familiarity in place of comprehension theory.
Here is an interesting site: blather
Some kind of experiment with random words and random text and journal entries. I don't understand it, but that's what makes it great. The best sites are the one's I don't quite understand, like Futura 2000's (see if you can find the page all about Boba Fett). This also goes for movies, books, music, and people. The key is to not get discouraged with not understanding. It is instinct to simply back out of something you do not understand, but if you continue to expose yourself to the website or thing and continue to explore it you find an understanding of not understanding. Your exposure to it brings a sense of familiarity which replaces the need to understand. You understand its ever-changing potential for interpretation. Now go click the links.
Friday, March 05, 2004
Wednesday, March 03, 2004
"why wouldn't you do it that way?"
Last Saturday I attended a music show in Eugene by Deerhoof. It was a very healthy experience for me. I haven't been going to any concerts recently because, simply, there aren't many good bands around nowadays. At least, no one I have a desire to see. I heard about Deerhoof sometime last year and downloaded some of their work and I was very pleased as punch with their sound, so when I saw that they were coming to town I decided they would be worth seeing.
Deerhoof have given me hope for rock and roll. Naturally I couldn't fully appreciate what they were trying to do until I saw them do it right before my eyes, but now I understand their significance. Behind the bloated alternative rock scene inhabited by bands like Jet and The Darkness, Deerhoof is taking the destructiveness of bands like Lightning Bolt and Arab on Radar, replacing the nihilism with a sense of melody, and replacing the screams with softly-sung, abstract children's book poetry.
This is what needs to be done! Rock and roll must be destroyed and reassembled to be saved!! Change tempo and tune mid-song! Let the drummer bang away as if he were a jazz drummer seeking a heart attack! Replace the archetypal rock and roll singer with a tiny, childish Japanese woman who comes off as the Yoda to Karen O's Luke Skywalker! Write lyrics about bugs and pandas rather than sex and drugs!
On a completely unrelated note, I am ill this week. It's not fun.
Last Saturday I attended a music show in Eugene by Deerhoof. It was a very healthy experience for me. I haven't been going to any concerts recently because, simply, there aren't many good bands around nowadays. At least, no one I have a desire to see. I heard about Deerhoof sometime last year and downloaded some of their work and I was very pleased as punch with their sound, so when I saw that they were coming to town I decided they would be worth seeing.
Deerhoof have given me hope for rock and roll. Naturally I couldn't fully appreciate what they were trying to do until I saw them do it right before my eyes, but now I understand their significance. Behind the bloated alternative rock scene inhabited by bands like Jet and The Darkness, Deerhoof is taking the destructiveness of bands like Lightning Bolt and Arab on Radar, replacing the nihilism with a sense of melody, and replacing the screams with softly-sung, abstract children's book poetry.
This is what needs to be done! Rock and roll must be destroyed and reassembled to be saved!! Change tempo and tune mid-song! Let the drummer bang away as if he were a jazz drummer seeking a heart attack! Replace the archetypal rock and roll singer with a tiny, childish Japanese woman who comes off as the Yoda to Karen O's Luke Skywalker! Write lyrics about bugs and pandas rather than sex and drugs!
On a completely unrelated note, I am ill this week. It's not fun.
Tuesday, March 02, 2004
I haven't posted since last Tuesday, which is a long time. I been busy. I don't have time to write anything right now, either. But I do have things to address, so stay tuned.
Until then, I give you nano guitar.
Until then, I give you nano guitar.
Tuesday, February 24, 2004
Grey Tuesday
The thing is, I don't exactly have the connection or the time required to download the whole album and post it here, and I'm not a big enough fan to go through the trouble of making my site grey for a day and then changing it back. BUT, I urge you all to go here and see what I'm talking about.
By the way, I listened to the Grey Album on the internet and it is quite awesome. If I had the chance of buying it, I probably would. DJ Danger Mouse manages to put Jay-Z in a likable context that transcends the commercial rap world, but I think the record is really aimed at people who know and love the White Album. You can download the songs here.
The thing is, I don't exactly have the connection or the time required to download the whole album and post it here, and I'm not a big enough fan to go through the trouble of making my site grey for a day and then changing it back. BUT, I urge you all to go here and see what I'm talking about.
