Yup, ... did a count of total downloads of my albums at the Internet Archive -
21,845
Cool, huh? And that actually does NOT count the various albums with uploads to Mediafire, Megaupload, Rapidshare, etc.
Yeah, I needed a little ego boost. I need some inspiration for my next musical project which has come to a complete halt due to work, holiday stuff, etc. Maybe I'll have a bit more time in the next few weeks once the holidays have passed.
21,845.
Cool.
By the way, ... thanX to all you knutz who actually downloaded my tunes. Much appreciated. Really.
12/12/09
New Demo Songs up
It's been a looonnng time, ...
Yeah, I finally have some new tunes posted. I actually had them done a few weeks back, but haven't gotten around to posting them anywhere. So I finally uploaded them to my "basic" Soundclick page for your listening displeasure.
They're also in the Soundclick player located right on this page - you should see it if you scroll down a bit.
These are NOT what I would call completed songs, though. I just plugged in the geetar, spontaneously came up with a riff, recorded it, next riff, recorded it, etc. Not exactly "improvised", but not well thought out either or "composed" in the traditional sense. They all have a bunch of different tunings - the first is in Open C with a D, a few in Drop-D, a few in E Standard, etc. Just whatever I felt like at the time. And some have real bass, too.
Well, just listen, and let me know what you think.
ThanX.
Yeah, I finally have some new tunes posted. I actually had them done a few weeks back, but haven't gotten around to posting them anywhere. So I finally uploaded them to my "basic" Soundclick page for your listening displeasure.
They're also in the Soundclick player located right on this page - you should see it if you scroll down a bit.
These are NOT what I would call completed songs, though. I just plugged in the geetar, spontaneously came up with a riff, recorded it, next riff, recorded it, etc. Not exactly "improvised", but not well thought out either or "composed" in the traditional sense. They all have a bunch of different tunings - the first is in Open C with a D, a few in Drop-D, a few in E Standard, etc. Just whatever I felt like at the time. And some have real bass, too.
Well, just listen, and let me know what you think.
ThanX.
9/22/09
The New Album - "Laws of Repulsion"
Here it is folks, the new album completed - "Laws of Repulsion"
The Song List:
1. Obviate, Question, Give
2. Cosmic Disorder
3 .Unholy Magick
4. Divine Forgetfullness
5. Quantum Irrationality
6. Negative Thinking
7. Extinguish
8. Elysian Failure
9. Irreligious Science
10. Obverse Purchase
11. Pathological Solipsism
This album is my return to my love of free-form jazz-rock-fusion and improvisation. My tribute to some of my old favorites - Sonny Sharrock, Bill Laswell, Last Exit, Miles Davis, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Greg Ginn's Gone project, Joe Morris - and some new ones - Nels Cline, Marc Ducret, Marc Ribot, Gregg Bendian, and too many more to mention.
Basically, the music is in the form of a guitar/bass/drums power trio with some extra synthesizers sparsely added here and there to spice up the intros, outros, etc. But what you have as a result is a bunch of very freely improvised jams, mostly first takes, ... to borrow from a John Scofield album title - "loud jazz."
I'll also be posting this album at last.fm and most likely provide a Mediafire "mirror" link.
Please download, burn to CDs, play it loudly, tell your weird friends about it, re-post the link at your blogs, etc.
The Song List:
1. Obviate, Question, Give
2. Cosmic Disorder
3 .Unholy Magick
4. Divine Forgetfullness
5. Quantum Irrationality
6. Negative Thinking
7. Extinguish
8. Elysian Failure
9. Irreligious Science
10. Obverse Purchase
11. Pathological Solipsism
This album is my return to my love of free-form jazz-rock-fusion and improvisation. My tribute to some of my old favorites - Sonny Sharrock, Bill Laswell, Last Exit, Miles Davis, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Greg Ginn's Gone project, Joe Morris - and some new ones - Nels Cline, Marc Ducret, Marc Ribot, Gregg Bendian, and too many more to mention.
Basically, the music is in the form of a guitar/bass/drums power trio with some extra synthesizers sparsely added here and there to spice up the intros, outros, etc. But what you have as a result is a bunch of very freely improvised jams, mostly first takes, ... to borrow from a John Scofield album title - "loud jazz."
I'll also be posting this album at last.fm and most likely provide a Mediafire "mirror" link.
Please download, burn to CDs, play it loudly, tell your weird friends about it, re-post the link at your blogs, etc.
9/20/09
Jazz Improv Project
I've put my current semi-vocal project album aside to work on some completely new music. I've been immersing myself back into a style that I was heavily into in the 1990's - free jazz improv. Sonny Sharrock, Bill Laswell, Last Exit, and a few others were big on my playlist back then, and I've begun to listen some of the newer guys in the noisy-improv scene, like Marc Ribot, Nels Cline, Gregg Bendian, Joe Morris, etc.
These bands create some incredible music, most of it improvised and created on the spot. And some of it is pretty noisy and chaotic. So I'm forcing myself to try to come up with some jazzy-sounding stuff, and record it as fast as possible with very little preparation. Just hit play and record. I want it to sound very loose and spontaneous, like a trio of musicians in a room just jamming and having fun, making noisy music and musical noise.
It's not as easy as it sounds. I may try recruiting a few folks to see if we can actually get some live jamming done, but we'll see. I may just have to be daring on my own. I haven't played real free-form in a while, so I'm sure I'm a bit rusty. Maybe the guys from Burn Without Me or Moroghor might be daring enough to face this odd challenge. Hmmmm,...
These bands create some incredible music, most of it improvised and created on the spot. And some of it is pretty noisy and chaotic. So I'm forcing myself to try to come up with some jazzy-sounding stuff, and record it as fast as possible with very little preparation. Just hit play and record. I want it to sound very loose and spontaneous, like a trio of musicians in a room just jamming and having fun, making noisy music and musical noise.
It's not as easy as it sounds. I may try recruiting a few folks to see if we can actually get some live jamming done, but we'll see. I may just have to be daring on my own. I haven't played real free-form in a while, so I'm sure I'm a bit rusty. Maybe the guys from Burn Without Me or Moroghor might be daring enough to face this odd challenge. Hmmmm,...
9/9/09
Vocals?? Maybe, but not mine...
The album is on hold for a bit - I've decided to give a copy of it to my neighbor, Clint Mitchell, who is the bassist for The Screamin' Barfys. He's going to give it a listen along with Screamin' Barfys vocalist, Dan "The Man" Flynn, who I might have come up with some lyrics and lay down some vocals. This will be a big "first" for Dimaension X.
I decided to do this, because I just thought the music was missing something. It was a lot of great chord progressions and riffs, but it sounded like it was ust missing something on top, like WORDS. These songs actually sounded like songs for once, so instead of trying to add additional guitar riffs on top, which just wasn't working, I'm gonna wait and see what Dan and Clint come up with.
I like Dan's style with the 'Barfys. It's not my usual style, but I like how his lyrics are somewhere between Jim Morrison and Henry Rollins. His vocal style is more like a more unstable (in a good way) Eddie Vedder, or, again, Mr. Henry Rollins from his early Black Flag days - very raw, but with some interesting lyrical twists.
So we'll see what happens. Either way, I'm not crazy about the music on it's own, so if the vocals don't work out, I may only release a few of the songs that are fine on their own.
I decided to do this, because I just thought the music was missing something. It was a lot of great chord progressions and riffs, but it sounded like it was ust missing something on top, like WORDS. These songs actually sounded like songs for once, so instead of trying to add additional guitar riffs on top, which just wasn't working, I'm gonna wait and see what Dan and Clint come up with.
I like Dan's style with the 'Barfys. It's not my usual style, but I like how his lyrics are somewhere between Jim Morrison and Henry Rollins. His vocal style is more like a more unstable (in a good way) Eddie Vedder, or, again, Mr. Henry Rollins from his early Black Flag days - very raw, but with some interesting lyrical twists.
So we'll see what happens. Either way, I'm not crazy about the music on it's own, so if the vocals don't work out, I may only release a few of the songs that are fine on their own.
9/3/09
New Dimaension X album nearing the end
Nearing the finish line I am! The parts are basically recorded, but I need to give it a few more critical listens and mixdowns before unleashing it unto the universe. It's a bit odd; I'm really not sure of how to describe the music. It's actually very spontaneous, a lot of the parts recorded as I came up with them, so not a lot of forethought went into this effort.
