Hey kids. If you're reading this, that means that this blog has officially RELOCATED. Yes, now that the new Dr. Pants Website is up and running, we decided that this blog (now re-christened The Pants Report) can live on the same domain as the rest of Dr. Pants world. So go ahead and click one of the text links you just read over, or click the title of this blog entry, and resume your ravenous consumption of this piece of essential bloggy internet stuff at its new location. See y'all over there. Peace out.
David
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
The Dr. Pants Chronicles 3: Move So Slow
Dustin struggled to breathe through the mist of spray-tan. David was already unconscious. Kenneth was prostrate and prone. And now, the lights in Dustin’s eyes began to fade. He wondered, possibly a final thought: How had they gotten the drop on them?
After enjoying a brunch of donuts, the trio had returned to the Dr. Pants Medical Funk Facility, eager to begin the search for a new bassist. But something was amiss. As the doors swung open, they didn’t hear the usual soundtrack that P.A.N-T.S. would choose, but the deep thump of house music. The air was thick with...something.
“P.A.N-T.S.?” David shouted, expecting the computer’s reply.
Kenneth and Dustin looked at one another. They’d never had a problem with the Personal Android Nano-Tech System before--except for that time it went evil and kept re-mixing their albums as nu-metal. But after the last logic upgrade, it was working perfectly.
“This has to be a joke, right?” asked Dustin. “I thought we agreed not to install a personality, because that’s always what happens in the movies right before a sentient computer tries to kill everybody.”
In the shadows, they heard a giggle and the shuffle of tiny feet. They swung around, but found their bodies would barely respond.
“I’m moving so slow,” Kenneth said. “It’s like walking in molasses.”
Now the tittering came from behind them. And from the left and right. Dressed in skin-tight glittering faux-leather, the tiny orange forms of the Guido-loompas emerged and surrounded them. Their eyes, as always, were covered in sunglasses.
“Yo. Yo. Yo.”
They spoke the same syllable over and over again, as always. The Guido-loompas never said anything else, but there was menace behind the word. How long had they been trying to kill the band?
And now they had drugged them with some sort of aerosol party cocktail, no doubt to make it easier to bronzer them to death.
But just as Dustin had held on the longest, he was also the first to draw in the first sweet breaths of air after his orange shell had been cracked. He blinked and began to make out shadows in the sunlight of a figure waking his friends.
The haze cleared and he looked around. They were outside the Funk Facility, a trail of unconscious Guido-loompas leading out the front door, ending a few feet away.
“What...what...” David struggled to say.
“I came for the audition and found you guys being spray-tanned by these goofy midgets,” said the man. “I fought them off with my bass and dragged you outside before the fumes got to me. I’m Devin, by the way.”
(Written by Greg Elwell)
After enjoying a brunch of donuts, the trio had returned to the Dr. Pants Medical Funk Facility, eager to begin the search for a new bassist. But something was amiss. As the doors swung open, they didn’t hear the usual soundtrack that P.A.N-T.S. would choose, but the deep thump of house music. The air was thick with...something.
“P.A.N-T.S.?” David shouted, expecting the computer’s reply.
Kenneth and Dustin looked at one another. They’d never had a problem with the Personal Android Nano-Tech System before--except for that time it went evil and kept re-mixing their albums as nu-metal. But after the last logic upgrade, it was working perfectly.
“This has to be a joke, right?” asked Dustin. “I thought we agreed not to install a personality, because that’s always what happens in the movies right before a sentient computer tries to kill everybody.”
In the shadows, they heard a giggle and the shuffle of tiny feet. They swung around, but found their bodies would barely respond.
“I’m moving so slow,” Kenneth said. “It’s like walking in molasses.”
Now the tittering came from behind them. And from the left and right. Dressed in skin-tight glittering faux-leather, the tiny orange forms of the Guido-loompas emerged and surrounded them. Their eyes, as always, were covered in sunglasses.
“Yo. Yo. Yo.”
They spoke the same syllable over and over again, as always. The Guido-loompas never said anything else, but there was menace behind the word. How long had they been trying to kill the band?
And now they had drugged them with some sort of aerosol party cocktail, no doubt to make it easier to bronzer them to death.
But just as Dustin had held on the longest, he was also the first to draw in the first sweet breaths of air after his orange shell had been cracked. He blinked and began to make out shadows in the sunlight of a figure waking his friends.
The haze cleared and he looked around. They were outside the Funk Facility, a trail of unconscious Guido-loompas leading out the front door, ending a few feet away.
“What...what...” David struggled to say.
“I came for the audition and found you guys being spray-tanned by these goofy midgets,” said the man. “I fought them off with my bass and dragged you outside before the fumes got to me. I’m Devin, by the way.”
(Written by Greg Elwell)
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
The Dr. Pants Chronicles 2: Log-sack
The hulking 9-foot frame of Log-sack loomed in the doorway, towering over the band. So large, he seemed to swallow up their entire field of vision, but in a crack between his massive arms and inhuman torso, they could see the bound and gagged figure of Kenneth behind him.
This was not the Log-sack they had known. Half Kenny Loggins, half John Cusack, the composite man had been a friend to them in the past. His back bore the brunt of the collapsing roof when an earthquake hit Dr. Pants Medical Funk Facility. He helped fight against the abomination Cussina (half Joan Cusack, half Jimmy Messina) when it sought to disrupt a studio recording.
But now, the easy half-smiles of the star of “Better Off Dead” and the singer of “Danger Zone” were aligned in a frown.
“What are you doing with Kenneth?” asked David. “Have you hurt him, Log-sack?”
His tree-limb arm came crashing down, knocking the band off their feet. He lumbered forward and as the lamp swung across the ceiling, it illuminated the swirling logo of their nemesis, the diabolical Professor Tornado, seared into his chest.
“Tornado’s gotten to him,” Dustin shouted. “Argh! If only he was more Cusack than Loggins. Then maybe he wouldn’t be so conflicted!”
The beast, confused by the notion that Loggins might somehow be less conflicted than Cusack, didn’t notice Aaron reaching into his pocket and pulling out his box cutter. It would be useless against the nigh-invincible might of Log-sack, but maybe...just maybe...if he could throw it to Kenneth, he could slice through his bonds and begin work on the beast’s one weakness: a funky beat...
The box cutter barely made it over Log-sack’s shoulder, in the narrow space between his mountainous body and the ceiling, landing inches away from Kenneth. His eyes, red like the Danger Zone, swung to Aaron and with a voice much like that of a movie star, Log-sack bellowed. He turned away from David and Dustin, allowing them to aid their captive friend, but in the blink of an eye, he lunged.
Aaron, screaming, was caught in the unbreakable grip of Log-sack’s arms. But it lasted only a moment. The screaming stopped and the creature let his prey fall lifeless to the floor.
Behind the beast’s back, the rest of the band exchanged mournful looks. They really needed to find a new bass player.
(Written by Greg Elwell)
This was not the Log-sack they had known. Half Kenny Loggins, half John Cusack, the composite man had been a friend to them in the past. His back bore the brunt of the collapsing roof when an earthquake hit Dr. Pants Medical Funk Facility. He helped fight against the abomination Cussina (half Joan Cusack, half Jimmy Messina) when it sought to disrupt a studio recording.
But now, the easy half-smiles of the star of “Better Off Dead” and the singer of “Danger Zone” were aligned in a frown.
“What are you doing with Kenneth?” asked David. “Have you hurt him, Log-sack?”
