Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
ganz can have it for free.

the birth of lyrics is an interesting topic.  always waiting for that
first line.  never know when it's coming.  at work, asleep, beyond
drunk.  anytime, anywhere.  when you get the first line it usually
starts a theme for the song,  depending on what's happening in your
life or whatever's on your mind.  once you sense a theme, the rest of
the words sort of take shape.  i've had great first lines and themes
that never fully developed.  so many pieces waiting for their puzzle. 
it's best when you get way more than what you need.  choosing three out
of eight verses is ideal, pick and choose what works best for what
you're trying to convey.  this is the best thing about creating music
as well as the most frustrating.  best 'cause it's exciting the not
knowing where or why these words come upon you.  frustrating becuse you
have no control over where or why these words come upon you.  when 
my output is running hot i'll have two or three songs working at once.
 then a month or so of nothing, but it's always changing.  most times
the music comes first.  a chord pattern sets a mood and then a melody. 
once that's established the words fill in the melody.  elizabeth
phrazier of 'the cocteau twins' is an amazing singer.  at their peak
she just sang sounds.  no words just sounds.  i can't concieve how she
could've remembered what to sing without language.  i guess she wasn't
much of a smoker. 

freeway migliore is a very talented person.  that's absolutley his god
given name.  road food doesn't affect him in a negative fasion.  he's
fucking hilarious.  tough like a walnut.  born to do what he does. 
awesome multi-instrumentalist.  super-pro.  yadda yadda yadda.  we're
very lucky to have him in our camp.  sound is so important, he acts as
a sixth member.

best venue?  

based on sound, experience, draw?  

adam nailed it.  redding was awesome, yet such a hole!  agate hall at
the university of oregon, best sound ever.  maybe 10 kids in this huge
hall, kinda sad.  but the sound!  natural hall reverb, so rich and
powerful.  didn't matter how empty then.  
we played the sweetwater in mill valley last week and they had just 
put in a brand new sound system.  pretty fuckin' good.  clear without
being to loud.  bottom of the hill always sounds good to me.  
i wish that i could hear through the moniter's on stage what the room
is hearing.  i get a trace but i never really hear what freeway is
doing as far as reverb and effects.  what a shame.  as a guitar player
i can hear clearly the effects, and so manipulate them on the spot.  i 
would love to work effects vocally, but in even the best venues that's
not an option.  maybe someday.    
  

    

I'm so sorry i missed y'alls set at BOTH. I heard you were great. 

When it comes to looping, have you ever heard the band loop!station and if 
so, what do you think of their focus on this aspect of performance? 
does it seem cheesy and not ROCK enough
are you more interested in the end lush result so you dont give a rats 
ass? 
  

    
loop!station...awesome!  we shared a bill at the sweetwater.  a great
approach to looping.  such an amazing musician, the cello player.  that
doesn't feel like cheating.  beautiful music is ROCK even without
rock.  
beauty rocks!  rock is nothing without beauty, beauty is beauty
despite rock.
  

    
Let's give a brief glossary of the terms:

Looping refers to on the spot recording and playback of music in
continuous loops.  You can layer music on music, often also
incorporating half time or reverse playback.  Many, many, artists do
this effectively, from Radiohead to loop!station, and as they are
creating and performing their loops live, can't argue much about the
technology.

Sampling usually refers to pre-recorded bits of sound.  These are
stored in electronic banks and can be triggered with a key pad, but
often also with piano keys or drum pads.  They can be set to loop
(repeat) as well, but are most often used as single sound triggers.

A sequence is a pre-recorded and arranged piece of music.  You press
play at the beginning, and the sequence runs through the piece of
music, playing the appropriate instruments in the places they have been
assigned.  In general, there is not much you can do to a sequence as
it runs, you can just play along to it, and it will be the same every
time.

The industry has already decided that if you sequence your voice, it's
not ok.  Even for the most base pop stars, the public requires you to
sing and not sing along.  If we use that set of standards, then why is
it okay to play along to bass parts without a bass player, or keyboard
parts when there is no keyboard on stage?  Of course the audience
decides what is ok and what is not, but most listeners cant even
differentiate between the instruments, let alone look onstage and
realize that no-one is creating the sounds you're hearing.  So because
of my knowledge of the tools, I've become a more critical listener. 
Ignorance is bliss, indeed!
  

