Saturday, January 31, 2009

V-Day



I am currently in the process of recording a "Valentine's Day" album.  I'm being heavily inspired by Phil Collins, so it should be hilarious if nothing else.  I'll post it on the web when it's done so everyone can download it and cry simultaneously.


Tuesday, January 20, 2009

to Kandinksy from Schoenberg

"Art belongs to the unconscious!  One must express oneself!  Express oneself directly!  Not one's taste, or one's upbringing, or one's intelligence, knowledge or skill."

to Kandinsky
from Schoenberg

Friday, January 16, 2009

Good Musicians are Talented?

If a scientist is good at what they do, they're considered smart.  If a plumber is good at what they do, they're considered hard working.

Good musicians are talented?  Or are they smart and hard working?

Thursday, January 15, 2009

I can feel it coming in the air tonight...

I recently became enamored with all the things I associate with the 80's.  Between listening to hardcore Genesis, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, and Prince, I'm watching old episodes of Star Trek the Next Generation, messing around with Play-doh and playing Atari.  Weird, I know.

There are so many things we overlook when we're younger because we're just not supposed to be interested.  There is so much value that we throw away because of our date of birth.  Sometimes I think I could go the rest of my life without anything new - just the stuff that's already been made.  How do we open our mouths when so much has already been said?  What do we have to add?

Anyway, big surprise, the 80's can kick it.  That's news to me.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Interjection on Having Fun

I think what I've decided is that we can only really have fun when we forget about trying to have fun...

...This was the first new years eve in a while when I didn't try to have fun, and it was definitely one of the most fun (weirdest) new years I've had.


Along the same lines, I don't think we can truly like something if we're thinking about weather or not we like it.  Not to say that we don't "decide" we like things; but, I don't know, do we really like the things we "decide" we like?

My answer to that question is "decidedly" no.  There are things that we are supposed to like and dislike.  When we make that decision to like or dislike, what we are really deciding is weather or not we want to be seen as going with or against the flow.  Maybe we're even deciding the kind of person we want to be.

So, the likes and dislikes (or the fun or not fun) becomes the part of ourselves that we can control.  What does liking a particular band or musician say about me?

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Topic No. 1 : What is Talent?

Alright, here's our first topic of the blog, and it's a winner.  Talent... Well...

Here are a few questions for our initial consideration:

What is talent?  Do some people have this stuff that others just don't?  Where do people get it?  Are we born with it?  Can you get it if you don't already have it?  What's the difference between talent and hard work?  How do individual physical traits effect talent?  Waka waka.

This is a pretty limited list of considerations for a big behemoth of a topic, but it's where we'll start.


So check it, this month's all about talent.  I'll post my continually evolving thoughts as the month goes on.

Breaking the sound barrier

Welcome...

For a young musician, I have always felt that I had a unique concept of music - what it is, what it should be, what is good, what is not.  I figure, instead of writing a super lame book, I could use this big stupid box on my desk and work things out a chunk at a time.

Herein you will find my general thoughts on the medium, interspersed with reviews of recordings, concerts, and people, and maybe some basic musical news/gossip interspersed.  I plan on having a specific topic each month, with multiple posts flimsily supporting that topic until it finally falls down and we start over.  The first of each month stop by and see if you have any interest in what I am thinking about.

I intend this to be a dialog.  Please use the comment box below and let me know what you think.  I expect not everyone will not not agree with everything I have to say, not, and that's great.  Just keep me posted.  Even if it's, I hate this topic, I'll come by next month.

I find myself so oft diverted by completely useless gunk these days.  I only hope that I don't add to the pile.  I've always been one for addition by subtraction - here, however, I would like to present addition by addition - my concept of, and in, music - enjoy.