http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHSBNv-IFrA
That link should take to a version of Max Roach at YouTube playing "The Drum Also Waltzes." He was an extraodinary musician. Now he's in the Summerlands, and I just get a thrill thinking of him and Jaco Pastorius ripping it up.
Makes me miss both of them even more.
Goddess protect you Max. You changed the world for a lot of us.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Nothing given away......
This has no real place in any of my blogs, but Severus Snape shares a birthday with Mr James Patrick Page.
It has come about that the fictional character of Severus Snape has been given a birth date. Turns out he was born either right after or right before me......1958 or 59. Some say '60. Who the hell cares?! And on January 9th......birthday of Jimmy Page, and my grandson Marco.
Truly, I am a big fan of the Harry Potter books. They are well written, and enthralling and have brought younger people back to the joy of reading. If you have only seen the movies , do yourself a favour and go read book one. do them in order- it DOES make a difference. I can forgive the movies for not being able to cover so much detail, but the books are ten times the movies.
And I am an equally big fan of actour Alan Rickman, who has brought a permanent face to Snape. I don't think anyone could have done this character as much justice- good choice!
I have seen much of Alan's work, and think the world of him. They could not have done better giving him this incredible anti-hero to him to mold.
Anyway, no, I am not saying anything about the newest, and last book, in the series. Except that I have already read it twice and browse through certain parts almost daily. I am sorry to see the series end, but will enjoy these books for the rest of my life. I just would like to know what they will do with the movies to do justice to the tremendous expectation built up in the fan world. They better get it right.......
It has come about that the fictional character of Severus Snape has been given a birth date. Turns out he was born either right after or right before me......1958 or 59. Some say '60. Who the hell cares?! And on January 9th......birthday of Jimmy Page, and my grandson Marco.
Truly, I am a big fan of the Harry Potter books. They are well written, and enthralling and have brought younger people back to the joy of reading. If you have only seen the movies , do yourself a favour and go read book one. do them in order- it DOES make a difference. I can forgive the movies for not being able to cover so much detail, but the books are ten times the movies.
And I am an equally big fan of actour Alan Rickman, who has brought a permanent face to Snape. I don't think anyone could have done this character as much justice- good choice!
I have seen much of Alan's work, and think the world of him. They could not have done better giving him this incredible anti-hero to him to mold.
Anyway, no, I am not saying anything about the newest, and last book, in the series. Except that I have already read it twice and browse through certain parts almost daily. I am sorry to see the series end, but will enjoy these books for the rest of my life. I just would like to know what they will do with the movies to do justice to the tremendous expectation built up in the fan world. They better get it right.......
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
More than 70,000
well... when I started posting my photos online, I would never have believed that so many people would want to look at what I do. Three and a half years, thirty five hundred photos, and over 70,000 hits to that site later, I guess I am wrong. Gives me a warm feeling, though for all this time, I haven't had a single comment posted on that site- only at DC's or myspace. I think it is something to do with having to join Webshots. Dunno. Doesn't matter. Every Friday, when I get the e-mail about that week's stats, I sit there with this silly grin on my face, looking at who has been looked at, and often wondering exactly who is flipping into my site, and why. In my mind, I often accuse the artists themselves of vanity, but have been surprised at how rarely they seem to have seen any of the pictures I have done. I think sometimes it must be new fans, coming onto some bands site, seeing either my comments or a link to my site, and checking it out.
I love taking live concerts shots, but think I may start using an inexpensive digital camera (I am purely analog, i.e.'film', right now) to get some creative work done. Seems it runs in the family too- my dad, my oldest brother, his youngest son, me.....there is definitely an artist's eye running in the genes of this family. If he gives me permission, I will be putting a link to my nephew's flickr site, where he has put up some old slides my dad took around 1964. It will be in my travel blog....seeing that stuff again brought back a lot of memories, even as small as I was then. ( about 5- it was just after the Beatles hit the US shores....)
Pictures....they may not capture the exact moment perfectly, but they can sure trigger memory. I can't look at any of the DC concerts without having a stream of thoughts about each different gig go through my head. Not right now, as it is very late, but sometime soon, I will have to reminisce about some of those trips......different sort of life...I wouldn't trade what I have lived through due to Del Castillo for anything.
namaste y'all.
