia Roberts - they
could've re-written parts and cast Dame Judy Dench instead - now THERE'S an
acctress.
The day after the Oscars.
09:15 - Blondie - Heart of Glass [MMM]
The 77th Academy Awards have passed us on. And a good thing too. Mind you, I
was extremely happy that the awards handed out last night went to the people
who sincerely deserved them. Such as Clint Eastwood [Million Dollar Baby]
beating out Martin Scorcese [The Aviator] for best director. And Jamie Foxx
taking home the best actor award for his portrayal of Ray Charles over
Leonardo Di Caprio [a hack actor, in my opinion] for "The Aviator". Then
there was Morgan Freeman. The only other hardass apart from Samuel L.
Jackson, who wasn't getting anything, yet managed to get up and present and
award anyway. But Morgan Freeman won the best supporting actor for "Million
Dollar Baby" and easily could have taken out the award for best Oscar
acceptance speech on the night, if there was such a thing.
9:20 - U2 - Vertigo [MMM]
Clangers of the night : Hilary Swank in her dress with no back. WHAT was she
thinking? That, and the over-exposure of Beyonce Knowles [how much it pains
me to even mention that woman's name in print]....not ONCE, but THREE TIMES
for three seperate songs. She even had the nerve to discredit Andrew Lloyd
Webber [a composer I can't stand anyway, but I have resepct for
nonetheless]....Lloyd-Webber was playing the piano and Beyonce was singing
some tune that won't live long in the memory, and it's not something you can
hum along the high street. Highly uninspiring stuff. So, the classy people
: Morgan Freeman, Jamie Foxx, Clint Eastwood. Even host Chris Rock pushed
boundaries with his trademark cheekiness attacking everyone from George W [a
soft target, anyway] to Gwyneth Paltrow [the first woman to breastfeed an
"Apple" - referring to the latest child from the Chris Martin/Gwyneth Paltrow
clan]. Best dressed on the night would probably have to go to Johnny Depp
whose charming gothic attire could almost have been straight out of a
high-class Tim Burton film. Righto, that'll do. I've got work to get on
with. More later.
9:27 - Crash Test Dummies - Mmm mmm mmm mmm [MMM]....kinda funny when you
right it like that. Makes me wish for the 10,000 Maniacs version of "More
than this" by Roxy Music.
9:37 - Midnight Oil - Beds are Burning [MMM] - I HAD bummed over to WSFM there
for a minute [which plays a blend of more "classic hits" - but I'm back now
on MMM.
15:57 - The annoying afternoon school crowd begins to descend - low in
intelligence, they think they bloody run everything. I've got casuals
dropping around me - through no fault of their own - it just means that I'll
have to hire new casuals. Get some trained up.
The weekly wrap-up [04 03 2005]
Anna-Nicole. Who wouldn't want to be Daniel Johns of the Dissasociatives?
Don't know what I'm talking about? Did you see the MTV Australia awards last
night? Mind you, that said - you have to question Anna-Nicole's
motives....the girl is unstable, and that's putting it mildly. Surely any
proposed long-term relationship with her would be impossible since her
fidelity would often come into question. But who would be looking for a
long-term thing with Anna-Nicole Smith? "Fire and forget" would be the
thought, no doubt.
Now, I've seen some electrical storms in Sydney before, but last night's
effort produced one of the best. At one point I could see lightening bolts
as clear as day only about a kilometre away. The sky would light up in
blinding white for a minute, and then it would be gone. Only to hit again a
couple of seconds later. Incredible. However, that's not what this
paragraph is about. Javed and I were on a mission because we had a problem.
And that problem was the crash cymbal on Javed's kit. After almost seven
years the Scimitar cymbal had developed a crack at the edge. The crack was
probably only a couple of millimetres long initially. But after the crack
had been made, it quickly spread to engulf the cymbal. So a new one had to
be bought. In a hurry. So at 6pm last night, Javed and I found ourselves
in Drum City Stanmmore - a place I'm beginning to admire as I make more and
more visits there. The cymbals were all laid out [as it should do in a good
drum shop], and it was simply a matter of getting a drumstick and bashing
each one - "mmm, that sounds good". "Yeah, let's make a shortlist". Because
the other members of the band claim I have perfect pitch [I guess it's kinda
true] I seem to have a better idea of what sounds good in cymbal tones.
Holy shit - they're playing "One Love" by Bob Marley and the
Wailers....class!! Over here on MMM [ a local FM radio station], they have
this competition called "Greedy Pig" - basically put there's a pot [say of 10
grand] and you can choose what money you want to go for - a slice of the pie,
or you could be a "greedy pig" and go for a large slab or even the lot.
Here's how it works, MMM play a section of a tune, and you have to guess the
title and the aritst. But if you go for a larger slice of the pie, then you
have a smaller section of the tune off which you have to guess. Anyway, this
lady had to guess "One Love" - and I knew what it was. Her answer : "Don't
worry, be happy" by Bobby Farrin!!! 2000 dollars went begging.
