Started back into travel season this past weekend for MFA's #1 fan's wedding, in Palo Alto, CA. Anne and I flew into Oakland late, late, late Wednesday night and crashed pretty hard once we reached the bride's house. Not only did she get up to let us in at 2:30, she woke up before us. Now, that is hardcore.
We have a disorder: we can't sit still. We are so restless even when we are road weary and sleepy. This found us about 24 hours dangling precariously above cliffs en route to Big Sur, just to take a picture of the sign and come back. I think I found the place to dramatically drive the car off the cliff when the time comes. Wow. No more buying the farm or kicking the bucket. I'm talking flaming car extrusion.
By the time we picked up my brother in SFO that next afternoon, we had covered Monterey, Santa Cruz, Carmel and Big Sur, not to mention having helped stranded friends in San Jose procure a rental car. It was hard to look at the farmlands and not think of Steinbeck, and thus my father, ditto for the the Santa Lucia hills. Very fittingly, we had put in Modest Mouse's Good News record.
The wedding-type events went off without a hitch (actually, I should say with a hitch, as the deal was sealed) Nothing like being bone dry in a nicely pressed suit, low-80 temps when back east you'd be melting. Maybe that's why my friends aunt said something about "you could eat him with a spoon." I think I know what that means, but I'll still plead youthful ignorance. There was a mechanical bull, but I could not get on in time for last call and closing. The more youthfilled (and liquorfull) ignorantati of the softer persuasion had the bar captivated, no way was a 200+ hombre like me getting up there to spoil their view of cleveland.
spent an afternoon in San Fran with some of anne's beloved from college. very, very kind people. Just so happens their apartment is atop the Noe Valley neighborhood and boasts a super steeeeeeeep hill right nearby. I think I asked them at least three times how they got to work and if they had to hoof the hill. It was probably the sleep depravation talking. The weather was even more perfect than Palo Alto (perpetually spring to San Fran's perpetual fall) and we hung out on their deck, overlooking the bay.
Maybe I'll turn this into a foto blog once I get the technology.
also, when we get the monetary technology, we are so going to record at Tiny Telephone. That would rule. Or maybe record in Sausalito with Steve Lillywhite as if we were the Gusterds. woot.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
Dr. Dremo's Thanks, and setlist
Thanks for coming out to the show on Saturday at Dr. Dremo's! Please visit that place before it is history next March!
With a little light goading, we raised over $600 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. We also sent Mr. Matt Sedlar packing into his official graduation from MFA professional development academy.
Setlist:
Every Day Is Fall*
The Ballad of You and Me*
Elegiac*
East Coast Versus West Coast*
Sweet Caroline*
Queen of the Lost Causes
One In The Same
Campfire Hymn
Now It's On (Grandaddy cover)
Slow Motion Decay
Speakeasy
The One That Got Away +
Bergamot
St Matthew's Court
Gravel In My Palm
I Was Electric
1994
(break)
Tender (Blur cover w/matt on irish drum)
Wishing Well
*= matt solo, to give jim a rest
+= with Terrence Henry of Eastern Homes on harmonica
With a little light goading, we raised over $600 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. We also sent Mr. Matt Sedlar packing into his official graduation from MFA professional development academy.
Setlist:
Every Day Is Fall*
The Ballad of You and Me*
Elegiac*
East Coast Versus West Coast*
Sweet Caroline*
Queen of the Lost Causes
One In The Same
Campfire Hymn
Now It's On (Grandaddy cover)
Slow Motion Decay
Speakeasy
The One That Got Away +
Bergamot
St Matthew's Court
Gravel In My Palm
I Was Electric
1994
(break)
Tender (Blur cover w/matt on irish drum)
Wishing Well
*= matt solo, to give jim a rest
+= with Terrence Henry of Eastern Homes on harmonica
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
City of Brotherly Grit
Jim here. With a show approaching, I made the trek to Philly this weekend to rock out with MFA and catch up with some old friends. The XPN Fest (or whatever they call it) had the most awesome backdrop (the Philly skyline) I've seen since those D.C. shows they used to have on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the Capitol. Fountains of Wayne didn't disappoint and I think I'm going to have to keep an eye on those Fratelli boys.
It always feels good to play, but it feels even better when you get to play outside when it is 74 degrees and breezy. While we didn't play long, I think we are ready for the gig on Saturday. I'm really glad we are jumping right in like this. It's been way too long since the last show!
After practice, I met up with my college buddy, Chris, who was playing in a block party in the working-class neighborhood of Port Richmond. The party was also a 21st birthday celebration for one of the friends of the band. They had 2 kegs, a large box of soft pretzels, a hot dog machine, a popcorn machine and a cotton candy machine! An aside, I turned on the power to the cotton candy machine just to see what it would do. After twirling around for about 5 seconds, the power for the entire block went out for about 3 minutes or so. Oops, sorry folks. Of course, we pretended like it had nothing to do with us. Just one block over, there was another block party with much of the same pomp. I don't think I have really seen anything like this since my early days in Pittsburgh.
Later that night, I went to a house party in the Philly suburbs in an upscale neighborhood (I have no idea where exactly). The back yard was ginormous (this word was just added to Merriam-Webster!) and had a regulation size soccer goal. I think I overheard that the hostess had played some college footie. I assumed the crowd would be the pretentious hipster sort by looking at them, but instead I found everyone to be friendly and talkative.
Community means different things in different places. Everyone knew each other on the block in my hometown. Now, outside of the artist that lives two flights up, I don't know anyone in my apartment complex. If this weekend taught me anything, it is that community is what you make of it... and I need to try harder.
Sunday, the original lineup (Matt and I) went to New York City for a total of two hours. However, while we were there we had the only $5 meal available anywhere in the City. 2 BBQ half chickens with sides, soup and drinks for a total of $12! Then we met up with old work friends Nick and Jessica and hopped across the Hudson and Hackensack rivers to catch D.C. United vs. Red Bull New York at Estadio de Los Gigantes at the Medowlands. While our boys didn't pull out the victory, we saw a hell of a header by the other team.
Aside from major road construction delays on the way back home, it was a solid weekend of enjoyable experiences.
See you on Saturday!
It always feels good to play, but it feels even better when you get to play outside when it is 74 degrees and breezy. While we didn't play long, I think we are ready for the gig on Saturday. I'm really glad we are jumping right in like this. It's been way too long since the last show!