His tree-limb arm came crashing down, knocking the band off their feet. He lumbered forward and as the lamp swung across the ceiling, it illuminated the swirling logo of their nemesis, the diabolical Professor Tornado, seared into his chest.
“Tornado’s gotten to him,” Dustin shouted. “Argh! If only he was more Cusack than Loggins. Then maybe he wouldn’t be so conflicted!”
The beast, confused by the notion that Loggins might somehow be less conflicted than Cusack, didn’t notice Aaron reaching into his pocket and pulling out his box cutter. It would be useless against the nigh-invincible might of Log-sack, but maybe...just maybe...if he could throw it to Kenneth, he could slice through his bonds and begin work on the beast’s one weakness: a funky beat...
The box cutter barely made it over Log-sack’s shoulder, in the narrow space between his mountainous body and the ceiling, landing inches away from Kenneth. His eyes, red like the Danger Zone, swung to Aaron and with a voice much like that of a movie star, Log-sack bellowed. He turned away from David and Dustin, allowing them to aid their captive friend, but in the blink of an eye, he lunged.
Aaron, screaming, was caught in the unbreakable grip of Log-sack’s arms. But it lasted only a moment. The screaming stopped and the creature let his prey fall lifeless to the floor.
Behind the beast’s back, the rest of the band exchanged mournful looks. They really needed to find a new bass player.
(Written by Greg Elwell)
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Dr. Pants Chronicles 1: The Aftermath of the Doppelganger War
Dustin shuddered as he peeled bits of raw chicken off the arm of his jacket. It’s not as if any of the other band members loved being pelted with raw meat, but none of the others were vegetarians.
“It’s like they do it just to spite me,” he said to David, who still had feathers in his hair.
“They’re our evil doppelgangers,” David replied. “They don’t specifically hate you. They hate all of us. Makes me wish they’d never accidentally mutated from our blood samples that one time.”
“THIS makes you wish they’d never been mutated from our blood samples? THIS? Not the 800 other times we’ve had to fight them?” Dustin asked incredulously. “I don’t care if they loved us and bought us candy, I still wish they didn’t exist. They give me the creeps.”
Kenneth coughed sheepishly. It had been his trials of the Pants 4000 DNA testing kit/amp that accidentally created their wayward twins.
“At least we got a song out of it, guys,” he said. “A pretty kick-ass song.”
The band couldn’t argue with that. Risking their lives wasn’t always fun. Saving Oklahoma City from robot spiders and amorous pigs wasn’t easy. But at least they got some cool music out of the deal.
Aaron looked at his bandmates, perplexed.
“Wait, did you guys get hit by all those exploding chickens? Didn’t the velvet blankets shield you?”
Dustin removed a beak from his pocket and then pointed to his wedding ring. David and Kenneth did the same.
“We’re all married, dude, remember?” asked Dustin. “So, while you were hiding in bed with the Doppel-groupies, we were remaining faithful to our ladies and dodging raw chicken thighs. Where’d they go, anyway?”
The Doppel-groupies, like the Doppelgangers, had fled the scene once the poultry started popping. And with them went the secret location of Dr. Pants, their mentor and legal guardian, if the boasts in their ransom letter were true.
David wandered about with his cellphone up in the air, searching for a signal.
“Anyone know where those crazy bastards have left us this time?”
“Mmmm, probably southside,” said Kenneth, consulting his GPS. “Yep. South Penn. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
The men nodded silently. They would look for an exit. They would call for a ride. And then they would get some donuts.
(Written by Greg Elwell)
“It’s like they do it just to spite me,” he said to David, who still had feathers in his hair.
“They’re our evil doppelgangers,” David replied. “They don’t specifically hate you. They hate all of us. Makes me wish they’d never accidentally mutated from our blood samples that one time.”
“THIS makes you wish they’d never been mutated from our blood samples? THIS? Not the 800 other times we’ve had to fight them?” Dustin asked incredulously. “I don’t care if they loved us and bought us candy, I still wish they didn’t exist. They give me the creeps.”
Kenneth coughed sheepishly. It had been his trials of the Pants 4000 DNA testing kit/amp that accidentally created their wayward twins.
“At least we got a song out of it, guys,” he said. “A pretty kick-ass song.”
The band couldn’t argue with that. Risking their lives wasn’t always fun. Saving Oklahoma City from robot spiders and amorous pigs wasn’t easy. But at least they got some cool music out of the deal.
Aaron looked at his bandmates, perplexed.
“Wait, did you guys get hit by all those exploding chickens? Didn’t the velvet blankets shield you?”
Dustin removed a beak from his pocket and then pointed to his wedding ring. David and Kenneth did the same.
“We’re all married, dude, remember?” asked Dustin. “So, while you were hiding in bed with the Doppel-groupies, we were remaining faithful to our ladies and dodging raw chicken thighs. Where’d they go, anyway?”
The Doppel-groupies, like the Doppelgangers, had fled the scene once the poultry started popping. And with them went the secret location of Dr. Pants, their mentor and legal guardian, if the boasts in their ransom letter were true.
David wandered about with his cellphone up in the air, searching for a signal.
“Anyone know where those crazy bastards have left us this time?”
“Mmmm, probably southside,” said Kenneth, consulting his GPS. “Yep. South Penn. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
The men nodded silently. They would look for an exit. They would call for a ride. And then they would get some donuts.
(Written by Greg Elwell)
Friday, May 13, 2011
On Music & Italy
Sometimes it becomes clear to me that there are forces in the world that are out to break me and make all that I find joyful turn to misery.
Not the most positive way to start a blog entry about my recent, absolutely amazing trip to Italy with my wife and her parents. I am aware of this. Still, when you can get outside your normal life and routine and look at things from the outside a bit, certain things become crystal clear.
Many times we take vacations to renew ourselves…or allow ourselves to be renewed. Even if we don’t know that’s why we do it, it’s still probably why we do it. I have been in desperate, desperate need of renewal. The many journeys K.C. and I take on the road playing music do not renew me. I suppose they could, if I allowed them to sometimes. I have been in quite a dark place recently, I think. Darker than I really had realized or imagined. It is only in the light of this amazing vacation and what I’ve allowed it to show me and do to me have I become aware of this. Some of you might be saying, “Well, of course you feel better. You’re in ITALY.” It’s not always that easy, though. There have been moments on this amazing journey where I’ve been a bit too jammed up with worrying about things at home, etc. to really enjoy the moment. As I type this, I have arrived at a place where that’s not the case, at least for now.
We give ourselves over in slavery to so many things. There are many days where I am not too far from believing the adage from “Fight Club”: “Do you own your possessions, or do your possessions own you?” I don’t know that it is only my possessions that have owned me lately. I have been owned by my own fear, my own ambition (which can be a dangerous thing…how much of our own ambition is grown out of fear that we will NOT amount to a point that is satisfactory to us? Can we not trust that God/The Universe/whatever has a plan that will be perfect in the long run?).
I have also been impaired in my enjoyment of music lately. My ability to really enjoy listening has been quite affected. I need to utilize it as the symptom it is more often…I should know by now that if the music is largely not pleasurable/interesting and more frustrating/befuddling, it’s a sign that all is not well in my mind and heart.
I am so proud of this record that we’ve made, the new Dr. Pants EP (the 1st of 4), but the truth is I can’t control what anybody thinks of it or what the world does with it. It’s not my job to, either. I desperately want to believe that great music will make room for itself…but it doesn’t always work this way. The truth is that Dr. Pants is probably destined to be a cult band, and the cult is still finding us. I’m so grateful for the people who have discovered the music over the last few years and have really connected with it. I pray that I am more grateful for that every day than I was the previous day.
