One of my very favorite musicians. Guitarist for Paul McCartney's Wings band, brilliant fingerstyle acoustic soloist, wonderful music educator. Many fantastic albums, these days all acoustic and just amazing. Check it out.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
The REAL Beowulf
Sometimes when I'm spending a lot of time in my car I go off to the library and get me some books on tape. I like 'em. Most radio is moronic and irritating, and sometimes I don't want to listen to music anyway. Books on tape are like having someone read you a story as you're driving, which I think is cool. Plus, I often check out things I wouldn't ordinarily read...it's a different format, it just works out that way. This week I'm listening to the original Norse Saga of Beowulf. Translated into English of course, I'm not crazy really. I can hear the ancient rhythms when I listen, sort of imagine what it would be like to be in those old Viking halls listening to some bard laying the story down for the mead-drinking warriors there. Weird and stately stuff, but action-packed as well...Beowulf (the hero, not me) is like the ultimate badass...swimming in the open sea for days at a time, kicking sea monster ass, sailing to Denmark and TEARING THE ARM OFF the giant man-eating demon Grendel, then battling his even bigger and more pissed-off Mom (Grendel's Mom, not Beowulf's), amongst other manly deeds. Not things I would do myself, but pretty cool stuff! Wonder what I'll pick up next...
Agile Guitars
Ever want to rock out on a Les Paul? Ever look at popular Gibson prices and just sigh sadly like a sad sighing thing, resolving to never rock at all? Well, hell, there's hope yet! Rondo Music is selling the Agile line of guitars, with some really beautiful instruments at prices that even destitute fools like me can afford. I know I sound like an ad for Agile here...but I think it's good to know about, if you even play just a little for fun, but you'd like something nice. These are professional musical tools though for sure...solid mahogany bodies, Gotoh tuners, well-made hardware and very good woodworking throughout. I was so impressed that I wound up getting two...a regular Sunburst LP copy and a 12-string LP! Just TRY finding one of those 12-strings. You'd have to go to Gibson's custom shop and spend $5,000 to $7,000 at least. I got mine for under $300.
I think right now we're living in another golden age of guitars. The early Fenders and Gibsons (I'm talking about the early electric era from the late 50s to the early 70s) were amazing, groundbreaking, breathtaking guitars. They still are. And a lot of new Fenders and Gibsons are beautiful too...at least some are. But it's a crapshoot as to quality sometimes, and the prices are now not in a league that many musicians can afford, especially beginners. However nowadays the entry level instruments are MUCH better than in my beginner's days in the 60s, and many, like Agile, Jay Turser, Samick and Cort are producing things that are really really good instruments, things that many professionals are taking out on the road...sometimes just because their prized Gibson is too valuable to risk getting swiped!
Understand this...these Agiles are made in Korea...from my research the guitar builders are paid very well relative to the cost of living there, and there seem to be good working conditions in the shop. I'm all for buying American stuff whenever I can, but Gibson has priced themselves out of my market when a stock Les Paul is $2500 or more...I just don't have that kind of money right now. I bought my sunburst Agile AL 2000 used on Ebay for $150! Now it does have a thicker poly finish (which doesn't seem to affect the tone all that much)...and I did wind up changing the pickups (although I really didn't have to, the originals were pretty good)...but again, the woods and the construction were equal to the originals, and I've played many worse LPs than my little Agile. You may feel differently, but there's my two cents. When my ship comes in and people are flocking to my concerts, maybe then I'll look for a nice older Paul. Some of them are REALLY special. But here in my hand-to-mouth reality, I'll keep playing these. And I won't feel too bad about it either!
Check out these guitars at http://rondomusic.com/ if you've a mind to. I don't get any financial reward (alas) for advocating these guitars, but hey Rondo guys, anytime you wanna send me a free guitar it's OK by me. Maybe one of those 6-String Fretless Basses!
I think right now we're living in another golden age of guitars. The early Fenders and Gibsons (I'm talking about the early electric era from the late 50s to the early 70s) were amazing, groundbreaking, breathtaking guitars. They still are. And a lot of new Fenders and Gibsons are beautiful too...at least some are. But it's a crapshoot as to quality sometimes, and the prices are now not in a league that many musicians can afford, especially beginners. However nowadays the entry level instruments are MUCH better than in my beginner's days in the 60s, and many, like Agile, Jay Turser, Samick and Cort are producing things that are really really good instruments, things that many professionals are taking out on the road...sometimes just because their prized Gibson is too valuable to risk getting swiped!