After practice, I met up with my college buddy, Chris, who was playing in a block party in the working-class neighborhood of Port Richmond. The party was also a 21st birthday celebration for one of the friends of the band. They had 2 kegs, a large box of soft pretzels, a hot dog machine, a popcorn machine and a cotton candy machine! An aside, I turned on the power to the cotton candy machine just to see what it would do. After twirling around for about 5 seconds, the power for the entire block went out for about 3 minutes or so. Oops, sorry folks. Of course, we pretended like it had nothing to do with us. Just one block over, there was another block party with much of the same pomp. I don't think I have really seen anything like this since my early days in Pittsburgh.
Later that night, I went to a house party in the Philly suburbs in an upscale neighborhood (I have no idea where exactly). The back yard was ginormous (this word was just added to Merriam-Webster!) and had a regulation size soccer goal. I think I overheard that the hostess had played some college footie. I assumed the crowd would be the pretentious hipster sort by looking at them, but instead I found everyone to be friendly and talkative.
Community means different things in different places. Everyone knew each other on the block in my hometown. Now, outside of the artist that lives two flights up, I don't know anyone in my apartment complex. If this weekend taught me anything, it is that community is what you make of it... and I need to try harder.
Sunday, the original lineup (Matt and I) went to New York City for a total of two hours. However, while we were there we had the only $5 meal available anywhere in the City. 2 BBQ half chickens with sides, soup and drinks for a total of $12! Then we met up with old work friends Nick and Jessica and hopped across the Hudson and Hackensack rivers to catch D.C. United vs. Red Bull New York at Estadio de Los Gigantes at the Medowlands. While our boys didn't pull out the victory, we saw a hell of a header by the other team.
Aside from major road construction delays on the way back home, it was a solid weekend of enjoyable experiences.
See you on Saturday!
Friday, July 20, 2007
Show coming up, album going out, ships coming in
Ladies and Gents,
Two weeks ago I was sitting at the old, crackity mactop twiddling knobs and wondering "wow, what sounds better: not-so-good, or not-so-bad" shoring up work on 4 tracks. Turns out, once you settle in on middle-fi, it all looks rosy. Think about it: DIYing will limit your budget but will not limit your creativity. The end result might not be super-pro, but we're not a super-pro kind of band. We're more of a "make it up as you go along" kind of band. More than that, we're open source. Tinker, tinker, tinker. If anybody asked me for tracks, I would probably give it to them to see if they could make it sound different, better, or even worse (Mark, I burned you a DVD but haven't sent it!)
So here we go, two weeks later we are gearing up for our first show in 18 months on July 28th. I am psyched, it's like Christmas in July. Not only that, but we're playing Dr. Dremo's, a place we have yet to play in the DC area. It's not a rock club. It's not a pool hall. It's not a typical venue. MORE THAN THAT, we are raising money for a charity that is very, very, very close to me: The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. If you've read anything in this blog, you probably read the one about my dad's memorial donations going to them. I actually agreed to this show before I knew the charity, so this is the icing on the cake. BUT wait, Jon can't make it because it's his birthday and he'll be in NYC, so Matt Sedlar, our former bassist, has stepped up. We never had a chance to give him a proper goodbye, since his departure coincided with a downtime for the band. We might also have a sax sit in, depends how much cramming we can get done.
"Summer Music..." has gone back to mixing for some tweaks, but will be delivered to mastering. Yes, it has been 3 years. But there are reasons.
What else? Philly is beautiful today. Thunderstorms swept through last night, taking the heat but leaving palpable humidity, with a slight breeze. It's somewhat tropical, and not in a "jeez, I'm melting" kind of way. More of a "dood, this could be the Keys" which seldom happens in the mid-Atlantic in balm season. Anne and I met a night where I wore a beloved green beater button-down, and an undershirt, and I swapped out sweating through one and carrying the other as it dried out, and changing when need be. Like I said, it's Christmas in July, only a little more humid, but not enough to drop you. Dig.
xo,
mcmfa
Two weeks ago I was sitting at the old, crackity mactop twiddling knobs and wondering "wow, what sounds better: not-so-good, or not-so-bad" shoring up work on 4 tracks. Turns out, once you settle in on middle-fi, it all looks rosy. Think about it: DIYing will limit your budget but will not limit your creativity. The end result might not be super-pro, but we're not a super-pro kind of band. We're more of a "make it up as you go along" kind of band. More than that, we're open source. Tinker, tinker, tinker. If anybody asked me for tracks, I would probably give it to them to see if they could make it sound different, better, or even worse (Mark, I burned you a DVD but haven't sent it!)
So here we go, two weeks later we are gearing up for our first show in 18 months on July 28th. I am psyched, it's like Christmas in July. Not only that, but we're playing Dr. Dremo's, a place we have yet to play in the DC area. It's not a rock club. It's not a pool hall. It's not a typical venue. MORE THAN THAT, we are raising money for a charity that is very, very, very close to me: The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. If you've read anything in this blog, you probably read the one about my dad's memorial donations going to them. I actually agreed to this show before I knew the charity, so this is the icing on the cake. BUT wait, Jon can't make it because it's his birthday and he'll be in NYC, so Matt Sedlar, our former bassist, has stepped up. We never had a chance to give him a proper goodbye, since his departure coincided with a downtime for the band. We might also have a sax sit in, depends how much cramming we can get done.
"Summer Music..." has gone back to mixing for some tweaks, but will be delivered to mastering. Yes, it has been 3 years. But there are reasons.
What else? Philly is beautiful today. Thunderstorms swept through last night, taking the heat but leaving palpable humidity, with a slight breeze. It's somewhat tropical, and not in a "jeez, I'm melting" kind of way. More of a "dood, this could be the Keys" which seldom happens in the mid-Atlantic in balm season. Anne and I met a night where I wore a beloved green beater button-down, and an undershirt, and I swapped out sweating through one and carrying the other as it dried out, and changing when need be. Like I said, it's Christmas in July, only a little more humid, but not enough to drop you. Dig.
xo,
mcmfa
Friday, July 13, 2007
This Ain't No Chinese Democracy
Our album is now mixed. We would like to thank the Army of Emotional Support for pulling us through this one. Realize, we have gone through 3 and a half band members in the process. I say "and a half" because we have been itching to introduce a 4th member, but delayed as the record was delayed. Not to mention personal stuff. We are now "older" and "wiser" which in rock is the mafioso kiss on the cheek, but we'll let you decide that.
So here we go, the master recordings are going to the masterer (I'd make a "Yes, Master!" joke, but that is actually a legit, operational business, and we do not want to create the impression we are looking elsewhere) in the District.
Stay tuned for a show announcement, if you are still there. This feels like falling asleep on the telephone. You still want to listen to what she's saying, but next thing you know you've awaken to forgetting whether or not you've hung the telephone up or not!
