DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT OF OUR EXISTENCE

505 Rotter Club Archive 25 June 2010

2010-06-28T13:46:00.002-05:00

Another great afternoon of brews, beats, and music by the pool. Thanks sooo much to eveyone involved and all of you who made it over to Il Domanii! It was a gas!!!

Here is the video archive:

Part 1

Part 2

Cheers....

High Desert Rhythms Playlist 26 June 2010

2010-06-28T13:42:00.002-05:00

Last night was EPIC! Thanks to all of the chatters, lurkers, listeners, groovers, and shakers. I played a very inspired set and was really excited to play all of the new music that I just obtained.

Here is the archive:

Here is the playlist:

Martin Beume-Slowly But Steady
Sascha BBC & Caspar-Camps Bay
Till Von Stein-Sundowna (Dyed Soundorum & Shonky Remix)
Langenberg-Monday 16th
Azuni-Rotate
Sven Tasnadi-Tell Me Again (Steve Bug Remix)
Lemon Popsicle-Chordelia
Blind Minded-Jazz 2 Me (Kanid Remix)
Tiger Stripes-Play For Me (Dub)
Andreas Saag-People Say (Jimpster Remix)
Freaks Vs. Robert Owens-Right Now
Guy Gerber-Hate/Love
James Teej-Get Off The Phone (Pezzner East Remix)
Smokin' Jo-Native Dance
Solomon-Sisi
AndId.-Erotica
Paut Pas Deconner-Springfield Sunrise
Mihalis Safras & Kimono-Aero
Tanov-Revelant (Steve Lawler Remix)
Coyu & Edu-La Coincidencia
Julien Chaptal-Pump
Sebastien Leger-Indian Shot
Paul Thomas & D Unity-Transatlantic
Tim Green-Crispy Chairs
Popof-Blow Me Down
Hug0-The Street That Never Sleeps
Gavin Herlihy-The Saga
Alexander Kowalski-Puesta Del Sol (Stimming Remix)
Johnny D & Butch-Blue Shoes (Johnny D Mix)
Surrealism-So Much
Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts-Raw
Nick Holder-Summer Daze
Donnacha Costello-It's What We Do (Kink & Neville Watson Remix)

Next week, Captainsmackdown is at the controls...see you then!

http://www.lowercasesounds.com/
http://www.ustream.tv/lowercasesounds

HIGH DESERT RHYTHMS...
Hosted by Terry Vernixx & captainsmackdown...
Every Saturday Night 8pm (Central Time-The Americas)
Sunday Morning 2am (GMT-UK)/4am (CET-Europe)/11 am (JST-Asia)
Deep House, Tech House, House Music...

Secret Fridays Archive 18 June 2010

2010-06-22T20:21:00.002-05:00

We are doing some secret little get togethers at my house this summer on Fridays.
The 505 Rotters Club.
And we are broadcasting them on www.lowercasesounds.com just for the hell of it...

Here is the first archive featuring me, Dave Smooth, Joseph Christian, and Carlos B.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Thanks to Dave, JC, Shelby, Brahim, Carlos Baca, Adem Joel, Stabby, Decible, and everyone who made it over to the house later, those who watched the live stream, and those chatted...it was a classic afternoon.

See you next week for another exciting episode from a bunch of old rottenhats!

http://www.lowercasesounds.com

High Desert Rhythms Playlist 12 June 2010

2010-06-15T11:19:00.001-05:00

We had a damn fine time last night playing for all of you. Special thanks go to Joseph Christian for bringing us a BANGING guest mix!!! Definitely one for the record books...loved every minute of it, Joey!
Also a big thanks also to everyone who lurked, listened, watched, chatted, and generally switched on.

Here is the video archive:

Here is what went down:

Brendan Moeller-Mainline
Till Von Stein-Sundowna (Dyed Soundorum & Shoky Remix)
Alex Dias-Mococa (Fernando Tessis Remix)
David Labeij-Emp
Faut Pas Deconner-Springfield Sunrise
Tiger Stripes-Play For Me (Dub)
Solomun-Sisi
And.Id-Erotica
Secret Cinema-Glad Chord (Psycatron Remix)
Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts-Walking The Pattern
Johnny D & Butch-Blue Shoes (Johnny D Mix)
Coyu & Edu-La Coincidencia
Danilo Vigorito-I Saw The Light
Maurizio Vitiello-UFO (Uto Karem Remix)
Popof-Blow Me Down

GUEST MIX-Joseph Christian (Albuquerque NM)

Next Saturday night, Captain Smackdown will be manning the ship. See you THERE!

http://www.lowercasesounds.com/
http://www.ustream.tv/lowercasesounds

HIGH DESERT RHYTHMS...
Hosted by Terry Vernixx & Captain Smackdown...
Every Saturday Night 8pm (Central Time-The Americas)
Sunday Morning 2am (GMT-UK)/4am (CET-Europe)/7am (JST-Asia)

Progressive Techno in the House...

High Desert Rhythms Playlist 28 May 2010

2010-06-15T11:17:00.000-05:00

It's great to get back to the weekly swing...this summer, I plan on doing much more shows than last year! Thanks to everyone who tuned in on Saturday night...we had a nice chat going and lots of fun music. I wouldn't be doing it without YOU!

Here is the video archive:

Here is what was played:

Deetron & Seth Troxler-Each Step
Till Von Stein-Sundowna (Dyed & Squonky Remix)
David Labeij-Emp
Brendon Moeller-Mainline
Alex Dias-Mococa (Fernando Tessis Mix)
Nima Gorji-Sometimes
James Teej-Get Off The Phone (Pezzner East Mix)
Scope-FRequencies (Steve Bug Remix)
Lauhaus-Bring It
Neuroxyde & Doomwork-Andromeda (2000 and One Vs. DJ Madskillz)
Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts-Walking The Pattern
Reset Robot- Snippa
Daniele Tignino-Woodanza (Oliver Klein Remix)
Super Flu-Didschn
MiniCoolBoyz-You
Terry Vernixx-Ondine (Alan Barratt Tech Funk Mix)
Secret Cinema-Glad Chord (Psycatron Remix)
King Unique-2000000 Suns (Digweed & Muir Remix)
Maetrik-Deepa
Lutzenkirchen-Somebody
Mihalis Safras & Kimono-Aero
Tim Green-Crispy Chairs
Holgi Star-Defender (Kaiserdisco Remix)
Coyu & Edu-La Coincidencia
Popof-Blow Me Down
Cari Lekebusch-Seesaw
Acumen-Numa
Hugo-The Street That Never Sleeps
Moby-Stay Down (Popof Remix)
James Harcourt-Unpleasant Surprise (Popof Remix)
Solomun-After Rain Come Sun (Jooris Voorn Remix)
Johnny D & Butch-Blue Shoes (Johnny D. Remix)

This Saturday night, Captain Smackdown takes the controls once again. I will see you then and there...

http://www.lowercasesounds.com/
http://www.ustream.tv/lowercasesounds

HIGH DESERT RHYTHMS...
EVERY Saturday Night 8pm (Central Time-The Americas)
Sunday Morning 2am (GMT-UK)/4am (CET-Europe)/7am (JST-Asia)
Progressive Techno in the House...