Understand this...these Agiles are made in Korea...from my research the guitar builders are paid very well relative to the cost of living there, and there seem to be good working conditions in the shop. I'm all for buying American stuff whenever I can, but Gibson has priced themselves out of my market when a stock Les Paul is $2500 or more...I just don't have that kind of money right now. I bought my sunburst Agile AL 2000 used on Ebay for $150! Now it does have a thicker poly finish (which doesn't seem to affect the tone all that much)...and I did wind up changing the pickups (although I really didn't have to, the originals were pretty good)...but again, the woods and the construction were equal to the originals, and I've played many worse LPs than my little Agile. You may feel differently, but there's my two cents. When my ship comes in and people are flocking to my concerts, maybe then I'll look for a nice older Paul. Some of them are REALLY special. But here in my hand-to-mouth reality, I'll keep playing these. And I won't feel too bad about it either!
Check out these guitars at http://rondomusic.com/ if you've a mind to. I don't get any financial reward (alas) for advocating these guitars, but hey Rondo guys, anytime you wanna send me a free guitar it's OK by me. Maybe one of those 6-String Fretless Basses!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Spirited Away
Let me start by saying that I originally thought I'd start this entry highlighting the director of this film, Hayao Miyazake, but then I figured I'd rather talk up his films one by one, since each is so amazing. First off, Miyazake is a true genius. He's taken a medium (Japanese Animated Film) and spun it into an unbelievable art form. Stay with me, Anime-Phobics and Film Snobs. "Spirited Away" is to, say, "Sailor Moon" or "Simba" what Kobe Beef is to a Whitecastle Slider...a totally different animal. Certainly lots of elements of Anime are interrelated, but Miyazake's films stand apart from the crowd...well, well apart. There's stunning beauty here, fantastic artwork, a film to take you outside of your world into a place you've always wanted to be but didn't know was there. Lots of drama, humor, interesting Japanese culture and folklore, a heroic plot to make Joseph Campbell proud, and a really magical film score as well. If you haven't seen any of Miyazake's work, please see it. Any good video store will have it, or that Netflix thing, or whatever. And once you see it, if you GET it, there's lots more films by the same director. And it's guaranteed to change the way you think about animated film!
Here's a little bit that I stole (O forgive me O copyright Gods) from Wikipedia:
Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し, Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi?, literally, Sen and Chihiro's Spiriting Away) is a 2001 Japanese animated film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film follows a sullen ten-year-old girl who is in the process of moving to a new town (presumably in the countryside) with her family, and chronicles her adventures in a world of spirits and monsters.
The film received many awards, including the second Oscar ever awarded for Best Animated Feature, the first anime film to win an Academy Award, and the first (and so far only) non-English speaking animation to win. The film also won the Golden Bear at the 2002 Berlin International Film Festival (tied with Bloody Sunday) and is among the top ten in the BFI list of the 50 films you should see by the age of 14.
Spirited Away overtook Titanic (At the time the top grossing film worldwide) in the Japanese box office to become the highest-grossing film in Japanese history.
...In this case, the trailer doesn't do the film justice at all, but it's the best I can do...gotta just see this one...
Here's a little bit that I stole (O forgive me O copyright Gods) from Wikipedia:
Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し, Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi?, literally, Sen and Chihiro's Spiriting Away) is a 2001 Japanese animated film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film follows a sullen ten-year-old girl who is in the process of moving to a new town (presumably in the countryside) with her family, and chronicles her adventures in a world of spirits and monsters.
The film received many awards, including the second Oscar ever awarded for Best Animated Feature, the first anime film to win an Academy Award, and the first (and so far only) non-English speaking animation to win. The film also won the Golden Bear at the 2002 Berlin International Film Festival (tied with Bloody Sunday) and is among the top ten in the BFI list of the 50 films you should see by the age of 14.
Spirited Away overtook Titanic (At the time the top grossing film worldwide) in the Japanese box office to become the highest-grossing film in Japanese history.
...In this case, the trailer doesn't do the film justice at all, but it's the best I can do...gotta just see this one...
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
The Goon
It all depends on how you feel about comics. If you're dismissive of the medium, if you think that it's all Super Guys in tights kicking each other's asses, you've been misinformed (Although I've got nothing against men in tights...at one point in life I wore tights myself. Looked pretty damn good in 'em too). Seriously, things have evolved quite a bit from the early days of Batman, although I'm still an unrepentant Batman fan...the place where great writing and great graphics meet is getting to be a pretty exciting hang.