I also have felt so desperate financially…it’s interesting that, even though this entire trip was paid for by my in-laws (an amazing, amazing thing), it’s been good to give up control of the money. I’m not in control of the money. I can’t even try to pay for anything, because I don’t have a single Euro of my own in my pocket. That’s a little different. It’s like, “Just stand back and be blessed, because there’s nothing you can do about it.” Pretty humbling on some level.
I’m so glad for the moments I’ve had on the plane ride over, and the trains throughout Italy, to listen to entire records on my iPod, and to just sit and enjoy. It’s pretty much all been entire records that I’m not very familiar with…I’ve even listened to a few things for the first time ever, start-to-finish. Of course, as I’ve been in Italy, my mind has been its own jukebox as well. Certain tracks come irresistibly to mind (how can one walk around the city of Firenze, as the Italians call it, and not think of “You Enjoy Myself” by Phish?), and others from the plane ride over stick in my head and, for whatever reason, become cornerstone songs to my own personal soundtrack for the trip (both “Broken” and “Rhinestone Eyes” by Gorillaz). Something about being in a foreign country, outside one’s own home, opens the ears. I don’t know what it is. I think I have just been approaching a sort of potential burnout with work in general…including the radio show. Now, though, I don’t feel that way at all…I am so pleased to listen to some of the new(er) things in my iTunes that I hadn’t even been able to approach before…to listen and think, “Yeah, I’d really like to play that.” Italy is interesting, too…there isn’t as much attitude surrounding music here as there is in the US right now, or Oklahoma, even. I love Oklahoma, and I love the music scene there, but there are tastemakers at work in Oklahoma, just like there are everywhere else, and sometimes I wonder if there’s really room for all of us in the new world of the growing Oklahoma music scene.
I desperately don’t want to be bitter or resentful about that, though, and that is truly helped by the experience of this trip. I don’t want the root of bitterness to take hold in my heart in regards to anything, whether it be in regards to my work or anything else. I want gratitude, peace, joy, grace. I want all these things in abundance. And I very much want them even more after this experience.
I have to be guarded…because I believe that these things can be stolen away, if I allow them to be. Stolen by bitterness, fear…these things that I can fall prey to so easily. Here in the holy city of Rome I sit, and these things are clearer than ever. I can only hope they remain clear once I come home.
The glow of amazing experiences of people, places and things wears off so quickly, too quickly. I hope that these lessons I have learned in Italy, about gratitude, grace, fear, bitterness and music…I hope that these lessons do not fade once the glow of Italia grows faint. There is so much in those lessons that is about my life every day, everywhere, and not just about these amazing few days spent in Italy. Let me always remember.
Not the most positive way to start a blog entry about my recent, absolutely amazing trip to Italy with my wife and her parents. I am aware of this. Still, when you can get outside your normal life and routine and look at things from the outside a bit, certain things become crystal clear.
Many times we take vacations to renew ourselves…or allow ourselves to be renewed. Even if we don’t know that’s why we do it, it’s still probably why we do it. I have been in desperate, desperate need of renewal. The many journeys K.C. and I take on the road playing music do not renew me. I suppose they could, if I allowed them to sometimes. I have been in quite a dark place recently, I think. Darker than I really had realized or imagined. It is only in the light of this amazing vacation and what I’ve allowed it to show me and do to me have I become aware of this. Some of you might be saying, “Well, of course you feel better. You’re in ITALY.” It’s not always that easy, though. There have been moments on this amazing journey where I’ve been a bit too jammed up with worrying about things at home, etc. to really enjoy the moment. As I type this, I have arrived at a place where that’s not the case, at least for now.
We give ourselves over in slavery to so many things. There are many days where I am not too far from believing the adage from “Fight Club”: “Do you own your possessions, or do your possessions own you?” I don’t know that it is only my possessions that have owned me lately. I have been owned by my own fear, my own ambition (which can be a dangerous thing…how much of our own ambition is grown out of fear that we will NOT amount to a point that is satisfactory to us? Can we not trust that God/The Universe/whatever has a plan that will be perfect in the long run?).
I have also been impaired in my enjoyment of music lately. My ability to really enjoy listening has been quite affected. I need to utilize it as the symptom it is more often…I should know by now that if the music is largely not pleasurable/interesting and more frustrating/befuddling, it’s a sign that all is not well in my mind and heart.
I am so proud of this record that we’ve made, the new Dr. Pants EP (the 1st of 4), but the truth is I can’t control what anybody thinks of it or what the world does with it. It’s not my job to, either. I desperately want to believe that great music will make room for itself…but it doesn’t always work this way. The truth is that Dr. Pants is probably destined to be a cult band, and the cult is still finding us. I’m so grateful for the people who have discovered the music over the last few years and have really connected with it. I pray that I am more grateful for that every day than I was the previous day.
I also have felt so desperate financially…it’s interesting that, even though this entire trip was paid for by my in-laws (an amazing, amazing thing), it’s been good to give up control of the money. I’m not in control of the money. I can’t even try to pay for anything, because I don’t have a single Euro of my own in my pocket. That’s a little different. It’s like, “Just stand back and be blessed, because there’s nothing you can do about it.” Pretty humbling on some level.
I’m so glad for the moments I’ve had on the plane ride over, and the trains throughout Italy, to listen to entire records on my iPod, and to just sit and enjoy. It’s pretty much all been entire records that I’m not very familiar with…I’ve even listened to a few things for the first time ever, start-to-finish. Of course, as I’ve been in Italy, my mind has been its own jukebox as well. Certain tracks come irresistibly to mind (how can one walk around the city of Firenze, as the Italians call it, and not think of “You Enjoy Myself” by Phish?), and others from the plane ride over stick in my head and, for whatever reason, become cornerstone songs to my own personal soundtrack for the trip (both “Broken” and “Rhinestone Eyes” by Gorillaz). Something about being in a foreign country, outside one’s own home, opens the ears. I don’t know what it is. I think I have just been approaching a sort of potential burnout with work in general…including the radio show. Now, though, I don’t feel that way at all…I am so pleased to listen to some of the new(er) things in my iTunes that I hadn’t even been able to approach before…to listen and think, “Yeah, I’d really like to play that.” Italy is interesting, too…there isn’t as much attitude surrounding music here as there is in the US right now, or Oklahoma, even. I love Oklahoma, and I love the music scene there, but there are tastemakers at work in Oklahoma, just like there are everywhere else, and sometimes I wonder if there’s really room for all of us in the new world of the growing Oklahoma music scene.
I desperately don’t want to be bitter or resentful about that, though, and that is truly helped by the experience of this trip. I don’t want the root of bitterness to take hold in my heart in regards to anything, whether it be in regards to my work or anything else. I want gratitude, peace, joy, grace. I want all these things in abundance. And I very much want them even more after this experience.
I have to be guarded…because I believe that these things can be stolen away, if I allow them to be. Stolen by bitterness, fear…these things that I can fall prey to so easily. Here in the holy city of Rome I sit, and these things are clearer than ever. I can only hope they remain clear once I come home.
The glow of amazing experiences of people, places and things wears off so quickly, too quickly. I hope that these lessons I have learned in Italy, about gratitude, grace, fear, bitterness and music…I hope that these lessons do not fade once the glow of Italia grows faint. There is so much in those lessons that is about my life every day, everywhere, and not just about these amazing few days spent in Italy. Let me always remember.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
The Music & The Consciousness
Consciousness is a weird thing. It’s such a strange idea that each one of us is just this small, humanoid creature, with a consciousness that SEEMS enormous, but only because it’s all we know in the whole world. If we had any way to compare or experience a comparison between our individual consciousnesses and, say, all of them put together, or the consciousness of what many of us would call “God,” we would, I’m sure, regard the playgrounds of our individual minds as small. As it stands, though, these playgrounds are the only place each of us will ever exist, and all we take in, all we experience and all we think/feel in reaction thereto will be the entire makeup of that playground.