High Desert Rhythms Playlist 15 May 2010

2010-06-15T11:14:00.002-05:00

Last night was one of those rare times when the magic just happens. Trust me...I really had my doubts about the show for a reason. Exhaustion...

I had spent an amazing afternoon at Albuquerque's premier summer event Party In The Park. It was hot outside and dancing ensued. After a few drinks, a few hours, and the fun, I came home and lounged by the pool, exhausted more by the sun. I didn't think I had a THREE HOUR show show in me, honest. Too much;too soon. Somehow, I reliably turned in one of the best sets I have mustered in a long time. Glad many of you where there to witness it!!!! I had a GREAT time. Thank you sooo much!!!

Here is the video archive:

Here is what I played:

Klartraum-Pain Relief
SCB-20-4
Brendon Moeller-Mainline
Alex Dias-Mococa (Fernando Tessis Mix)
Kirk Digiorgio-Membrane (Carl Craig Remix)
Extrawelt-Arples
Reset Robot-Snipa
Butch-Reshef (Gow Remix)
Mihalis Safras & Kimono-Aero
Popof-Blow Me Down
Cari Lekebusch-SeeSaw
Maetrik-Deepa
Daniel Stefanik-Two
Daniel Stefanik-Just One Moment
D.Ramirez-Devi8r
Acumen-Numa
Michel Cleis-Salvatore Fred Sassicaia
SuperFlu-Didschn
Fabio Giannelli-Stripped (Renato Cohen Remix)
Deetron & Seth THroxler-Each Step
Ripperton-Random (Joris Voorn Green Remix)
Till Von Stein-Sundowna (Dyed & Shonky Remix)
James Teej-Get Off The Phone (Pezzner East Remix)
Lauhaus-Bring It
Neuroxide & Doomwork-Andromeda (2000 and One & DJ Madskillz Remix)
Solomun-After The Rain Comes Sun (Joris Voorn Remix)
D'Julz-Rotondo
Alan Barratt-Song Of The Spirits
Robert Babicz-Come Closer (Stimming Remix)
Daniele Tignino-Woodanza (Oliver Klein Remix)
Mirko Loko-Love Harmonic (Carl Craig Soundscape Remix)

I'll be up in Taos nexxt week-end at Watt's Camp Out. See everyone in June!

http://www.ustream.tv/lowercasesounds

HIGH DESERT RHYTHMS...
Hosted by Terry Vernixx & Captain Smackdown...
Saturday Night 8pm (Central Time-The Americas)
Sunday Morning 2am (GMT-UK)/4am (CET-Europe)/7am (JST-Asia)
Progressive Techno in the House...

High Desert Rhythms Playlist 24 April 2010

2010-06-15T11:09:00.002-05:00

Well...it was bound to happen! Nearly one year after Captain Smackdown joined as my co-host of High Desert Rhythms, after the many many times of him bailing me out of my slot when I was double booked...it happened: he had technical issues. He couldn't broadcast. The ball was in my court.
The show MUST go on...so I dropped my Wii tournament with Victoria, Michelle, and all the other pretty women in my life and spun music on the show. It was a duty!

Here is the video archive:

Please Note: Being this is an impromptu set, I started out in the middle of a tune and soundchecked as I went. I also just stopped cold when the party outside of my studio sucked me in!

Here is what I played:

Nick Sole-Never (Space Dub Version) {cuts in}
Kevin Yost-Right Into Your Soul
Arado & Den Ishu-Go Deepa
Scope-Frequencies (Steve Bug Remix)
David Labeij-Emp
Acumen & Timidboy-Chicago Story (Oxia Remix)
D'Julz-Rotondo
Alex Under-Charger
Andrade-Fac De Bouc (D'Julz Remix)
Plasmic Honey (Martinez Remix)
Nima Gorji-Forbidden Ritual
Dominik Eulberg-Daten Ubertragunngg (Rodriguez Jr Remix)
Luciano-La Nuve
Butch-Reshef (Gow Remix)
Michel Cleis-Salvatore Freda Sassicaia
Alan Barratt-Song Of The Spirits
Nima Gorji-Sometimes
Robert Babicz-Come Closer (Stimming Remix)
Ripperton-Random

This week, Captain Smackdown has fixed his audio/video issues and is ready to rock. I will see you on May 8th for another very special session..

HIGH DESERT RHYTHMS...
Hosted by Terry Vernixx & Captain Smackdown...
Saturday Night 8pm (Central Time-The Americas)
Sunday Morning 2am (GMT-UK)/4am (CET-Europe)/7am (JST-Asia)
Progressive Techno in the House...

High Desert Rhythms 17 April 2010

2010-04-24T12:35:00.001-05:00

Great show on Saturday...thanks to everyone who tunes in weekly as well as those chatters, lurkers, and archive viewers!!!Sorry it's taken an entire week for my usual archive/playlist to come up. Been very very busy.

Here is the video archive for your pleasure:

Unfortunately, in the reconstruction of the studio after the show, I've lost the playlist. But I can tell you that I did play these artists...Ripperton, Stimming, OTP, Nick Sole, Steve Bug, Kevin Yost, Nima Gorji, David Labeij, Solomun, Gavin Herlihy, Arado & Den Ishu, Cari Lekebusch, D'Julz, Joris Voorn, Alex D'Elia & Nihil Young, Martinez, Butch, Acumen & Timidboy, Mihhalis Safras. I just don't know what order! You figure it out. All great tunes.

See you back on the show on May 1st. Captain Smackdown is taking the helm this evening, so please tune in. Cheeers from the high desert......

http://www.lowercasesounds.com

Every Saturday Night 8pm (Central Time-The Americas)
Sunday Morning 2am (GMT-UK)/4am (CET-Europe)/7am (JST-Asia)
Progressive Techno in the House...

High Desert Rhythms 10 April 2010

2010-04-24T12:32:00.001-05:00

Last night was a total blast, trying out the new studio set upfor the first time and spinning for everyone! Thanks to all who made it by the chat as well as those who lurked and grooved. Special thanks to Swingkid for playing an amazing set for us (and then later blowing it up at a house party with Justin O'Brien later this morning...)

The video archive is here:

NOTE-Due to some early technical difficulties, the fist 10 minutes is marred with audio issues, glitches, and strangeness.

Terry Vernixx in the Mix:

Luciano- La Nuve
Ripperton & Minz-Crack
SCB-20.4
Matthew Dear & Seth Troxler-Hurt (Martinez Remix)
Gavin Herlihy-The Saga
Nima Gorji-Forbidden Ritual
Alan Barratt-Herdsman
Freaks Vs. Robert Owens-Right Now (Dubstrumental)
Blind Minded-Jazz 2 Me
Acumen & Timidboy-Chicago Story (Oxia Reinterpretation)
Robert Babicz-Come Closer (Stimming Remix)
Alex D'Elia & Nihil Young-Oxes
Scope-Frequencies (Steve Bug Remix)

GUEST MIX-Swingkid (Santa Fe, NM):

Negru & Boola-Hold On
Chuck Love-Yellow Truth (Random Soul Remix)
Sean Biddle-My First Home
Unclesound-Disco
Thano Vassi-No Progress
Javi Lopez-Fuzz On
Robb Swinga-Uptown Hoedown
DJ Chus-That Feeling (Tuccillo Remix)
Johnny Dangerous-War With The Devil (Mr V Dub)
Soul Purpose-The Nervous Track (M's Replay Remix)
Magnus Wedberg-Brooklyn (Javi Lopez Remix)
Klement Bonnelli & Brahams-Stop That
Jangatha-New Digs
Aaron Ross-Planet Sex
Jerome Syndenham-Ecoute
DJ Sneak-U Can't Hide From Your Bud (Sneak 2010 Remix)
Jeff Service-Goodnight
Wattie Green-Just Like That
Mario Fabriani-The Answer May Surprise You
Jeff Service-All The Way Down
Quell-Interesting Story (Soul De Marin Remix)

I will be back next week again, playing a full three hour set of new tunes.
See you then!

http://www.lowercasesounds.com
http://www.ustream.tv/lowercasesounds

HIGH DESERT RHYTHMS...
Hosted byTerry Vernixx & Caaptain Smackdown
Saturday Night 8pm (Central Time-The Americas)
Sunday Morning 2am (GMT-Europe)/11pm (JST-Asia)
Progressive Techno in the House...