By the way, I listened to the Grey Album on the internet and it is quite awesome. If I had the chance of buying it, I probably would. DJ Danger Mouse manages to put Jay-Z in a likable context that transcends the commercial rap world, but I think the record is really aimed at people who know and love the White Album. You can download the songs here.
Friday, February 20, 2004
so fresh and so clean clean
Thank you for the kind words, Cody, but what is up with that creepy picture? The ghost of Brett Smith, captured on film! He looks so restless...
I am listening to a compilation by 1980, aka Wes Medina, aka my cousin. Wes lives in LA where he works, makes music, and DJs at parties. He makes his music with mostly real hardware, not that computer nonsense.
1980's sound is smooth, atmospheric, and 'clean'. It seems to me that most 'clean' electronic artists today are a bit dull, but Wes keeps you interested with his close attention to melody and song structure. Even his messier tracks hold together as if every little sound is exactly where it should be. He knows that something clean and smooth is going to be examined up close, touched and felt. The slightest imperfection or annoyance will be distracting and glaring to the song's texture. He is able to back up the smoothness of the sound with songs that are interesting and emotional, that progress and change like a superb soundtrack. The music seems like the accompaniment to some kind of wordless narrative, like a (smoother) Brothers Quay film. I could imagine the odyssey of an animated character shuffling about a Charles Sheeler metropolitan world, meeting bizarre beings and encountering lots of tangible symbolism. Brian's Midnite Adventure, as the title of one song.
I don't think my music is as clean or as smooth, and most of the time that is intentional. I like adding electronic dust and garbage, like the fuzz/static effect in Bottle of Kids or the broken, disjointed latter half of Batteryfly (which I did under my old name Playgrounds and which I will make available for download as soon as I manage to record it again. Damn computer…). I feel like if I tried to make truly 'clean' music I would not be able to support it with such grace as 1980, but I'm glad he is there to make clean cool.
Thank you for the kind words, Cody, but what is up with that creepy picture? The ghost of Brett Smith, captured on film! He looks so restless...
I am listening to a compilation by 1980, aka Wes Medina, aka my cousin. Wes lives in LA where he works, makes music, and DJs at parties. He makes his music with mostly real hardware, not that computer nonsense.
1980's sound is smooth, atmospheric, and 'clean'. It seems to me that most 'clean' electronic artists today are a bit dull, but Wes keeps you interested with his close attention to melody and song structure. Even his messier tracks hold together as if every little sound is exactly where it should be. He knows that something clean and smooth is going to be examined up close, touched and felt. The slightest imperfection or annoyance will be distracting and glaring to the song's texture. He is able to back up the smoothness of the sound with songs that are interesting and emotional, that progress and change like a superb soundtrack. The music seems like the accompaniment to some kind of wordless narrative, like a (smoother) Brothers Quay film. I could imagine the odyssey of an animated character shuffling about a Charles Sheeler metropolitan world, meeting bizarre beings and encountering lots of tangible symbolism. Brian's Midnite Adventure, as the title of one song.
I don't think my music is as clean or as smooth, and most of the time that is intentional. I like adding electronic dust and garbage, like the fuzz/static effect in Bottle of Kids or the broken, disjointed latter half of Batteryfly (which I did under my old name Playgrounds and which I will make available for download as soon as I manage to record it again. Damn computer…). I feel like if I tried to make truly 'clean' music I would not be able to support it with such grace as 1980, but I'm glad he is there to make clean cool.
Thursday, February 19, 2004
if you find yourself in an international CD store...
...you should pick up some goodness by Shiina Ringo (or Shena, or Sheena, or 363*#/2). I just had to do a little post about her, as she is probably my favorite musician to come out of Japan since Cornelius. Considering Japan's often bland, unoriginal popular music scene (besides the accasional Kahimi Karie) it's great to see an artist with actual chops have a brush with popularity and still keep her mind on the music. Apparently Ringo comes from a family of musicians, and studied piano and ballet as a child. She then moved on to writing music for school plays (awesome) and rock bands, eventually getting noticed by a label. I've heard from a few of my friends "she used to be popular. Not so much anymore." This is understandable; her last couple albums have been gloriously innovative and stellar in production, not as 'hip' and 'mainstream' as her earlier alternative rock projects. I read that 50 instruments from around the world went into making her last album, stuff like samisens (through effects pedals) and harpsichords (manipulated with computers). And she still writes and composes all of her music. Long live neo-classical Japanese prog rock!