This is the kind of thing that I think about, or more than likely, quasi-freak out about, when I wake up in the morning these days. I have these moments in the night and in the morning, when I wake up from sleep, where I realize how small I am (this has been happening to me since I was a teenager, but the experience has evolved a bit…it used to just result in abject fear…now, for some reason, it just makes me kind of sad). I realize that all these crazy thoughts I have, all these weird ideas, or opinions, or feelings are mine only, and no one will ever know they’re there unless I express them somehow.
I said not too long ago on Twitter that art was “the only sensible reaction to the human condition.” When I say “human condition,” I mean exactly what I have just been describing here. This is where music comes in for me…it is by far the art form I relate to the most, and so it has always been my first choice in terms of some way I might communicate to the world.
So, I can’t help but do it. If I want to somehow communicate some of these things, I must make music. Maybe the music I make won’t impact you in the way this blog entry has…maybe you’ll listen to the upcoming Dr. Pants EPs and think, “this doesn’t really sound like it’s about human consciousness at all.” That’s fine. I hope to get around to tackling some of these ideas more directly as time goes on. But I do hope you’ll listen. I’ll keep making music even if you don’t, though. I’m pretty sure my sanity depends on it.
This is the kind of thing that I think about, or more than likely, quasi-freak out about, when I wake up in the morning these days. I have these moments in the night and in the morning, when I wake up from sleep, where I realize how small I am (this has been happening to me since I was a teenager, but the experience has evolved a bit…it used to just result in abject fear…now, for some reason, it just makes me kind of sad). I realize that all these crazy thoughts I have, all these weird ideas, or opinions, or feelings are mine only, and no one will ever know they’re there unless I express them somehow.
I said not too long ago on Twitter that art was “the only sensible reaction to the human condition.” When I say “human condition,” I mean exactly what I have just been describing here. This is where music comes in for me…it is by far the art form I relate to the most, and so it has always been my first choice in terms of some way I might communicate to the world.
So, I can’t help but do it. If I want to somehow communicate some of these things, I must make music. Maybe the music I make won’t impact you in the way this blog entry has…maybe you’ll listen to the upcoming Dr. Pants EPs and think, “this doesn’t really sound like it’s about human consciousness at all.” That’s fine. I hope to get around to tackling some of these ideas more directly as time goes on. But I do hope you’ll listen. I’ll keep making music even if you don’t, though. I’m pretty sure my sanity depends on it.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
25 Records That Mean Something To Me, #2
It's hard to talk about Frank Zappa and just mention one specific album. In fact, when I initially conceived of this series of blog entries (of which I've managed to complete a whopping ONE so far), I'm sure I had a different Zappa album in mind than the one I'm about to talk about. But I pulled this disc out earlier today when I was picking out music for K.C. and I to clean the house to, and realized that somewhere, at some point, I obtained a new copy of it and replaced the original CD copy I had gotten 15 years ago. I was pleased to discover this; it meant that I didn't have to worry about the disc wearing out any time soon. My other copy had been worn slick, as I recall. It was scratched up pretty bad, especially for a CD in MY collection (I tend to be pretty protective of my discs...I had taken this record on so many road trips, placed it and removed it from so many CD wallets, that it finally started to look pretty rough). Anyway, all of this to say that I realized THE GRAND WAZOO is a record that means something to me, for sure.
THE GRAND WAZOO is the second of two albums Zappa released in the early seventies that highlighted his particular take on what might be called a jazz-rock fusion (the first being WAKA/JAWAKA)...an extension of the HOT RATS concept, but in a larger ensemble context. These are almost Zappa's "big band" albums; when given the opportunity to record with a rhythm section including guitars, keys, bass & drums augmented by a full brass and woodwind section, these two albums were what came out. There is a jazz structure (or some version thereof) to many of the tunes here. Some sort of theme, head, or main melody (or several) occur, then a series of solos by different members of the ensemble, and then a return to the theme(s) at the end of the piece. That is probably an oversimplification, but it gives at least a little bit of context for those who might not have heard this record.
It's an album that is complex without being difficult, serious without being dreary, goofy without being childish, and beautiful (gorgeous, even) without being saccharine, even for a moment. The finest example of all these attributes, I think, is the final track, "Blessed Relief" (I personally hear the first word there as "bles-sed", two syllables, not one). It's a elegant, slow piece, with a sort of lilting melody at the beginning that gives way to a gorgeous, open section with great electric piano arpeggios. Then come the solos, which are fantastic. In my first post in this series I talked a great deal about atmosphere...this particular track has atmosphere to spare. It's a fairly unique track in Zappa's oeuvre; there's really not another quite like it.
As unique as it is, the song and the album still very much bear Zappa's image, sound, and vibe...but perhaps in such a way that a certain grace is present that isn't always found in some of his other work. Highly recommended, highly regarded.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Playlist for Mixtape Jones #32
AIRLINE TO HEAVEN-WILCO
DESTROYING TO SAVE-ARBOURETUM
HEADACHE-FRANK BLACK
WALK IT BACK-R.E.M.
ASSUMED BY YOU-SPIRIT KID
GO AHEAD-BANJO OR FREAKOUT
CREAM SODA-MOON
WILDERNESS-SLEATER-KINNEY
RATS-BLACK HEART PROCESSIONAL
PERFECT DAY-LOU REED
VENUS SHAVER-SHILPA RAY
LORD CHESTERFIELD-THURSTON MOORE
GROW UP-DANIELSON
DRIVE AROUND-JANA POCHOP
ANOTHER LEGO IN THA CROSS-CHOCOLATE USA
NEVER GET OLD-DAVID BOWIE
THE EXECUTION OF ALL THINGS-RILO KILEY
WHITE FALCON FUZZ-THE MOTHER HIPS
BILL FOR THE USE OF A BODY-CHAIN & THE GANG
THE BIG BRIGHT GREEN PLEASURE MACHINE-SIMON & GARFUNKEL
VOLCANO-SWANS
HIGHWAYMAN-SANDMAN
BOOM-JJ
WAITING FOR A WAR-THE SUBMARINES
BORN-STEVEN DROZD
HEY YA (LIVE)-TREY ANASTASIO
(OH WELL) WHATEVER-THE REBEL SET
I DON'T FEEL YOUNG-WYE OAK
STAR WARS TRIBUTE-SIFL & OLLY
I SAW HER STANDING THERE-THE BEATLES
DESTROYING TO SAVE-ARBOURETUM
HEADACHE-FRANK BLACK
WALK IT BACK-R.E.M.