Family Moons Radio Playlist 27 March 2010

2010-03-28T18:59:00.001-05:00

I had another wonderful time playing on Family Moons radio last night. Thanks to Adrack for the invite as well as Aaron & Joey for the motivationals. Thanks also to many of you who stopped by for a listen and view as well.

Here is the video archive for your pleasure:

Please note: I was using a brand new soundcard for the first time and had issues with the audio levels being consistantly too hot all night long. Since I am spinning and am also my own live engineer, I did my best on the fly to remedy this...HOWEVER, be advise of the dodgy sound on the onset.

Here is the playlist for those keeping track at home:

Mirko Loco-Love Harmonic (Carl Craig Soundscape Mix)
Shoxy-Hit The Floor
Matthew Dear & Seth Troxler-Hurt (Martinez Remix)
Matthias Tanzmann-Chano
Robert Babicz-Come Closer (Stimming Remix)
Ripperton-Randon Violence (Joris Voorn Remix)
Michel Cleis-Salvatore Freda
Nima Gorji-Sometimes
Acumen & Timidboy-Chicago Story (Oxia Reinterpretation)
Mendo-Morena
Polder-Green Sunday
Greg Kobe-Art Illusion (Kiko Sunset Hill Mix)
Solomun-After Rain Comes Sun (Joris Voorn Remix)
Plasmic Honey-Jungle (Martinez Remix)
Guillaume & The Contu Dumonds-Raw
Daniel Stefanik-Two
Tim Green-Lone Time
Dominik Eulberg-Daten Ubertrangunge
Dubnitzky & Frank Nova-Subato
Lee Curtiss-Freak On
Exercise One- Several Things At Once
Cari Lekebusch-Spin Dizzy
Psycatron-Is What It Is So It Is
D Ramirez-Devi8or
Flow Superstars-Special Stuff (Tomy Declerque Remix)
Alex D'Elia & Nihil Young-Overrated
Secret Cinema-Reaktivate
Piatto Vs Andrea Mattioli Vs Andrea Di Rocco-Overall
Autistic-Paranoia

I will be back on lowercasesounds.com next week for another installment of High Desert Rhythms...see you there!

High Desert Rhythms 2.27.10 Playlist

2010-03-02T09:48:00.003-06:00

T'was another banging night at Il Domanii last night for our show. Maning the spaceship has never been so fun!
Thanks sooo much to J Bowra for providing yet another badass guest mix.

Here is the video archive of the sets:

TERRY VERNIXX IN THE MIX:
Radio Slave-Orchestrating Maneuvers In The Dark (Seth Troxler Remix)
360, Nuno Dos Santos, and Patrice Baumel-Neon One
Polder-Green Sunday
OTP-Close To The Edge
Marco Poggioli & Matteo Gariselli-Polline
Greg Kobe-Art Illusion (Kiko Sunset Hill Remix)
Flow Superstars-Special Stuff (Tomy DeClerque Remix)
Andrew Technique-Walter (Tomy Declerque Remix)
Tomy Declerque-Memories From The Future
Alex D'Elia & Nihil Young-Surrogates
Daniel Portman & Stanley Ross-Tiny Dolls
Piatto-Echoes
Remute-Blaeserli (Deepgroove Remix)

The Guest Mix-J BOWRA (Tech Know Theory, Funk Teo, Albuquerque)

Next week on high high desert rhythms, Captain Smackdown is in control of the good ship.
I will be back on March 13th for my second annual Rites of Spring showcase. This year I will be featuring Family Moons artists Adrack & Aaron Jackson, along with the brilliance of Anomen, the funk of Tatooine, and the introduction of Yage (Vernixx & Bowra). It will be an outta sight affair.

high desert rhythms
every saturday night...8-11pm CST
hosted by captain smackdown and terry vernixx

http://www.lowercasesounds.com/

High Desert Rhythms 2.13.2010 Playlist

2010-02-14T10:28:00.002-06:00

Thanks for a great night back on the air after a fantastic month off!!! Really enjoyed spinning for all of you. Thanks to all of you regulars out there who support our great station!!! It's always a blast to bring the club home to you...

Here is the video archive:

Here is the playlist rundown:

Shoxy-Hit The Floor
Matthias Tanzmann-Chano
Radio Slave-Orchestrating Maneuvers In The Dark (Seth Troxler Remix)
FREAKS-Umakenosense
Guillaume & The Contu Dumonts-Raw
Cari Lekebusch-Spin Dizzy
Tim Green (TG)-Lone Time
Miniminds-Time and Space
Tomy Declerque-Memories From The Future
Andrew Technique-Walter (Tomy Declerque Remix)
Alexander Madness-People Screaming
Alex D'Elia & Nihil Young-Surrogates
Slam-Variance
Victor Vera & Mijail-Juggler
Greg Kobe-Art Illusion (Kiko Sunset Hill Remix)
Per Hammar-Bang
Umek & Jay Lumen-Sinful Ladies

Guest Mix-Tatooine (Dream Realm Armada, highdesertrhythms-Albuquerque)

Next week, Captain Smackdown is back at the controls from Los Angeles. I will be back on
February 27th for a full 3 hour solo show. Cheers!!!

Faustapes

2010-01-28T23:24:00.007-06:00

I was a strange little kid with regards to music. I bought albums based on their cover quite a lot for some reason. And I am serious about the little kid bit. I was buying albums with my allowance when I was as young as 7. Indeed...my parents would take me to Peaches and let me buy what I wanted. And I made a fairly good weekly sum (as I remember $5.00).
Also, my Grandmother and I used to go to garage sales a lot where old vinyl was seemingly always for cheep sale. By the time I was 10, my collection was growing quite fast (I thing $14 a week by that point).
Probably my most coveted treasure as well as personal favorite from that era was this little thing called The Faust Tapes. It had a bizarre sleeve. No songs were listed on this sleeve. No information was on said sleeve. Who were these strange people making this odd, engaging music?
Unlike Julian Cope, I was not aware of Krautrock or it's cultural significance...I was just a little kid who liked music that came in cool sleeves. I know that NONE of my friends listened to Faust, or knew that they even existed. And none of my childhood friends liked Faust either. I was sure of that by just trying to play the album around them, and witnessing the resulting disinterest. I used to play it sometimes to annoy my little sister. No one that I ever met liked it.