Yours in scouting,
mfa
So here we go, the master recordings are going to the masterer (I'd make a "Yes, Master!" joke, but that is actually a legit, operational business, and we do not want to create the impression we are looking elsewhere) in the District.
Stay tuned for a show announcement, if you are still there. This feels like falling asleep on the telephone. You still want to listen to what she's saying, but next thing you know you've awaken to forgetting whether or not you've hung the telephone up or not!
Yours in scouting,
mfa
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Chinese Firedrill
"Living this life/is like trying to learn Latin/in a Chinese Firedrill"
You know, if I were able to report that I'd be a slouch and that is why the record is not mixed yet, I might feel better about my place in the Universe. How do I say that I have been working really, really hard at learning how to mix? How do I say that we "ran out of money" for the project and brought the mixing in house? How do I say that I have already scrapped four song mixes in favor of fine tuning my ears?
I like to wear lots of hats, it just so happens now I am a producer. I did the remix EP to prove I could, and now I am mixing the remainder of our record. It is sounding good. Anne has been an invaluable resource: she will not BS me and say "sounds good" to spare my feelings. If it sounds like used kitty litter, she'll say it sounds like used kitty litter.
The thing is, I like a nice, dense mix. I like combining several elements and making sonic burgoo. Where some people might like to a sparse drum, bass, guitar mix, I want to drop the guitar and replace it all with synths and a vague mellotron.
So that's me, I am tweaking here and there, EQing everywhere, and shining these nuggets.
Oh, and playing in a cover band for a big family party. Got a PA (my first!) for the vocals and for the iPod DJ afterward. We have 3 vocalists (4 if you count Anne, but she has relegated herself to learning to play bass before trying to play and sing!) We've been practicing since March, and know our set backwards and forwards. Okay, so just forwards, but still, that's something!
Summertime rolls...
ps- I am 100% free of the bean (coffee). Well, I had a half cup with Anne on our anniversary whilst watching Meet the Press, but other than that, I'm decaf.
You know, if I were able to report that I'd be a slouch and that is why the record is not mixed yet, I might feel better about my place in the Universe. How do I say that I have been working really, really hard at learning how to mix? How do I say that we "ran out of money" for the project and brought the mixing in house? How do I say that I have already scrapped four song mixes in favor of fine tuning my ears?
I like to wear lots of hats, it just so happens now I am a producer. I did the remix EP to prove I could, and now I am mixing the remainder of our record. It is sounding good. Anne has been an invaluable resource: she will not BS me and say "sounds good" to spare my feelings. If it sounds like used kitty litter, she'll say it sounds like used kitty litter.
The thing is, I like a nice, dense mix. I like combining several elements and making sonic burgoo. Where some people might like to a sparse drum, bass, guitar mix, I want to drop the guitar and replace it all with synths and a vague mellotron.
So that's me, I am tweaking here and there, EQing everywhere, and shining these nuggets.
Oh, and playing in a cover band for a big family party. Got a PA (my first!) for the vocals and for the iPod DJ afterward. We have 3 vocalists (4 if you count Anne, but she has relegated herself to learning to play bass before trying to play and sing!) We've been practicing since March, and know our set backwards and forwards. Okay, so just forwards, but still, that's something!
Summertime rolls...
ps- I am 100% free of the bean (coffee). Well, I had a half cup with Anne on our anniversary whilst watching Meet the Press, but other than that, I'm decaf.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Songs for Your Bean
Getting ready for a busy summer, I have decided, once again, to quit coffee. Jim probably thinks I am crazy, but really, I think it's what is keeping me up at night. And not in that great, James Mercer kind of way where I am brilliantly composing songs out of a bad situation with drug-addled neighbors. More in that "man, maybe I do have that restless leg syndrome I make fun of the TV for advertising"
But I dig the bean. One of my favorite things is sitting in my mom's kitchen and sipping coffee in the morning. That's the thing, it's all about habit, and partially to do with the gas-on-a-brushfire effect you get for the first month but goes away, leaving you with a phantom limb.
Oh yeah, I give up and take up coffee all the time. This last time getting into coffee was directly related to dad passing. Weird, eh? The man could drink some coffee. Once asking him how much coffee he'd drink in a day, he responded a whopping "up to 10 cups, basically it's all I drink in the morning." So I have used the bean to get myself out of bed, and to coax myself onto the train when I couldn't drive.
Get ready for summer, kids. Give up something you love to get something better in return. Puritan Self-Denial Beach Blanket Bingo anyone?
ps- this is Led Zep summer. does anyone remember love?
But I dig the bean. One of my favorite things is sitting in my mom's kitchen and sipping coffee in the morning. That's the thing, it's all about habit, and partially to do with the gas-on-a-brushfire effect you get for the first month but goes away, leaving you with a phantom limb.
Oh yeah, I give up and take up coffee all the time. This last time getting into coffee was directly related to dad passing. Weird, eh? The man could drink some coffee. Once asking him how much coffee he'd drink in a day, he responded a whopping "up to 10 cups, basically it's all I drink in the morning." So I have used the bean to get myself out of bed, and to coax myself onto the train when I couldn't drive.
Get ready for summer, kids. Give up something you love to get something better in return. Puritan Self-Denial Beach Blanket Bingo anyone?
ps- this is Led Zep summer. does anyone remember love?
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Am I depressed because I listen to pop music, or do I listen to pop music because I am depressed?
This may come as a surprise to some of you, but I never really listened to lyrics in songs until recently. I heard sounds, which formed a vibe, but I never really paid attention to the actually meanings. It was almost as if I had created some sort of emotional security system. Going back through some of my favorite records, and I am going wayyyyy back, I am hearing things in technicolor.
Take for example. 1993's "Altered Beast" By Matthew Sweet. This record is brutal! How could I not have heard it before? Sure, there are the guest artists (Mic Fleetwood here, Nicky Hopkins there, Robert Quine, Richard Lloyd, Ivan Julian everywhere!) most of which I wouldn't even recognize by name until recently. But when you hear the songs, man, put it away, it's bleeding! Perhaps I picked up on the black humor of "Someone to Pull the Trigger" and the rocking rockingness that is "Ugly Truth," but you think I would have heard the desolate obsession with a relationship that is to bad to keep, but too good to ditch.
And it doesn't stop there. Every song. Every. Single. Song. Funny, I don't remember being an overtly sad teenager. This being one of my favorite records, I need to re-examine. Let's go down the check list: suicide attempts=0, overdoses=0, runaway attempts=0. There you have it folks, I am certified oblivious. And Jody Stephens is on this record, given my latter day Big Star introduction (thanks to pd)… you'd think I'd have noticed the jangle.