ASSUMED BY YOU-SPIRIT KID
GO AHEAD-BANJO OR FREAKOUT
CREAM SODA-MOON
WILDERNESS-SLEATER-KINNEY
RATS-BLACK HEART PROCESSIONAL
PERFECT DAY-LOU REED
VENUS SHAVER-SHILPA RAY
LORD CHESTERFIELD-THURSTON MOORE
GROW UP-DANIELSON
DRIVE AROUND-JANA POCHOP
ANOTHER LEGO IN THA CROSS-CHOCOLATE USA
NEVER GET OLD-DAVID BOWIE
THE EXECUTION OF ALL THINGS-RILO KILEY
WHITE FALCON FUZZ-THE MOTHER HIPS
BILL FOR THE USE OF A BODY-CHAIN & THE GANG
THE BIG BRIGHT GREEN PLEASURE MACHINE-SIMON & GARFUNKEL
VOLCANO-SWANS
HIGHWAYMAN-SANDMAN
BOOM-JJ
WAITING FOR A WAR-THE SUBMARINES
BORN-STEVEN DROZD
HEY YA (LIVE)-TREY ANASTASIO
(OH WELL) WHATEVER-THE REBEL SET
I DON'T FEEL YOUNG-WYE OAK
STAR WARS TRIBUTE-SIFL & OLLY
I SAW HER STANDING THERE-THE BEATLES
Playlist for Mixtape Jones #31
UNDERWHELMED-SLOAN
PROVE MY LOVE-VIOLENT FEMMES
DON'T HAUNT THIS PLACE-THE RURAL ALBERTA ADVANTAGE
ALL DAY SUCKER-STEVIE WONDER
CADILLAC LADY-SUGAR FREE ALL-STARS
MY DRAWERS-THE TIME
SWIM-SURFER BLOOD
HAPPY BIRTHDAY-RYAN ADAMS & THE CARDINALS
SAY SO-UH HUH HER
SALTY CITIES-RAH RAH
THE MORNING OFFICE-EUTOPIAN ACCIDENT
SWITZERLAND-JANA POCHOP
RAFTER-TULSA
EVERYBODY SAY-TAKKA TAKKA
SUMMER COULDA LASTED FOREVER-MAURA KENNEDY
UNREQUITED LOVE SONG-JARED LEKITES
THE REST OF MY LIFE-YELLOWBIRDS
CHEAP THRILLS-FRANK ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION
DEVIL-SAY HI
ALDRIDGE-3 PENNY ACRE
TWO ON A TIGHTROPE-SUZI RAGSDALE
BIGMOUTH STRIKES AGAIN-THE SMITHS
IF YOU'RE FEELING SINISTER-BELLE & SEBASTIAN
NICK DRAKE-JENEE HALSTEAD
DADDY'S GONNA PAY FOR YOUR CRASHED CAR-U2
ARENA-SUUNS
WAKE UPS-SALVA
GET AROUND TOWN-REVOLVER
CAESAR-TY SEGALL
ME IN HONEY-R.E.M.
PROVE MY LOVE-VIOLENT FEMMES
DON'T HAUNT THIS PLACE-THE RURAL ALBERTA ADVANTAGE
ALL DAY SUCKER-STEVIE WONDER
CADILLAC LADY-SUGAR FREE ALL-STARS
MY DRAWERS-THE TIME
SWIM-SURFER BLOOD
HAPPY BIRTHDAY-RYAN ADAMS & THE CARDINALS
SAY SO-UH HUH HER
SALTY CITIES-RAH RAH
THE MORNING OFFICE-EUTOPIAN ACCIDENT
SWITZERLAND-JANA POCHOP
RAFTER-TULSA
EVERYBODY SAY-TAKKA TAKKA
SUMMER COULDA LASTED FOREVER-MAURA KENNEDY
UNREQUITED LOVE SONG-JARED LEKITES
THE REST OF MY LIFE-YELLOWBIRDS
CHEAP THRILLS-FRANK ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION
DEVIL-SAY HI
ALDRIDGE-3 PENNY ACRE
TWO ON A TIGHTROPE-SUZI RAGSDALE
BIGMOUTH STRIKES AGAIN-THE SMITHS
IF YOU'RE FEELING SINISTER-BELLE & SEBASTIAN
NICK DRAKE-JENEE HALSTEAD
DADDY'S GONNA PAY FOR YOUR CRASHED CAR-U2
ARENA-SUUNS
WAKE UPS-SALVA
GET AROUND TOWN-REVOLVER
CAESAR-TY SEGALL
ME IN HONEY-R.E.M.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Playlist for Mixtape Jones #30
GO-PEARL JAM
THE STALLION, PT. 5-WEEN
WATCHING OVER ME-GREEN CORN REVIVAL
THE MECHANIC-NICOLETTE GOOD
TWO-HEADED BOY-NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL
SPLITSVILLE-THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS
ANIMAL-JENNY & JOHNNY
SONG FOR THE SUN-SWANS
RUN ME OVER-THE BABIES
THE RED BARON-GAME THEORY
ALL I NEED-RADIOHEAD
WHEN YOU'RE OUT TONIGHT-CAMI STINSON
PERIPHERAL VISIONARIES-YOUNG GALAXY
I WANT TO BE WELL-SUFJAN STEVENS
CARNIVAL KNOWLEDGE-LOOSE FUR
FLYING-THE BEATLES
ONLY SHALLOW-MY BLOODY VALENTINE
SNAKE EATER-PURPLE CHURCH
YOUNG SILENCE-ECHO LAKE
MR. LET'S FIND OUT-THE CARIBBEAN
ALWAYS, TO BELONG-THE LAST ROYALS
WHAT A WONDERFUL MAN-MY MORNING JACKET
FAST ENOUGH FOR YOU-PHISH
GOOD LIFE-SARAH SAMPLE
STAY SHARP-LAURA PEEK
BODACIOUS-PRIMUS
RANO PANO-MOGWAI
MOTION PICTURES-JON MCKIEL
HOLIDAY IN THE SUN-THE SEX PISTOLS
THE STALLION, PT. 5-WEEN
WATCHING OVER ME-GREEN CORN REVIVAL
THE MECHANIC-NICOLETTE GOOD
TWO-HEADED BOY-NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL
SPLITSVILLE-THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS
ANIMAL-JENNY & JOHNNY
SONG FOR THE SUN-SWANS
RUN ME OVER-THE BABIES
THE RED BARON-GAME THEORY
ALL I NEED-RADIOHEAD
WHEN YOU'RE OUT TONIGHT-CAMI STINSON
PERIPHERAL VISIONARIES-YOUNG GALAXY
I WANT TO BE WELL-SUFJAN STEVENS
CARNIVAL KNOWLEDGE-LOOSE FUR
FLYING-THE BEATLES
ONLY SHALLOW-MY BLOODY VALENTINE
SNAKE EATER-PURPLE CHURCH
YOUNG SILENCE-ECHO LAKE
MR. LET'S FIND OUT-THE CARIBBEAN