    
As to the topic of lyrics and their source, we are at the mercy of the
muse.  Of course if you pray to it, and nurture it and spend time with
it, it will visit more frequently, but we are tossed about on it's
whims, and rise and fall with the tides from another realm.  Every bit
of it a gift, you give thanks and pray for more.

I've did a tour with Dan the Automator, playing guitar in his band, so
I've been fortunate enough to see and play in some spectacular venues
in the west.  The El Rey in LA was a sold-out sight to behold. 

Bimbo's is by far the best club in SF to see a band you love. Oh
please, oh please, oh please can we play there?  Speaking of....  most
of us were there last night for The Cornelius Band.  Exhilirating,
exciting, and crushing as well.  We truly are not worthy, and I think
it's best to quit music now, and leave it to the Cornelius's of the
world.  Yep, that fucking good.
  

    
yah, i quit.  cornelius killed my dreams.
  

    
Har!

What do you guys think of music and images, music and film, music and 
theater, music and spectacle...  Have you made music videos?  

Would you let your music be used in a movie?  What kind of flick?

What's the musical or rock opera you'd create if you got a fat 
commission for the work, etc, etc ?     

That touches on visuals, and also on stories.
  

    
Speaking of sequences, I'm watching Of Montreal on the live Coachella
webcast right now and am extremely disappointed. No drummer or bassist
in sight, just a bunch of music going on while two guitarists and a
keyboardist prance around the stage doing their best Roxy Music
imitation. Two of my favorite bands, Ween and They Might Be Giants,
made it big before they had more than a drum machine, microphones and
two guitars on stage...but Of Montreal just doesn't hit me as
particularly original or captivating, and those bands certainly STILL
do.

Anyway, we have not done a "music video" yet...but you can see live
performances of our songs "coming down" and "winter's love" (from the
Arspace Warehouse and Rickshaw Stop, respectively) at
http://www.myspace.com/thelovexnowheresf

I'll let Gabe and Brett take the other questions while I go out for
drinks before coming home to watch Sonic Youth's Coachella set
online....
  

    
Just catching up on the conversation, and I wanted to add my thanks
for the show at the WELL party.  You guys were great.  I really heard
traces of Bowie's in the first tune (Coming Down) and I'm just in love
with that song right now.  Finally got to give Oddessy a listen today
and I need to own more.  Great stuff. 

For anyone who missed them, these guys are a blast live.  Oddessy is
very san francisco-soundy, I think.. Gabe mentioning Airplane as an
influence really resonates in what I hear.  I love the lush melodic
guitar work.  

Gabriel also has the best guitarist hair in rock (ok, not a serious
musical/philosophical comment, but still!)  And I'm now in serious envy
of his first guitar.  Was it one of the customs with the Modulus
Graphite neck?  Regardless, do you still play it?  

Finally, thanks for naming some of your favorite bands, guys.  I've
only recently found the Mountain Goats (who I love) and who've been
around forever... I find it hard to find "new" music/genres to listen
to that I like.  I'm looking forward to checking some of those names
out.

And I look forward to the next show. 

   
  

    
Thanks for all the kind words...and we definitely hope to see you at
the next show, <mbuff>! Our next gig is actually in Oakland -- this
Friday, May 4th at the Oakland Metro -- and then we play Mission Creek
Music Festival in San Francisco on Saturday, May 12th. 

Still waiting for Gabe and Brett to answer the movie/opera
questions...
  

    
The guitar Weir gave me was not the Modulus neck kind, though many
years later he had Modulus build me a bass guitar to my specifications.
 I never really became attached to it though (too modern sounding) and
sold it to buy the G+L Telecaster that is my main instrument on stage
now.  The Alvarez is on loan to Brett, and he uses it for a lot of his
songwriting, which is a great story for that guitar.  It was once
stolen, and through the most circuitous of routes, and serendipity of
life, it actually came back to me about a year later.  Crazy!!