It wasn't until well after college, when I was living in the Pacific Northwest circa 1992, that I rediscovered the joy that is...THE FAUST TAPES. By then, Krautrock was cool and I was astonished to find Faust as a source of inspiration to a lot of bands who grew up around the same time as me. But I wonder how many of them still have the original vinyl that they bought as a kid?!?!?! Or even knew about this great band back then....yeah.

The Paisley Underground

2010-01-20T20:57:00.023-06:00

It started out quite innocently for me back in 1984. One of my friends who sold small packages of great value played this amazing new album while we were hanging out on one sunny psychedelic afternoon, as we so often did, in his cool Moroccan-styled den. As usual, we were just having fun, being young, but also seeking new musical appreciation and guidance...for we were also young aspiring musicians! This new hip album was called RAINY DAY. It wasn't a band, per say. It was the public statement of a LA-based musical movement of which I was not wise to at the time (before actual information on cool music was timely or actually available beyond the album sleeves). But my friend Mark knew all the good music back in those days and was an avatar of musical exploration. He steered this innocent wide eyed teenage musical sponge into a reckless obsessive collector and guru of meaningless musical knowledge.

Rainy Day is a very mellow record, quite folky as well as loose sounding. It soon turned out to be a very special album among our little clique of friends for a couple of Summers. It was played at dawn at parties after long journeys, played on day trips to the Lake. The record sleeve has what appears to be a child's drawing on the front (but actually the art of "band" member Kendra Smith). It was most definitely not very indicative of typical 1984 music that college radio was playing, though that market ended up finding soon enough.
RAINY DAY was fringe, which also that meant it was also VERY HARD TO FIND beyond the first pressing. My friend Mark religiously played it at gatherings at key times which made everyone stop, listen, and marvel at it's beauty, but also it's also playfully amateurish jam session quality. A beautiful psychotropic ingested jam session...
So glad to see that some 25 years later, it has appreciation on the web:

I loved this album so much at the time!!! It wasn't very long before I stupidly discovered that this album was ALL cover songs! From my parent's generation. From records I would eventually hijack from my parent's collection to blaze to in the years to come. Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, The Velvets Underground, Big Star, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix. All 60's tunes effortlessly delivered hootenanny styled.

The main players were all involved in each others' day to day lives, despite the fact that they all were also employed in other bands mining the same territory in the same city. And well before some of them became famous! Michael Quercio (still a major hero to me) coined the term PAISLEY UNDERGROUND and wrote (in this journalists opinion) some of the best psychedelic-pop tunes of the last 40 years. Along with his girlfriend at the time, Susanna Hoffs (of the newly formed Bangles), David Roback (The Rain Parade...and later Opal and Mazzy Star), Matt Piucci (also Rain Parade as well as now solo), and others, the "band" supposedly recorded this album in one stoned night. Meant as just a fun project to do together as friends and musical confidants.
All of these people were part of what was loosely termed the PAISLEY UNDERGROUND, an underground thing who's sound spread so quickly among the musical epicenters of US cities (as well as London, it turns out) that the press was bound to catch on to it's unique sound. A sound that was was initially spread by the message of the music...grass roots...from hand to hand...friend to friend...mostly on recommendations.
I remember my friends and I mesmerized by The Rain Parade debut album, Emergency Third Rain Power Trip. Laid out stone cold by The Dream Syndicate's amazing Days Of Wine And Roses. Singing along with The Three O'Clock's almost perfect pop masterpiece, Sixteen Tabourines. They were all young, full of talent, with nostalgic ideas about rock and roll and folk music that easily translated with the fast paced party hearty EIGHTIES.
By the time the press actually caught on to the movement and Prince got a hold of it (making The Bangles his personal promotional project as well as signing The Three o'Clock to Paisley Park Records) in 1986, it had already splintered. The word had spread and the influence sealed in time.
The Bangles sold millions of records, Red Kross never really got their due, David Roback became a very known folk music mystic/recluse/songsmith, The Three O'Clock never caught on, Steve Wynn continued writing amazing songs, The Long Ryders never got their due in the US, Michael Quercio continued making amazing music in LA with brilliant projects like Permanent Green Light and JupiterEffect, The Rain Parade never got their due...

The Three O'Clock:

The Rain Parade:

The Dream Syndicate:

The Long Ryders:

Best 0f 2009: Techno

2010-01-03T14:15:00.005-06:00

Every Saturday for the past year and a half, I have been doing this little thing called High Desert Rhythms on lowercasesounds internet radio. And like clockwork, every year, I put out my top 15 list of tunes that rocked my dancefloors as well as my radioshow.

Last night was the year end show:

Here is what I played:

Moonface-Futurized Fears (Guy J Remix)
Polder-Green Sunday
Reshuffle-The Uppershelf
Wolfgang Gartner-Latin Fever
Shlomi Aber-In Theory, Yes
Tiger Stripes-Eden
Catz & Dogz-Me
Style Of Eye-Burlesque
Valentino Kanzyani & Tomy Declerque-33A
Maetrik-Envy
Alex Under-Charger
Wehbba-Lenga Lenga
Spektre-Vertigo (Autistic Remix)
Umek-Curved Trajectory
Alex D'Elia & Nihil Young-Low End Theory

TRACK OF THE YEAR: D.Ramirez & Mark Knight Vs. Underworld-Downpipe

Enjoy!

Best of 2009: Steven Wilson

2010-01-02T10:48:00.002-06:00

To describe Steven Wilson in one word: ambitious. The man is a music making machine. Not in the toss-off Robert Pollard sense of overblown saturation, moreover in the intense man-on-a-life-mission model. 2009 was a pivotal year in Steven's musical machine. Yet, he seemed to have slowed down his pace this year, only making two albums and film!
His first "official" solo album Insurgentes was released in February, while the Porcupine Tree double magnum opus The Incident came out in late Summer. Both of these albums are steps ahead of what Wilson was composing in the 2004-2007 period of intense activity on all of his musical fronts. While Steven's solo album is dense, dark, and full of cool musical textures, the new Porcupine Tree in their next logical progressive rock statement. Both highly recommended to those who like their music challenging and engaging.
I expect a Blackfield and No Man album next year plus another solo venture soon down the road! His sound continues to progress in a very unique and original style...

Best of 2009: Gong 2032

2010-01-01T13:37:00.003-06:00

If you know me, then you know that I have always loved GONG. The humor, the incredible musicianship, the playing, the entire "trip". For such a brief time (1971-1975) they carved out their part in musical history that was so fresh and unique from what everyone else at that time was producing. It is still very ahead of it's time not only in compositional subject but in style.

Gong always embraced the concept of "floating anarchy" as a unit. After Daevid Allen's walk-off-stage event in 1976, when the band continued under Pierre's guidance, as well as into the 90's offshoots, there has rarely been a dictated mandate as far as direction beyond revisiting the older themes. The Radio Gnome Trilogy, like most science fiction stories, has myths, variations, and unusual tales that can be varied as taste dictates. It's always been about whims in the Gong world. Zero, the octave doctors, radio gnome, love projectors, flying teapots and pothead pixies all came Allen in a dream. The trilogy basically wrote itself according to some legends.
So when I heard that after Gong Unconventional 2006 reunion shows, that they would continue to make music as a unit and maybe even record new songs, the first from that unit of players since 1974, I was piqued. I was dying to hear what the new project would sound like. This year brought the album, GONG 2032.