I love taking live concerts shots, but think I may start using an inexpensive digital camera (I am purely analog, i.e.'film', right now) to get some creative work done. Seems it runs in the family too- my dad, my oldest brother, his youngest son, me.....there is definitely an artist's eye running in the genes of this family. If he gives me permission, I will be putting a link to my nephew's flickr site, where he has put up some old slides my dad took around 1964. It will be in my travel blog....seeing that stuff again brought back a lot of memories, even as small as I was then. ( about 5- it was just after the Beatles hit the US shores....)
Pictures....they may not capture the exact moment perfectly, but they can sure trigger memory. I can't look at any of the DC concerts without having a stream of thoughts about each different gig go through my head. Not right now, as it is very late, but sometime soon, I will have to reminisce about some of those trips......different sort of life...I wouldn't trade what I have lived through due to Del Castillo for anything.
namaste y'all.
Saturday, July 07, 2007
For the Earth, Or Something Else?
At this very moment, there is a huge international concert going on. It is supposed to be about " a climate in crisis", but I am afraid I have to raise a few points here. In the noblest of gestures, the stages are all supposed to be run completely off alternative power sources. HOWEVER- how many people had to travel to get TO these gigs? What mode of transport did they use? One hundred percent chance that it was something based on the use of petroleum products, one of the worst problems we have created as a species. and of those of us that might have any interest what so ever and no ability to travel, how many are watching it on TV to PC or whatever? Having friends over, BBQing, running the AC more because of more bodies.......the list could go on all day. Fact is, this bloody concert may in fact be generating far more damage than it is being done to bring awareness about. I really don't think all those well-meaning businesses and bands bothered thinking about the domino affect, or worse- chaos theory.
This concert isn't going to do anymore than Live Aid, Farm Aid or Feed The World did. I was a staunch supporter of that last one especially, selling over 1000 singles and 500-600 albums specifically for that cause in my one music store alone. what happened? Government. The bloody government wouldn't let the food and other supplies through into Ethiopia. All that work ended up hitting the wall.
Want to make a difference? Turn off any lights you don't really need. Recycle everything you can. Unplug all appliances you aren't using- you'd be surprised how much power they draw when not in use. Compost if you have a yard, and find someone else who can for you if you don't. Stop buying throw-away stuff, just because it's convenient. Stop driving around for no reason, and learn to use a bike, moped or your feet for the shorter trips.
Every little thing ends up making a difference.
The big things, like this ridiculous gig, really don't. The larger message gets lost in the shuffle. all the mailto:f&$&*@ing media isn't going to change anything. It will have be down here, among the people. And it better start soon
Musicians mean well, and often don't know how to add their two cents in. THIS wasn't the right way. Do you think any of them will change how they tour permanently? No. Do you think for a minute that alternate power sources will become the standard at the majour arenas aound the world? No. Do you think that the majourity of the thousands at the gigs will pick up one piece of trash as they are leaving and put it in the recycle bins? No.
Let's start changing things at home, in our own neighbourhoods, and stop trying to impress the world. Recycle. Re-use. Renew. Cut down on consumption. Give back just a little more than you take. THAT is what will change this planet's direction, and possibly our species.
Oh? Did you think that world was dying? Nah.
She's been through far more than we can do to Her, and she has survived. We are killing ourselves off by ruining all the natural resources provided for us, from sheer greed and gluttony.
We alone will pay the price. Or we can atone, and maybe be forgiven. It truly is up to the individual to make a difference.
This concert isn't going to do anymore than Live Aid, Farm Aid or Feed The World did. I was a staunch supporter of that last one especially, selling over 1000 singles and 500-600 albums specifically for that cause in my one music store alone. what happened? Government. The bloody government wouldn't let the food and other supplies through into Ethiopia. All that work ended up hitting the wall.
Want to make a difference? Turn off any lights you don't really need. Recycle everything you can. Unplug all appliances you aren't using- you'd be surprised how much power they draw when not in use. Compost if you have a yard, and find someone else who can for you if you don't. Stop buying throw-away stuff, just because it's convenient. Stop driving around for no reason, and learn to use a bike, moped or your feet for the shorter trips.