The production is super-compressed, I guess to bring out the vocals, and you'd barely notice the guitars except for the fact, um, THEY ARE EVERYWHERE! But I think I appreciate this record more now that it's 14 years later. I actually had this one before "Girlfriend" which I technically never bought. Tracing it back, I think this was a record that an old girlfriend didn't get back. Strange, she got all the REM, but not Matthew Sweet. Score!
Funny how it works out. Man, I still love this record!
Take for example. 1993's "Altered Beast" By Matthew Sweet. This record is brutal! How could I not have heard it before? Sure, there are the guest artists (Mic Fleetwood here, Nicky Hopkins there, Robert Quine, Richard Lloyd, Ivan Julian everywhere!) most of which I wouldn't even recognize by name until recently. But when you hear the songs, man, put it away, it's bleeding! Perhaps I picked up on the black humor of "Someone to Pull the Trigger" and the rocking rockingness that is "Ugly Truth," but you think I would have heard the desolate obsession with a relationship that is to bad to keep, but too good to ditch.
And it doesn't stop there. Every song. Every. Single. Song. Funny, I don't remember being an overtly sad teenager. This being one of my favorite records, I need to re-examine. Let's go down the check list: suicide attempts=0, overdoses=0, runaway attempts=0. There you have it folks, I am certified oblivious. And Jody Stephens is on this record, given my latter day Big Star introduction (thanks to pd)… you'd think I'd have noticed the jangle.
The production is super-compressed, I guess to bring out the vocals, and you'd barely notice the guitars except for the fact, um, THEY ARE EVERYWHERE! But I think I appreciate this record more now that it's 14 years later. I actually had this one before "Girlfriend" which I technically never bought. Tracing it back, I think this was a record that an old girlfriend didn't get back. Strange, she got all the REM, but not Matthew Sweet. Score!
Funny how it works out. Man, I still love this record!
Friday, April 27, 2007
"c'mon Bob, get it together"
Sometimes I think I should turn this thing into a personal MP3-blog, not one that has other people's songs but mine. In the spirit of the odds and ends covers EP release, I am contemplating nearing full disclosure and unleashing a double album documenting a year in the life. There is just too much material to fit onto one record, I almost feel as if that game was built to defeat art in the first place.
Let me think about this, I know some people are interested in hearing the non-album tracks, but I have to self-edit enough to not be Ryan Adams. You will not get MP3's of me drunk trying to impersonate old Hank.
Have a good weekend. I'm making a quick trip back to DC then back to Philly to take our neice to her first major league baseball game. I think I like baseball because I get nostalgic about my own youth, not that I dislike the game, but it's a little irreverent of modern times. We want it, and we want it now. We don't want to have to wait out a pitchers duel. Wait, maybe that's WHY I like it. Ha.
be well,
xoxox,
mfa
Let me think about this, I know some people are interested in hearing the non-album tracks, but I have to self-edit enough to not be Ryan Adams. You will not get MP3's of me drunk trying to impersonate old Hank.
Have a good weekend. I'm making a quick trip back to DC then back to Philly to take our neice to her first major league baseball game. I think I like baseball because I get nostalgic about my own youth, not that I dislike the game, but it's a little irreverent of modern times. We want it, and we want it now. We don't want to have to wait out a pitchers duel. Wait, maybe that's WHY I like it. Ha.
be well,
xoxox,
mfa
Monday, April 23, 2007
Graduation Day
In the My Friend Autumn universe, players don't quit or leave, they graduate.
It is with regret that I inform you that Matt Sedlar has earned all qualifying credits and has moved his status to Alumni. Congratulations, Matt! You now join the illustrious ranks of Tom Lewis and Paul Binghay. Should you feel the need to stop in (you will get several invitations to guest lecture) please feel free. You were a fine purveyor of musical insight, and you helped make MFA into an actual band. Your album credits are a testament to not just your bass playing abilities, but your overall musical sensibilities. Thank you for your service.
++++++
Jon Heller has a scar on his arm from a Goldfinger show at age 17. How cool is that? I am not being ironic, I once put "Mable" on a solo "album" back in 2000 and called it the best song ever written. He is our new bassist, and I know what you are thinking: oh brother, MFA is going aggro. Not exactly. Jon has studied bass for years, and is thrilled to be in a trio where we not only actually hear his voice, but we welcome it. Not sure when our first show in version 4.0 will be, stay tuned.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
xo,
mfa
It is with regret that I inform you that Matt Sedlar has earned all qualifying credits and has moved his status to Alumni. Congratulations, Matt! You now join the illustrious ranks of Tom Lewis and Paul Binghay. Should you feel the need to stop in (you will get several invitations to guest lecture) please feel free. You were a fine purveyor of musical insight, and you helped make MFA into an actual band. Your album credits are a testament to not just your bass playing abilities, but your overall musical sensibilities. Thank you for your service.
++++++
Jon Heller has a scar on his arm from a Goldfinger show at age 17. How cool is that? I am not being ironic, I once put "Mable" on a solo "album" back in 2000 and called it the best song ever written. He is our new bassist, and I know what you are thinking: oh brother, MFA is going aggro. Not exactly. Jon has studied bass for years, and is thrilled to be in a trio where we not only actually hear his voice, but we welcome it. Not sure when our first show in version 4.0 will be, stay tuned.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
xo,
mfa
Thursday, February 08, 2007
We're #1!
(on Google)
Tallying stats for the new EP, it's come to our attention that we are the #1 listing when you google My Friend Autumn, without quotations (try it!). I guess those algrithms love sudden bursts of hits, moving our ranking up.
Thanks for all of the emails, we've got two more songs on the way. Bear with us, we hit some technical difficulties while trying to track guitars. Now that our neighbors have (sadly) moved out, I've got a small window to get the tubes on the amp crackling.
much love,
mc/mfa
Tallying stats for the new EP, it's come to our attention that we are the #1 listing when you google My Friend Autumn, without quotations (try it!). I guess those algrithms love sudden bursts of hits, moving our ranking up.
Thanks for all of the emails, we've got two more songs on the way. Bear with us, we hit some technical difficulties while trying to track guitars. Now that our neighbors have (sadly) moved out, I've got a small window to get the tubes on the amp crackling.
much love,
mc/mfa
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Boardtape 2007
If you are interested, this years' installment of Boardtape is up on the My Friend Autumn website. Long story short: Boardtape began as a mixtape my brother made me when I lived in Montana winter 2000. Last year it was a podcast in 4 time-life themed movements, this year it's one big file, and mountaineering themed.