To have Hillage, Boomdido, Howlett, Smith, and Allen together writing and recording as a cohesive unit again (let alone touring as one!) in 2009 is nothing short of amazing. Now, it's sometimes a given that old men and women perhaps rest on their musical laurels, possibly take nostalgic paths through these reunions, and play the well known tunes. Sure, Gong has done that and then taken it the proverbial step further...MAKE A NEW ALBUM. A new album written as part 4 of Radio Gnome Invisible. And bring the legendary story into the future, complete with new modern songs and arrangements! If I sound excited, because...well, I am!!!! They sound like they never quit playing together in all honesty. It is fucking brilliant!

Easily my album of the year, not just for the songs but moreover for the sound. It definitely sounds like a new band with a familiar feel. I love it....

Best of 2009: Bisco Inferno

2010-01-01T12:00:00.002-06:00

The Disco Biscuits is an experience. The music, the peaks, the lights, the dancing, the sounds, the jamming, the ecstasy of the moment when it all comes together. This was their year to shine. I wasn't too into 2008 as I felt they were slacking and playing kinda sloppy. Well, 2009 changed that sentiment!

Taking over Red Rocks for a weekend of jamrock, dubstep, techno, and psychedelia was heavenly. Ogden Theatre was especially a highlight. But we were there for the Bisco red rocks experience and they delivered.
It is on again for 2010 too! See you there...

Best of 2009: Phish Festival 8

2010-01-01T11:23:00.003-06:00

It had been exactly 10 years since I had seen Phish...almost to the month! But it was destined to be when they announced the 4 day festival in Indio, a mere 9 hour drive across the desert for me. Joining me for this trip across the desert was Dr. Claw who flew into Albuquerque for the proverbial haul. It was snowing when we left New Mexico, and sunny when we arrived in Palm Springs. Through snowy Gallop and Flagstaff, cold dry Needles and Joshua Tree, to warm sunny Inland Empire. Four days of total mayhem ensued. 45,000 people invade the Empire Polo Club with ales, nugs, trips, colorful costumes, and beautiful smiles. One cannot describe in words what an amazing time was had by all. As my dispensary owning camping neighbors from Oregon said with a smile, "This place is alive and breathing as one. Yearning for this music." We all agreed as we listened to Phish music all weekend between sets on Bunny radio.
Phish covered EXILE ON MAIN STREET for Halloween evening's second set. They played a total of 13 hours of music over the entire week end. The sickest Ghost in a long time. I had a transcendental experience several different times in that field as the band played. The best 4 days of Phish music any improvisational loving music freek could wish for.
Dr. Claw has never fully recovered back in sweeeeet Virginia. He is now collecting Pollocks like a junkie.
Thank you California for your wine, sweet and bitter fruit, as well as the desert in my toenails...

Yes, I am Still Around

2009-12-23T11:19:00.002-06:00

It has been a very busy year. I have neglected this blog again in response to real life. But I am writer and always feel the need to get it all down, don't I? So since my last ramblings in July, a lot has happened to me. How can I wind it all down in a few sentences?

Lets see....started working in the Health Care field after the swimming pool business tanked in June. Played quite a few Summer ending outdoor parties in Taos. Went to Texas in September and played three gigs in two days. Played a couple more Tech.Know Theory shows as well as an INFLUX. Released a few new tunes, including a ripping one on Dustcity Music. The Wife and I finally bought a house in North Albuquerque. Built a new studio and home theatre in said new house. Like I said, it has been a very busy time...

And in this time of reflection as the Holidays are in full swing, I am thankful for all of the amazing things in my life...
Cheers everyone!!!!!!!!!!

My New Hypothesis

2009-06-12T21:40:00.005-05:00

Tech.Know.Theory? I think that I can write a thesis on that subject. Let alone bring a new wave of that sound to my new hometown of ALBUQUERQUE!

Let it be known that there is some amazing Techno DJ's here in New Mexico. My two favorites, J.Bowra and Myquil are the residents of Albuquerque's best and most well done monthly night, Tech.Know.Theory! They both play separate but similar styles of minimal, tech-house, and techno as one another. However, they a play a more commercial style of our mutually respected and respective sound, which suits them fine. I have always had my ear to the underground, which suits my trip. Dig? Get us all together in one night...forget about it! We are perfect reflections of everything TECHY! It is a dream team made to slay dancefloors. Which we did on the first week-end of June at the Sunshine Theatre in downtown Duke City.

I was there by 10pm after finishing my radio program. Bowra was just getting rolling with letting folks in the door and soundchecking the equipment. The crowd was mostly younger, so the bar portion of the venue was slightly empty, which remained that way most of the night. After quickly slamming two very strong margaritas, I was on the decks to rock an already filled dancefloor. I played two solid hours of all new tunes and promos for the crowd. The new Umek track, the latest from Adam Beyer. The usual suspects. My brand of relentless and slamming techno had the kids moving. One hell of a set! I had a fucking blast.

Then, Bowra and Myquill came on around midnight and totally slayed the place!!!! I went over to One Up for a quick cocktail and a firm hello to Dr. Teddy Spun. Then back to the venue to dig on more techno and hang with the peeps. It was one solid night. Can't wait for another Theory night!

Taos High

2009-05-31T21:16:00.001-05:00

I spent that Friday morning and early afternoon doing necessary things like buying ice, booze, water, and juices, as well as enjoying a good Italian “country” lunch with a fine glass of Nero D’Avola to start the week-end out right. It had been raining all day in Albuquerque, but the Taos forecast said partly-cloudy with a small chance of showers. Plus, I had spoken with my pal Burger on the cell, who insisted that the weather was fine. Around 2pm, I split in the pouring rain. The rain was depressing, especially with all of the planning that had conspired in the month before the event. I wondered if the weather was gonna, dampen our event. Funny enough, the rain was gone the moment I made it to Santa Fe! Partly cloudy indeed. Just past Espanola, up in the Rio Grande gorge, I experienced a few light showers which really made me wonder again if the week-end would be a washout.
After a beautiful 2 hour trip, I was climbing Forest Road 440 up to the week-end destination in Pot Creek, deep within the Carson National Forest. The location was perfect! Sloped hills surrounding a natural valley, tons of shade trees, a huge bonfire area, and a nice open area where the stage was set up. Due to the possibility of rain, the speakers and DJ booth was enclosed within huge shade tents, making it possible to continue the music during the light rains which came and went all week-end. There were already quite a number of people there early, too.

