Sometimes you just love the place where a part of you is at . The new release of Mario Stern is all we hoped it would be. Psychedelia with an aim. Plus a complex and rich interior landscape. Call and response. Passages that may be photographs, or conversations on big long hallways, saturday elevator rides. It was time already that someone walked this sonic path in  a Record like this. Check it for yourself: (Clicky Click on the Image)

 FanZinatra Records 2011.

“Andromena”

Luciano grabación Kae.

What have you been up to?


Well, basically what the next guy has been up to, too. Am trying to keep doing stuff, constantly, but not yet at a level of
intensity as to burn me off in a few weeks. And being burned , keep on doing stuff. We can say am setting everything up so to when the minimal chance to play a lot  live comes, week after week, and to produce stuff which will be needed in a relatively short time, I`ll place my machine at 145%, and just roll wild.
I have been writing new songs too. But like I said before, at a much slower pace – which can be good too – . (am not writing, playing, recording, producing,  4 or 5 complete songs in a day, like past seasons). But all that has granted me such a big resistance, that I need now, and won`t hesitate to use.

Which is not bad at all. I always revert to the first recordings of the song, the ones recorded at the top of my head, and I try to maintain the live feeling of those. But this time around, am taking my time, again, like in past seasons, to put the words down to paper, and rewrite some stuff, adjust the metrics of it, and give it a course, a concept, which some howe it applied to on the fly recorded songs too. They had a “concept”, as well. Abstract, or not. I like playing a lot with the syntax of given paragraphs, and that`s what am applying now. I`ll take what I have singed in the first takes, and rewrite some stuff, place other lines, re order them,  add stuff, etc. Working the song after it`s birth. Shaping it.

I`ve been also programing my patterns for the songs in my cheapo super Drum Machine, and looking for musicians as always. Keep up, come on.

So am not like producing like crazy what I have recorded, or making electronic music 24/7,  just  to have some time to read more books, and to play more and more guitar. To concentrate on that. I`ll tweak here and there, just too keep things sounding nice, and to distinguish the sounds apart (to clean up the mix), but that as far as am going now with producing. Am gonna start writing manically too, which will help me in my song writing skills.

Before taking the last vacation trip, I forgot that I was already in Vacations. I do what I like, how I like it, and well, sometimes it gets out of my hands and is all I do. It`s like the phrase: “warming by the Devils fire”. Becuz I can start at 2 pm, after I woke up, and start making music, and at 2 or 3 am of the next day, I realize am all beat up and wired, haven`t grabbed a bite, much hungry in the morning time. Then to come down takes a while. There`s always the chance of getting burned. And then keep doing things some more till I pass out. Burned out. So there`s no end to this. Even tho there`s an imminent end.

I had this curiosity in which I wondered what direction my music was gonna take. I haven`t been playing a lot like before, cuz am waiting to get weekly gigs to do that, and mostly to set up my small practicing space, but so far it`s pretty simplistic. Everything as was before, but amplified to the thousand. What was punk now is nastier than before, with the noise sessions I use myself as a tool too, the dreamy passages of psychedelia or pop I am an instrument too in which something overtakes me and I look forward to it, I search for it to use me as a channel, the pop just becomes more bubblegum and rooted and I don`t give a damn. The Rock`n`Roll gets louder. Tell me to jump of a building and I`ll tell you how many times. That`s why they call it Rock`n`Roll.

Everything is sold out to and for the music. That`s the last resort for which all I do is aimed at. Oh, am playing hoops too. What I like to call, “Zen Hoops”. Alleluia, and preach on…

The Rolling Stones – Jumping Jack Flash: Released as a single in 1968.

David Bowie – Life on Mars? – Hunky Dory, Released in 1971.

The Temptations – Ball of Confusion (That`s What The World is Today): Released as a single, in 1970.

—-

(**** Add Spot shoted by a friend, with friends, for an internationally known studio/concert Tv program, spot which will air in all Latinoamerica).

in fact is a gas.

Today, doing my usual research of Folksy Traditions of the World ™, I have just found out, that there are other rules to the game of Marcopolo, pool version. As it clearly states here in this YouTube video:

“Played with standard rules. Marco can`t go under water to prevent cheating”

Wikipedia doesn`t say that, I bet Marcopolo isn`t even a word no matter what the Scrabble book says.

Well, this video displays some gnarly and radical tactics  (The I-am-a-zombie then-jumping-tiger-attack), to apply in both modes (Marcopolo, Marcopolian), some defense moves (Fish out of the water, Fandango Karate, etc), and I don`t know why the aggressive music.  I always tough this guys who were good at this were Psychics, till I called a Psychic line, and like became friends with the Psychic on-phone (Over the period of a month, she predicted were my left Red Adidas shoe was gonna be,  before hand it got lost, obviously,in the future, so she predicted two things at once, the death of 2 of my fishies, the buying of a new mattress, etc.  So it was worth the money). I called so much over the period of a month, that I could recognize her pitch of voice, and long story short, we ran in a pizza parlour and she had a hard time but actually asked for the pizza flavor I had in mind. Mindblowowing. Yeah.