I did use my "Word/Phrase" composition method for the "basic" chord progressions and riffs, but kept it very loose, and revised things that didn't quite work. I also did most of the album with my Schecter Omen-6 tuned to CGCGCD, so I had to completely re-learn the fretboard, too. To help with this, I discovered a very helpful website called StudyBass.com (www.studybass.com - duh?). This site has a great feature that allows you to print out fretboard diagrams with custom tunings, scales, chords, etc. A huge help. Just type in how your guitar or bass is tuned, and then tell it what scales you want to see, and it creates a great printable diagram of the fretboard.
This album is very different than my usual work, which usually has a lot of keyboards and synths. This one is 95% guitar-oriented. Only a few very short and simple synth parts, and a few that are actually guitar with some freaky effects that make it sound like a synth. There aren't a lot of "melodies", mainly chord progressions and riffs that will hopefully keep your head bobbin' and your foot tappin'. I've been listening to a lot of "post-rock" and "post-metal" bands lately, and their music tends to be comprised mainly of very open and free chord structures - the songs mainly rely on simple and repetitive chord progressions, but the variety is in the dynamics of the songs, going from heavy to lighter sections, creating crescendos and decrescendos through sheer volume and tempo changes.
So you may love it or hate it. It could be ground-breaking or a total snooze-fest. But I've been wanting to do something new and different for quite some time, and my work with both Burn Without Me and Moroghor inspired me to delve into unexplored areas.
I also have to work on the cover art, and figure out the best places to post it. Very soon, folks.
I did use my "Word/Phrase" composition method for the "basic" chord progressions and riffs, but kept it very loose, and revised things that didn't quite work. I also did most of the album with my Schecter Omen-6 tuned to CGCGCD, so I had to completely re-learn the fretboard, too. To help with this, I discovered a very helpful website called StudyBass.com (www.studybass.com - duh?). This site has a great feature that allows you to print out fretboard diagrams with custom tunings, scales, chords, etc. A huge help. Just type in how your guitar or bass is tuned, and then tell it what scales you want to see, and it creates a great printable diagram of the fretboard.
This album is very different than my usual work, which usually has a lot of keyboards and synths. This one is 95% guitar-oriented. Only a few very short and simple synth parts, and a few that are actually guitar with some freaky effects that make it sound like a synth. There aren't a lot of "melodies", mainly chord progressions and riffs that will hopefully keep your head bobbin' and your foot tappin'. I've been listening to a lot of "post-rock" and "post-metal" bands lately, and their music tends to be comprised mainly of very open and free chord structures - the songs mainly rely on simple and repetitive chord progressions, but the variety is in the dynamics of the songs, going from heavy to lighter sections, creating crescendos and decrescendos through sheer volume and tempo changes.
So you may love it or hate it. It could be ground-breaking or a total snooze-fest. But I've been wanting to do something new and different for quite some time, and my work with both Burn Without Me and Moroghor inspired me to delve into unexplored areas.
I also have to work on the cover art, and figure out the best places to post it. Very soon, folks.
8/23/09
What's next?
Okay - here we go - I've been trying to come up with ideas for the next Dimaension X project, and have been immersing myself in a few different types of music:
Post-metal
Atmospheric Black Metal
Devin Townsend
Tortoise
Post-metal bands as mentioned in the previous blog have really been seeping onto my consciousness as of late, much more so than your typical metal music. I just find this kind of music more open and interesting, and capable of going into different directions, unlimited by the usual "constrictions" that most "Metal" bands feel the need to adhere to. It can be subtle and mellow, or heavier than hell. It can be fast or slow. Loud or soft. Brutal or melodic. So much interesting potential.
Atmospheric Black Metal is also an area of great potential, similar to post-metal, where it may have the typical blast-beats and tremolo picked riffs, but it is the haunting atmosphere and general feel of the music that removes it from the usual stereotype. I'm not about to start adding evil screeching vocals to the music. It's more about "atmosphere". I just discovered a great band called Organ, who play all-instrumental "black metal", but they sound more like Tortoise with blast-beats and weird vocal samples.
Devin Townsend and Strapping Young Lad have been coming out of my speakers lately. I've had an odd musical relationship with the HevyOne. At first, I found him to be really annoying, just overdoing the whole "wall-of-sound" thing, but as time has gone on, and I've acquainted myself more with his music, and with the way he creates music that I've come to respect the man and the music more, and even grow to like it a lot. His tuning alone has inspired me to once again re-tune the Schecter in a similar fashion. Dev tuned most of his music to an Open C chord (CGCGCE), but I have tuned to Open C minor (CGCGCEb). Personally, I think the Open C minor is better, because you can easily make the chord Major again with one finger fret. The problem is that I now have to re-learn the whole fretboard and associated scales/modes, which are completely different in this tuning.
Tortoise is a band that I never listened to until just recently. I think I did listen a bit years ago, but just didn't have the patience or musical maturity to fully appreciate them. Their music is open and expansive, jazzy and rockin', improvisational and stricltly composed. Each member is capable of playing numerous instruments, and does so in their live performances, switching from guitar to bass to vibraphone to synths, etc. I'd love to actually be able to put together some kind of similar ensemble of local musicians and do this kind of thing. If only I could actually find like-minded musicians. That's the problem.
So my next album with probably be some odd combination of all of the above. Or not. We shall see.
Post-metal
Atmospheric Black Metal
Devin Townsend
Tortoise
Post-metal bands as mentioned in the previous blog have really been seeping onto my consciousness as of late, much more so than your typical metal music. I just find this kind of music more open and interesting, and capable of going into different directions, unlimited by the usual "constrictions" that most "Metal" bands feel the need to adhere to. It can be subtle and mellow, or heavier than hell. It can be fast or slow. Loud or soft. Brutal or melodic. So much interesting potential.
Atmospheric Black Metal is also an area of great potential, similar to post-metal, where it may have the typical blast-beats and tremolo picked riffs, but it is the haunting atmosphere and general feel of the music that removes it from the usual stereotype. I'm not about to start adding evil screeching vocals to the music. It's more about "atmosphere". I just discovered a great band called Organ, who play all-instrumental "black metal", but they sound more like Tortoise with blast-beats and weird vocal samples.
Devin Townsend and Strapping Young Lad have been coming out of my speakers lately. I've had an odd musical relationship with the HevyOne. At first, I found him to be really annoying, just overdoing the whole "wall-of-sound" thing, but as time has gone on, and I've acquainted myself more with his music, and with the way he creates music that I've come to respect the man and the music more, and even grow to like it a lot. His tuning alone has inspired me to once again re-tune the Schecter in a similar fashion. Dev tuned most of his music to an Open C chord (CGCGCE), but I have tuned to Open C minor (CGCGCEb). Personally, I think the Open C minor is better, because you can easily make the chord Major again with one finger fret. The problem is that I now have to re-learn the whole fretboard and associated scales/modes, which are completely different in this tuning.
Tortoise is a band that I never listened to until just recently. I think I did listen a bit years ago, but just didn't have the patience or musical maturity to fully appreciate them. Their music is open and expansive, jazzy and rockin', improvisational and stricltly composed. Each member is capable of playing numerous instruments, and does so in their live performances, switching from guitar to bass to vibraphone to synths, etc. I'd love to actually be able to put together some kind of similar ensemble of local musicians and do this kind of thing. If only I could actually find like-minded musicians. That's the problem.
So my next album with probably be some odd combination of all of the above. Or not. We shall see.
8/18/09
Post-Metal and beyond
As I approach the completion of the drums and mixes for the 2nd Moroghor album, I am looking at the future of Dimaension X and trying to decide what's next. I am beginning to reach a sense of frustration in the metal music world, and have begun to explore more on the boundaries of what might be known as post-metal. I am finding too many restrictive "rules" and cliches in metal. I want to be a bit more exploratory and daring. Go out on a limb and take more musical chances, rather than adhere to tremolo picking over blast-beats and dark atmospheres.
I've been discovering a few more bands that are more interesting and have more to do with my current musical interests.
From Monuments to Masses, Gifts From Enola and Ahkmed are a few of those bands, along with very experimental bands Maudlin of the Well and Kayo Dot. These bands still have some metal in their nature - loud, distorted guitars and basses, pounding drums, but there is a more experimental and meandering quality to their music.
The first two mentioned I can describe as having similarities to Sigur Ros, but without the annoying falsetto vocals, and with more "rock" in the sound. In fact, Gifts from Enola often sound downright heavy and angry, more like a lighter Neurosis or Isis. FMTM have more of a "pop" sound and can be pretty darn "funky" in spots, even if the beat is odd-timed. And I would describe Ahkmed as more expansive space-rock, similar to Subarachnoid Space or Led Zeppelin during the real long live versions of "Dazed and Confused" or "Whole Lotta Love". And not a blast-beat anywhere on any of there albums. Oh well.