I set up camp, opened up some Lagers, and proceeded to rage. Audio Buddha was supposed to be on by the time I arrived, but due to sound and PA issues, there was no music. I spoke with him for a bit, catching up on times and such while the crews furiously worked on getting the sound working. Once the sound was up, the “check” consisted of the same record over and over. It was this horrible house Michael Jackson Vs. Madonna mash up bullshit, which several of us ended up singing all week-end when we were drunk! In fact, all of us spent most of the week-end drunk and stoned, having a freakin’ wild time. Audio Buddha finally got his set flowing 2 hours late, but none the less enjoyable. He played some Acid House, some originals (I believe), and some damn funky tunes. The next day, his pure Acid House set over at the chill tent was one of the highlights of my Saturday!
Being the awesome host that he is, Dr. Spunyunrings (aka Teddy J) gave up his set in order to keep the music moving along closer to the time schedule. I was majorly disappointed that he didn’t play, but I totally understand…especially since him and Leah Love were the event coordinators and spent much of their time occupied making it the most amazing event that it could be!!!! I missed Teddy playing, but was cool with his decision. Bacon stepped up to the plate, just as the darkness came upon the first evening of the festival, taking us on an epic minimal techno journey through the evening. He set up the night nicely for where we were headed musically. Loved the tunes he played.
Dave Smooth took over around 9:30 starting out with some Prince before commanding the dancefloor with some powerful epic funky house and tech house.

Meanwhile, I was plowing through the ales and dank nugs, plus having skipped dinner, and was getting quite twisted. I realized around the time Dave was finishing up, that I was up to bat and needed to put on my gameface and get fucking with it. After chugging some tequila (thanks Justin) as well as procuring a bottle of water, I was ready. I played all new tunes, all new sounds, all dark techno…that was my trip that evening. It turned out that I played one of the best and most powerful sets that I have ever played in years, too. I had a blast. I just went with it and had a good time, as was the fashion….

This set things up nicely for everyone’s pal Adrack to take us into the Electro Breaks zone. And this he did. It was amazingly funky, acidic, and totally dope. I danced my ass off. Tattooine took over after that taking us into a deeper tech house and electro house zone. He definitely had the bass on that system humming throughout his wicked set. That set things up perfectly for Adem Joel. Deep, dark, bassy, and dubby. He took things into the late night/early morning with panache and brilliance.
At some point during the last part of Adem’s set, I crashed out in my tent. Of course, the music, the rising light from the oncoming morning, and the continuation of the party made my sleep interrupted frequently. I somehow missed Justin George’s set as well as Emily Skyrocker’s, much to my dismay. I love them both and was sad to miss their music.
By the time I got up, the music had shifted to Buddhalicious’ dome, where dubstep and breaks brought in the new day right. After chugging some Frappachino and inhaling some cereal, I toked a bit before checking out the morning. I caught some good bass music over at Buddhalicious’ stage, got higher, and talked with everyone I could. The vibe was total harmony filled with a vast mood for musical expression and diversified taste. I then got busy palnning with Dave Tattooine about getting another timeslot for Dave Smooth and me to do a tag-team set during the afternoon. We were penciled in for three, so I took to enjoying myself quite a bit more. I took a nice little hike over the ridge to this gorgeous meadow overlooking the forest. I made a nice lunch of peanut butter on wheat with banana. Then, I broke into my stash of Indian Pale Ale by early afternoon, drowning in its hoppy goodness. The smoke flowed as well. Music had begun again on the main stage, consisting of DJ’s who were not on the main roster, making for an enjoyable afternoon of excellent as well as unexpected music. At one point, the dubsteppers Mingus and Jai Riddim played a tag set, much to my enjoyment.
By this time, Mister Smooth had fallen asleep on a blanket right in front of the stage, causing many of us to take pictures and film his resting place. He held a Fosters Lager tightly in his fist, crumpled over in a mass of slumber. I wondered out loud if our afternoon tag-team set was off. Funny enough, when I nudged him a bit later to ask if we were still gonna play; he promptly got up ready for task as if he hadn’t been sleeping at all, going off to his Jeep to get his outboard DJ equipment.
Around this same time, my astronomer/physicist friend from Pittsburgh, who happened to be visiting Taos that week-end, showed up on site to hang out with us. Davin and his wife were probably taken aback a bit by our hedonistic party, but none the less fell right into the spirit of the times. After quite a few minutes of conversation and such, Dave and I went on and played our daytime set. We blasted the afternoon with some tight techno in a set we lovingly dubbed “the Mayan Techno Sunshine Rager”…in homage to our musicial choice of playing lots of Playa Del Carmen’s native techno God, Rick Pier O’Neil. One of my favorite times of the entire week-end, since Dave and I consider each other ‘kindred souls’. Davin and the Wife watched for a bit and then took a Carson Forest day hike. After our set, Dave went to eat and sleep, while I went straight for the wine and some dinner. My vegetarian bean salad was just the ticket along with some fine chilled German Vouvray. Davin and his Wife soon returned for their hike and we spent the next hour talking music, politics, internet radio, and such before they split for their Taos bed & breakfast site. It was great to see them and hang out. Glad they could make the trek up that steep hill!
At this point, my consciousness was starting to take on a new perceptive bizarre freakiness. Too much fun all day long! Though I hung out at my tent with some friends, the music was still quite audible and enjoyable.
Swingkid actually made me get up from my chair and check out his set, as well as dance a bit. Nice tight House music, which was perfect for it’s time in the early evening. I loved it! Then, my good pal Deja brought the nighttime energy to a peak. His breaky set was full of amazing acid lines, sub bass, and awesome mixing. He never fails to amaze me! I went back to camp during Anome’s set but still listened in as he flipped the script with some bass heavy dubby soulful tunes. Finally, the stress of the day called me into slumber around midnight. I needed the rest in my high and wasted state of mind. And to dream, I did for a bit.
I woke up with the music stopping at some point deep in the night and someone on the main stage microphone yelling…”Mingus? Mingus? You are up…” Then, up in the hills above my campsite, I heard him answer in a full forest yell…”I’ll be there in a sec…sorry…confused about set time”. I lay there half asleep and listened to his set progress from the beginning, digging the pyshcedlic sounds of his version of dubstep. About 30 minutes in, my friend Brian showed up at my tent with some wicked dank stinky nugs, waking me up, and demanding that I get “blazed” with him and his girl. How could I refuse? I opened up some ales for them, along with some energy drinks for myself, and raged into the sunrise. Mingus’ set was the highpoint of the music for me the entire week-end. At some point, he gave way musically to someone else, but I was too far into inner space at this point to notice who they were or what they played. I do know that after dawn was in full bloom, Blue Sunshine started his set of trance music. And by Trance, I mean full on EPIC trance…not necessarily “sunrise” style but none the less big and melodic. At some point, we blazed yet again, and talked into the morning about life, philosophy, and generational bliss. It was my most relaxed and enjoyable time of the entire festival. It was at this time that I knew I needed to get home for a Sunday full schedule.
After sipping some coffee and necking some vitamins, I broke down camp to call my time to a close. I had a pool party that afternoon to attend (sleep deprived, of course) and needed to drive the 2 hours back to Albuquerque to prepare (as well as get some shut-eye before hand). I said my goodbyes to my friends and colleagues, and drove down the mountain, out of the forest. As Brian Eno’s seminal album TAKING TIGER MOUNTAIN BY STRATEGY” played in my car, I came down the mountain and back into reality. What a fucking amazing week-end….
I will be back to Taos in July for another outdoor one of these amazing raging parties.

Moving Towards Bliss

2009-05-18T09:54:00.005-05:00

Looks like Summertime is in full effect here in New Mexico. Lots of sunshine, perfect temperatures, swimming pools, and barbecues. My favorite time of the year. And lots of outdoor events to play!