Back to “Folskie Traditions of the World”. There are only 2 people playing in the video! the pool is too small!!! What an incredible mess would it be if there were like, a lot of people in the pool! Overpopulated style!…

I should stop worrying about the rules of Marcopolo and get back to the Music.  I was in vacations or something.

Now to not bore you, a video that started as an innocent Marcopolo game, and ended in a Cat Fight! -Which I know it doesn`t apply to me, ever- (Am too pussy to fight, yeah,  but I`ll throw a chair or two), but just to illustrate out the destructive side of this game…

As it reads in the description section of the video: “Three fellows fight with tenacity during a classic match of Marco Polo, while leaving the pool arena with true battle wounds.”

Now that`s more like it!!!

(Throw at the player a Ball aimed at the Head! See me laugh it out! Grandiose. – Crazy Spaniards and their weird americanized words. What is this, Spring of 2006? A baaalllll? Reallly???-)

Maureen Interviews J

Well, I guess it`s time for me too to go on vacations. I will sleep, eat, read, sleep, watch tv, eat, sleep. In that order.

What has got me thinking is what direction my music is gonna take by itself when I get back. It always takes a course of it´s own. So I can´t fight that. But am always happy with the results.

Am taking with me a whole bunk, a shit load of Chess Books, and a small chess board, am on a craze. Let`s see if I can fully comprehend and grasp the movements and the rules of the game to a higher level.

I`ll remain stuck to Youtube and other streaming services for leaks on things am following (Really just one). In between days. Other than that, is gonna be hard reaching me.

I have 3 concrete serious projects to work and collaborate when I come back. Everything running smooth as ice. The Mothership running flawless.

Before I give you more information than I shoulda and I woulda have to kill you (with kindness, but killing none the less), I`ll proceed to post a whole lots of unharmfull snorlking pictures.

smirk , smirk.

Sometimes the best therapy for lack thereof is and overload of thereof. So this means detuning and uptuning your guitar live trying to reach an Alt. Tunning while one tries to overload the signal as hard as one cans, stomping on several effects boxes and doing stuff to the guitar that afterwards it renders it unusable.  But most of the time it`s more than worth it.

Sometimes in walls of reverberated delays of supra distorted alt. tuned guitar lines something comes in some type of control, just to place a quick name to it, and everything comes out pleasingly.  Am not saying this works always, and sometimes I can`t even tell between all the sounds that are in the way of a good noise session, but it`s always worth the shot. Like for instance today.  While doing a guitar line, something reminded me of another song, so I tried to emulate that song and then tried to remember which song it reminded me off. Too bad I wasn´t recording like most of the time am doing.  But fun none the less. Todays guitar lines went something like Elton`s Jhon “Tiny Dancer”. A song which I love. At some point It also sounded like Skynyrd’s Free Bird, which I love too. Anyways, damn, I should have recorded the whole thing!!!

I can be wrong, if I had the recorded version I could compare and stuff… That I had fun was the most important thing to me.

**There are some recorded  noise sessions in some of the Tabs of this url.

Ok. Am a big fan of video clips. Everybody knows that. At least now. My main computer is at the doctor, if you read the post bellow, you can get the details.

I have somewere in my things (mp3`s, main computer, CD`s) this song, but  after checking out other videos, I went looking for the original song sang by Bob Dylan, I ran into this particular rendition of “Can you Please Crawl out Your Window”, released  in 1965 (Long time ago), as a b-side for Highway 65 Revisited.

It seems, that from the artists I like, the hardest one to find original songs in Youtube, is from Bob Dylan. And it strikes me as a peculiar Phenomena. Since long time ago. There are lots and lots of renditions, covers, impersonators grabbing the spot of Bob Dylan`s  own songs. Thus making it difficult to find one of  him playing em. I have em in Mp3, CD and Vinyl, most of his stuff, but sometimes when am checking out videos in Youtube I feel the need to hear a certain track, even if I have it somewhere else.  And then is when I find all these covers of Dylan, then  finally retreating myself to my Cd`s and Mp3`s and Vynils to hear the song. No problems there. Dylan like so many other great artists, when covers a song, he makes it his own. The Folk, Blues tradition, you know. But from a certain point on we all know most of his material was 100% original.

I always speak about this as some sort of wave. Why, if Bob Dylan is one of the most unique voices in Rock/folk/heavenly made kick ass music ever made, lot´s of people go after their songs and try to tag em? Does it has to do with something about his own personal story and the Bound for Glory thing? Me, personally, wouldn´t give a shot at a Dylan song.  One or two verses the most. And at one or two songs of his own complete catalogue. Some people do, and their renditions are great (like the one above). But those are thee exceptions. So, why this fascination of placing up on Youtube his covers? It will linger in my mind for as much as they make it hard for me to find the song am looking for.