ALWAYS, TO BELONG-THE LAST ROYALS
WHAT A WONDERFUL MAN-MY MORNING JACKET
FAST ENOUGH FOR YOU-PHISH
GOOD LIFE-SARAH SAMPLE
STAY SHARP-LAURA PEEK
BODACIOUS-PRIMUS
RANO PANO-MOGWAI
MOTION PICTURES-JON MCKIEL
HOLIDAY IN THE SUN-THE SEX PISTOLS
Thursday, February 17, 2011
The Mixtape Jones Radio Show #28, 2/15/11
LOS ANGELES-FRANK BLACK
TALKIN' 'BOUT THE SMILING DEATHPORN IMMORTALITY BLUES (EVERYONE WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER)-THE FLAMING LIPS
ONE DAY-SWEET LIGHTS
I GET OUT-BEAUTY MARQUES
SWEET POTATO-CRACKER
THE FIRST LINE-MARCELLUS HALL
ATLAS-BATTLES
OBSCURED BY CLOUDS-PINK FLOYD
SERFER-WOODSMAN
CERA Y UNO-CAFE TACUBA
CALM TO THE SEA-DEPTH & CURRENT
NO ONE'S GONNA LOVE YOU-BAND OF HORSES
WHERE'S SUMMER B?-BEN FOLDS FIVE
DIRTY LITTLE SECRET-CARY COOPER
HAUNTED-JAIME MICHAELS
BLACK RIVER-JAIME MICHAELS
THE MAN WITH THE TIME MACHINE-JAIME MICHAELS
SHE WAS THE ONE-PETER HOLSAPPLE & CHRIS STAMEY
GUITAR PLAYIN' KIND-ANDREW DELANEY & THE HORSE YOU RODE IN ON
SINK/LET IT SWAY-SOMEONE STILL LOVES YOU BORIS YELTSIN
WHO'S IN CONTROL?-BRITISH SEA POWER
CORVETTE BUMMER-BECK
TABLE CLOTH-HOMEBOY SANDMAN
ALIVE-BEASTIE BOYS
TOUCH ME IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME-ROBERT POLLARD
TALKIN' 'BOUT THE SMILING DEATHPORN IMMORTALITY BLUES (EVERYONE WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER)-THE FLAMING LIPS
ONE DAY-SWEET LIGHTS
I GET OUT-BEAUTY MARQUES
SWEET POTATO-CRACKER
THE FIRST LINE-MARCELLUS HALL
ATLAS-BATTLES
OBSCURED BY CLOUDS-PINK FLOYD
SERFER-WOODSMAN
CERA Y UNO-CAFE TACUBA
CALM TO THE SEA-DEPTH & CURRENT
NO ONE'S GONNA LOVE YOU-BAND OF HORSES
WHERE'S SUMMER B?-BEN FOLDS FIVE
DIRTY LITTLE SECRET-CARY COOPER
HAUNTED-JAIME MICHAELS
BLACK RIVER-JAIME MICHAELS
THE MAN WITH THE TIME MACHINE-JAIME MICHAELS
SHE WAS THE ONE-PETER HOLSAPPLE & CHRIS STAMEY
GUITAR PLAYIN' KIND-ANDREW DELANEY & THE HORSE YOU RODE IN ON
SINK/LET IT SWAY-SOMEONE STILL LOVES YOU BORIS YELTSIN
WHO'S IN CONTROL?-BRITISH SEA POWER
CORVETTE BUMMER-BECK
TABLE CLOTH-HOMEBOY SANDMAN
ALIVE-BEASTIE BOYS
TOUCH ME IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME-ROBERT POLLARD
The Mixtape Jones Radio Show #27, 2/8/11
SERVE THE SERVANTS-NIRVANA
WEY WEY HEP UH HOLE-THE SOFT BOYS
MY IMAGINATION-SPIRIT KID
ANVERS-13 ORIGINAL COLONIES
DON'T CARRY IT ALL-THE DECEMBERISTS
AMERICAN FLAG-DEREK WEBB
LOVE WILL TEAR US APART-JOY DIVISION
THE SIREN SONGS-THOMAS FEINER & ANYWHEN
JEANE-SANDIE SHAW
BROKEN THINGS-K.C. CLIFFORD
PLANT MAN-GARY YOUNG
DOG BREATH, IN THE YEAR OF THE PLAGUE-FRANK ZAPPA
CAN'T STOP THE ROBOT-GRANDPA GRIFFITH
SUMMER (BENNETT HALVERSON MIX)-WORLD RACKETEERING SQUAD
A SALTY SALUTE-ETERNAL SUMMERS
SUPER STUPID-FUNKADELIC
WATERMELON MAN-HERBIE HANCOCK
N.Y. FLAT TOP BOX-NAKED CITY
IN A LESBIAN MEADOW-SUN CITY GIRLS
GROW CLOSER-THE NELS CLINE SINGERS
CODE MONKEY-JONATHAN COULTON
DILLINGER EYES-JEREMY MESSERSMITH
ALWAYS ON MY MIND-READING RAINBOW
IS THIS A TEMPEST IN THE SHAPE OF A BELL-SHADOW SHADOW SHADE
ASK THE BEAR-ANDREW DELANEY & THE HORSE YOU RODE IN ON
HEIRLOOM-SUFJAN STEVENS
TWO EXCLAMATION POINTS-VOLCANO, I'M STILL EXCITED!!!
PRODUCTION-THYMME JONES
RINGFINGER-NINE INCH NAILS
WEY WEY HEP UH HOLE-THE SOFT BOYS
MY IMAGINATION-SPIRIT KID
ANVERS-13 ORIGINAL COLONIES
DON'T CARRY IT ALL-THE DECEMBERISTS
AMERICAN FLAG-DEREK WEBB
LOVE WILL TEAR US APART-JOY DIVISION
THE SIREN SONGS-THOMAS FEINER & ANYWHEN
JEANE-SANDIE SHAW
BROKEN THINGS-K.C. CLIFFORD
PLANT MAN-GARY YOUNG
DOG BREATH, IN THE YEAR OF THE PLAGUE-FRANK ZAPPA
CAN'T STOP THE ROBOT-GRANDPA GRIFFITH
SUMMER (BENNETT HALVERSON MIX)-WORLD RACKETEERING SQUAD
A SALTY SALUTE-ETERNAL SUMMERS
SUPER STUPID-FUNKADELIC
WATERMELON MAN-HERBIE HANCOCK
N.Y. FLAT TOP BOX-NAKED CITY
IN A LESBIAN MEADOW-SUN CITY GIRLS
GROW CLOSER-THE NELS CLINE SINGERS
CODE MONKEY-JONATHAN COULTON
DILLINGER EYES-JEREMY MESSERSMITH
ALWAYS ON MY MIND-READING RAINBOW
IS THIS A TEMPEST IN THE SHAPE OF A BELL-SHADOW SHADOW SHADE
ASK THE BEAR-ANDREW DELANEY & THE HORSE YOU RODE IN ON
HEIRLOOM-SUFJAN STEVENS
TWO EXCLAMATION POINTS-VOLCANO, I'M STILL EXCITED!!!
