Monday, 4 October 2010
Billowing live in Detroit
Sorry I don't think the last link I posted worked...
A little suprise outro here... it's nice to go crazy and rock out the end!
Sunday, 3 October 2010
Saturday 10/2/2010
thoughts on the roadside world
driving across the midwest, en route to chicago & listening to strange new music.
There are huge weather fronts moving against us, we have been driving in rain all day from detroit, and it is now beginning to break. I can see brilliant rays of sun streaming through rolling grays and pale gold. But its all pale, there is no sharp high-contrast coastal color, the saturation of 5:30pm is very low, almost grayscale.
We pass a dead raccoon on the road. A church, depots, rural commerce.
I think about the intense social experience of the city, our godless intellectual dense webs of people and jobs and interactions. Out here there is god, liquor, tradition, autumnal swaths of land, duty, distance, mindless violence, beautiful human talents and graces twisted into a sparse landscape that might echo the dawn of human time.
You can go a whole day without seeing another person, even if you desperately want to see someone.
All of the food on the road is filled with sugar and chemicals. Progress is slow, a blind eye meets corporate exploitation, and enthusiasm for innovation is a flea pulling an oxcart.
Last night we played at the trumbleplex, which is a beautiful wooden warehouse with dangling Christmas lights and a big stage… felt like a giant barn in a good way. I videotaped the set, hopefully by the time I post this I'll have a link to some songs!
P.S. Billowing LIVE at the trumbleplex 10.1.2010 !!!!!
thoughts on the roadside world
driving across the midwest, en route to chicago & listening to strange new music.
There are huge weather fronts moving against us, we have been driving in rain all day from detroit, and it is now beginning to break. I can see brilliant rays of sun streaming through rolling grays and pale gold. But its all pale, there is no sharp high-contrast coastal color, the saturation of 5:30pm is very low, almost grayscale.
We pass a dead raccoon on the road. A church, depots, rural commerce.
I think about the intense social experience of the city, our godless intellectual dense webs of people and jobs and interactions. Out here there is god, liquor, tradition, autumnal swaths of land, duty, distance, mindless violence, beautiful human talents and graces twisted into a sparse landscape that might echo the dawn of human time.
You can go a whole day without seeing another person, even if you desperately want to see someone.
All of the food on the road is filled with sugar and chemicals. Progress is slow, a blind eye meets corporate exploitation, and enthusiasm for innovation is a flea pulling an oxcart.
Last night we played at the trumbleplex, which is a beautiful wooden warehouse with dangling Christmas lights and a big stage… felt like a giant barn in a good way. I videotaped the set, hopefully by the time I post this I'll have a link to some songs!
P.S. Billowing LIVE at the trumbleplex 10.1.2010 !!!!!
Friday, 1 October 2010
U.S. Tour with Ghastly City Sleep! no.1
Hello everyone!
I am in detroit right now. We played our three-piece set last night at Hybrid Moments record shop. I got to see Matthew's noise set, which was wonderful. lots of tape machines hissing and blipping, really sweet textures.
Tonight we play our big rockin' set with Ryan from Darkest Hour, who we will be picking up form the airport momentarily. Ryan has brought a ton of fresh energy to the group and has had some great ideas that have seriously changed the way we play. our current set features some new arrangements of songs from moondrifts that really make me feel like I'm cut free from the tethers of click tracks and electronic beat backing tracks that have come to define ghastly's sound in the past few years. The result is something more organic, more expressive, & more fun! I don't think I've ever been this excited about our set!
Photos are forthcoming!
TOUR PHOTOS HERE!
I am in detroit right now. We played our three-piece set last night at Hybrid Moments record shop. I got to see Matthew's noise set, which was wonderful. lots of tape machines hissing and blipping, really sweet textures.
Tonight we play our big rockin' set with Ryan from Darkest Hour, who we will be picking up form the airport momentarily. Ryan has brought a ton of fresh energy to the group and has had some great ideas that have seriously changed the way we play. our current set features some new arrangements of songs from moondrifts that really make me feel like I'm cut free from the tethers of click tracks and electronic beat backing tracks that have come to define ghastly's sound in the past few years. The result is something more organic, more expressive, & more fun! I don't think I've ever been this excited about our set!
Photos are forthcoming!
TOUR PHOTOS HERE!
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
Friday, 16 April 2010
Friend neglects to read friend's blog, fiance guilty too.
Recently, a friend, neglecting to read friend's blog, sent an email to said friend about a piece of news which was previously blogged about in said friend's blog. Talk about sailing right into a storm! Said friend preceded to call the friend out on this redendant and embarassing mishap, only to expose said friend's fiance's simultaneous neglect of said friend's recent blog-abouts = double-whammy.