****foud ONE of the many mixes and takes of this song up  on MetaCafe.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1291104/

Well, this is Hendrix “Covering” the aforementioned Bob Dylan Song. Enjoy.

Well, it´s a new year, and am already looking ahead of myself. Planning sometimes is what´s all about.  When the options are limited by variables.

This year the worldwide economy is still fucked up, but am set up to make a long haul travel, directly connected to my music. I´ve got two Obvious choices. Anywhere in Europe where is easy to find a light Job and get gigs + meet fun cool hipsters and people too (passport carrier here), or Maracaibo Vnzla.

The Maracaibo long haul trip is easier somehow for me, in terms of finding a cheap place to stay, but harder in the Job department. Europe opens up to me all kinds of easy to handle jobs (waitress, cd re-seller, street clown) but hits me hard in the pocket in the stayance department. America is out of the question cuz I can´t work over there and at this point I have no idea of how to move around with that in mind. Too expensive. I would have to book in advance gigs from here and it could turn into a disaster.  Am good at handling disasters, but this year I can´t handle a financial one.

You, unknown reader, what would you advise? What European City is cooking at the moment? Is it really worth it the Maracaibo experience if one is open to it? Are you an amateurist Bookie in Usa or want to become one, for one who will gig for free?

In last stance, I will just pick up my guitar and head Europe´s way where´s labor needed. I´ve got to make some kind of a deal.

I know you are dying to comment or to give away your opinion. You are free to do so.

(Confirmed: in February I will start to produce my first Luciano and The Escapades EP. Titles that I have in mind? A- Songs for Thin Air. B- It’s all about the Benjamins. C- I don´t give a raccoons craps ass. D- Most likely =  ESP Twins)

Luciano and The Escapades: Make It Purple.

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Led Zeppelin – Traveling Riverside Blues.

A pretty folkie tradition that takes place in Italy, and is of most Importance – Il Giorno Della Befana- The Day of the Befana:

In Italian folklore, Befana is an old woman who delivers gifts to children throughout Italy on Epiphany Eve (the night of January 5) in a similar way to Saint Nicholas orSanta Claus. This Italian gift-giving spirit is also known as Saint Befana, La Vecchia (the Old Woman), and La Strega (the Witch).^[1]

The character may have originated in central Italy, then spread as a tradition to the rest of Italy.

A popular belief is that her name derives from the Feast of Epiphany or in Italian, “La Festa dell’Epifania”. Epifania (Epiphany in English) is a Latin word with Greek origins. Epiphany means either the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6) or “manifestation (of the divinity).”^[2][3]

There is evidence to suggest that Befana is descended from the Sabine/Roman goddess named Strina. In the book Vestiges of Ancient Manners and Customs, Discoverable in Modern Italy and Sicily by Rev. John J. Blunt (John Murray, 1823), the author says: (…)

Continue reading here.

Season of the Witch – Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper, Steve Stills.

Well, I don´t know why am doing this entry. Prolly cuz am bored. But yes, it´s my best of 2010. Like it will make a big change or whate ever. Pffff. Get over yerself.

Ok, this entry is actually important, cuz for like about ten years I haven´t picked up ONE  new band, and I have been very active in a musical listening kinda way. (24 hours, manically and obsessively music listener , as described by a fellow music-lover, who shared  living spaces with me)

SO maybe some of this bands albums have not came up in 2010, but it´s a great deal to me, cuz when the whole Vampire Weekend + tons of new bands wave hit, I felt like woah, what´s wrong with me, am I not gonna like a new band ever again? – Like I really did care – (we can dismiss from there Band of Horses and Earlier Kings of Leon – Don´t remember if The Strokes came out this past decade or if they belong to the other one – I don´t listen to em much, and there´s of course The White Stripes and Tinariwen – Which I Idolize – And some great exceptions, Devendra Banhart, per example, but uhm, that´s it. I had a great deal of luck in finding less hyped blogs from people I admire and came to admire that encouraged me to give new bands a listen – It was a weird place – I just dismissed bands and albums when they had the tag “new”, or “just released” on it. I guess now am cured and over it.

Am sure am forgetting some other great bands, but my new bands which have made they´re way into my Ipod playlist this last year were: (and I apologize if they are not new bands…)

Lower Dens – Twin Hand Movement.

Ty Segall – Melted.

Beach Fossils – Beach Fossils.

The Low Anthem – Oh My God Charlie Darwin.

Tame Impala – Innerspeaker.

Best Coast – a whole bunch of their stuff.

Woven Bones –  a whole bunch of their stuff.

Grass Widow – a whole bunch of their stuff.

I feel very fulfilled musically. I can say that what 10 years didn´t made up for me, 4 months did.

Kings of Leon – California Waiting.

Lower Dens – Tea Lights.

So there is, 2010 brought me forth lots of new bands to hear, and it came unexceptionably unexpected.  Like it´s supposed to be. Things come and go pretty easily. So let´s see what this year is all about, totally unbounded by any happening that´s not from this years on forth. Freedom.

( I have prolly skipped a few Bands, I´ll place em when I can)