That mole is strangely familiar...
...you should pick up some goodness by Shiina Ringo (or Shena, or Sheena, or 363*#/2). I just had to do a little post about her, as she is probably my favorite musician to come out of Japan since Cornelius. Considering Japan's often bland, unoriginal popular music scene (besides the accasional Kahimi Karie) it's great to see an artist with actual chops have a brush with popularity and still keep her mind on the music. Apparently Ringo comes from a family of musicians, and studied piano and ballet as a child. She then moved on to writing music for school plays (awesome) and rock bands, eventually getting noticed by a label. I've heard from a few of my friends "she used to be popular. Not so much anymore." This is understandable; her last couple albums have been gloriously innovative and stellar in production, not as 'hip' and 'mainstream' as her earlier alternative rock projects. I read that 50 instruments from around the world went into making her last album, stuff like samisens (through effects pedals) and harpsichords (manipulated with computers). And she still writes and composes all of her music. Long live neo-classical Japanese prog rock!
That mole is strangely familiar...
Sunday, February 15, 2004
newsic.
I finally managed to upload a couple Captain A and the Sounds of B songs. Go here to find Bottle of Kids and Victoria's Dance Party.
I also added a constant link to my OSU web space, for easy anytime access to the music.
I finally managed to upload a couple Captain A and the Sounds of B songs. Go here to find Bottle of Kids and Victoria's Dance Party.
I also added a constant link to my OSU web space, for easy anytime access to the music.
Friday, February 13, 2004
Thursday, February 12, 2004
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
"I'm a computer!"
Another reason to be glad the internet exists. Gloriously butchered G.I. Joe PSAs. If you've got the downloading time, you've got to watch.
This site was introduced to my world by a young man named Aaron Ross. He's a funny man, yes. Oooooooooooooh! (G.I. Joe!)
Another reason to be glad the internet exists. Gloriously butchered G.I. Joe PSAs. If you've got the downloading time, you've got to watch.
This site was introduced to my world by a young man named Aaron Ross. He's a funny man, yes. Oooooooooooooh! (G.I. Joe!)
Sunday, February 08, 2004
an emerging elf and a glowing mule.
I fixed a link, so now the Stinger picture in my last post works. Check it out if you haven't yet.
Yesterday saw music making. Captain A and the Sounds of B met at my 'retirement home' studio to produce 11 songs for a little 22-minute album. It turned out quite well. The tracks (I will upload a song or two later, so check back for links):
Day of Departure
Bottle of Kids
David Coppafeel interlude
Dog & Chicken
The Escape (blew up!)
The Gregarious Greeks
Bogart's Report
Victoria's Dance party
The 3rd Movement
Chocolate Factory
EIR
Homemade post-modernism! Unrestrained by thoughts of decency or music theory! Senseless words put to a senseless tune! Background noise of an insinuated dirigable! Overlapping butchered stories from the New Yorker! Fake video game music! Randall Cunningham! A song inspired by Russian politics with mostly jibberish lyrics (and the unintentional dog-kicking sound)! Dancing! All in good fun!
I fixed a link, so now the Stinger picture in my last post works. Check it out if you haven't yet.
Yesterday saw music making. Captain A and the Sounds of B met at my 'retirement home' studio to produce 11 songs for a little 22-minute album. It turned out quite well. The tracks (I will upload a song or two later, so check back for links):
Day of Departure
Bottle of Kids
David Coppafeel interlude
Dog & Chicken
The Escape (blew up!)
The Gregarious Greeks
Bogart's Report
Victoria's Dance party
The 3rd Movement
Chocolate Factory
EIR
Homemade post-modernism! Unrestrained by thoughts of decency or music theory! Senseless words put to a senseless tune! Background noise of an insinuated dirigable! Overlapping butchered stories from the New Yorker! Fake video game music! Randall Cunningham! A song inspired by Russian politics with mostly jibberish lyrics (and the unintentional dog-kicking sound)! Dancing! All in good fun!