Now, MOTW and Kayo Dot are basically the same band (sort or), being led by c-founder/multi-instrumentalist/composer Toby Driver. Their music contains elements from many different genres including doom metal, indie rock, jazz, progressive rock, post rock, progressive metal and death metal. Their latest album was made available for FREE download at their website. Very cool. Go there and download it now. Really.
So what now for Dimaension X. Frankly, I don't know. I am most certainly still a big metal fan, and metal will always be a significant part of my musical (and genetic) makeup, but I like other stuff, too, and will be incorporating more different stuff into my next projects. When I get around to it.
I am still job hunting, which is a big priority, and the weather right now is hot and humid - not great for sitting at a computer with my guitar as my fingers sweat all over the strings and the computer cooling fans are over-worked. So no music creating just this second. When the weather cools off, I'll start working on some new material, and I will be finishing Moroghor's new album very soon.
I've been discovering a few more bands that are more interesting and have more to do with my current musical interests.
From Monuments to Masses, Gifts From Enola and Ahkmed are a few of those bands, along with very experimental bands Maudlin of the Well and Kayo Dot. These bands still have some metal in their nature - loud, distorted guitars and basses, pounding drums, but there is a more experimental and meandering quality to their music.
The first two mentioned I can describe as having similarities to Sigur Ros, but without the annoying falsetto vocals, and with more "rock" in the sound. In fact, Gifts from Enola often sound downright heavy and angry, more like a lighter Neurosis or Isis. FMTM have more of a "pop" sound and can be pretty darn "funky" in spots, even if the beat is odd-timed. And I would describe Ahkmed as more expansive space-rock, similar to Subarachnoid Space or Led Zeppelin during the real long live versions of "Dazed and Confused" or "Whole Lotta Love". And not a blast-beat anywhere on any of there albums. Oh well.
Now, MOTW and Kayo Dot are basically the same band (sort or), being led by c-founder/multi-instrumentalist/composer Toby Driver. Their music contains elements from many different genres including doom metal, indie rock, jazz, progressive rock, post rock, progressive metal and death metal. Their latest album was made available for FREE download at their website. Very cool. Go there and download it now. Really.
So what now for Dimaension X. Frankly, I don't know. I am most certainly still a big metal fan, and metal will always be a significant part of my musical (and genetic) makeup, but I like other stuff, too, and will be incorporating more different stuff into my next projects. When I get around to it.
I am still job hunting, which is a big priority, and the weather right now is hot and humid - not great for sitting at a computer with my guitar as my fingers sweat all over the strings and the computer cooling fans are over-worked. So no music creating just this second. When the weather cools off, I'll start working on some new material, and I will be finishing Moroghor's new album very soon.
8/4/09
Drumming - UGH!!
My edrum kit is not exactly a professional setup. Two years ago, when I first got into edrums, I went out and bought TWO of those cheapo ION Audio drumkits at TARGET. Yes, Target.
I spent a few days looking at drum setups online, and basically customized the two kits into one decent setup. The only big problem was with the pedals that came with the kit. Terrible.
So first I built my own triggers from Radio Shack door buzzer parts and used a few actual kick drum pedals, but these were very inconsistent. Recently I upgraded to a new, and inexpensive alternative.
ROCK BAND replacement pedals. That's right. I went to the local Gamestop store and bought one of those $25 pedals that you can buy when you break the pedal that comes with Rock Band. Guess what. It works great. And you can buy two and link them together for double bass action. Which I haven't done yet, cause I'm still unemployed and shouldn't be spending my unemployment compensation on toys and such.
So anyway, back to the original topic. Now armed with an adequate setup, I can play and record decent drums. But I still basically suck, so yes, I will be doing quite a bit of Quantization and correction. And I most definitely will be programming any of the fast, double-bass work.
I admit it way up ahead folks. I ain't Neil Peart or Dave Lombardo. More like an even slower Phil Rudd. Luckily, playing drums for Doom/Drone Metal is not too complicated. So stand back while I have at it. Hopefully I'll be done soon.
8/2/09
Dimaension X - a drummer???
Well, you may have heard the bad news from the band Moroghor - their drummer, "Zatholal" is leaving the band due to musical disagreements. I'll be lazy, and copy-paste from their website news:
August 2, 2009 - Our drummer Zatholal has announced that he is leaving the band. The band has begun a definite shift in sound and style to a more Doom and Drone orientation. Zatholal stated that he "was not enthused about the changes in style" that the band will be pursuing over the next album or two, and will leave before doing any drumming for the albums. Dimaension X (aka Dave Lanciani) has stated that he will step in to temporarily replace Zatholal in the drum and percussion duties.
"I can't say as I really blame him," said Ygorathla. "Zatholal is a pretty technical drummer who really likes playing those fast blast beats and double-bass parts, and there really isn't much of that at all in our new music. It takes a rare drummer to have the patience to play in a Doom/Drone band. The drum beats and beat-per-minute tempii are incredibly slow and monotonous for most drummers who'd rather be playing more complex patterns."
"That's where I come in," stated Dimaension X. "I'm a terrible drummer to begin with, and can really only play very slow parts. I'll still be programming some of the parts I can't play, but I'm going to try actually sitting at my edrum kit and play as much as possible."
So the album will be slightly delayed as DX takes over as drummer.
We wish Zatholal all the best and are leaving the door open if he ever wants to come back.
So it looks like I'll be slammin' the skins (or rubber trigger pads) for Moroghor's next album. Yup. There will be MUCH QUANTIZATION happening in these tracks. Y'all know I am not originally a drummer, but with most Drone/Doom music, the tempo tends to be reeeaaaalll sssssllllloooooooowwwwwww. I don't have to play like Neil Peart. More like Phil Rudd on downers.
This means there will be a slight delay in the completion of the new album, as I bring my laptop downstairs, hook up to my edrum kit, and begin doing something that I almost never do.
Wish me luck.
August 2, 2009 - Our drummer Zatholal has announced that he is leaving the band. The band has begun a definite shift in sound and style to a more Doom and Drone orientation. Zatholal stated that he "was not enthused about the changes in style" that the band will be pursuing over the next album or two, and will leave before doing any drumming for the albums. Dimaension X (aka Dave Lanciani) has stated that he will step in to temporarily replace Zatholal in the drum and percussion duties.
"I can't say as I really blame him," said Ygorathla. "Zatholal is a pretty technical drummer who really likes playing those fast blast beats and double-bass parts, and there really isn't much of that at all in our new music. It takes a rare drummer to have the patience to play in a Doom/Drone band. The drum beats and beat-per-minute tempii are incredibly slow and monotonous for most drummers who'd rather be playing more complex patterns."
"That's where I come in," stated Dimaension X. "I'm a terrible drummer to begin with, and can really only play very slow parts. I'll still be programming some of the parts I can't play, but I'm going to try actually sitting at my edrum kit and play as much as possible."
So the album will be slightly delayed as DX takes over as drummer.
We wish Zatholal all the best and are leaving the door open if he ever wants to come back.
So it looks like I'll be slammin' the skins (or rubber trigger pads) for Moroghor's next album. Yup. There will be MUCH QUANTIZATION happening in these tracks. Y'all know I am not originally a drummer, but with most Drone/Doom music, the tempo tends to be reeeaaaalll sssssllllloooooooowwwwwww. I don't have to play like Neil Peart. More like Phil Rudd on downers.
This means there will be a slight delay in the completion of the new album, as I bring my laptop downstairs, hook up to my edrum kit, and begin doing something that I almost never do.
Wish me luck.
7/17/09
Burn Without Me 2 and Moroghor
Haven't posted in a while, so I figured it was time for an update. Here goes.
Finished the 2nd Burn Without Me album, titled, "Holy Blade of Death" and helped the band post it to their Myspace, Webpage and a Mediafire link. I think it came out pretty good, though some folks might think there's a bit too much of my influence on it. Seth and the guys told me to do what ever the heck I wanted to contribute, and they were there the whole time. So they could have just said, "no more guitar solos or spaceout jams," but they stayed out of the way, and seem to be happy with the final product. Obviously the brutal grindcore influence is lessened a bit, but progress and growth are necessary for a band to, well, progress and grow. As long as they don't completely shift to something totally wimpy and boring (Rush??) .
I also "helped out" a new band named Moroghor. Their music is right up my alley. Spacey, psychedelic, experimental, lots of fast blast beats, tremolo guitar riffs. They sound a bit like Darkspace produced by Trans Am. They describe themselves as "psychedelic xperimental black metal." I agree, but not so much with the black metal part. They have the tremolo riffs, atmospheric synths and blast beats, but they're really not that dark or "evil" sounding.