Last night we had the MTV Awards here at Luna Park in Sydney [as
aforementioned]....MMM had the good sense to play Green Day's set live on air
from last night - which included "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and then
"American Idiot". All profanities broadcast. That's radio the way that it
should be - free of censorship - and if people want to impose restrictions,
then the network should employ guerilla tactics. Now, I like "Boulevard of
Broken Dreams"...but it's the ending of that song which really does it for
me.....and of course "American Idiot" is brilliant. I get the feeling that
the majority of society today sits on the fence in regards to being
political, or anti-establishment. It's funny that Green Day have been
delivering the same message for years [anti-establishment, down with the
moral majority, etc etc] but only now certain people are standing up and
taking some notice. ANY kind of notice. Maybe when you up the ante and
really get in people's faces does anyone pay any attention.
Horror Movie - it's the 6:30 news. And it's shocking me right out of my
brain.
*************************************************
Saturday 5.2.05
"Hypocrite oppurtunist...don't infect me with your poison" - Thom Yorke of
Radiohead - "A punch-up at a wedding". From the record "Hail to the thief".
I'm excited about our band. Like Radiohead, we started with crap sound. [Case
in point : Stop Whispering] But gradually, we're buying various gear to
"fill out" our sound. Jamal has a cross-sound mashing up The Edge [U2],
Johnny Greenwood/Ed O'Brien/Thom Yorke [all responsible for the Radiohead
guitar sound] and elements even of Matt Bellamy [Muse]. I'm getting to be
quite excited about the prospect of recording the "EP" which we're
provisionally titling "Personal Effects". Jamal and I briefly discussed what
the methodology might be like for recording. Initially the idea was that the
drums would be recorded first, then we'd go back and take care of the
guitars, bass, any keyboard arrangements [strings, organs, atmospheres,
etc]....and then go BACK into the "professional" studio to do the vocals and
mix the thing. Now Jamal is talking about doing the entire thing in the
studio. I'm not sure of that idea [for financial reasons], but that would be
all. My concerns over doing the EP "half and half" would be : Is the audio
file which the "professional studio" uses compatible with "Sonar 4"-type
files [Sonar 4 being the recording program which our band utilizes at the
"home studio". If the answer to that is "yes", then I have no concerns. So
long as it's seamless to mix and master, then I'll have no dramas.
So recording, mixing and mastering is Phase 1.
Phase 2 is marketing and releasing the beast. Decisions. Do we release to
radio first? Do we take it to CD stores and see if they'll play it over
their PA and then encourage them to sell it on our behalf? And how about a
distribution firm like MGM doing a deal with us? This is our
specifically-minded campaign to break the "unknown audience" - those folks
which aren't the "bribe our friends" crew. The unconverted. If we're to
make it big, then we can't kid ourselves. We need to make a contrived effort
to go hard at this. I'm actually really warming to the idea of us
self-managing. I'm sure eventually we'll get so busy with our commitments
that we'll need to hire someone else again, but personally I'm actually keen
on retaining the cash and possibly re-using it to buy more and better gear.
Maybe even slowly building up the home studio.
Ahhh, Saturday at the Gadget. Earlier in the morning MMM played "Come on,
Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners - a great tune. And unusually popular
amongst the Irish for some reason!! I reckon it's just a top song to boogie
on down to. But other than that, it's another boring day where I can sit
back, do some dusting, serve the odd customer who may choose to walk through
our door, but otherwise sit back and collect my 40,000 a year.
The Manic Street Preachers - "The Masses against the Classes"
Hello, it's us again
We're still so in love with you
And yes, we mean it too
Yes, we're so in love with you
Hello it's us again
You thought you were our friend
Success is an ugly word
Especially in your tiny world
The masses - against the classes
I'm tired of giving a reason
When the future is what we believe in
We love the winter
It brings us closer together....ahhhhh......
So can you hurt as anymore
Can you feel like it was before
Or are you lost forever more
Messed up and dead on alcohol
Hello, fond farewell my dears
I hope you hear this nice and clear
Our love is unconditional
Our hate is yours to feed upon
The masses - against the classes
I'm tired of giving a reason
When the future is what we believe in
We love the winter
It brings us closer together....ahhhhh......
Yes, you'll notice I'm randomizing quite a bit. You can "selectively read"
what you like. These are just thoughts from being right in the middle of a
12-day stretch at work. And you get the odd customer walking through that
will talk to you about Bob Hawke and the Unions, account trade defecits [will
there ever be an account trade surplus?] and the state of the world in
general, then move into things like how a dysfunctional family can leave
resonating negative psychological influences on any children involved, for
sometimes decades to come. I know about this one personally, but it's
something I'm happy to have overcome.