Friday, February 06, 2004
dude, this game is like, real but not real at all!
Hope you all like the neu song. It ain't much, but it came out perfect, only slightly retarded.
I've been thinking a lot about NES games, how good they were, and how carefree they were in terms of making sense. When I read an article in Wired magazine about how the creative team for the Atari 2600 would sit around doing drugs and writing down ideas, I thought "of course they did! And I'll bet the programmers for some Nintendo games did the same thing." So here I present to you a list: my top 5 most psychedelic NES games.
5. Super Mario Bros.
I had to include this gaming cornerstone, because when you think about it, what the hell was this game about? The princess of a kingdom of mushroom people has been kidnapped by the leader of turtle monsters. It's up to an Italian American plumber to run and jump his way through a landscape that features lightbulb trees. And aside from the underlying drug references (magic mushrooms make you big, a pipe is a gateway to another world), what were the goombas? And why were they called goombas?
4. Thrilla's Surfari
Yes, I know it was the product of a surf t-shirt company, but did anybody else out there play through the whole game?
Did you make it to the purple jungle, with giant skulls and flying dinosaur-birds? Did you fight the huge, winged, push-me pull-you rhinoceros? Did you skateboard through the baby-blue desert, where a pink elephant head tries to knock you off your board? Did you get to the end and battle the big lava head thing? ...Cause you should if you want to know where I'm comin from.
3. Maniac Mansion
I'll be honest, this one just came to me while I was sitting here. While this game did have an actual story that was semi-believable, its normal-ness is deceptive. In the game you meet: a family of psychos, a talking severed tentacle that wants to be a rock star, a mummified body in a bathtub, an evil talking meteor, an intergalactic police officer...In fact, forget what I said. This game isn't believable in the least. But it did have the bestest game secret ever: find the secret control pad in the wallpaper, type a few buttons, and the house explodes!! Game over!! You shouldn't have messed!!
Hell, looks like my family.
2. Totally Rad
Oooh man. I only played this game once, back in middle school, but I remember vividly how messed up it was. I don't even remember the story. All I can remember is that you control a white boy with an afro who can shoot plasma from his hands and do a white boy dance that transforms him into a fishman, a birdman, a tigerman, etc. Then there were the bosses. These guys visualized the term "bad trip". I think the first boss was a gigantic corn rock star. The rest of the game is just totally rad, man. Totally rad, man, YEAH! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha....uuuughh.
That tatoo makes him look like a weirdo.
1. Stinger
Yep, this one beats 'em all. Story? A scientist gets abducted by aliens, so you must fly a cute little spaceship around Earth (maybe) and shoot dangerous enemies like closet hangers, TVs, oranges, strawberry faces, and many more random nouns. When you die, you have the opportunity to catch your ascending angel for bonus points. I have never reached the end of this game. I'm sure the ending reveals something profoundly significant, but I just can't handle all the insanity. Play at your own risk.
The churches won't protect your secret lab from falling radishes.
Hope you all like the neu song. It ain't much, but it came out perfect, only slightly retarded.
I've been thinking a lot about NES games, how good they were, and how carefree they were in terms of making sense. When I read an article in Wired magazine about how the creative team for the Atari 2600 would sit around doing drugs and writing down ideas, I thought "of course they did! And I'll bet the programmers for some Nintendo games did the same thing." So here I present to you a list: my top 5 most psychedelic NES games.
5. Super Mario Bros.
I had to include this gaming cornerstone, because when you think about it, what the hell was this game about? The princess of a kingdom of mushroom people has been kidnapped by the leader of turtle monsters. It's up to an Italian American plumber to run and jump his way through a landscape that features lightbulb trees. And aside from the underlying drug references (magic mushrooms make you big, a pipe is a gateway to another world), what were the goombas? And why were they called goombas?
4. Thrilla's Surfari
Yes, I know it was the product of a surf t-shirt company, but did anybody else out there play through the whole game?
Did you make it to the purple jungle, with giant skulls and flying dinosaur-birds? Did you fight the huge, winged, push-me pull-you rhinoceros? Did you skateboard through the baby-blue desert, where a pink elephant head tries to knock you off your board? Did you get to the end and battle the big lava head thing? ...Cause you should if you want to know where I'm comin from.