Every little thing ends up making a difference.
The big things, like this ridiculous gig, really don't. The larger message gets lost in the shuffle. all the mailto:f&$&*@ing media isn't going to change anything. It will have be down here, among the people. And it better start soon
Musicians mean well, and often don't know how to add their two cents in. THIS wasn't the right way. Do you think any of them will change how they tour permanently? No. Do you think for a minute that alternate power sources will become the standard at the majour arenas aound the world? No. Do you think that the majourity of the thousands at the gigs will pick up one piece of trash as they are leaving and put it in the recycle bins? No.
Let's start changing things at home, in our own neighbourhoods, and stop trying to impress the world. Recycle. Re-use. Renew. Cut down on consumption. Give back just a little more than you take. THAT is what will change this planet's direction, and possibly our species.
Oh? Did you think that world was dying? Nah.
She's been through far more than we can do to Her, and she has survived. We are killing ourselves off by ruining all the natural resources provided for us, from sheer greed and gluttony.
We alone will pay the price. Or we can atone, and maybe be forgiven. It truly is up to the individual to make a difference.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Not For the Average Ear
I don 't consider myself a prejudiced person- I can take music from most sources (disco in any form and opera being the exceptions) and find something valuable about it. First glances do not always let one appreciate what a band can truly do. There are exceptions to that too though.....
A friend in Austin talked to me very enthusiastically about a band called Estradasphere, said I should come up to see them. I listened to some of their stuff on myspace, and was impressed enough to make the trip. The club they were in has several sections to it and they were obviously not the big draw of the night ( I don't know what band was, but it obviously appealed to the pre-university crowd.)
Now, when someone gushes about a band, it tends to make me a bit suspious. Were it not that my friend Alex and I have a lot in common musically speaking, I might have sat back and done the Austin "prove it to me" bit, but I managed to hear these fellows during sound check and figured I needed the best possible vantage point...not an easy thing to find in this particular club. This is one of those places in Austin that has tried to jump on the live music wagon by throwing up a stage wherever it will fit, rather than building the room around the stage for a proper presentation of the music. During the opening act, the Invincible Czars, I spent a lot of time testing listening areas around the room.
Oh yeah- the Czars: Austin based band that could scare Mr Bungle! Seriously, some tremendous musicians on that stage, with the funky John Zorn edge- they fly between overt classical that has been sped up so much many wouldn't recognise it to jolts of metal and smoothed over jazz lines. It is definitely not for the average listener. It requires a certain ability to seperate the various instruments into their corners, then blend them back together for come up with the final formula these guys are aimming at. I was tickled to hear from one member that they are thinking of doing Stravinsky's The Rites of Spring, possibly, or maybe the Firebird. I heard destinct Stravinsky influence in a couple of the pieces, and considering that he's one of my biggest musical influences, i was drawn in. (Yes, I am not kidding about that. I could conduct the Firebird from memory. I have heard that piece of music since quite probably before I was born. Blame - or thank- my dad.)
And to prove to me all that I had heard was true, the czars go and finish the set with Mr Bungle's "Love Is A Fist!" Should've known.
now...Estradasphere.......
They have been given so many labels, I hesitate to add to that list! Imagine a metal band, a classical quartet, and a variety of musicians from different cultures all slammed together in the same room, given way too much espresso, and a shot of whatever drug could speed one up but still leave one completely clear-headed. (Contrary to popular mis-understanding, it is NOT possible to be high on anything save adrenalin and give a GOOD musical performance.)
To play the way these fellows do, with such precision and yet such speed, is unto itself reason to give the accolades! That they can sustain this through more than two hours, night after night, well , defies the imagination, frankly. From what I experienced in that club, I would say this much- the CDs may be good, but to see it done LIVE makes a lot of difference. The right set of synthesizers and a good producer could make the albums sound like that- it's been done for years. YET- these fellows can do it live, and in perfect time. Even when it isn't perfection, they have such a great time playing off one another that it is downright infectious.