The moral of this story? When you have a frind who authors a blog (and it's a good blog) and you know about 40% of said friend's news sources written about on said blog, do everyone a favor and visit that blog prior to informing said friend of interesting articles you find on said news sources.
Next time you want to share said articles, consider posting a link to said friend's blog on facebook instead.
The moral of this story? When you have a frind who authors a blog (and it's a good blog) and you know about 40% of said friend's news sources written about on said blog, do everyone a favor and visit that blog prior to informing said friend of interesting articles you find on said news sources.
Next time you want to share said articles, consider posting a link to said friend's blog on facebook instead.
Saturday, 16 May 2009
The Zen of Soccer by Buddy
I attended one of my sister's indoor soccer games in March.
I have decided to make public a number of her strategies and secrets to mastering the game, and hopefully you take someting away from this lesson that you may apply to your everyday life.
First, always smile. After all, it's just a game, and it will disarm your more serious opponents.
Look ahead when you kick. Anticipate next move. Play the future.
When you do kick, make it count.
I know exactly what Buddy was thinking here. Eagle-Punch. This technique can be seen in Wado-ryu, Sendo-ryu styles, and perhaps other styles too.
opponent steals your ball? subject him to multiple punches in the kidneys as he tries to escape.
Here is it again in case you thought that was a doctored photo.
Get sassy! these games are only about 45 minutes, folks. Life is short. If you see something outrageous, drop your jaw and call them out!
Patience is important. If the majority of the game takes place on the other side of the field, play it cool and let them come to you!
And finally, give 'em hell. If your opponent tries to sneak past you on the wall, fight him. Beat him up over there, the ref can't see you.
Notice in this close-up how her opponents are fleeing like prancing deer at the site of Buddy taking care of bid'nayzzz.
Friday, 15 May 2009
Job Hunting, Teaching, Charter Schools
I haven't posted in a while, so there's a lot to catch up on.
First, my dreaded and fruitless job search '09 ended thankfully at the end of March, when I was given the opportunity to work at Renaissance Charter School in Queens.
My good friend (with whom I attended high school) is an English teacher and administrator at the school. Every year, the students participate in Rensizzle, a week-long intensive group project where students form focus groups and present their work at school assembly.
I was called upon to assist the music teacher, Everett Boyd, and his students, who had elected to write, produce, and perform their own music - all culminating in a full-length album engineered and mastered by the group! The school actually uses the two music sequencing and recording programs i am most familiar with - Reason and Nuendo by Steinberg, so i felt at home teaching students the programs and giving pointers to others on music composition, recording, mixing, and producing. I had a blast... and these kids can really play!
First, my dreaded and fruitless job search '09 ended thankfully at the end of March, when I was given the opportunity to work at Renaissance Charter School in Queens.
My good friend (with whom I attended high school) is an English teacher and administrator at the school. Every year, the students participate in Rensizzle, a week-long intensive group project where students form focus groups and present their work at school assembly.
I was called upon to assist the music teacher, Everett Boyd, and his students, who had elected to write, produce, and perform their own music - all culminating in a full-length album engineered and mastered by the group! The school actually uses the two music sequencing and recording programs i am most familiar with - Reason and Nuendo by Steinberg, so i felt at home teaching students the programs and giving pointers to others on music composition, recording, mixing, and producing. I had a blast... and these kids can really play!
The music lab really blows me away. Imagine attending a high school where you learn Reason and Nuendo in music class, and are free to write, sequence and record your own music! This would be a dream for me back in the day, and it's a pleasure and a privledge to be able to teach kids this stuff today.
Which brings me to my next point... Charter Schools! This is what makes a program like this possible - small public schools started by teachers and activists and parents who simply want more for their kids - smaller class sizes, more creative academic curriculums, and the freedom to exist "off the grid" in relation to zoned public schools who must answer strictly to Department of Education guidlines as far as how to run a school. I'll be posting more on this in the near future, as it is a very charged issue which has brought about a lot of interesting debate... all of which i find myself deeply rooted in and concerned about since I started working at Renaissance.
Since that week, I have been on board helping Renaissance in the beginning stages of opening up their sister school, the Renaissance Charter High School for Innovation.
I am the resident graphic designer, creating logos, branding, business cards, brochures, postcards, newsprint, letterhead, and web design! Been pretty busy.
I usually work at the school, but I don't have an office, so I just float around with my laptop, in the cafeteria, library, classrooms, etc. I even have a locker.
I just recently finished all of the visual propoganda for this meeting.
We're trying to dispell the myths about charter schools that have been circulating amongst city council members and parents of traditional zoned public schools here in NYC... and there is definately a lot of myth.
More to come soon!
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