There are some amazing people doing amazing work, and The Goon by Eric Powell is one of the best examples. Set in a weird noir universe in a 40s-like era, these stories are alternately hilarious, obscene, heartbreaking, suspenseful, offensive and exciting. Wikipedia says "The series has a distinctly paranormal slant, with the average story concerning ghosts, ghouls, skunk-apes with an unnatural hunger for pie, extra-dimensional aliens, and mad scientists." And yes, there is a good dose of ass-kicking as well. Did I mention that Powell is a fantastic artist? His art and content owe a good deal to Will Eisner's "The Spirit" Comics of the 40s, but he's ramped it WAY up both in terms of art and of story content. No, WAY up.
So, my advice is, don't you be dismissive or afraid of them there picture books. You can even call 'em Graphic Novels if it makes you feel better. But do go out and check on The Goon...if you're in my neck of the woods, hop over to Vault Of Midnight, a wonderful store, or go online (hey, you're already there!), or check your local Public Library...they may even have copies, mine did! The Goon and his psychotic pal Frankie, The Zombie Priest, Doctor Alloy and The Buzzard await you...
There are some amazing people doing amazing work, and The Goon by Eric Powell is one of the best examples. Set in a weird noir universe in a 40s-like era, these stories are alternately hilarious, obscene, heartbreaking, suspenseful, offensive and exciting. Wikipedia says "The series has a distinctly paranormal slant, with the average story concerning ghosts, ghouls, skunk-apes with an unnatural hunger for pie, extra-dimensional aliens, and mad scientists." And yes, there is a good dose of ass-kicking as well. Did I mention that Powell is a fantastic artist? His art and content owe a good deal to Will Eisner's "The Spirit" Comics of the 40s, but he's ramped it WAY up both in terms of art and of story content. No, WAY up.
So, my advice is, don't you be dismissive or afraid of them there picture books. You can even call 'em Graphic Novels if it makes you feel better. But do go out and check on The Goon...if you're in my neck of the woods, hop over to Vault Of Midnight, a wonderful store, or go online (hey, you're already there!), or check your local Public Library...they may even have copies, mine did! The Goon and his psychotic pal Frankie, The Zombie Priest, Doctor Alloy and The Buzzard await you...
Stone Premonitions
A strange angel, with the head of a lizard, dances with a small orange furry alien and two beautiful nudes around a ring of power in some unnameable space. Sounds of music draw you into the circle, which reveals itself a spiral of eternal energy, spinning further and further into inner space, as your mind expands...
Then you're back on the street in your business suit wondering if it was all a dream. You're late for work! But before you rush off you look up, and there, high in the sky above you in a red balloon, you see the evil clown manipulating your marionette strings, laughing...
...It's just a taste of the vibe that many of the Stone Premonitions creations seem to inspire in me (and maybe in you too). Stone Premonitions is a Cooperative or Collective organization, officially started in 1994 but with its roots much earlier in 1974. Sometimes a record label, sometimes a radio station, always an incredible group of creative artists and musicians. The story's way too big for me to tell here, so check out their history on:
http://www.aural-innovations.com/stonepremonitions/history.html
...One of my favorite bands from the many (there's just an amazing output of music!) available is Census Of Hallucinations. Here's some unabashedly Psychedelic music with great hooks, crazy spaced-out moments, counter-cultural anarchist attitudes, fantastic musicianship, and lots of fun. But there's a LOT more besides COH. Check out the Stone Premonition discography and see:
http://www.aural-innovations.com/stonepremonitions/catalog.html
...Many of the SP recordings can be found at Stone Island Records (along with the CDs of some tosser called Beowulf Kingsley for some reason), which has a great web radio station that plays Stone Premonitions stuff all day long! Check it out here:
http://www.stoneislandrecords.com/
...Crazy cool. I'll leave you with a couple of teaser demos...have fun...
Then you're back on the street in your business suit wondering if it was all a dream. You're late for work! But before you rush off you look up, and there, high in the sky above you in a red balloon, you see the evil clown manipulating your marionette strings, laughing...