How did I help them? Well, I showed them a bunch of good sources online for downloading free VSTi synthesizers, effects, and the Reaper DAW, which they used to record their album. I also play some of the synths here and there, but not much. they do want me to play more on their next album; actually they're planning on a two album release (one album about "light" the other about "darkness"), so it could be interesting. I also helped them post their album to a Mediafire link, and helped set up their Myspace page and Webpage.
What else, ...? Oh yeah. Still job hunting. There is really not much out there right now. I'm still sending resumes, had a few interviews, but every job has 15-20 people interviewing. So no hits yet. Any ideas? Let me know.
Maybe I should look into being a "Band Consultant"? Any thoughts? Suggestions?
Finished the 2nd Burn Without Me album, titled, "Holy Blade of Death" and helped the band post it to their Myspace, Webpage and a Mediafire link. I think it came out pretty good, though some folks might think there's a bit too much of my influence on it. Seth and the guys told me to do what ever the heck I wanted to contribute, and they were there the whole time. So they could have just said, "no more guitar solos or spaceout jams," but they stayed out of the way, and seem to be happy with the final product. Obviously the brutal grindcore influence is lessened a bit, but progress and growth are necessary for a band to, well, progress and grow. As long as they don't completely shift to something totally wimpy and boring (Rush??) .I also "helped out" a new band named Moroghor. Their music is right up my alley. Spacey, psychedelic, experimental, lots of fast blast beats, tremolo guitar riffs. They sound a bit like Darkspace produced by Trans Am. They describe themselves as "psychedelic xperimental black metal." I agree, but not so much with the black metal part. They have the tremolo riffs, atmospheric synths and blast beats, but they're really not that dark or "evil" sounding.
How did I help them? Well, I showed them a bunch of good sources online for downloading free VSTi synthesizers, effects, and the Reaper DAW, which they used to record their album. I also play some of the synths here and there, but not much. they do want me to play more on their next album; actually they're planning on a two album release (one album about "light" the other about "darkness"), so it could be interesting. I also helped them post their album to a Mediafire link, and helped set up their Myspace page and Webpage.What else, ...? Oh yeah. Still job hunting. There is really not much out there right now. I'm still sending resumes, had a few interviews, but every job has 15-20 people interviewing. So no hits yet. Any ideas? Let me know.
Maybe I should look into being a "Band Consultant"? Any thoughts? Suggestions?
6/29/09
Burn Without Me - 2nd Album on the way!
Well, as you may have already read on their Myspace page, Burn Without Me announced that their keyboardist/co-guitarist, Everett Jordan is leaving the band to move to Oregon (or Colorado? Some place way out west). In order to complete work on their second album, they have asked me to take on a more active and creative role.
I will be putting the Dimaension X project aside for a bit, and begin working on some riffs, synth parts, samples, and arranging in general. Seth Tracy (band founder, guitarist, keyboardist, producer. etc.) also wants me to do come up with some guitar solos and extended jams to add some more variety to their overall sound. Sounds like a challenge. Let's hope I cam come up with some stuff that they'll like. Seth will still be writing most of the really heavy stuff, and I'll be coming up with the more "atmospheric" synths, jam parts, and so on. I also want to throw in some surprises.
Expect an update soon.
I will be putting the Dimaension X project aside for a bit, and begin working on some riffs, synth parts, samples, and arranging in general. Seth Tracy (band founder, guitarist, keyboardist, producer. etc.) also wants me to do come up with some guitar solos and extended jams to add some more variety to their overall sound. Sounds like a challenge. Let's hope I cam come up with some stuff that they'll like. Seth will still be writing most of the really heavy stuff, and I'll be coming up with the more "atmospheric" synths, jam parts, and so on. I also want to throw in some surprises.
Expect an update soon.
6/17/09
The Screamin' Barfys and Burn Without Me - two new bands
I haven't posted anything since the end of May, so i figured it was time for an update.
First and foremost, I am still unfortunately unemployed. I had a few interviews, but didn't get picked for the jobs. Oh well.
Second, I have been helping out my next-door neighbor's band record their 6-song debut. The Screamin' Barfies now have four of their songs up and streaming for preview at their Myspace page, and would like to start playing some live gigs.
Their music is a combination of Black Flag jamming with Pearl Jam, and sounds very much like the great old bands from the SoCal hardcore scene in the early 1990's. This was the first time I ever recorded real drums, but I think the demo sounds pretty good. They pretty much mixed and produced the demo themselves, ... I just pointed them in the right direction here and there with some mic placement issues, overdubs, separating dirty guitars and clean guitars onto separate tracks, etc.
They did a really good job mixing it themselves (well, mainly their bassist, my neighbor, Clint Mitchell - 'cuz he owns the computer they recorded on, the band space in his basement, etc.) and it really retains that classic raw 1990's SoCal sound - right outta the old SST Label (remember SST? Black Flag, the Minutemen, Husker Du, Gone, Saccarine Trust). Good stuff, plus the guitarist, Justin Lombard comes up with these really interesting chord progressions. Drummer James Jones slams the drums (loud!!!), but with a lot of finesse and interesting fills. He kind of reminds me of Brann Dailor (of Mastodon), almost never playing a straight beat. And vocalist/lyricist Dan Flynn is in that lost realm between Eddie Vedder, Henry Rollins and Jim Morrison. Really.
Good stuff - jump over to their Myspace Page RIGHT NOW!
Thirdly, I have been helping an experimental extreme metal band from Westboro, MA called Burn Without Me record and mix their album, which should be up and streaming at their Myspace page and at their Last.fm page. Actually, I really did next to nothing that they couldn't have done themselves.
They recorded everything themselves at guitarist, Seth Tracy's home studio, called Blister Studio, and uploaded the song files to an online file-sharing space. I then downloaded the files, brought them up on my computer (which was very easy - we both use REAPER as our main Audio DAW). I just fiddled a bit with the levels between the instruments, added some compression and limiting, some delays and reverb and that's about it.
The drums were ridiculously easy, and sound incredible, because their drummer plays an electronic kit, and recorded everything as MIDI. We both use Toontrack's EZ Drummer for our drum samples/sounds, so I just loaded EZ Drummer onto the tracks, made some adjustments and whamo! Incredible sounding drums.
Oh, the music! Wow, that's a tough one - imagine Napalm Death or Gorefest jamming with Marduk and Infected Mushroom. Yeah, really. Agoraphobic Nosebleed if produced by Bill Laswell. Anyone remember Praxis? The kind of "super-group" with Buckethead, Bill Laswell, Mick Harris? Kinda like that. If you like experimental grindcore, avant-garde death metal, and weird samples from old, really bad Kung Fu movies, then this is the band for you.
That's all for now, kids.
First and foremost, I am still unfortunately unemployed. I had a few interviews, but didn't get picked for the jobs. Oh well.
Second, I have been helping out my next-door neighbor's band record their 6-song debut. The Screamin' Barfies now have four of their songs up and streaming for preview at their Myspace page, and would like to start playing some live gigs.
Their music is a combination of Black Flag jamming with Pearl Jam, and sounds very much like the great old bands from the SoCal hardcore scene in the early 1990's. This was the first time I ever recorded real drums, but I think the demo sounds pretty good. They pretty much mixed and produced the demo themselves, ... I just pointed them in the right direction here and there with some mic placement issues, overdubs, separating dirty guitars and clean guitars onto separate tracks, etc.They did a really good job mixing it themselves (well, mainly their bassist, my neighbor, Clint Mitchell - 'cuz he owns the computer they recorded on, the band space in his basement, etc.) and it really retains that classic raw 1990's SoCal sound - right outta the old SST Label (remember SST? Black Flag, the Minutemen, Husker Du, Gone, Saccarine Trust). Good stuff, plus the guitarist, Justin Lombard comes up with these really interesting chord progressions. Drummer James Jones slams the drums (loud!!!), but with a lot of finesse and interesting fills. He kind of reminds me of Brann Dailor (of Mastodon), almost never playing a straight beat. And vocalist/lyricist Dan Flynn is in that lost realm between Eddie Vedder, Henry Rollins and Jim Morrison. Really.
Good stuff - jump over to their Myspace Page RIGHT NOW!
Thirdly, I have been helping an experimental extreme metal band from Westboro, MA called Burn Without Me record and mix their album, which should be up and streaming at their Myspace page and at their Last.fm page. Actually, I really did next to nothing that they couldn't have done themselves.
They recorded everything themselves at guitarist, Seth Tracy's home studio, called Blister Studio, and uploaded the song files to an online file-sharing space. I then downloaded the files, brought them up on my computer (which was very easy - we both use REAPER as our main Audio DAW). I just fiddled a bit with the levels between the instruments, added some compression and limiting, some delays and reverb and that's about it.The drums were ridiculously easy, and sound incredible, because their drummer plays an electronic kit, and recorded everything as MIDI. We both use Toontrack's EZ Drummer for our drum samples/sounds, so I just loaded EZ Drummer onto the tracks, made some adjustments and whamo! Incredible sounding drums.