It's those sorts of people who I like communicating with the best. That
really engage the mind. I suppose it helps if I've downed my "V" for the day
also!! I've just been so tired recently from not so much working long days,
but working a lot of them. And then there's been band practice on top of
that. I tell you what - doing a 4-hour band practice sometimes is harder
work than doing an 8-hour shift AT work!! Imagine playing about 130
beats-per-minute on the drums at volume. Keeping up a quality of sound
especially when the endurance is waning. My Thomas Lang instructional video
is coming in rather handy!! :)
*************************************************
Sunday 06.03.05
You've been working so hard
And you're never in charge
Your death creates success
Rebuild and suppress
Change in the air
And they hide everyhwere
And no-one knows who's in control
Muse - "Ruled by secrecy"
*************************************************
I'd just rather be at band practice right now than at home. Not that I'm at
home, of course. I'm at work. And I've just learnt that that the casual who
was meant to be working with me today had been "bottled" last night at the
Mardi Gras. Great - so that's a whole weekend that I've gone without
casuals. Not that I REALLY mind - I mean, I can survive running it just by
myself - and it's not like Sunday's are really all that busy. But I just
want that same feeling that I had last night when the band got together and
we started jamming out an idea which Leighton had. Leighton comes up with
these terrific noodles which end up being just that - noodles. But there's
just no such thing as playing a "noodle" when Jamal is around. Jamal is to
"Listen" what The Edge is to U2 - the guy with the screwdriver. So Leighton
would do his wee noodle, and Jamal would prick up his ears, get everyone to
stop what they were doing and suggest that we take a serious hard look at
ourselves and think not musically, but try to imagine what the colours of the
song are like, what the feeling is....some sort of landscape. Here's what
the four of us came up with :
Newton's Cradle
-----------------------
I - Pendulum I
II - Atom
III - Falling/Impact
IV - Fallout
V - Pendulum II
We got into a discussion about basic physics (something I felt a bit out of
depth with, since I stopped taking Science as soon as it stopped being
compulsory at high school), but Jamal and Leighton were talking about atoms,
and planets spinning and such things. Now, I can eaily understand the sort
of emotion that kind of imagery inspires on a creative level - but not from a
scientific viewpoint, which is fine. And then - here's the best part - we
starting talking about atom bombs - and how we get from the point of
splitting the atom....and that which us responsible for building man in the
first place is [through mans influence] responsible for the destruction of
man as a species through the abuse of nuclear technology. So we conjured up
a scene of nuclear holocaust with our instruments, or at least attempted to.
Yes, the words "prog" and "rock" were used. But only as a vague musical
start point. Once we were in the mindset of thinking about physics and
contemplating the sheer physical destructive power of something like a
nuclear weapon the music [as well as the force at which certain chords were
played] were set in motion. With Jamal's new effects pedal he could conjur
up some frightening sounds which were simply breathtaking to behold. And of
course, there was the new crash cymbal to incorporate into the rest of the
drum rig. Initially when I bashed it on it's own [after it was set up on the
stand] Leighton passed the comment that he wasn't sure if the crash was the
right sound. I mentioned to him that when the drums were all assembled
together that the new crash would feel right at home. And sure enough, it
was as I said it would be. That's easily the most satisfying $339 I've spent
in a while. Watching everyone's face just light up every time I hit it was
simply a great feeling. And the best comment was passed by Javed - or was it
Jamal - about how well the crash cymbal related to the Zildjan A Series
hi-hat I was already playing [since both cymbals are Zildjan A Series, except
the crash goes one further by being a "Custom" A Series fast crash. I know,
to most common observers it counts for nothing, but when you've just
painfully parted with a fair wad of cash, you'll want to know the ins and
outs of your newly-acquired product. Now, crash cymbals as far as
complicated musical instruments go are so basic that they obviously don't
require any sort of manual whatsoever - but if they DID come with a manual,
you can bet that I'd be reading it. I can be like that.
I'm bored - so much so that I'm making a note of certain songs which MMM plays
that get me going - songs which I have to remind myself to get hold of on CD
later - or make an "80's indie dance" mixtape. Leighton and I are both fans
of that "indie" sound - certain tones that come out of drum loops or vibes
coming off guitar effects. Take Radiohead's "Where Bluebirds Fly", for
example off the "Comlag" EP.
When I'm-a walking, I strut my stuff
Then I'm so strung out
I'm high as a kite, I just might
Start to check you out.
Violent Femmes - Blister in the sun
*************************************************
Well, 8 minutes to 14:00. Go home and make a CD - the first Stonepost
compilation. Rip a couple of more discs before dinner and get a CD out.
Maybe do a sleeve for it as well. Think about design. Then watch another
bit of "Chocolat" or maybe "Human Traffic"....this is just great - second
time in the day I've heard "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" by Greenday. Ok,
this has reduced merely to me talking crap now. I'm off.