PRODUCTION-THYMME JONES
RINGFINGER-NINE INCH NAILS
The Mixtape Jones RAdio Show #26, 1/25/11
THE GREETING SONG-RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
A SHOT IN THE ARM-WILCO
DAYS OF WRATH-THREE MILE PILOT
BEFORE DESTRUCTION-SPOON
OH APPALACHIA-SEAMONSTER
SEE NO EVIL-TELEVISION
STORY FOR YOU TO TELL-J WAGNER
OLDER BROTHER-PEPPER RABBIT
THIRTEEN-BIG STAR
LULLABY FOR NATANYA-JAIME MICHAELS
BELLTOWN RAMBLE-ROBYN HITCHCOCK & THE VENUS 3
LOST-ONE RING ZERO
GUNS OF NAVARRONE-THE SPECIALS
ROCK N' ROLL MCDONALDS-WESLEY WILLIS
RAINBOW IN THE DARK-DAS RACIST
YOU DON'T KNOW ME-GROSS RELATIONS
LEFT OF THE DIAL-THE REPLACEMENTS
FOR ASH-MARNIE STERN
STAR SIGN-TEENAGE FANCLUB
I DON'T MIND IT-SCREAMING FEMALES
GETTYSBURG-MON MONARCH
I WANT YOU TO BE MY LOVE-OVER THE RHINE
FULL FATHOM FIVE (THY FATHER LIES)-THE YOUNG SCAMELS
BEES-WARPAINT
OH WOMAN, OH WHY-PAUL MCCARTNEY
HEY PRINCESS-POPSICLE
STILL WINDMILLS-SL
SCOPITONE SCOPITONE-SWEET LIGHTS
MEET JAMES ENSOR-THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS
PACHUCO CADAVER-CAPTAIN BEEFHEART
A SHOT IN THE ARM-WILCO
DAYS OF WRATH-THREE MILE PILOT
BEFORE DESTRUCTION-SPOON
OH APPALACHIA-SEAMONSTER
SEE NO EVIL-TELEVISION
STORY FOR YOU TO TELL-J WAGNER
OLDER BROTHER-PEPPER RABBIT
THIRTEEN-BIG STAR
LULLABY FOR NATANYA-JAIME MICHAELS
BELLTOWN RAMBLE-ROBYN HITCHCOCK & THE VENUS 3
LOST-ONE RING ZERO
GUNS OF NAVARRONE-THE SPECIALS
ROCK N' ROLL MCDONALDS-WESLEY WILLIS
RAINBOW IN THE DARK-DAS RACIST
YOU DON'T KNOW ME-GROSS RELATIONS
LEFT OF THE DIAL-THE REPLACEMENTS
FOR ASH-MARNIE STERN
STAR SIGN-TEENAGE FANCLUB
I DON'T MIND IT-SCREAMING FEMALES
GETTYSBURG-MON MONARCH
I WANT YOU TO BE MY LOVE-OVER THE RHINE
FULL FATHOM FIVE (THY FATHER LIES)-THE YOUNG SCAMELS
BEES-WARPAINT
OH WOMAN, OH WHY-PAUL MCCARTNEY
HEY PRINCESS-POPSICLE
STILL WINDMILLS-SL
SCOPITONE SCOPITONE-SWEET LIGHTS
MEET JAMES ENSOR-THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS
PACHUCO CADAVER-CAPTAIN BEEFHEART
The Mixtape Jones Radio Show #25, 1/11/11
THE SPANGLE-MAKER-COCTEAU TWINS
CLOSEDOWN-THE CURE
PEARL-CHAPTERHOUSE
ORPHANS-J WAGNER
SOMEHOW TO KEEP IT GOING-COTTON JONES
LONESOME SUNDOWN-THE HALO BENDERS
TACOLAND-THE DEAD MILKMEN
HAPPINESS BURNS-TWO HOURS TRAFFIC
CANDY-FRANKIE ROSE & THE OUTS
ARNOLD LAYNE-PINK FLOYD
THE ROOM OUTSIDE-MINI MANSIONS
A NEW STAIN-HALLOWEEN, ALASKA
FOGBOW-JOAN OF ARC
VERIDIS QUO-DAFT PUNK
FAST LANE (BLACK GRASS REFIX)-HUSKY RESCUE
CAROLINE-ELLEN TIPPER
SLIP AWAY-KATHRYN CALDER
SO CRUEL-U2
I'LL STILL BE A GEEK AFTER NOBODY THINKS IT'S CHIC (THE NERD ANTHEM)-MARIAN CALL
BOOTYFEST-DR. PANTS
PHYSICAL CITIES-THE BAD PLUS
LITTLE UMBRELLAS-FRANK ZAPPA
LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE-LEVEK
HEDONIST-SHARON LANG
PARANOID ANDROID-RADIOHEAD
CLOSEDOWN-THE CURE
PEARL-CHAPTERHOUSE
ORPHANS-J WAGNER
SOMEHOW TO KEEP IT GOING-COTTON JONES
LONESOME SUNDOWN-THE HALO BENDERS
TACOLAND-THE DEAD MILKMEN
HAPPINESS BURNS-TWO HOURS TRAFFIC
CANDY-FRANKIE ROSE & THE OUTS
ARNOLD LAYNE-PINK FLOYD
THE ROOM OUTSIDE-MINI MANSIONS
A NEW STAIN-HALLOWEEN, ALASKA
FOGBOW-JOAN OF ARC
VERIDIS QUO-DAFT PUNK
FAST LANE (BLACK GRASS REFIX)-HUSKY RESCUE
CAROLINE-ELLEN TIPPER
SLIP AWAY-KATHRYN CALDER
SO CRUEL-U2
I'LL STILL BE A GEEK AFTER NOBODY THINKS IT'S CHIC (THE NERD ANTHEM)-MARIAN CALL
BOOTYFEST-DR. PANTS
PHYSICAL CITIES-THE BAD PLUS
LITTLE UMBRELLAS-FRANK ZAPPA
LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE-LEVEK
HEDONIST-SHARON LANG
PARANOID ANDROID-RADIOHEAD
The Mixtape Jones Radio Show #24, 1/4/11
RUN'S HOUSE-RUN-D.M.C.
BRIGHT LIGHTS BIGGER CITY-CEE LO GREEN
CASTLES IN THE SNOW-TWIN SHADOWS
SINK/LET IT SWAY-SOMEONE STILL LOVES YOU BORIS YELTSIN
U DON'T LIKE ROCK N ROLL-HUNX AND HIS PUNX
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF OUR TIME-THE FIBS
SMITH & JONES FOREVER-SILVER JEWS
BANKS OF THE RIVER-PETER CASE
I SEE THE LIGHT-CRACKER
HAUNTED-JAIME MICHAELS
WAKE UP TIME-TOM PETTY
GRONT LYS I ALLE LEDD-CASIOKIDS
JEANE-THE SMITHS
DON'T GO AWAY-DEPTH & CURRENT
GOOD EVENING-THE CONCRETES
FAIR SHARE-SALTPETRE
DISTANCE & TEMPTATION-IN GRENADA
HARRY & BESS-FERRABY LIONHEART
NAKEDGIRLS.COM-BROTHER GRUESOME
CELESTE (LIVE)-ASOBI SEKSU
TAKE MY HAND-LONEY DEAR
DON'T STOP BELIEVIN'-PETRA HADEN
ANNIE HOLD ON-PHIL HENRY
IMAGINATION-JABEE
THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED-GIL SCOTT-HERON
AULD LANG SYNE-BLACK ON WHITE AFFAIR
DISCOVERER-R.E.M.
POLICE ON MY BACK-THE CLASH
LET HER DANCE-THE BOBBY FULLER FOUR
BRIGHT LIGHTS BIGGER CITY-CEE LO GREEN
CASTLES IN THE SNOW-TWIN SHADOWS
SINK/LET IT SWAY-SOMEONE STILL LOVES YOU BORIS YELTSIN
U DON'T LIKE ROCK N ROLL-HUNX AND HIS PUNX
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF OUR TIME-THE FIBS
SMITH & JONES FOREVER-SILVER JEWS
BANKS OF THE RIVER-PETER CASE
I SEE THE LIGHT-CRACKER
HAUNTED-JAIME MICHAELS
WAKE UP TIME-TOM PETTY
GRONT LYS I ALLE LEDD-CASIOKIDS
JEANE-THE SMITHS
DON'T GO AWAY-DEPTH & CURRENT
GOOD EVENING-THE CONCRETES
FAIR SHARE-SALTPETRE
DISTANCE & TEMPTATION-IN GRENADA
HARRY & BESS-FERRABY LIONHEART
NAKEDGIRLS.COM-BROTHER GRUESOME
CELESTE (LIVE)-ASOBI SEKSU
TAKE MY HAND-LONEY DEAR
DON'T STOP BELIEVIN'-PETRA HADEN
ANNIE HOLD ON-PHIL HENRY
IMAGINATION-JABEE
THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED-GIL SCOTT-HERON
AULD LANG SYNE-BLACK ON WHITE AFFAIR
DISCOVERER-R.E.M.