Oh, the music! Wow, that's a tough one - imagine Napalm Death or Gorefest jamming with Marduk and Infected Mushroom. Yeah, really. Agoraphobic Nosebleed if produced by Bill Laswell. Anyone remember Praxis? The kind of "super-group" with Buckethead, Bill Laswell, Mick Harris? Kinda like that. If you like experimental grindcore, avant-garde death metal, and weird samples from old, really bad Kung Fu movies, then this is the band for you.
That's all for now, kids.
5/29/09
Gothambia Redux - now at The Internet Archive
Yes, the album is (or will be very soon) now available for download from The Internet Archive.
Click HERE! (or click the album cover!)
I just completed my upload, so the Archive has to complete its various verification processes and create derivative files (lower resolution mp3's, ogg vorbis, etc.). But it should be ready to go very soon. I will also add it to my discography, complete with the other mirror links as provided in the former blog post.
You can also still download the album from Mediafire Here, or from Last.fm Here.
Please feel free to download, burn CDs, play them for your friends, etc., and thanX again for all your support.
Click HERE! (or click the album cover!)
I just completed my upload, so the Archive has to complete its various verification processes and create derivative files (lower resolution mp3's, ogg vorbis, etc.). But it should be ready to go very soon. I will also add it to my discography, complete with the other mirror links as provided in the former blog post.
You can also still download the album from Mediafire Here, or from Last.fm Here.
Please feel free to download, burn CDs, play them for your friends, etc., and thanX again for all your support.
5/24/09
Gothambia Redux - 2009
01. Intro (Grey)
02. VM
03. Gothambia Redux
04. Tempo Volare
05. Esab Fails to See
06. Shadows
07. Justification
08. VB
09. Outro (Blue)
Download from Mediafire Here, or from Last.fm Here.
A dark and moody mix of progressive rock and jazz fusion. A mix of old and new songs. Guitar and piano solos. Real bass guitar.
I will be posting the full album to The Internet Archive as soon as possible. they seem to be having some difficulties with their search engine right now, so I figured I'd start with a Mediafire link to get the album posted and ready for download. Just avoid the stupid pop-ups at the Mediafire page (I really hate those thngs, but whadaya expect from a free service?).
Once it is posted at The Internet Archive, I will put it in the discography with all applicable links.
Please download, crank it up and enjoy. Please feel free to re-post the the link at your blogs, burn CDs and blast it in your cars, and annoy your neighbors.
ThanX,
Dimaension X
5/20/09
New/Old album almost done!
Yup, I am listening to what will hopefully be the final mixes of my new (old) album. I did two different versions of the mix - the first was just too compressed, and the drums just didn't stand out at all. So I removed the heavy compression from the master track, revised the drums' "leakage" to be a bit drier sounding, and re-mixed some of the levels to balance everything out.
The final tracks may not be as loud as a commercial CD (or MP3s), but I'd rather have more dynamics and variety than to have everything sound so squashed and compressed (like Metallica's "Death Magnetic" album). And the drums sound very different than they usually sound.
The music, ... how would I describe the music? I'd say Contemporary-Progressive-Classical-Rock-Fusion. There's 3 brand new songs, 3 recent songs completely re-recorded, and 3 from "Gothambia," my 1995 cassette recording (see my most recent post below). Those songs are not what I'd call "mellow," but definitely less "metal" than I've been doing lately. Think more Kayo Dot or maudlin of the Well, with longer guitar solos and piano solos. Oh yeah, GUITAR SOLOS! I've got some really long doozys there for all of you who might think I've given up the guitar solo. Nuh-uh! Some nice long ones. But please forgive the piano solos. I'm WAY out of practice, and they're downright amateurish. But I think they fit the mood of the album very well. OH! And all of the bass guitar is 100% real. No synth bass this time.
When the songs are ready (very soon!), I will post them to The Internet Archive, Last.fm, and probably a Mediafire link. From there, anyone who wants to create their own links to Rapidshare, zshare, P2P BitTorrents, and the like, please feel free to do so. I will probably not post them to Soundclick, because some of the songs are just too long for my free account.
I really love those older songs. I put a lot of work into the original recordings back in 1995, but decided that they needed to be redone for the digital age (without tape hiss and crappy samples).
The final tracks may not be as loud as a commercial CD (or MP3s), but I'd rather have more dynamics and variety than to have everything sound so squashed and compressed (like Metallica's "Death Magnetic" album). And the drums sound very different than they usually sound.
The music, ... how would I describe the music? I'd say Contemporary-Progressive-Classical-Rock-Fusion. There's 3 brand new songs, 3 recent songs completely re-recorded, and 3 from "Gothambia," my 1995 cassette recording (see my most recent post below). Those songs are not what I'd call "mellow," but definitely less "metal" than I've been doing lately. Think more Kayo Dot or maudlin of the Well, with longer guitar solos and piano solos. Oh yeah, GUITAR SOLOS! I've got some really long doozys there for all of you who might think I've given up the guitar solo. Nuh-uh! Some nice long ones. But please forgive the piano solos. I'm WAY out of practice, and they're downright amateurish. But I think they fit the mood of the album very well. OH! And all of the bass guitar is 100% real. No synth bass this time.
When the songs are ready (very soon!), I will post them to The Internet Archive, Last.fm, and probably a Mediafire link. From there, anyone who wants to create their own links to Rapidshare, zshare, P2P BitTorrents, and the like, please feel free to do so. I will probably not post them to Soundclick, because some of the songs are just too long for my free account.
I really love those older songs. I put a lot of work into the original recordings back in 1995, but decided that they needed to be redone for the digital age (without tape hiss and crappy samples).
5/13/09
More New (old) to come soon...
I seem to be having good luck lately with my old material that was never completed. So, ... I am in the midst of completing a new project - a collection of old songs from 1995 (!) that I have updated and re-recorded. This material was originally recorded using a very old Yamaha MIDI 
sequencer, called the QY-10. This was one of the first commercially available multi-track sequencers that was combined with a multi-timbral sound source - eight channels, though, not 16. The project was recorded to CASSETTE Tape. Yup, cassette. Wow. Old school, huh? To the left is the original cassette cover.
I also decided to re-record a few songs from my "End of An Era" CD that I was never quite happy with. I also decided to NOT use any synthesized bass guitar. All real bass guitar. Which was a real bugger to do for the whole album, since my bass chops are NOT up to par. Not to mention, my wrist is really sore after playing so much bass. Hopefully I won't develop any more cysts. Bass is not easy to play, especially with my small, "girlie" hands.
So far, the album is only 50 minutes long, so I may try to come up with another old song, or maybe even try to create something new. Maybe just a blues-jam type thing, where I just blast away. I might also try to play my edrums "live". I just bought a new pedal controller for my kick drum, so that might help.
Oh, the name of the project is "Gothambia Redux." I actually played some of these songs back in 1994 with a live drummer named Paul Roger. He was the original drummer for Absolute Zero, and was replaced by Pip Pyle (who played with Gong, National Health, and Hatfield & the North). Paul played an electronic drum kit LONG before they were fully developed and commercially available. I did record a few versions of these songs with him, so those old tracks might make interesting bonus tracks. Hmmmmmm,... I'll have to find that CD, rip 'em to my laptop, and remaster those suckers.
I have my work cut out for me, so I'll update you when I have more tracks and stuff.
sequencer, called the QY-10. This was one of the first commercially available multi-track sequencers that was combined with a multi-timbral sound source - eight channels, though, not 16. The project was recorded to CASSETTE Tape. Yup, cassette. Wow. Old school, huh? To the left is the original cassette cover.I also decided to re-record a few songs from my "End of An Era" CD that I was never quite happy with. I also decided to NOT use any synthesized bass guitar. All real bass guitar. Which was a real bugger to do for the whole album, since my bass chops are NOT up to par. Not to mention, my wrist is really sore after playing so much bass. Hopefully I won't develop any more cysts. Bass is not easy to play, especially with my small, "girlie" hands.
So far, the album is only 50 minutes long, so I may try to come up with another old song, or maybe even try to create something new. Maybe just a blues-jam type thing, where I just blast away. I might also try to play my edrums "live". I just bought a new pedal controller for my kick drum, so that might help.
Oh, the name of the project is "Gothambia Redux." I actually played some of these songs back in 1994 with a live drummer named Paul Roger. He was the original drummer for Absolute Zero, and was replaced by Pip Pyle (who played with Gong, National Health, and Hatfield & the North). Paul played an electronic drum kit LONG before they were fully developed and commercially available. I did record a few versions of these songs with him, so those old tracks might make interesting bonus tracks. Hmmmmmm,... I'll have to find that CD, rip 'em to my laptop, and remaster those suckers.