Why mountaineering? We're attempting a winter ascent of Mt Washington, New Hampshire in February. Don't worry, we're also packing snowboard gear to get some turns in (I know you were worried). Dano's packing his banjo, and I'm packing my travel guitar, perhaps this trip'll spawn some late night "man that was a cold day" songs. Speaking of which, Dan got tickets for Sufjan at the Kennedy Center. Way to go!
Be well, enjoy all of this music. There is a lot more on the way! It's been a busy 2007 MFA studio-side, we're regrouping in March to start rocking y'all in the first person.
xoxo
-mc, mfa
Why mountaineering? We're attempting a winter ascent of Mt Washington, New Hampshire in February. Don't worry, we're also packing snowboard gear to get some turns in (I know you were worried). Dano's packing his banjo, and I'm packing my travel guitar, perhaps this trip'll spawn some late night "man that was a cold day" songs. Speaking of which, Dan got tickets for Sufjan at the Kennedy Center. Way to go!
Be well, enjoy all of this music. There is a lot more on the way! It's been a busy 2007 MFA studio-side, we're regrouping in March to start rocking y'all in the first person.
xoxo
-mc, mfa
Monday, January 29, 2007
Further Reading on our new EP
At our level, you really have to play everywhere you can. That is: chase leads, find venues, talk to people. We’ve played in a converted church sanctuary artspace that is now condos, on a dock about 6 inches above the mighty Potomac, living rooms, street corners (with and without overzealous doorguys screaming at us), as well as a variety of clubs, lounges and ballrooms. We’ve had our Guns N Roses moment where the helicopter arches overhead and trains its searchlight on us. We’ve had our Spinal Tap moments where we can’t find the stage, or when the stage prop balloons get repeatedly kicked in our faces by the drunk guy. We’ve even helped book friends as entertainment for glass blowers meetings. “Load in, load out, get down, get out, drive home too late, my mind stays crooked and my back stays straight”
As always it’s not just the songs, it is the story behind the songs. I cannot speak for the people who wrote these songs as to what they were thinking and trying to say, but I can speak for myself about how they make me feel and the memories they project. It was a time and a place, and I should mention every one of these people are still making music, so this is not a eulogy.
Alice Despard used to own and run Galaxy Hut, Arlington’s last bastion of funky artiness. She was always good to her bands, once you could get her attention to book you. This would usually necessitate having beers with friends at the Hut, and immersing yourself in their culture- getting to know the bartenders, helping bus tables, keeping the door closed during songs. One day after work I dropped in just as the Hut was opening. Waiting for Jim, I saw Alice do something I will never forget. A patron had walked in and was obviously down on her luck. She had 4 dollars, and wanted to buy a 5 dollar glass of wine. She then began asking Alice lots of questions, some apropos of nothing. One of which was asking for mayonnaise, for use as lotion. Abruptly, but courteously, Alice steps out from the bar- this woman, me, and some straggler at a booth still there- and buys this woman a big bottle of lotion. The Hut got its’ far share of characters, but everyone respected the place because they knew the place respected them. This song is one of her bands “signature tunes” and eventually Philip D’Ambrosio would leave Zero Beat to play bass with them; this song taking on greater significance in the soundtrack to my life.
Jake Reid used to DJ with an old roommate’s boyfriend. Their night, Head On, would consistently surprise me. Considering myself studied in several different sounds/genres, out would come some song that would blow me away, taunting me with the notion “you don’t know Manchester” or, insert your city here. We did a few shows with his former band, Alcian Blue, and this song always stuck out from their sets. While riding the “Wall of Sound” about as far as it could go and still be discerned as music, suddenly a shift in the verse of this song would floor me. Their original brims with frenetic energy of cascading guitars (in my version you can hear the intro as ambient sound, the snare bashing giving away that it’s been sampled), but at root you can hear rock n roll in a variation of it’s most primal level. And you barely notice because it is done so well. This is the song that started this project, realizing there are people I know that are that good. Sure songwriting might be dumb luck, as you stumble around in the dark and find something: but it’s still luck.
Eastern Homes was once a band called Sad Bastard. Sad Bastard began as Terrence Henry recording demos to hard disk back west. After moving back to DC, I got all alpha-male (something I am not) and threatened by his presence in my little world of bands, music, etc. Mind you, this is a friend I have had since I was 19. Zero Beat was slow to get our act together, and Sad Bastard threatened me in a way I regret. We had a chance to get something really cool going, but all I could worry about was him stealing my bandmates- yes, me, the jealous lover. Life is too short to worry about such things. Positivity must prevail. Negativity will kill a band. Imagine my surprise when I figured out I was simultaneously Zero Beat’s John and Yoko! Before all that, Terrence had the idea to cover the other bands’ song and release a single. Here is my contribution, 4 years later. I sampled the loop from his original demo for this, taking the chill vibe and turning it out late night style.
Laura Burhenn and I became friends through Jim Grief, MFA’s drummer. At the time he was still in LavaJet, and Laura was hosting an open mic at Common Grounds (now Murky Coffee). She had the placed wrapped around her finger, but had to stop hosting due to scheduling conflicts. She offered me the gig, and I was content to funnel the small stipend into a modest recording budget for MFA’s first 3 recording sessions at Inner Ear. About two months in, I realized most of the people coming to the open mic were there to see her, and all but the regular crowd dried up. It was her, playing her songs on an out of tune piano that was the draw. Her version of this song is very feminine and swoony, and I wanted to play with the gender while giving it somewhat of a dancefloor feel. While trying to make it somewhat masculine, it ended up androgynous and almost J-Pop! The open mic space started to share with a group called “Stitch and Bitch” and we were slowly phased out. Laura and I would see each other about every 3 months when she would cut my hair. When I moved to Pennsylvania, sensing the end of an era, I gave her my electric shears out of gratitude for 2 years of modern style and timeless advice.
My brother Dan was the first in our group to meet Brice Woodall. Every Wednesday we would descend on Iota to play open mic, often badgering our friends as if it was our show. Depending on when you were able to sign up, it could be a brilliant performance, or some drunken solipsism. While our ability would vary, this guy Brice would be spot on. Turns out he is friends with one of our friends from Boone, from their days in Richmond, and we all hit it off. We would go check out his old band, BWP, at shows, and Sad Bastard opened a show for them in Richmond back when Dan was playing bass with them. He would fill the slot of opener at some of our Staccato dates (both SB and ZB) and we would consistently wonder: why isn’t this guy playing for more people?! A few years later he’d move to Chicago, put a band together, and tonight he is playing with his band in Philly on an east coast tour. Without a doubt one of the hardest working musicians I know.
