Starfallen is about the kidnapping of the Cave of Trouble’s band manager. Really. It dates from 2003 (maybe).
All posts by Mike
Interview with Alexander Louis Grass
We came across the artist Alexander Louis Grass posting on Craigslist1. I conducted the following interview with him.
What are your influences?
That’s too hard, man. That’s too hard. You can’t ask a question like that. Well, when I first started, I had the rock ‘n’ roll and acid jazz base that most people did. Jimi Hendrix, Jaco Pastorius, Black Sabbath, Mahavishnu Orchestra, 10 Years After. Â Black Sabbath was a huge influence on me, and from there I really delved into heavy metal. I’m not really headed in that direction at all any more (metal, that is), but I’m very thankful I put the time and effort into learning the licks and the history. It’s important. All that minor key stuff, the staccato and legato and subtle hints of classical music, that’s all very important in developing a sense of dynamics. Which is why I’m a huge fan of Tool, as most people with any sense are. Randy Rhoades and Cliff Burton left an indelible imprint on my brain. Especially Cliff Burton. No other bassist has influenced the way I learned about music the way that he did. Les Claypool is great, too, although I was always a fan of his more commercial stuff. I really loved the Primus album produced by Tom Morello. I love Iommi’s more obscure stuff from Sabbath, like “Tequila Sunrise” or “Changes.” I mean, I couldn’t really tell you ALL of my influences, but there is definitely a source. Middle eastern music means a lot to me as well. I lived in Israel for a while, and the different modes they use are just so unconventional. It’s so boring to stay in that little pentatonic box, especially when you’re writing. My influences are too great to name. I just try and pay attention to good songs and great musicians. I try to imagine their thought process in coming up with what they did. I try to put myself in their shoes. Otherwise, if I hear a cool sound, I’ll put it in my memory bank to use later on.
Marah, The Shalitas and Adam and Dave’s Bloodline – 12.07.07, TLA, Philadelphia, PA
Marah, The Shalitas and Adam and Dave’s Bloodline – 12.07.07, TLA, Philadelphia, PA
I would ask that our readership consider the following review a late Christmas present. It is for a show that occurred over a month ago. However, without making excuses, as we all know, coming in and out of the holidays is always a rather hectic affair. Marah’s annual Christmas show at Philadelphia’s Theatre of the Living Arts (TLA) this year was no different.
The show, attended by a surprising amount of children, found guitarist/singer Dave Bielanko in somewhat of a bad mood. Failing equipment, and particularly Dave’s guitar, plagued the band throughout the show. Equipment tension came to a head when Dave went so far as to throw and curse his guitar. Later, he would make a serious appeal to the audience that if they had money, to please send it the band’s way so that they could buy better equipment.
Bum gear didn’t seem to phase the rest of the band’s festive spirits. When Serge Bielanko leaped off the stage into the audience, taking half the Christmas lights and equipment with him, all Dave could do was look bewildered and mutter, “What the fuck is going on?” The band’s set was quite lengthy, filled out with Christine Smith, pensive keyboards, and Adam Garbinski and Dave Petersen giddiness from their earlier performance with Adam and Dave’s Bloodline. Marah would also be joined by opening act The Shalitas for several songs.
Click here for photos of Marah.
Street Corner – Part II
In this continuation of *Street Corner*, two men talk on the *aforementioned* in Trenton, NJ.
Go Karate Krabz!
Joe and I are working on a comic.
Here’s a sneak peek.
Street Corner
Two men talk on a corner in Trenton, NJ.
Holiday Movie
Thom was pretty upset we did not partake in the annual holiday movie this year. In lieu of the normal video bacchanal, I made this. Much like Werner Herzog had divine inspiration to make cinema while walking in the Bavarian Mountains at age 14, I think I heard God(s) prior to filming Holiday Movie. In Herzog’s film, Even Dwarfs Started Small (1970), Herzog claimed to use a very special technique to get the actors to achieve their performances. The special technique would be immortalized in a Youtube viral video 27 years later, fulfilling the Herzogian prophecy that of all his films, Dwarfs would rank among the most celebrated. Thus, I likewise have employed a special technique with the actor in Holiday Movie. Unlike Herzog however, I am not at liberty to discuss my methods which are top secret.
Happy Holidays with much love, prayers of world peace, general happiness.
Sincerely,
Mike
Answering Machine
Answering Machine is about a man, woman, robot and a phone.
The Hold Steady, Art Brut and the 1990s – 11.20.07, The 9:30 Club, Washington DC and 11.21.07, Terminal Five, NYC
The Hold Steady, Art Brut and the 1990s – 11.20.07, The 9:30 Club, Washington DC and 11.21.07, Terminal Five, NYC
The 1990s have just completed their set and thrown their set list (written on a paper plate) into the crowd of Washington DC’s The 9:30 Club. A group of three girls directly in front of me have caught the plate and are currently giggling over their newly acquired treasure.
I’m given cause to wonder if the girls are even there to see the 1990s but rather to see the better known acts Art Brut and/or The Hold Steady instead. It is certain that for most of the audience the latter is the case.
It is no matter because the 1990s are rock solid. Singer/guitarist Jackie McKeown even manages to recover from having his fly down for the entire first song. Where many of the 1990s songs on their debut album, Cookies, sounded poppy, in their live incarnations, the songs take on a grittier, garage-rock sound. Even weaker songs like “Weed” prove to be compelling when played live. McKeown’s solo style, the centerpiece in the live rendition of “Weed”, is organic and dirty, perfectly suited to the band’s music. Drummer Michael McGaughrin’s strained backing vocals add additional richness to the songs. Frequently running out of breath, McGaughrin jokes with the audience after most every song. At one point McKeown remarks that the band must truly be a mesmerizing live act to a man directly in front of him who is talking on his cell phone. McKeown asks the man who he is talking to, and he replies “Taylor”. McKeown is sure not to forget Taylor, and when the band plays “You’re Supposed To Be My Friend”, he cleverly makes allusion to the cell-phone conversation in the lyrics. The standout song of the night, though, is “Situation”, which the band introduces as their last number. Before starting the song, they modify the statement by adding that the crowd needn’t worry because the song is a long one. Played live, “Situation” evokes an underlying darkness only hinted at on the album.
Disabled vs. Wild
When the world of disability meets the great outdoors only one thing can result…Disabled vs Wild.
Now watch the movie.