I have my work cut out for me, so I'll update you when I have more tracks and stuff.
4/30/09
The Doom 2 Variations READY!!
Yup, I said it! Ready for Download. My own versions of the classic Doom 2 video game soundtrack are ready at a whole bunch of links. Take a look in the usual spots like my discography here in the blog, at my Myspace page, my Last.fm page, The Internet Archive, and Soundclick. And I'm also guessing a few folks who like the album may post a few mediafire or rapidshare links, too. Here's one of the mirrored links - (CLICK HERE!)
I think it actually came out pretty good, considering I still think my wrist is still a bit "funky", so some of the guitar solos may not be all that great, but overall, it's a good album to blast in the car. If anyone knows how to add the songs to their own Doom game mods, please do so. That would be kinda cool.
Let's also remember that this is a freebie. I'm not selling or profiting from its distribution whatsoever. I really enjoy this music and wanted to pay proper tribute to the guy who wrote these great songs originally - Bobby Prince. Any real Doom fan knows him and that he's at least partially responsible for the success of Doom. He was also one of the first guys (along with George Sanger) to embed MIDI files as the music in a game.
The cover art is "borrowed" from the original box cover, and modified slightly, so it is still technically ID Software's property. But I am NOT selling anything or profiting or making any money at all. This is a tribute. Dat's all. Hopefully I won't get into any trouble over this. It's not like I'm anyone important anyway. Just a musician and music fan.
Please listen and enjoy, and maybe let me know what you think.
ThanX.
4/29/09
Doom 2 Soundtrack ALMOST DONE!!
I am in the midst of listening to my mixes for the album - and I'm almost there! Yup, just about done with this project, and I will begin uploading the music as soon as I can. I am doing the art for the CD cover, and saving it out to uploadable formats. I also have to prepare my basic write-up for the Internet Archive information/notes sections.
I'm kind of psyched about how this is actually going to come out. I think it sounds really good so far. I took some liberties with some of the basic themes, added guitar solos over the static, repetitive sections, revised some of the drums, did some weird guitar effects, and used the "Intermission" as the intro combined with MAP01. I also skipped the actual "Intro" music, mainly because it would no longer all fit on ONE CD. I may go back and add it as a bonus track later, but much later. For now I'm done and tired of this one.
Time to move on to the next project, which is, ... well, I have no clue. But I am done with DOOM stuff for now, and may go back to the stuff I mentioned before, a few posts ago, which is some MUCH older music that I am going to re-create with my better and newer equipment.
I am also helping out my next-door neighbor's band with some recording. They're called the "Screamin' Barfys". Yup, The Screamin' Barfys. Kind of alternative heavy music, Pearl Jam meets Black Flag meets Alice-in-Chains-ish. Interesting stuff. Not my usual style, but it's good to do other things and listen to all kinds of music. When they get some tunes recorded, they'll post them at their Myspace page here.
I also have an interview for a full-time job coming up soon, so let's cross our collective fingers. It'll be nice to get back to a full-time job and paycheck, and get off of unemployment.
So all Doom fans, please check my discography in a few days, either here, or on my Myspace page. ThanX again to you all.
I'm kind of psyched about how this is actually going to come out. I think it sounds really good so far. I took some liberties with some of the basic themes, added guitar solos over the static, repetitive sections, revised some of the drums, did some weird guitar effects, and used the "Intermission" as the intro combined with MAP01. I also skipped the actual "Intro" music, mainly because it would no longer all fit on ONE CD. I may go back and add it as a bonus track later, but much later. For now I'm done and tired of this one.
Time to move on to the next project, which is, ... well, I have no clue. But I am done with DOOM stuff for now, and may go back to the stuff I mentioned before, a few posts ago, which is some MUCH older music that I am going to re-create with my better and newer equipment.
I am also helping out my next-door neighbor's band with some recording. They're called the "Screamin' Barfys". Yup, The Screamin' Barfys. Kind of alternative heavy music, Pearl Jam meets Black Flag meets Alice-in-Chains-ish. Interesting stuff. Not my usual style, but it's good to do other things and listen to all kinds of music. When they get some tunes recorded, they'll post them at their Myspace page here.
I also have an interview for a full-time job coming up soon, so let's cross our collective fingers. It'll be nice to get back to a full-time job and paycheck, and get off of unemployment.
So all Doom fans, please check my discography in a few days, either here, or on my Myspace page. ThanX again to you all.
4/21/09
Doom 2 Variations Soundtrack
Yup, I'm back to working on this project that I should have completed long ago. But obviously, I've had a few setbacks - wrist surgery, lost my job, and I'm also working with my neighbor who happens to have a band in need of some production help. So I'm going to sit in, listen to what they've got, and try to give them a hand in recording their band, which means real drums and vocals.
But I did begin working on the Doom 2 music again, with my wrist pretty much healed, and I'm trying out my new guitar, the Schecter Omen 6. Which is working out pretty good. The guitar is made for shredding. Very high output stock pickups. The only problem with it is getting good clean and slightly overdriven sounds, which I may go back to my old Yamaha guitar for those.
I am really looking forward to finishing this one off and posting for all to hear. I'll post them online at the Internet Archive as usual, and probably at Last.fm, too. Note that these are NOT my compositions - I give full credit to Mr. Bobby Prince, the original composer of these Video Game Classics.
Please also note that I am adding some extended guitar solos over the more repetitive and simple parts that weren't in the original versions, so that's MY little niche in the arrangements. I also used some better instrument samples that just didn't exist back when the original versions were created, so hopefully these will be nicely updated and modern versions of these songs. That's why I will title this project "The Doom 2 Variations."
Stay tuned. Please. ThanX.
But I did begin working on the Doom 2 music again, with my wrist pretty much healed, and I'm trying out my new guitar, the Schecter Omen 6. Which is working out pretty good. The guitar is made for shredding. Very high output stock pickups. The only problem with it is getting good clean and slightly overdriven sounds, which I may go back to my old Yamaha guitar for those.
I am really looking forward to finishing this one off and posting for all to hear. I'll post them online at the Internet Archive as usual, and probably at Last.fm, too. Note that these are NOT my compositions - I give full credit to Mr. Bobby Prince, the original composer of these Video Game Classics.
Please also note that I am adding some extended guitar solos over the more repetitive and simple parts that weren't in the original versions, so that's MY little niche in the arrangements. I also used some better instrument samples that just didn't exist back when the original versions were created, so hopefully these will be nicely updated and modern versions of these songs. That's why I will title this project "The Doom 2 Variations."
Stay tuned. Please. ThanX.
4/11/09
No News is ... well, no news
Yup, no new leads on any new employment yet. Still looking, still hoping. Still optimistic that I will at least find a decent job with decent pay that will pay the bills. I know I'm not going to make mega-bucks. I just want to find something that I can do and be proud of.
Oh, music. yeah, I'm still healing up a bit, but I should be back to normal pretty soon. The wrist almost feels as good as ever, but it is still a bit sore and itchy where the stitches are still under the skin. They should be fully dissolved by July of this year. But I do plan to work on some new music soon. I have once again dug into my huge back catalog of old ideas that I feel need to be resurrected. My newer direction will definitely be a bit less metal, a bit more rock-fusion, but still kind of "intense". The music is more Miles Davis/Bill Laswell-ish. Very open and atmospheric, slower in tempo, kinda jazzy. Imagine being in one of those smoky 1960's underground clubs in London or New York, waiting for Miles or Monk or Mingus to take the stage. "Slow burn" is also an apt description.
Plus, I'm doing some more electronic stuff, too. Sorta Zombi/Tangerine Dream. Lot's of new weird synths. Maybe even some more in the direction of my Ugotllathath album. I've been listening to lots of underground atmospheric black metal (Sieghetnar, Xasthur, Darkspace, Chainerdog, ColdWorld), so that dark ambient background is working its way into my system.
We'll see what develops over time.
Oh, music. yeah, I'm still healing up a bit, but I should be back to normal pretty soon. The wrist almost feels as good as ever, but it is still a bit sore and itchy where the stitches are still under the skin. They should be fully dissolved by July of this year. But I do plan to work on some new music soon. I have once again dug into my huge back catalog of old ideas that I feel need to be resurrected. My newer direction will definitely be a bit less metal, a bit more rock-fusion, but still kind of "intense". The music is more Miles Davis/Bill Laswell-ish. Very open and atmospheric, slower in tempo, kinda jazzy. Imagine being in one of those smoky 1960's underground clubs in London or New York, waiting for Miles or Monk or Mingus to take the stage. "Slow burn" is also an apt description.