Myspace is a beautiful beast. The end user license agreement might be interpreted to mean that Rupert Murdoch owns your recordings; but millions of people can hear your music if you play your cards and/or spam right. Our engineer, Nick Anderson’s band The Hailing, is up there, and he introduced us to them when we were at Inner Ear for recording or mixing. They’d be in and out every now and then, the perks of setting up your own mini-studio within the bigger studio. Happening upon their myspace page was the audio equivalent of the part in Wizard of Oz where Dorothy steps out of black in white into full Technicolor. Except for this one demo. This one song was more black and white, and warranted a little colorization. I took a 2 minute acoustic ditty with 3 or 4 part harmonies and reconstructed it here as a fully formed Faint/NIN send up. The rhythm was created as an attempt to do a Beauty Pill song, but worked far better with the way the melodies arc. Covering Beauty Pill would need to be very sparse, as Chad Clark’s production leaves very little room for variations on the theme (read: any attempts did not succeed). Chad told Anne and I one day while talking about mixing “You are very lucky to have Nick’s name on your record!” Hearing what Nick has done with some of their ideas inspired me to look into production more, and we have had several exchanges about the merits of tape, analog gear, and vibe, vibe, vibe.
Also file under myspace: More Lights by Georgie James. They had been working on “Demos at Dance Place” and their full length at Inner Ear, but we had not crossed paths. John Davis and Laura Burhenn had been talking since Laura opened for Q and Not U a year before, and she had been aching for something less singer-songwritery for at least as long as I had known her. Once upon a time I considered selling her the music and songs to “Summer Music for Winter People” for her to record her vocals over to try out some “rock.” Their collaborations as Georgie James are a pop enthusiasts’ band- steeped in years and years of pop music tradition, and More Lights seems like the perfect melting pot. Better yet, it’s pro-active. Having seen Q and Not U at Coachella and Fort Reno in 2004, I still have not met John. While working on our “Opening Flower + Happy Bird” EP, Mark Stalzer regaled us with stories of his band touring with Corm. Apparently they invented the interstate rock lock, so all you start-ups out there owe them royalties. [ed note: Mark has reported it was Maginot/Corm Rob that invented the rock lock- not him– thanks for fessing up, mark!]
I like how in the original, John and Laura’s voices couldn’t be different. Never said I’d do the songs better in remake, just reinterpret them. I almost left this and other songs off, but rationalized their chronological merit. It shows the breadth of the process: to step outside yourself and push your boundaries. Then you realize there are none. Aside from copyright concerns, which I truly hope to not get sued over, my boundaries were all hard disk related.
Stay tuned for two more tracks that couldn’t make the January 23 deadline. These aren’t bonus tracks, but intended as the “index” and “about the author” of this album. Front cover photograph of the Cape May-Lewes Ferry is one of my dad’s.
As always it’s not just the songs, it is the story behind the songs. I cannot speak for the people who wrote these songs as to what they were thinking and trying to say, but I can speak for myself about how they make me feel and the memories they project. It was a time and a place, and I should mention every one of these people are still making music, so this is not a eulogy.
Alice Despard used to own and run Galaxy Hut, Arlington’s last bastion of funky artiness. She was always good to her bands, once you could get her attention to book you. This would usually necessitate having beers with friends at the Hut, and immersing yourself in their culture- getting to know the bartenders, helping bus tables, keeping the door closed during songs. One day after work I dropped in just as the Hut was opening. Waiting for Jim, I saw Alice do something I will never forget. A patron had walked in and was obviously down on her luck. She had 4 dollars, and wanted to buy a 5 dollar glass of wine. She then began asking Alice lots of questions, some apropos of nothing. One of which was asking for mayonnaise, for use as lotion. Abruptly, but courteously, Alice steps out from the bar- this woman, me, and some straggler at a booth still there- and buys this woman a big bottle of lotion. The Hut got its’ far share of characters, but everyone respected the place because they knew the place respected them. This song is one of her bands “signature tunes” and eventually Philip D’Ambrosio would leave Zero Beat to play bass with them; this song taking on greater significance in the soundtrack to my life.
Jake Reid used to DJ with an old roommate’s boyfriend. Their night, Head On, would consistently surprise me. Considering myself studied in several different sounds/genres, out would come some song that would blow me away, taunting me with the notion “you don’t know Manchester” or, insert your city here. We did a few shows with his former band, Alcian Blue, and this song always stuck out from their sets. While riding the “Wall of Sound” about as far as it could go and still be discerned as music, suddenly a shift in the verse of this song would floor me. Their original brims with frenetic energy of cascading guitars (in my version you can hear the intro as ambient sound, the snare bashing giving away that it’s been sampled), but at root you can hear rock n roll in a variation of it’s most primal level. And you barely notice because it is done so well. This is the song that started this project, realizing there are people I know that are that good. Sure songwriting might be dumb luck, as you stumble around in the dark and find something: but it’s still luck.
Eastern Homes was once a band called Sad Bastard. Sad Bastard began as Terrence Henry recording demos to hard disk back west. After moving back to DC, I got all alpha-male (something I am not) and threatened by his presence in my little world of bands, music, etc. Mind you, this is a friend I have had since I was 19. Zero Beat was slow to get our act together, and Sad Bastard threatened me in a way I regret. We had a chance to get something really cool going, but all I could worry about was him stealing my bandmates- yes, me, the jealous lover. Life is too short to worry about such things. Positivity must prevail. Negativity will kill a band. Imagine my surprise when I figured out I was simultaneously Zero Beat’s John and Yoko! Before all that, Terrence had the idea to cover the other bands’ song and release a single. Here is my contribution, 4 years later. I sampled the loop from his original demo for this, taking the chill vibe and turning it out late night style.
Laura Burhenn and I became friends through Jim Grief, MFA’s drummer. At the time he was still in LavaJet, and Laura was hosting an open mic at Common Grounds (now Murky Coffee). She had the placed wrapped around her finger, but had to stop hosting due to scheduling conflicts. She offered me the gig, and I was content to funnel the small stipend into a modest recording budget for MFA’s first 3 recording sessions at Inner Ear. About two months in, I realized most of the people coming to the open mic were there to see her, and all but the regular crowd dried up. It was her, playing her songs on an out of tune piano that was the draw. Her version of this song is very feminine and swoony, and I wanted to play with the gender while giving it somewhat of a dancefloor feel. While trying to make it somewhat masculine, it ended up androgynous and almost J-Pop! The open mic space started to share with a group called “Stitch and Bitch” and we were slowly phased out. Laura and I would see each other about every 3 months when she would cut my hair. When I moved to Pennsylvania, sensing the end of an era, I gave her my electric shears out of gratitude for 2 years of modern style and timeless advice.