There is not a member among these bandmates I could not call a consumate musician. And their interaction is obviously the result of intense practice that has left them so in tune with one another that the music just flows. Why the hell someone hasn't picked them up to do a soundtrack for a movie, I dunno! (Yo- Rodriguez! You listening?)
I spent most of the gig being further and further awed by what was going on in front of me, and details started to blur. I just know that when they get back this way, I will be working to get them a gig in San Antonio. I have got to believe that at least as many as came out in Austin will find out here. I find myself in a limited amount of company when it comes to listening to music, but I think there are enough flexible ears out there that SA would prove a worthwhile gig. Quiet? Relaxing? Something you can CHAT over? Hell no! Something you will never forget, that will haunt your bones for days? Very much.
www.estradasphere.com
www.invincibleczars.com
A friend in Austin talked to me very enthusiastically about a band called Estradasphere, said I should come up to see them. I listened to some of their stuff on myspace, and was impressed enough to make the trip. The club they were in has several sections to it and they were obviously not the big draw of the night ( I don't know what band was, but it obviously appealed to the pre-university crowd.)
Now, when someone gushes about a band, it tends to make me a bit suspious. Were it not that my friend Alex and I have a lot in common musically speaking, I might have sat back and done the Austin "prove it to me" bit, but I managed to hear these fellows during sound check and figured I needed the best possible vantage point...not an easy thing to find in this particular club. This is one of those places in Austin that has tried to jump on the live music wagon by throwing up a stage wherever it will fit, rather than building the room around the stage for a proper presentation of the music. During the opening act, the Invincible Czars, I spent a lot of time testing listening areas around the room.
Oh yeah- the Czars: Austin based band that could scare Mr Bungle! Seriously, some tremendous musicians on that stage, with the funky John Zorn edge- they fly between overt classical that has been sped up so much many wouldn't recognise it to jolts of metal and smoothed over jazz lines. It is definitely not for the average listener. It requires a certain ability to seperate the various instruments into their corners, then blend them back together for come up with the final formula these guys are aimming at. I was tickled to hear from one member that they are thinking of doing Stravinsky's The Rites of Spring, possibly, or maybe the Firebird. I heard destinct Stravinsky influence in a couple of the pieces, and considering that he's one of my biggest musical influences, i was drawn in. (Yes, I am not kidding about that. I could conduct the Firebird from memory. I have heard that piece of music since quite probably before I was born. Blame - or thank- my dad.)
And to prove to me all that I had heard was true, the czars go and finish the set with Mr Bungle's "Love Is A Fist!" Should've known.
now...Estradasphere.......
They have been given so many labels, I hesitate to add to that list! Imagine a metal band, a classical quartet, and a variety of musicians from different cultures all slammed together in the same room, given way too much espresso, and a shot of whatever drug could speed one up but still leave one completely clear-headed. (Contrary to popular mis-understanding, it is NOT possible to be high on anything save adrenalin and give a GOOD musical performance.)
To play the way these fellows do, with such precision and yet such speed, is unto itself reason to give the accolades! That they can sustain this through more than two hours, night after night, well , defies the imagination, frankly. From what I experienced in that club, I would say this much- the CDs may be good, but to see it done LIVE makes a lot of difference. The right set of synthesizers and a good producer could make the albums sound like that- it's been done for years. YET- these fellows can do it live, and in perfect time. Even when it isn't perfection, they have such a great time playing off one another that it is downright infectious.
There is not a member among these bandmates I could not call a consumate musician. And their interaction is obviously the result of intense practice that has left them so in tune with one another that the music just flows. Why the hell someone hasn't picked them up to do a soundtrack for a movie, I dunno! (Yo- Rodriguez! You listening?)
I spent most of the gig being further and further awed by what was going on in front of me, and details started to blur. I just know that when they get back this way, I will be working to get them a gig in San Antonio. I have got to believe that at least as many as came out in Austin will find out here. I find myself in a limited amount of company when it comes to listening to music, but I think there are enough flexible ears out there that SA would prove a worthwhile gig. Quiet? Relaxing? Something you can CHAT over? Hell no! Something you will never forget, that will haunt your bones for days? Very much.
www.estradasphere.com
www.invincibleczars.com
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