We are most certainly interested in the visual aspect to our music,
and though not yet with video, we have a very realized aesthetic.  My
wife Summer is a print-maker and poster artist, and she has contributed
her amazing art to our album covers, show posters, press materials and
more.  You can check out some of her stuff at www.maidenhand.com. 
Once again the Cornelius show last week at Bimbo's pretty much did me
in.  The best synchronized videos and original content I've ever seen
at a rock show.  It's tought to have goals so far out of reach, but now
I want to be Cornelius and have a video show that good.
  

    
I want you to be Gabriel
  

    
Nice.
  

    
Guys, what did I not ask that you wish I had?
  

    

also - what other bans give you the "i give up you're awesome" heeby 
jeebies besides cornelius? 
  

    
great guitar story.  Thanks!
  

    
Watching Arcade Fire kinda does that for me. They do practically the
same songs every night, but watching how enthusiastic, energized and
free they all look together onstage getting those songs across with
unbridled passion makes one feel unworthy, or like a girlfriend
recently described Arcade Fire to me, "alone but loved." Their concerts
make it seem like Arcade Fire is playing their final show ever and
their lives depend on doing the best rock n' roll performance in the
history of mankind. 

It's remarkable and humbling how they can keep up that intensity song
after song, night after night. It's like they're at war and the armies
of evil will conquer us all if Arcade Fire doesn't play a great show.
The Clash definitely had that intensity when doing something like
"Complete Control" or "Capital Radio," but I don't think they sustained
it for entire sets like Arcade Fire is doing. They took a break with
something relatively banal like "Jimmy Jazz" or "Train in Vain" while
Arcade Fire's idea of cooling it down is something as deep and intense
as "My Body is a Cage."

So yeah, they give me the "I give up/you're awesome" feeling.  ;-)
  

    
That's really a great description, Adam!
  

    
I'd say in the past few years I've had that sort of live experience
with Broken Social Scene, Bjork, Sigur Ros, Stereolab, Buffalo
Daughter, Kraftwerk, and Arcade Fire.  It'a always such an amazing
feeling, and the awareness of being in a room filled with hundreds of
people having the same experience is amazing as well.

I'd like to take a moment to thank some folks here in the Well for
their kind support and contributions to this conversation.  
Steve - thanks for keeping it going and alive.  It's a new format for
us (Brett and I) and we appreciate your patience and guidance, as well
as your own thoughts and words that have made this worthwhile to us as
guests as well as contributors.
Scott - For awhile there it was just the 5 of us, and 3 of them I know
really well.  You were our outside perspective for and entire week. 
Thanks for keeping up, and keeping it going.
Gail - great party, and thanks for inviting us along. Twas fun,
twasn't it?
Cythia - our Wellmaster.  Thanks for making it happen in the world of
ones and zeros.
Everyone else who has taken the time to read our words and contribute
their own thoughts and ideas.  

p.s.  this is not a farewell, just wanted to get my thank you's out in
the moment of feeling thankful.
  

    
Thank you, Gabriel, Adam, and Brett -- as well as Scott, Gail, and anyone
else who joined us here.  I really enjoyed the conversation, and loved the
show.  Catch you down the road, and best of luck to TLxN.
  

    

Thanks for the thanks, and I offer my own right back at ya! It's been a
hectic couple weeks for me and I'm sorry I haven't been able to contribute
to the conversation here, which has covered a LOT of ground in 14 days.

Though our virtual spotlight has turned to a new guest, you are all welcome
to stick around and keep talking if you're able. This topic will remain open
for further comments indefinitely. If you need to turn your attention 
elsewhere, then I wish you all the best with your music and your careers!
  

    
Excellent time, thanks!  I hope you don't mind if I recommend you 
to people who produce festivals and the like?  
 
  

    
Great to have y'all here for these two weeks. Thanks.
  

    
Just wanted to let yinz know that we're playing in Oakland tonight,
the first of four upcoming East Bay gigs for The Love X Nowhere:

tonight (friday, may 4th) at the Oakland Metro...a 4 band bill
including The Love X Nowhere (TLXN), The Federalists, Mister Loveless
and Catholic Comb. Fun starts at 9pm.

more info at www.thelovexnowhere.com and www.oaklandmetro.org
 
  

    

cooollio.