My brother Dan was the first in our group to meet Brice Woodall. Every Wednesday we would descend on Iota to play open mic, often badgering our friends as if it was our show. Depending on when you were able to sign up, it could be a brilliant performance, or some drunken solipsism. While our ability would vary, this guy Brice would be spot on. Turns out he is friends with one of our friends from Boone, from their days in Richmond, and we all hit it off. We would go check out his old band, BWP, at shows, and Sad Bastard opened a show for them in Richmond back when Dan was playing bass with them. He would fill the slot of opener at some of our Staccato dates (both SB and ZB) and we would consistently wonder: why isn’t this guy playing for more people?! A few years later he’d move to Chicago, put a band together, and tonight he is playing with his band in Philly on an east coast tour. Without a doubt one of the hardest working musicians I know.
Myspace is a beautiful beast. The end user license agreement might be interpreted to mean that Rupert Murdoch owns your recordings; but millions of people can hear your music if you play your cards and/or spam right. Our engineer, Nick Anderson’s band The Hailing, is up there, and he introduced us to them when we were at Inner Ear for recording or mixing. They’d be in and out every now and then, the perks of setting up your own mini-studio within the bigger studio. Happening upon their myspace page was the audio equivalent of the part in Wizard of Oz where Dorothy steps out of black in white into full Technicolor. Except for this one demo. This one song was more black and white, and warranted a little colorization. I took a 2 minute acoustic ditty with 3 or 4 part harmonies and reconstructed it here as a fully formed Faint/NIN send up. The rhythm was created as an attempt to do a Beauty Pill song, but worked far better with the way the melodies arc. Covering Beauty Pill would need to be very sparse, as Chad Clark’s production leaves very little room for variations on the theme (read: any attempts did not succeed). Chad told Anne and I one day while talking about mixing “You are very lucky to have Nick’s name on your record!” Hearing what Nick has done with some of their ideas inspired me to look into production more, and we have had several exchanges about the merits of tape, analog gear, and vibe, vibe, vibe.
Also file under myspace: More Lights by Georgie James. They had been working on “Demos at Dance Place” and their full length at Inner Ear, but we had not crossed paths. John Davis and Laura Burhenn had been talking since Laura opened for Q and Not U a year before, and she had been aching for something less singer-songwritery for at least as long as I had known her. Once upon a time I considered selling her the music and songs to “Summer Music for Winter People” for her to record her vocals over to try out some “rock.” Their collaborations as Georgie James are a pop enthusiasts’ band- steeped in years and years of pop music tradition, and More Lights seems like the perfect melting pot. Better yet, it’s pro-active. Having seen Q and Not U at Coachella and Fort Reno in 2004, I still have not met John. While working on our “Opening Flower + Happy Bird” EP, Mark Stalzer regaled us with stories of his band touring with Corm. Apparently they invented the interstate rock lock, so all you start-ups out there owe them royalties. [ed note: Mark has reported it was Maginot/Corm Rob that invented the rock lock- not him– thanks for fessing up, mark!]
I like how in the original, John and Laura’s voices couldn’t be different. Never said I’d do the songs better in remake, just reinterpret them. I almost left this and other songs off, but rationalized their chronological merit. It shows the breadth of the process: to step outside yourself and push your boundaries. Then you realize there are none. Aside from copyright concerns, which I truly hope to not get sued over, my boundaries were all hard disk related.
Stay tuned for two more tracks that couldn’t make the January 23 deadline. These aren’t bonus tracks, but intended as the “index” and “about the author” of this album. Front cover photograph of the Cape May-Lewes Ferry is one of my dad’s.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Happy New Year!
No, we don't have a new site! Our old one is going on into the terrible two's, and we're going to renovate come album time.
In the meantime, we are very proud to present "Alterations in Fluid Volume" an EP consisting of 7 covers in various styles, as well as 3 original instrumentals. We've gotten a little lap-toppy lately, but that is due more to the shift from apartment, to apartment, to apartment, to rowhouse.
Back in the "please do not sue us" department, our advisor has pleaded with you to 1) ask us to remove your song should you disagree with us (interpretation is the next sincerest form of flattery) and 2) ask us to remove your song should you discover we have sampled you. We're not playing the Soul Coughing game and hiding them. Some of them are smack dab in the middle, right up in your face saying hello. Mostly, you will find they serve the songs. Again, if you disagree, please email us at info at my friend autumn dot com.
Thank you for bearing with us as we prepare our full, all album feast. The first album EP has gone to the art department. We're having to release the record in halves due to scheduling conflicts with central command.
And thank you to Bruce Falconer or David Durst for naming the second instrumental.
In the meantime, we are very proud to present "Alterations in Fluid Volume" an EP consisting of 7 covers in various styles, as well as 3 original instrumentals. We've gotten a little lap-toppy lately, but that is due more to the shift from apartment, to apartment, to apartment, to rowhouse.
Back in the "please do not sue us" department, our advisor has pleaded with you to 1) ask us to remove your song should you disagree with us (interpretation is the next sincerest form of flattery) and 2) ask us to remove your song should you discover we have sampled you. We're not playing the Soul Coughing game and hiding them. Some of them are smack dab in the middle, right up in your face saying hello. Mostly, you will find they serve the songs. Again, if you disagree, please email us at info at my friend autumn dot com.
Thank you for bearing with us as we prepare our full, all album feast. The first album EP has gone to the art department. We're having to release the record in halves due to scheduling conflicts with central command.
And thank you to Bruce Falconer or David Durst for naming the second instrumental.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Mike Cummins
Hey guys,
I'm sorry to inform everyone that my dad, Mike, passed away a little more than two weeks ago, due to complications from a long battle with cancer. It wasn't the cancer, but the lack of an immune system. Who knew? We were just hiking in Peaks of Otter weeks before he fell ill, talking about him discovering Belle and Sebastian.
Not sure what this will do to our album, but if you are reading this, if anything we know you are patient!
Contact me if you are interested in donating to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in his memory. matthewbc at hotmail dot com.
I'm sorry to inform everyone that my dad, Mike, passed away a little more than two weeks ago, due to complications from a long battle with cancer. It wasn't the cancer, but the lack of an immune system. Who knew? We were just hiking in Peaks of Otter weeks before he fell ill, talking about him discovering Belle and Sebastian.
Not sure what this will do to our album, but if you are reading this, if anything we know you are patient!
Contact me if you are interested in donating to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in his memory. matthewbc at hotmail dot com.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Album News
The album news is that there is no album news. Apparently Silver Sonya has gotten really popular now that Chad and TJ are going at it more full time, so Nick has had a tough time getting in.