I have lots on my gig plate after taking a 3 month hiatus to work on label business and pedal my creative jets. I played last Friday night at Switch, which was quite a great time. The set up was outside on the patio, with a grill cooking burgers and hotdogs, hookahs emitting Fumara shisha smoke, colored lights blending with the night, and good electronic music flowing. A fat time indeed. Carlos B started things out right with some damn fine thumping House music. Digital Continuum, took things over around 10pm with some deep progressive house & Trance. By 11:30, Sketch pull out all of the Techno cards, flowing into full flight as the wind picked up and buzzes started to rage. By the time I hit the decks after midnight, the dancefloor was in full bloom. It's funny how some people in Albuquerque request "Minimal", but actually mean that they want Tech-House!!! No one here plays Minimal anymore...but there are a fair few Tech-House DJ's. I am NOT one of them. I play TECHNO. Uncompromisingly...even though I do also play House on my radioshow. When it comes to gigs, I am straight up peaktime dancefloor madness. Which I delivered at Switch (even with my reservations about the speakers and monitors). I love playing shit that freaks people the fuck out...it's great to watch them just melt on the floor and writhe to the madness. Switch was a great return to the gig decks for me as well as damn fine warm up for the next 3 months of full schedule.

This week-end is COOKIN' in Taos. 3 days of music, food, drink, and community up in the Taos Mountains with hundreds of the greatest people in New Mexico.

The week after is Tech-Know Theory, in downtown Albuquerque at Sunshine Theatre...always a decadent and packed out Saturday night of Techno brilliance.

I am playing my first big headlining gig in El Paso in June at Hush Underground. They have a large venue and the scene to support it. El Paso has probably the most amazing scene in the Southwest really, as witness and blogged recently by Pete Tong. Looking VERY forward to it.

Reviews to follow, along with suntans, sandals, lagers, and nugs.

The Thrill Of It All

2009-02-26T09:57:00.004-06:00

It's been a very busy couple of months for me. And as usual, I have been neglecting this little blog in favor of working.

I took most of December and January off to work on new music in the studio as well as spend time with my family. It was a wonderful Christmas in Santa Fe, with lots of snow on the ground and wickedly cold temperatures. The Wife's family from Texas came to visit and we stayed in an amazing downtown hotel on the plaza. Good food, great wine, and excellent fireplace action every single day. The art gallery tours were fun as was the tequila tastings. It was easily one of the best Christmas' we have spent together.

I spent all of January catching up in the studio and dealing with release schedules for upcoming Mover Music tracks, as well as doing the radioshow. The radioshow has gone from strength to strength as it's listener base grows. It is hard preparing all week with all of the new tunes to play, sequencing what I am going to play, as well as downloading them, and getting a guest mix together. But I seem to pull it off every Saturday night like clockwork, somehow!

I spent the last week-end in January in Texas playing a gig for the Nocturning Minds folks as well as hanging with friends. I arrived on Friday the 30th and stayed with my good friends, Chuck & Michelle at their organic hippie compound in east Fort Worth. We settled in for a huge feast at my favorite Mexican restaurant, Benito's, soon after my arrival. To my surprise, a lot of my friends and fellow DJ's showed up to make it a 15-strong full table. It was great to see Craig Howell & Catfish as well as longtime friends Steve, Heather, Dena, Robert, Mary, Brandi, and Dana, as well as my Uncle Raymond. Margaritas and good food, Texas style! We spent a little time afterwards catching up at The Chatroom Bar next door, sipping beers and making plans. Craig and Catfish ended up back at Craig's for a DJ party that I was supposed to attend, but ended up missing due to my inebriated state! The rest of us settled back at Chuck & Michelle's place for a late night session of drinking and musical conversation. I finally crawled into bed in the "guest suite" (as I lovingly refer to it, since it is always at my dispose every time I visit the Metroplex) around 4 am...after many birthday toasts throughout the night. Did I fail to mention that the 31st was my birthday? Alas...

I awoke on the 31st with a cloudy head and the strong rays of Texas sunshine pounding through the curtains of the guest suite. I felt okay though a little worse for the wear. It was around 11 am, and though Chuck was up and about, Michelle was nursing a serious hangover. And what is better for a hangover than Shiner beer and Texas barbeque?!?!?!?! So, that is where we ended up. Even though I grew up primarily in Fort Worth, it is always a culinary adventure when I return to my hometown. I feel like Anthony Bourdain at times when I visit there. I always try to get Check and Michelle to take me on new food adventures. Now barbecue is a tough one, because so many of these places are well established and have been there before and since I left Texas in 2000. But I had honestly never heard of Sammie's before, even thought it is an old school Texas establishment. So we piled into my Toyota for Belknap & Beach Street. I have probably passed Sammie's hundreds upon hundreds of times in my many years in Texas...hell, I even lived right down the road from it on Yucca street back in the 90's! But there it was, a place I had never ventured for food in my hometown. Boy, was I in for a birthday surprise! The sauce was amazing, the meat cuts perfect, the sides delicious! The beer purports to be the 3rd coldest in Tarrant County according to their many displays, too. The food does us physical justice and the beer brought Michelle back to life. Of course, it also sent her into a new realm of enjoyment! For the rest of the day, we just partied like teenagers, despite the fact that I had a gig to make that night!!! I kept a modicum of sobriety boarding on buzzes, while we just took things to the logical next level. When in Fort Worth, do as the Funky Townees do!!! After lunch, and some relaxing by their pool in the beautiful 75 degree January sunshine, I was treated to a fun tour of their chicken farm and egg production business. Even though they are on the edge of the city, they are zoned for farming, which makes their many acres of backyard land perfect for goats and chickens. The goats are as sweet as can be and they have enough chickens to easily make good money selling the eggs to their many clients. And those eggs are amazing...they taste superb.

We made plans soon after a lazy afternoon in the Sun to meet up with my Uncle down at Fred's Cafe for more beer and catching up with friends. By this point, Michelle was her usual comedic self, full of beer and wit, which is why she is like a sister to me! I love it when she ties one on...she is a machine of jokes and smart ass behaviour. We sat out on the patio of Funky Fred's with a full house of rebel rousers. A shitty folk duo played barely tolerable off key crap which made them the butt of Michelle's many musings for the next few hours. We sipped the local Rahr microbrew and basked in the sun. I ran into many old friends there, a sort of 90's reunion. By the time we left Fred's, Michelle was almost staggering and ready for bed...at 5pm! Luckily, I was driving as well as eating good food, so I was good to go.

After dropping my hosts back at their badass abode, I had plan to play some music before my gig. My longtime best friend, Robert Kramer (bassist extraordinaire as well as one hell of an Ale connoisseur) and I had plans to play some music together in his home studio. He has this incredible Yamaha Studio drum set from the 80's that he always let's me use. It sounds fucking amazing...it was the original studio set at Planet Dallas Studio back in the day (a set I am quite familiar with from my days as a sessionist). We get together, drink some Lauganitas Ales, his wonderful Wife Mary makes some delicious Italian food...and then Robert and I get down on some poly-rhythms! Odd times, funk rhythms, and jazz runs for the next two hours. It was a fucking blast playing with the guy I learned to play with back in the 80's. We can shun playing for a year and get back together and instantly play like a tight machine. It was exhilarating and fantastic to play with him again. And it is only a matter of time before we do this again!