...It's just a taste of the vibe that many of the Stone Premonitions creations seem to inspire in me (and maybe in you too). Stone Premonitions is a Cooperative or Collective organization, officially started in 1994 but with its roots much earlier in 1974. Sometimes a record label, sometimes a radio station, always an incredible group of creative artists and musicians. The story's way too big for me to tell here, so check out their history on:
http://www.aural-innovations.com/stonepremonitions/history.html
...One of my favorite bands from the many (there's just an amazing output of music!) available is Census Of Hallucinations. Here's some unabashedly Psychedelic music with great hooks, crazy spaced-out moments, counter-cultural anarchist attitudes, fantastic musicianship, and lots of fun. But there's a LOT more besides COH. Check out the Stone Premonition discography and see:
http://www.aural-innovations.com/stonepremonitions/catalog.html
...Many of the SP recordings can be found at Stone Island Records (along with the CDs of some tosser called Beowulf Kingsley for some reason), which has a great web radio station that plays Stone Premonitions stuff all day long! Check it out here:
http://www.stoneislandrecords.com/
...Crazy cool. I'll leave you with a couple of teaser demos...have fun...
Gwar
Here's where my more intellectual, sensitive friends will flee from this blog in horror (what, Call Of Cthulu didn't do it for you already?)...my recommendation of Gwar, Insane Metal Band, Theatre Troupe, Scumdogs Of The Universe and Purveyor Of All Things Disgusting. Gwar will probably never be on NPR. Or on commercial radio. But they've been attracting and keeping (sometimes literally) rabid fans satisfied for more than 25 years! Gotta love 'em.
Gwar began in Richmond, Virginia in 1984, when Dave Brockie's band Death Piggy donned outer space monster costumes for a no-budget independent art film "Scumdogs Of The Universe" being made by Hunter Jackson and Chuck Varga. The costumes kept appearing onstage at Death Piggy shows and eventually Piggy was absorbed by the Gwar persona. Like Death Piggy, Gwar shows were both music and mini-plays, but Gwar went further and further into it, eventually creating movies and live performances that were like psychotic musicals written by very very disturbed adolescents (and I mean that in the very best possible way). After over 25 years and many personnel changes, Brockie is still in the band, in the character of Oderus Urungus, chief monster of Gwar. It's cool.
A rather complete history of the band is over on Wikipedia at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwar#1985.E2.80.931989
and is interesting reading, if you find this kind of thing interesting! Gwar are horrible, perverse, disgusting, offensive and appealing to the lowest common denominator in humankind. I highly recommend them! For elder geeks like me who don't want to go to the show and covered with fake body effluvia, a trip to the video store is in order. "Dawn Of The Day Of The Night Of The Penguins" is a pretty good representation of their live show, and features a delightful segment in which Marilyn Mansion is flayed alive! Or the hilarious "It's Sleazy" in which Gwar's amazingly pompadoured manager Sleazy P. Martini hosts his own daytime talk show...although there's some very disturbing violence that ensues. DON'T watch this stuff with your younger kids! At least watch it yourself first. I warned ya.
Edit: I just realized that Marilyn Manson is actually flayed alive in "It's Sleazy"! My mistake. Oh well.
Gwar began in Richmond, Virginia in 1984, when Dave Brockie's band Death Piggy donned outer space monster costumes for a no-budget independent art film "Scumdogs Of The Universe" being made by Hunter Jackson and Chuck Varga. The costumes kept appearing onstage at Death Piggy shows and eventually Piggy was absorbed by the Gwar persona. Like Death Piggy, Gwar shows were both music and mini-plays, but Gwar went further and further into it, eventually creating movies and live performances that were like psychotic musicals written by very very disturbed adolescents (and I mean that in the very best possible way). After over 25 years and many personnel changes, Brockie is still in the band, in the character of Oderus Urungus, chief monster of Gwar. It's cool.
A rather complete history of the band is over on Wikipedia at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwar#1985.E2.80.931989
and is interesting reading, if you find this kind of thing interesting! Gwar are horrible, perverse, disgusting, offensive and appealing to the lowest common denominator in humankind. I highly recommend them! For elder geeks like me who don't want to go to the show and covered with fake body effluvia, a trip to the video store is in order. "Dawn Of The Day Of The Night Of The Penguins" is a pretty good representation of their live show, and features a delightful segment in which Marilyn Mansion is flayed alive! Or the hilarious "It's Sleazy" in which Gwar's amazingly pompadoured manager Sleazy P. Martini hosts his own daytime talk show...although there's some very disturbing violence that ensues. DON'T watch this stuff with your younger kids! At least watch it yourself first. I warned ya.
Edit: I just realized that Marilyn Manson is actually flayed alive in "It's Sleazy"! My mistake. Oh well.
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