That is good news for me, since this seems to be the year that loads of friends decided to get married. I mean, in non-full-time bandy mode you have the ability to make it to every wedding. Whereas if we were stuck in Omaha on tour, I'd have to call in and pour myself a double to get through the disappointment of not being able to thrill the dancefloor with my slick shoes.
But that is bad news if you are expecting the record to drop soon. Rest assured it is done, but you are more likely to hear the Lemonheads record before ours. No, hell has not frozen over, The Lemonheads (nee Evan Dando Solo) are releasing a record. I am psyched about this. Just as much, Terrence Henry (aka Bobby Trendy) and I are going to curate a Lemonheads museum. You heard it here first.
pax,
mc
That is good news for me, since this seems to be the year that loads of friends decided to get married. I mean, in non-full-time bandy mode you have the ability to make it to every wedding. Whereas if we were stuck in Omaha on tour, I'd have to call in and pour myself a double to get through the disappointment of not being able to thrill the dancefloor with my slick shoes.
But that is bad news if you are expecting the record to drop soon. Rest assured it is done, but you are more likely to hear the Lemonheads record before ours. No, hell has not frozen over, The Lemonheads (nee Evan Dando Solo) are releasing a record. I am psyched about this. Just as much, Terrence Henry (aka Bobby Trendy) and I are going to curate a Lemonheads museum. You heard it here first.
pax,
mc
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Ted Leo Screed
Listening through "Shake the Sheets" by Ted Leo/Rx today. It is now I just realized the massive influence that record had on the aesthetics and writing of our EP "Opening Flower and Happy Bird"
I actually enjoy "The Tyranny of Distance" to "Shake the Sheets," but the connection is undeniable. Did anyone notice The Rentals are going to be at the 9:30 club in about a week? Our EP is like a Rentals/Ted Leo trainwreck.
Onward and upward, our record is going to warm and loverly. The rain in spain falls mostly in the plain.
xo,
mfa
I actually enjoy "The Tyranny of Distance" to "Shake the Sheets," but the connection is undeniable. Did anyone notice The Rentals are going to be at the 9:30 club in about a week? Our EP is like a Rentals/Ted Leo trainwreck.
Onward and upward, our record is going to warm and loverly. The rain in spain falls mostly in the plain.
xo,
mfa
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Summa summa summa time
Me and my girlfriend, we don’t wear any shoes.
Listen:
The Hailing
Grandaddy” *sigh*
psssst
Read:
John Steinbeck
Jared Diamond
Enjoy:
Civilized grown-up milkshake
Spicy Spicy
Cool down
Blobfest is this weekend! They are actually recreating the scene when everyone runs out of the theatre. Oh, by the way, the opening scene for The Blob was shot in my town.
Listen:
The Hailing
Grandaddy” *sigh*
psssst
Read:
John Steinbeck
Jared Diamond
Enjoy:
Civilized grown-up milkshake
Spicy Spicy
Cool down
Blobfest is this weekend! They are actually recreating the scene when everyone runs out of the theatre. Oh, by the way, the opening scene for The Blob was shot in my town.
Friday, March 24, 2006
From My Window (Sad) and (Lonely) (?)
Just saw Josh Rouse at World Café Live. I have to say, it’s not exactly the best music to listen to with your beloved, but hey, the man is brilliant. (his backstory includes the dissolution of his 7 year marriage and his expatriation to Spain). It was just him, a guitar, and a big shimmery backdrop that often imitated a body of water in sunlight. Props.
His “1972” is the reason for the next album. Not this coming album, but the next. I had decided I had had enough with gloom and alterna-angst in my songs upon hearing the jubilation that is that record. Now, please please please, if you play keys or guitar in the Philly area, email me! If not, all of our songs will have “Cut Your Hair”-esque ooh ooh’s! Not that it is a bad thing, but such indieboy soul-stylings only go so far.
Now we are get ready for tonight. The components are in place, yet ¾ of the performing musicians are still 2.5 to 4.5 hours away (depending on Baltimore traffic). Barristers is going to be a lot of fun. We have much to celebrate… the least of which is that we are all alive and breathing. Come out and dance to the rock. As opposed to Smash Your Head on the Punk Rock, haven’t we already done that enough? Leave the head pain for the morning and enjoy some cocktails and conversation. Not to mention basketball. With any luck, George Mason will be taking on Wichita State while we are playing. Reminds me of watching homie Brice Woodall play whilst the beloved Red Sox put the Yankees on ice back in 2004.
I miss you Brice, take over the world already!
His “1972” is the reason for the next album. Not this coming album, but the next. I had decided I had had enough with gloom and alterna-angst in my songs upon hearing the jubilation that is that record. Now, please please please, if you play keys or guitar in the Philly area, email me! If not, all of our songs will have “Cut Your Hair”-esque ooh ooh’s! Not that it is a bad thing, but such indieboy soul-stylings only go so far.
Now we are get ready for tonight. The components are in place, yet ¾ of the performing musicians are still 2.5 to 4.5 hours away (depending on Baltimore traffic). Barristers is going to be a lot of fun. We have much to celebrate… the least of which is that we are all alive and breathing. Come out and dance to the rock. As opposed to Smash Your Head on the Punk Rock, haven’t we already done that enough? Leave the head pain for the morning and enjoy some cocktails and conversation. Not to mention basketball. With any luck, George Mason will be taking on Wichita State while we are playing. Reminds me of watching homie Brice Woodall play whilst the beloved Red Sox put the Yankees on ice back in 2004.
I miss you Brice, take over the world already!
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Paul is Dead
Man, backwards our songs are the ultimate emo material. Minus, the nasal vocal sounds of Sigur Ros-lite, the chord changes are very heart wrenching. I wonder if they sound like this to the casual listener, while played forwards.
You see, Tipper Gore wanted me to quality check the mixes so far to see if they were satanic reference free. So far, only “Candy Apple Red” sounds remotely satanic, with special guest Bruce Falconer’s reversed vocals sound like “ohhhh… murda” which could either be murder, or Murtha, as in the outspoken Pennsylvania proponent for Iraqi troop withdrawl.
But really, he is saying “I don’t know…”
You see, Tipper Gore wanted me to quality check the mixes so far to see if they were satanic reference free. So far, only “Candy Apple Red” sounds remotely satanic, with special guest Bruce Falconer’s reversed vocals sound like “ohhhh… murda” which could either be murder, or Murtha, as in the outspoken Pennsylvania proponent for Iraqi troop withdrawl.
But really, he is saying “I don’t know…”
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