3. Maniac Mansion
I'll be honest, this one just came to me while I was sitting here. While this game did have an actual story that was semi-believable, its normal-ness is deceptive. In the game you meet: a family of psychos, a talking severed tentacle that wants to be a rock star, a mummified body in a bathtub, an evil talking meteor, an intergalactic police officer...In fact, forget what I said. This game isn't believable in the least. But it did have the bestest game secret ever: find the secret control pad in the wallpaper, type a few buttons, and the house explodes!! Game over!! You shouldn't have messed!!
Hell, looks like my family.
2. Totally Rad
Oooh man. I only played this game once, back in middle school, but I remember vividly how messed up it was. I don't even remember the story. All I can remember is that you control a white boy with an afro who can shoot plasma from his hands and do a white boy dance that transforms him into a fishman, a birdman, a tigerman, etc. Then there were the bosses. These guys visualized the term "bad trip". I think the first boss was a gigantic corn rock star. The rest of the game is just totally rad, man. Totally rad, man, YEAH! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha....uuuughh.
That tatoo makes him look like a weirdo.
1. Stinger
Yep, this one beats 'em all. Story? A scientist gets abducted by aliens, so you must fly a cute little spaceship around Earth (maybe) and shoot dangerous enemies like closet hangers, TVs, oranges, strawberry faces, and many more random nouns. When you die, you have the opportunity to catch your ascending angel for bonus points. I have never reached the end of this game. I'm sure the ending reveals something profoundly significant, but I just can't handle all the insanity. Play at your own risk.
The churches won't protect your secret lab from falling radishes.
Thursday, February 05, 2004
Monday, February 02, 2004
Sunday, February 01, 2004
rock music! pop music! pock rop music!
This weekend I met with me mates after a long period of inactivity to play some more band music. I learned that a group of young people getting together to use musical instruments does not necessarily mean that music will happen. However, it was a lot of fun, and who cares if we sound like an amplified train wreck as long as it's fun?
On a more hopeful note, Captain A and the Sounds of B are planning on recording some more happy tunes as soon as I get some equipment back. And on a slightly bitter note, I was going to upload a new Caws Pobi song yesterday but my internet was being a bitchy child and wouldn't let me. I will try again this week.
This weekend I met with me mates after a long period of inactivity to play some more band music. I learned that a group of young people getting together to use musical instruments does not necessarily mean that music will happen. However, it was a lot of fun, and who cares if we sound like an amplified train wreck as long as it's fun?
On a more hopeful note, Captain A and the Sounds of B are planning on recording some more happy tunes as soon as I get some equipment back. And on a slightly bitter note, I was going to upload a new Caws Pobi song yesterday but my internet was being a bitchy child and wouldn't let me. I will try again this week.
Friday, January 30, 2004
whale fish, whale fish, wh-BOOM!
Honestly, what is it with exploding whales these days? It seems like just yesterday some people blew the whale out of a dead beached whale because they "couldn't stand the smell" (we know why they really did it- because they knew it would be awesome). Then there's something about exploding whales in Sweden...
And now this Taiwan whale. The funny thing about this one is that nobody blew it up. It just up and exploded. Gee whiz, folks! You don't need to dynamite 'em, after all! They're self-disposing mammals! Leave a dead whale lying around for a few days, and KABOOM! I love the Taiwan story because the whale was just sitting in the middle of a city street. I guess the truck driver stopped to get a cofee or something. The story probably would've been funnier if the truck was in heavy traffic when it happened, but hey, this is funny enough. I can just imagine a mom driving her kids to kindergarten, reviewing the alphabet, when suddenly a bunch of blood and entrails explode all over the windshield. "It's all over, kids! Judgement day! Repent now!!"
I'll bet the one marine biologist in town was just sitting on a bench nearby waiting for it to happen. Then when it did he probably shouted "I told you so, you sonsabitches!" and fell down laughing.
But wait, there's more to this story! It says that this particular dead whale was very impressive because of its huge member:
"More than 100 Tainan city residents, mostly men, have reportedly gone to see the corpse to 'experience' the size of its penis."