Plus, I'm doing some more electronic stuff, too. Sorta Zombi/Tangerine Dream. Lot's of new weird synths. Maybe even some more in the direction of my Ugotllathath album. I've been listening to lots of underground atmospheric black metal (Sieghetnar, Xasthur, Darkspace, Chainerdog, ColdWorld), so that dark ambient background is working its way into my system.
We'll see what develops over time.
3/6/09
The Job Search
I know that I usually focus on my music hobby in this blog, but at this time I figured I might do a bit of self-promotion in the job market.
I was most recently employed for almost eleven years at 360 Imaging / Garlock Printing in Gardner, MA (USA) as a Customer Service Rep. and Graphics Coordinator. I also spent my first years there as a Pre-press Technician.
Here's some fo the things I did there:
- Co-created and directed “Form, Fill and Seal” Polybag Template program
- Cost estimation and project planning/management
- Quality control and customer service interaction
- General maintenance of Dolev 800 Scitex Imagesetting Equipment
- Maintenance/Inventory Control of Imagesetting Processor
- Trained new employees
QUALIFICATIONS
Proficient in numerous forms of media and office software including:
- Microsoft Word/Works
- Microsoft Excel
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Acrobat
- Esko Backstage Pilot
- Bar Code Pro
- Freehand
On February 9 of 2009, I was informed by the HR Manager that due to cutbacks (also refered to as "R.I.F." - Reduction In Force) I would be laid off. She then escorted me back to my desk and then out the door. I don't view this as a very bad thing. Sure I lose a weekly paycheck and benefits, but I have to opportunity to explore some new venues. Maybe get lucky and find something bigger and better? It's possible. Even in this economy.
I was most recently employed for almost eleven years at 360 Imaging / Garlock Printing in Gardner, MA (USA) as a Customer Service Rep. and Graphics Coordinator. I also spent my first years there as a Pre-press Technician.
Here's some fo the things I did there:
- Co-created and directed “Form, Fill and Seal” Polybag Template program
- Cost estimation and project planning/management
- Quality control and customer service interaction
- General maintenance of Dolev 800 Scitex Imagesetting Equipment
- Maintenance/Inventory Control of Imagesetting Processor
- Trained new employees
QUALIFICATIONS
Proficient in numerous forms of media and office software including:
- Microsoft Word/Works
- Microsoft Excel
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Acrobat
- Esko Backstage Pilot
- Bar Code Pro
- Freehand
On February 9 of 2009, I was informed by the HR Manager that due to cutbacks (also refered to as "R.I.F." - Reduction In Force) I would be laid off. She then escorted me back to my desk and then out the door. I don't view this as a very bad thing. Sure I lose a weekly paycheck and benefits, but I have to opportunity to explore some new venues. Maybe get lucky and find something bigger and better? It's possible. Even in this economy.
2/28/09
The INTERVIEW - almost ready!
Hey folks! The interview is almost ready for posting - I uploaded the files to The Internet Archive this morning, and the site is in the process of deriving the files into streamable and downloadable files. It's not quite ready, but here's the link so you can at least visit the page and bookmark it if you wish.
Interview at WCUW
It may take a day or so before the files are complete and ready for streaming. But it is there. The whole TWO Hours. Yup. Betcha didn't think I could actually chat for that long. Yah, sure youbetcha, when I get going on music, you can't shut me up.
So there you go.
Or, yeah, I AM going to delete my account from FACEBOOK. It just isn't worth the time and effort. I was originally only going to use it as a connection for MUSIC Networking, but it has turned into a gigantic waste of valuable time. If I need to talk to my friends and relatives, I know how to pick up a phone and dial the number. And I never wanted to contact a bunch of people I went to High School with that I was never close to back then, so why would I want to contact them now? I know it's all done with good intentions, but if I wanted to go to the High School Reunions, then I'd go. But I do NOT want to go to my High School Reunions.
I know that sounds incredibly hostile and misanthropic - that's not my intention. But the whole Facebook thing is just not something I want to continue doing. I will keep the account open until the Interview link is posted, but I WILL close it sometime this week.
Interview at WCUW
It may take a day or so before the files are complete and ready for streaming. But it is there. The whole TWO Hours. Yup. Betcha didn't think I could actually chat for that long. Yah, sure youbetcha, when I get going on music, you can't shut me up.
So there you go.
Or, yeah, I AM going to delete my account from FACEBOOK. It just isn't worth the time and effort. I was originally only going to use it as a connection for MUSIC Networking, but it has turned into a gigantic waste of valuable time. If I need to talk to my friends and relatives, I know how to pick up a phone and dial the number. And I never wanted to contact a bunch of people I went to High School with that I was never close to back then, so why would I want to contact them now? I know it's all done with good intentions, but if I wanted to go to the High School Reunions, then I'd go. But I do NOT want to go to my High School Reunions.
I know that sounds incredibly hostile and misanthropic - that's not my intention. But the whole Facebook thing is just not something I want to continue doing. I will keep the account open until the Interview link is posted, but I WILL close it sometime this week.
2/22/09
WCUW - Feb 24th 8:00 PM
Just reminding everyone that I am still scheduled to appear on the "Under the Influence" show, hosted by Valerie Sampson - February 24th 8:00 Pm.
Click HERE, then click on the "Listen Live" link to get the pop-up player (it's a Live 365 player).
We'll be talking about my various influences, playing some of their tunes, playing some of my tunes, just chatting music in general which is always a cool thing to do in a public forum. I'll try to be polite, and not be too "snobbish" about my music tastes, but let's face it - any questions regarding Hannah Montana or American Idol will not go down well.
This is going to be a lot of fun for me, and hopefully for anyone who's a "fan" of my music.
ThanX again to everyone (oh, yeah, I'm still umenployed and actively job-seeking - please contact me with any leads in the Printing Industry in Central Massachusetts).
Click HERE, then click on the "Listen Live" link to get the pop-up player (it's a Live 365 player).
We'll be talking about my various influences, playing some of their tunes, playing some of my tunes, just chatting music in general which is always a cool thing to do in a public forum. I'll try to be polite, and not be too "snobbish" about my music tastes, but let's face it - any questions regarding Hannah Montana or American Idol will not go down well.
This is going to be a lot of fun for me, and hopefully for anyone who's a "fan" of my music.
ThanX again to everyone (oh, yeah, I'm still umenployed and actively job-seeking - please contact me with any leads in the Printing Industry in Central Massachusetts).
2/11/09
Laid Off - and more recovery
Yup, As of Monday, February9th, I am officially unemployed. After almost eleven years at my job I was let go due to cutbacks and financial troubles for the company. Not happy, but then again, I have to look at this as an opportunity to seek out something new and different. I don't think there's any way of pursuing music as a full-time career, but if anyone has any legitimate ideas, I'm open to suggestions.
Anyone with ideas or leads in the Central Massachusetts area, please contact me. I've been acting as a Customer Service Representative for a printing company (mainly in the pre-press department), but I was also a pre-press technician for ten years (using Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Esko Backstage, Quark Xpress, etc.).
Oh, surgery recovery is going fine - my hand is still pretty weak, but should be back to normal in a few months. I am going to start playing guitar VERY CAREFULLY and slowly as part of my own physical therapy. Just fretting notes and doing scales for a few minutes a day to get the wrist strength and callouses back. I may not be doing any actual recording for a while, but I'll let you know when. I promise.
Thanks again all my friends and family for your support and help.
I'll get a new picture of my wrist up soon.
Anyone with ideas or leads in the Central Massachusetts area, please contact me. I've been acting as a Customer Service Representative for a printing company (mainly in the pre-press department), but I was also a pre-press technician for ten years (using Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Esko Backstage, Quark Xpress, etc.).
Oh, surgery recovery is going fine - my hand is still pretty weak, but should be back to normal in a few months. I am going to start playing guitar VERY CAREFULLY and slowly as part of my own physical therapy. Just fretting notes and doing scales for a few minutes a day to get the wrist strength and callouses back. I may not be doing any actual recording for a while, but I'll let you know when. I promise.
Thanks again all my friends and family for your support and help.
I'll get a new picture of my wrist up soon.
2/3/09
Recovery !!
What an ordeal! I thought I was only going to be in the doctor's office for a half hour.
NOPE!
It was like a full surgery prep, two IV's (valium and novacaine), etc. Then my blood pressure was too low, so they wouldn't release me afterward. Finally I get out, I get kind of sick on the Vicodin (never, ever take that stuff!!), and I have to keep my hand iced and elevated
for two days. My fingers are still numb.
