As the BS continues to fly from the mouths of RNC speakers, I can only
continue to resist through protest posts. If you haven’t had the
pleasure of stumbling upon this site on your own, let me do you the
favor:
Most days I find myself absorbing the news via National Public Radio
while mindlessly driving to and from work. I’ve had problems with
their coverage (or lack there of) of political events in the past, but
I was outright infuriated to hear a segment of All Things Considered
where the reporters wanted help in properly pronouncing “Abu
Ghraib”. On the one hand it’s great to be sensitive about proper
pronunciation of foreign terms, but the segment was at least 5 minutes
of each reporter and translator taking turns pronouncing “Abu Ghraib”
to the point of diminishing the now famous location of Iraqi prisoner abuse
at the hands of American soldiers to nothing more than a beginners
introduction to Arabic. To top it all off, the local station that
broadcasts the show chimed in at the end with the credits “brought to
you by Walmart”. What insanity! So let me recommend a few
stations where you’ll never hear the words “Walmart” and “Abu Graib” in
the same sentence, unless of course, the conglomerate decides to open
shop in Iraq.
San Francisco Liberation Radio
: Although recently shut down by the FCC, they have a lot of their
shows archived. I highly recommend a friends show: John Hell
This dictionary put together by the folks at McSweeney’s
press supports a good cause (dethrone the thief). It also comes
with a CD featuring tracks by David Byrne, R.E.M., Death Cab for Cutie,
Sleater-Kinney, Flaming Lips, Tom Waits, Bright Eyes, They Might Be
Giants, Elliott Smith, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and others.
Here’s a new segment that features short stories I’ve paired up with an
Mp3 (a soundtrack of sorts). This week’s (or month’s) story comes
from an author who lives and creates in the lower East Side of
Manhattan. His name is Farhad Parsa and this story “To Here Knows
When” comes from his collection titled The Suffering Season. The
photographs are by Farhad as well. The music track is called
“Punk As Fuck” and comes to you from American Analog Set recorded live
in the KVRX studios.
To Here Knows When
Youíve got to be kidding me.
Heís a nice guy. Youíre gonna meet him someday.
Not necessarily.
Come on. Weíll get lunch andÖ
..And what? Whatís so funny?
I have some stuff that you like.
Alice has me hook, line, and sinker. She knows Iíll do anything to get high, even if I have to meet my exís new beau.
Ok what who which where and when? (cont. . .)
Last summer I finally got to see a live Beck show (thanks to a generous gift from two of my students) at U.C. Berkeley’s Greek Theatre. The opening band, The Black Keys were very energetic and put out a two man blues convulsion. Joining them on stage was none other than Ralph Carney, who gained fame as Tom Waits reeds and special effects man on most notably Waits’ 1992 Bone Machine.
It so happens that the Black Keys drummer was Carney’s
nephew. Carney came on stage with a bizarre homeade
clarinet/recorder/pipe cleaner thing and squeeled. I don’t think
the crowd knew who he was, but they appreciated his spectacle
nontheless (no need to mention, but Beck rocked and shuffled (as
expected) with guest bass player Steven McDonald of Redd Kross). A few days after the show I was at the very fine Aquarius Records in SF looking for some Pram
on vinyl and who was there across from me leafing through the
international CD’s but Ralph himself. I took the opportunity to
tell him I enjoyed his cameo and he let me know of upcoming shows where
he would feature an assortment of his latest instrument
inventions. I missed the show, but here are some of his
recordings via his own site:
Ralph Carney : Fluids.mp3
Ralph Carney : Solstice Song.mp3
Ralph Carney : President’s Song.mp3
I’m always on the look out for new and inspiring music to recharge my own song writing. A friend got me listening to Soft Machine, which I enjoyed, but I searched on and fell in love with later recordings by Soft Machine’s drummer and vocalist, Robert Wyatt.
In 1973 he fell out of a window during a party that left him paralysed
from the waist down. He continued to make music and record with
the likes of Brian Eno
(I linked him to a very good article he wrote for TIME magazine), Paul
Weller and Phil Manzanera among many more musicians from a musical
branch I’ve always followed. I found a decent site devoted to
Wyatt that included some mp3’s (realaudio) here, and a bio/discography. The selections I highly recommend are from Wyatt’s album Shleep (click on the horn icon next to Maryan).
The other day on the corner of 26th and Mission a semi drunk man
approached me. Iím accustomed to these sorts of encounters since
Iíve come to understand that I project a genial demeanor. Before
the man spoke I took it upon myself to assume he spoke Spanish and
addressed him, ìHola como estas?î The man was from Mexico but now
lived in the largely Hispanic environs of San Franciscoís Mission
District. He said (translation) ìI need to ask you a
question.î I immediately assumed he wanted some cash and mentally
prepared a series of excuses. ìDo you thinkî he continued, ìif
your woman sleeps with another man, itís over?î. I looked at him
in the eyes and noticed them becoming glossy. Why on earth, I
thought, would some stranger care what my opinion on this matter would
be? But in some strange way, I felt I had to help. ìMaybe
sheís trying to tell you something. Perhaps sheís unhappy with
the relationshipî. He kept looking into my eyes, casually swaying
and returning in a more aggressive manner ìno, she left me, sheís
gone. I need you to tell me if I should let it go or pursue
herî. Now that just about changed everything I could help him
with. I had no advice and I also had to go. ìLooks like
itís over man. Forget her, Just move onî. And we both did.
If youíre out there my Mexican friend, hereís a song I wish I could have played for you:
ìSparring Partnersî is the latest project from Oakland based songwriter
Eben Henner and vocalist Jennifer Hosler. Eben has been around the bay
area for the last decade playing and recording in such bands as the
Cables and Small Wonder as well as developing his solo work. Jen was
trained as a vocalist as a teen, but is a relative newcomer to playing
original music.
The two met 2 years ago and instantly became partners,
but not necessarily musically. The music part came from a desire to
make some real vocal oriented music and leave the standard rock band
format behind. Noticing that Jen could actually sing by hearing her in
the shower and singing karaoke, Eben decided to get her singing on some
of his songs. The result is a harmony laden sound that draws as much
influence from Duke Ellington as it does PJ Harvey.
Sparring Partners : try try try.mp3
(see them live at the Brainwash in San Francisco Sunday Sept. 5th @ 8 -bring a load of laundry and kill two birds at once!)
Upon completion of Conquering Lion Of Judah St. Studio in late 1999, expatriate San Diegan ex-Fern Trio
members Sean Brooks and Kevin Chanel formed with Omaha native Bad Penne
to record hours and hours of rigidly-timed music under the banner Red Shirt Freshmen,
in honor of Chanel’s collegiate basketball status. Utilizing
skewed tunings and found garage sales instruments (toy piano, real
Fender bass amp…), they spent three months on basic tracks alone,
only afterwards going back to overdub amenities on the best tunes only.
The two presented here are among the best of the lot, and made it out
of the basement to appear on compilation cds. Later that year,
the studio was abandoned due to the tenants being evicted. A sad end to
a sweet situation.
You cannot just listen to these guys, you must experience them.
They are a four piece (at times) from all over the greater California,
that create and perform rock operas. Themes range form the
journey of Estonian butchers coming to America to songs about Thomas
Edison and lilies (yes, lilies). A show I vividly remember at
Higher Grounds Cafe in Santa Rosa, CA circa 1998? involved their lead
singer in his oversized hockey boots and mask jumping off stage and
running out onto the street (visible through the large storefront
window) doing cartwheels and military tumbles in front of traffic only
to return in S.W.A.T. fashion just in time to join in on the final
riff.