POLICE ON MY BACK-THE CLASH
LET HER DANCE-THE BOBBY FULLER FOUR
The Mixtape Jones Radio Show Holiday Special, 12/21/10
WAAYYY behind on playlists. Going to go ahead and throw them up here so that they are all represented. This blog will probably move and get a facelift some time in the next couple months, so stay tuned...
WONDERFUL CHRISTMASTIME-PAUL MCCARTNEY
I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS-JOSH MEASE
CHRISTMAS (BABY, PLEASE COME HOME)-R.E.M.
SILENT NIGHT-WEEN
HE'S COMING HOME-DEAN & BRITTA
BIRTHDAY BOY-CROCODILE
BLUE CHRISTMAS-CLARE & THE REASONS
FUNKY CHRISTMAS-SUGAR FREE ALL-STARS
TOY JACKPOT-BLACKALICIOUS
THE LITTLE DRUM MACHINE BOY-BECK
ELECTRONIC SANTA-BLAZER FORCE
CHRISTMAS IN HOLLIS-RUN-D.M.C.
THE FRIENDLY BEASTS-EUTOPIAN ACCIDENT
FROSTY THE SNOWMAN-COCTEAU TWINS
ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH-SARA JACKSON-HOLMAN
THE FIRST NOEL-SASKATCHEWAN
THE BEATLES CHRISTMAS MESSAGE 1966-THE BEATLES
O HOLY NIGHT-PETER HOLSAPPLE
XMAS FEELING-DEPTH & CURRENT, FEAT. SKATING POLLY
TEENAGE CHRISTMAS-EUX AUTRES
FRUITCAKE-THE SUPERIONS
LINUS & LUCY-VINCE GUARALDI
CHRISTMAS ALL OVER AGAIN-TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS
THE CHRISTMAS SONG-ALEX CHILTON
CALIFORNIA CHRISTMAS-SLEEPY REBELS
TINY TREE CHRISTMAS-GUSTER
SLAY BELLES-STUDENT FILM
HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER)-JOHN LENNON & YOKO ONO
THANK GOD IT'S CHRISTMAS-QUEEN
SILVER BELLS-JOHNNY MATHIS
CHRISTMAS 2007-WEIRD FILES
WONDERFUL CHRISTMASTIME-PAUL MCCARTNEY
I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS-JOSH MEASE
CHRISTMAS (BABY, PLEASE COME HOME)-R.E.M.
SILENT NIGHT-WEEN
HE'S COMING HOME-DEAN & BRITTA
BIRTHDAY BOY-CROCODILE
BLUE CHRISTMAS-CLARE & THE REASONS
FUNKY CHRISTMAS-SUGAR FREE ALL-STARS
TOY JACKPOT-BLACKALICIOUS
THE LITTLE DRUM MACHINE BOY-BECK
ELECTRONIC SANTA-BLAZER FORCE
CHRISTMAS IN HOLLIS-RUN-D.M.C.
THE FRIENDLY BEASTS-EUTOPIAN ACCIDENT
FROSTY THE SNOWMAN-COCTEAU TWINS
ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH-SARA JACKSON-HOLMAN
THE FIRST NOEL-SASKATCHEWAN
THE BEATLES CHRISTMAS MESSAGE 1966-THE BEATLES
O HOLY NIGHT-PETER HOLSAPPLE
XMAS FEELING-DEPTH & CURRENT, FEAT. SKATING POLLY
TEENAGE CHRISTMAS-EUX AUTRES
FRUITCAKE-THE SUPERIONS
LINUS & LUCY-VINCE GUARALDI
CHRISTMAS ALL OVER AGAIN-TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS
THE CHRISTMAS SONG-ALEX CHILTON
CALIFORNIA CHRISTMAS-SLEEPY REBELS
TINY TREE CHRISTMAS-GUSTER
SLAY BELLES-STUDENT FILM
HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER)-JOHN LENNON & YOKO ONO
THANK GOD IT'S CHRISTMAS-QUEEN
SILVER BELLS-JOHNNY MATHIS
CHRISTMAS 2007-WEIRD FILES
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Can't Sleep.
I (David) can't sleep. I can't sleep because I'm dreaming too much. Not dreaming while asleep, mind you, but dreaming while I lay there, trying to get to sleep. Every thought is about something I'm doing, creating, working on, or something that I WANT to be doing, creating or working on. I lay with my head on the pillow, and my head is about to explode with thoughts about Dr. Pants, the music we're working on right now, the anxiety I have about whether we'll actually be able to get this gargantuan project done this year (4 EPs, and all the accompanying artwork, design, new website, mixing, mastering). I think about how I want us to do a short tour this year, at some point, somehow, some way (even if it's just two shows in Texas). I think about how all of it seems possible and yet not possible all at the same time. The songs, the music, whether new or old (I mean, it could be a song from the EP we're doing now, or one of the 3 that we plan on doing, or it could be a song from Gardening In a Tornado or Cusack-Loggins, or even Feezle Day or earlier) run through my head. I work on solos and try and make them better, hear notes and phrases that I want to play next time we perform the song, or when we record it.
I think about the Mixtape Jones Radio Show and how I long to grow its audience. I want to create a community of people nationwide who are listening to the show, commenting on the Facebook page, all talking about our favorite songs of the moment, of the year, of all time...
I long for a moment when things fall together and obstacles are removed, overcome, no longer a concern...my head spins as these thoughts and ideas and desires overtake me and eliminate any possibility of true rest until some of it, any of it, comes to fruition. It's as if my restless spirit has decided that it must be cured, or subdued by progress, by measurable steps taken if sleep is to return to my life.
This has been going on for days. Somehow I got to sleep last night between 2:30 and 3:00 am...I am hoping maybe, somehow, now that I've poured some of this out through the keyboard, that tonight I can make my head stop earlier.
I am grateful that the things that keep me up at night are about passion. They are about a true dedication to work that I love. Are there stresses in my life? Money worries, etc? Absolutely. But sleep has and does serve as an escape from those things. I said I have anxiety about whether I'll get this project done, and that's true, but I also have such hope that it feels a lot less like stress and more like anticipation.
Okay. Going back to give sleep another shot. I hope it only keeps my brain at bay temporarily, and that I have the same struggle all over again tomorrow night.
I think about the Mixtape Jones Radio Show and how I long to grow its audience. I want to create a community of people nationwide who are listening to the show, commenting on the Facebook page, all talking about our favorite songs of the moment, of the year, of all time...
I long for a moment when things fall together and obstacles are removed, overcome, no longer a concern...my head spins as these thoughts and ideas and desires overtake me and eliminate any possibility of true rest until some of it, any of it, comes to fruition. It's as if my restless spirit has decided that it must be cured, or subdued by progress, by measurable steps taken if sleep is to return to my life.
This has been going on for days. Somehow I got to sleep last night between 2:30 and 3:00 am...I am hoping maybe, somehow, now that I've poured some of this out through the keyboard, that tonight I can make my head stop earlier.
I am grateful that the things that keep me up at night are about passion. They are about a true dedication to work that I love. Are there stresses in my life? Money worries, etc? Absolutely. But sleep has and does serve as an escape from those things. I said I have anxiety about whether I'll get this project done, and that's true, but I also have such hope that it feels a lot less like stress and more like anticipation.
Okay. Going back to give sleep another shot. I hope it only keeps my brain at bay temporarily, and that I have the same struggle all over again tomorrow night.
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