I can take the bandage off tomorrow and wash it, but then I have to begin wearing the wrist brace on a more permanent basis for two weeks.
The pain is not bad, more itchy, and feels like someone "tugging" on my wrist nerves.
I took a picture from my webcam on my laptop, so pardon the lo-res detail.
Thanks to all of you who've wished me well. I really appreciate it. I really can't wait to play my new guitar which is now collecting dust. I also am having trouble typing with just one hand. ThanX for your patience.
Dave
NOPE!
It was like a full surgery prep, two IV's (valium and novacaine), etc. Then my blood pressure was too low, so they wouldn't release me afterward. Finally I get out, I get kind of sick on the Vicodin (never, ever take that stuff!!), and I have to keep my hand iced and elevated
for two days. My fingers are still numb.
I can take the bandage off tomorrow and wash it, but then I have to begin wearing the wrist brace on a more permanent basis for two weeks.
The pain is not bad, more itchy, and feels like someone "tugging" on my wrist nerves.
I took a picture from my webcam on my laptop, so pardon the lo-res detail.
Thanks to all of you who've wished me well. I really appreciate it. I really can't wait to play my new guitar which is now collecting dust. I also am having trouble typing with just one hand. ThanX for your patience.
Dave
1/17/09
I Can't Make a Fist with The Cyst on My Wrist
...by Dr. Seuss (his as-of-yet unpublished masterpiece)
Yup - finally got some pictures of the evil thing growing on my left wrist - my wife thinks it's a new thumb, my son looks at it and goes, "ICK!", and one of the guys at work wants to know when I'm selling my guitars.
This is why I'm not playing much guitar right now. When I bend my wrist at a 90 degree angle (necessary for 2nd Position Barre Chords) it hurts like heck.
Doctors don't even know where they come from, except from a possible injury on the joint which is where it is attached. And you can't just pop and drain it, because they just fill up again. So it HAS to be surgically removed. Fun.
Anyway, I felt like grossing out the lot of you who dare to look upon the beast that grows within.
Thanks to my Mom for taking the photos (she's the Ansell Adams of the family) - and thanks to Dad for giving her the digital camera for Christmas.
Yup - finally got some pictures of the evil thing growing on my left wrist - my wife thinks it's a new thumb, my son looks at it and goes, "ICK!", and one of the guys at work wants to know when I'm selling my guitars.
This is why I'm not playing much guitar right now. When I bend my wrist at a 90 degree angle (necessary for 2nd Position Barre Chords) it hurts like heck.
Doctors don't even know where they come from, except from a possible injury on the joint which is where it is attached. And you can't just pop and drain it, because they just fill up again. So it HAS to be surgically removed. Fun.
Anyway, I felt like grossing out the lot of you who dare to look upon the beast that grows within.
Thanks to my Mom for taking the photos (she's the Ansell Adams of the family) - and thanks to Dad for giving her the digital camera for Christmas.
1/14/09
WCUW February 24th
Hi folks! I am tentatively scheduled to appear at WCUW, a local community radio station (located at Clark University) on Tuesday, February 24 on the "Under The Influence" show hosted by Valerie Sampson.
The show features interviews with local musicians, mainly focusing on their influences (obviously?!). Valerie has asked me to round up some of the music that has influenced me, along with some of my own music, so we'll be playing some of my own tunes, along with some of my heroes. I'll be bringing along some Black Sabbath, Kiss, Zappa, Sonny Sharrock, maybe some Mahavishnu Orchestra, King Crimson, and a few more.
I have a few songs of my own picked out, but if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know - leave a comment.
If you're in the local Central Massachusetts area, you should be able to pick up the show at channel 91.3. However, anyone can listen to a live stream of the show from the station's website. Here's the link:
WCUW
Just click on the "WCUW LIVE - Listen Now!" banner on the left of the webpage. That'll bring up a Live365 pop-up window - hit play and listen. Remember, this is Eastern Standard time (Boston, MA).
Hopefully I won't come off as a total goof-ball. Luckily, it's only radio, so you won't have to see my ugly mug for two hours.
Thanks to both Valerie Sampson, and Jeff Sampson (as she describes him - her "sort-of husband" who currently lives in Colorado Springs) - by the way - Jeff Sampson (who recommended me for the show!) is a founding member of the experimental ambient band, Embracing the Glass. You can find out more about his music, and other projects he's involved with at the Burning Shirt website. Burning Shirt is a small record label formed by Mr. Sampson, and mainly features music of an ambient and experimental nature. Check it out!
Hope you can all listen in!
The show features interviews with local musicians, mainly focusing on their influences (obviously?!). Valerie has asked me to round up some of the music that has influenced me, along with some of my own music, so we'll be playing some of my own tunes, along with some of my heroes. I'll be bringing along some Black Sabbath, Kiss, Zappa, Sonny Sharrock, maybe some Mahavishnu Orchestra, King Crimson, and a few more.
I have a few songs of my own picked out, but if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know - leave a comment.
If you're in the local Central Massachusetts area, you should be able to pick up the show at channel 91.3. However, anyone can listen to a live stream of the show from the station's website. Here's the link:
WCUW
Just click on the "WCUW LIVE - Listen Now!" banner on the left of the webpage. That'll bring up a Live365 pop-up window - hit play and listen. Remember, this is Eastern Standard time (Boston, MA).
Hopefully I won't come off as a total goof-ball. Luckily, it's only radio, so you won't have to see my ugly mug for two hours.
Thanks to both Valerie Sampson, and Jeff Sampson (as she describes him - her "sort-of husband" who currently lives in Colorado Springs) - by the way - Jeff Sampson (who recommended me for the show!) is a founding member of the experimental ambient band, Embracing the Glass. You can find out more about his music, and other projects he's involved with at the Burning Shirt website. Burning Shirt is a small record label formed by Mr. Sampson, and mainly features music of an ambient and experimental nature. Check it out!
Hope you can all listen in!
1/10/09
Going under the knife...
No this is not the title of my new suicidal black metal project...
I have finally scheduled my cyst-removal surgery for January 30th. Oh boy. So not looking forward to it (I'm a big baby with needles, I.V.'s, etc.), but I do want to get this cyst removed. It really does effect my guitar playing, among other things. It's just a serious throbbing sensation constantly in my wrist (imagine having a small ball bearing under your skin right where your thumb meets your wrist). It's just THERE all the time.
Well, I do want to try to work on my Doom2 Variations recording, if at all, before the surgery. After the surgery, I'll be wearing a wrist brace for two months and won't be allowed to used my left hand for anything strenuous, so no guitar, no push-ups, no weight-lifting, etc.
Most likely, I won't be able to finish much of my recording, and it may be crappy anyway.
I think maybe this project was never meant to be. Here's my reasoning:
Number 1 - It's called "Doom", so it's probably doomed from the start.
Number 2 - my new guitar that I bought is a Schecter "Omen". How's that for a "bad omen?"
Number 3 - It's not just a few covers, it's a complete album of someone else's music. Well known music.
Number 4 - a few of my Internet buddies (and myself) have announced that I will be doing this music, so it may be jinxed.
I think I'm just being paranoid. Let's face it - crap happens. To everyone. And it could be worse.
I am just a big baby when it comes to medical stuff, so it's not as bad as it seems.
Well, just thought I'd spout off a bit. Let's see what I get done this weekend, if anything.
I have finally scheduled my cyst-removal surgery for January 30th. Oh boy. So not looking forward to it (I'm a big baby with needles, I.V.'s, etc.), but I do want to get this cyst removed. It really does effect my guitar playing, among other things. It's just a serious throbbing sensation constantly in my wrist (imagine having a small ball bearing under your skin right where your thumb meets your wrist). It's just THERE all the time.
Well, I do want to try to work on my Doom2 Variations recording, if at all, before the surgery. After the surgery, I'll be wearing a wrist brace for two months and won't be allowed to used my left hand for anything strenuous, so no guitar, no push-ups, no weight-lifting, etc.
Most likely, I won't be able to finish much of my recording, and it may be crappy anyway.
I think maybe this project was never meant to be. Here's my reasoning:
Number 1 - It's called "Doom", so it's probably doomed from the start.
Number 2 - my new guitar that I bought is a Schecter "Omen". How's that for a "bad omen?"
Number 3 - It's not just a few covers, it's a complete album of someone else's music. Well known music.
Number 4 - a few of my Internet buddies (and myself) have announced that I will be doing this music, so it may be jinxed.
I think I'm just being paranoid. Let's face it - crap happens. To everyone. And it could be worse.
I am just a big baby when it comes to medical stuff, so it's not as bad as it seems.
Well, just thought I'd spout off a bit. Let's see what I get done this weekend, if anything.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)