Wipe that grin off your face, you well-endowed explosive sea-mammal!
Honestly, what is it with exploding whales these days? It seems like just yesterday some people blew the whale out of a dead beached whale because they "couldn't stand the smell" (we know why they really did it- because they knew it would be awesome). Then there's something about exploding whales in Sweden...
And now this Taiwan whale. The funny thing about this one is that nobody blew it up. It just up and exploded. Gee whiz, folks! You don't need to dynamite 'em, after all! They're self-disposing mammals! Leave a dead whale lying around for a few days, and KABOOM! I love the Taiwan story because the whale was just sitting in the middle of a city street. I guess the truck driver stopped to get a cofee or something. The story probably would've been funnier if the truck was in heavy traffic when it happened, but hey, this is funny enough. I can just imagine a mom driving her kids to kindergarten, reviewing the alphabet, when suddenly a bunch of blood and entrails explode all over the windshield. "It's all over, kids! Judgement day! Repent now!!"
I'll bet the one marine biologist in town was just sitting on a bench nearby waiting for it to happen. Then when it did he probably shouted "I told you so, you sonsabitches!" and fell down laughing.
But wait, there's more to this story! It says that this particular dead whale was very impressive because of its huge member:
"More than 100 Tainan city residents, mostly men, have reportedly gone to see the corpse to 'experience' the size of its penis."
Wipe that grin off your face, you well-endowed explosive sea-mammal!
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
music news.
Andre 3000 is trying hard to break the thick, idiotic, manufactured shell that covers Hip-Hop City, but he is meeting opposition from 50cent. The two were last seen hovering in the skies above the city shooting fireballs at each other.
The band Jet recently starved to death after accidentaly locking themselves in a dull, old-fashioned garage. Why they chose to hang out in a lousy garage is unknown, although it is hypothosized that they saw other bands doing it and wanted to be like them.
A spaceship from the distant planet of Krap landed last month in England. The aliens that emerged from the vessel called themselves The Darkness, and have since flaunted their otherworldly ability to suck. The leader of the group was quoted as saying "We're like a big black hole- we never stop sucking, and...that's all."
Andre 3000 is trying hard to break the thick, idiotic, manufactured shell that covers Hip-Hop City, but he is meeting opposition from 50cent. The two were last seen hovering in the skies above the city shooting fireballs at each other.
The band Jet recently starved to death after accidentaly locking themselves in a dull, old-fashioned garage. Why they chose to hang out in a lousy garage is unknown, although it is hypothosized that they saw other bands doing it and wanted to be like them.
A spaceship from the distant planet of Krap landed last month in England. The aliens that emerged from the vessel called themselves The Darkness, and have since flaunted their otherworldly ability to suck. The leader of the group was quoted as saying "We're like a big black hole- we never stop sucking, and...that's all."
Thursday, January 22, 2004
Wednesday, January 21, 2004
some things.
Click here to see what was going on in Tokyo on my birthday. If you have a fast connection, I recommend checking out all of them.
So I printed out a picture of a Gain detergeant box and coloured it with water colors (- the water). I presented it to my interpersonal communications class today as my personal coat of arms. I'm proud of myself.
I think Adult Swim is the best thing on television. I watch little else. I watch the Daily Show when I can catch it, I watch Conan O'brian every now and then, I sometimes leave James Bond movies on while I eat or do dishes. The Adult Swim programming is just plain good Brett TV. I like Space Ghost, I like Aqua Teen Hunger Force, I like Sealab, I like The Big O, and I like Futurama. I promote Adult Swim.
Click here to see what was going on in Tokyo on my birthday. If you have a fast connection, I recommend checking out all of them.
So I printed out a picture of a Gain detergeant box and coloured it with water colors (- the water). I presented it to my interpersonal communications class today as my personal coat of arms. I'm proud of myself.
I think Adult Swim is the best thing on television. I watch little else. I watch the Daily Show when I can catch it, I watch Conan O'brian every now and then, I sometimes leave James Bond movies on while I eat or do dishes. The Adult Swim programming is just plain good Brett TV. I like Space Ghost, I like Aqua Teen Hunger Force, I like Sealab, I like The Big O, and I like Futurama. I promote Adult Swim.
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