I had to split Robert & Mary's WAY too early to get back to Chuck & Michelle's to pick up my record case for my gig. We said our goodbyes, and I was soon back, and then soon on my way to Afterlife in Dallas. Now, this type of daily activity would ware out anyone my age easily (which took it's toll on me), but after some strong coffee and some good dank nugs, I was good to go again. I arrived at Afterlife just in time to catch some amazing music from my friends, High Maintenance. I have known Matt Pruitt since back in the mid 90's Dallas/Fort Worth rave scene, as well as was a regular patron at his record shop, Tech Sun for many years. It's good to see him really making it happen still as one of the freshest and top players in the Dallas scene. I ended up catching both of his sets with his partner, J Caprice. They rocked me. Afterlife is like this huge Texas-Koresh styled compound with many warehouse areas spread among the land...many different scenes converging, and the entire 1997 RAVE ethos in full effect. It was wild.
My first set started at around 1pm. I played a full on dancefloor set to a full crowd of revellers. Packed dancefloor and good tunes. By this time, I also had more dankness and good ale in me, which made the set all the more fun. I would have loved to stick around from the next DJ's set like I always do, but I was booked to tag in the main building right when I finished. After a quick joint goodbyes to Darren Afrika as well as the lighting techs and the next DJ, I was off running to the main room. I was able to get there in time to play again with my goood friends Joshua Kynd and Jello as THE HAS-BEENS. We played for the next two hours....amazing techno & tribal, 3x4. One of our best gigs together yet. We ended just as the 5 am time limit came upon us.

Everyone split for breakfast; me....I went straight back to Chuck & Michelles for sleep. I awoke at 10:30. Packing quickly, we sped off to a quick Whataburger breakfast before I took the long 9 hour haul home. The drive was total physical DEATH, but luckily road food, vitamins, and good music kept me going until my arrival back home at 9pm. AND it was Super Bowl Sunday, but in the scheme of things, I was really more worried about getting home and wondering if Chelsea FC had won today!

Until next time..............

Slovenski Tehno!!!!!

2009-01-11T15:41:00.003-06:00

I have had the humbling and amazing opportunity to be connected to the Slovenian Techno scene for the last 4 years. After the previous four years of HERO WORSHIP (writing reviews about them, praising them, sending them e-mails), I was finally given the keys to the proverbial castle, by being added to the advance promo pool of several Slovenian labels in 2004. And as a DJ, I have fronted their music here in the States ever since, featuring them on playlists, on music blogs, at gigs, and on my radioshow. For me, supporting their music is a given, since I am already a huge fan. It also gave me the incredible advantage of sounding different than any other DJ in the US.

It seems 2009 is destined to become the YEAR OF SLOVENSKI TEHNO. Their scene has always had amazing music and great support globally. In my gut, I know that their music is fast becoming the vanguard of forward thinking modern Techno. I saw this trend building in 2008, and in the last 2 months, the new releases from 2009 that I have previewed makes this a cold hard fact.

So look out for these names, and mark my words...Umek, Tomy DeClerque, Valentino Kanzyani, F.Sonik, Alexander Madness, Andrew Technique, and Ian F are setting the pace for original modern unique sounding Techno in 2009.

Here are a few examples:

Planet Earth Rock-n-Roll Orchestra

2008-12-03T10:20:00.010-06:00

Those who know me well, know that I have been an unabashed Jefferson Airplane fanatic since my teenage years. I mean all the way...Takes Off through Long John Silver! And it is also no huge surprise that I am deeply into Jorma Kaukonen, Hot Tuna, 70's Jefferson Starship (screw their 80's pop incarnation, though), and especially solo Paul Kantner material as well! I spend a lot of time listening and relistening to the different albums, incarnations, and material from these fine musicians in spurts...usually every couple of months. It is a pleasure of which I wholly admit guilt-free!

Lately, it's been all about P.E.R.R.O. for me...The Planet Earth Rock-n-Roll Orchestra. There once was a time in rock and roll musical history when alliances were formed, ideas were forged democratically, and equality among peers made for perfect studio settings. And in this brief time, Paul Kantner assembled an amazing studio group conglomeration that took root in Wally Heider's San Francisco studio...when schedules didn't conflict and attitudes were free & easy. It all started to come together as a group mind in late 1969, when an amazingly diverse group of famous musicians all made the time to hang out, compose music, and get high together with frequency. The musicians involved were all quite successful in their own right, while having the common situation of all being from different West Coast bands: Kantner, Kaukonen, Jack Cassidy, Grace Slick, David Crosby, Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, Graham Nash, Neil Young, Michael Shrieve, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Joni Mitchell, David Freiberg, Harvey Brooks, Joey Covington, Phil Sawyer. This group of social upstarts made some of the most unique studio recordings together from 1970 until late 1973.

Starting with Paul Kantner's highly under-rated Sci-Fi Rock concept album, Blows Against The Empire, they made records in different incarnations together under the record company guise of "solo" albums. Blows was a Robert Heinlein influenced counter-culture inspired album of epic proportions that was primarily "written" by Slick & Kantner. And it was even nominated for a Hugo Award in 1970! As the conceptual narrative unfolds, guitar solos come from nowhere, rhythms shift unexpectedly, and folk songs merge with psychedelic manifestos. It's a beautiful mess of styles, idealism, and jamming. Highly recommended!

The second of these PERRO albums is David Crosby's first solo record, If I Could Only Remember My Name. Their combined creative nature and natural musical interplay forged an intelligent and progressive compositional body of tunes. Folky guitars mixed with polyrhythms, wild rambling improvisational soloing, 4 part harmonies, and studio experimentation. It is psychedelic, beautiful, and powerful music. Crosby's album soared with amazing guitar interplay as well as his beautifully haunting vocal work. It is a perfect accompaniment with a damn good bottle of wine, some fine herb, and a fireplace on a cold winter night. Highly recommended!

The PERRO crew continued to play on each other's albums culminating in the brilliant Mickey Hart solo album, Rolling Thunder in 1973. By that time, their ranks had swelled with members of Big Brother & The Holding Company, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Tower Of Power, Country Joe & The Fish, Sly & The Family Stone, and The Sons Of Champlin. Mickey's album has the power, the spontaneity, and brilliance that the supergroup always brought to the studio.
Not to mention some amazing group compositions. I was first introduced to it in 1986 during a powerful psychedelic experience...in a Westover Hill-top mansion at dawn as a raging lightning storm pelted the huge glass windows with small hail, tree debris, and sideways rain. It was the perfect setting for having one's mind blown by the combination of weather and musical incantations. Of course...highly recommended!

PERRO were a brain-trust of brilliant West Coast musicians with like minded goals and friendship to harness their collective creative pulse. By 1974, career paths and schedules conflicted such Utopian musical gatherings as they faded into their own musical orbits. It was a beautiful time when record companies didn't intervene into the creative process and musicians were able to create virtually anything music that they could imagine. In 1983, Kantner once again resurrected the PERRO name for his album Planet Earth Rock-n-Roll Orchestra, bringing in those who could make it from the original line-up, along with some new recruits from his Starship. He even dedicated the tune Mountain Song to some absent friends: "to David C, Jerry G, Graham N, Grace S, David F, Billy K and Mickey H and to one summer when all of our schedules almost didn't conflict."

The Jam

2008-11-24T17:09:00.003-06:00

My 6 year old daughter was recently going through my CD collection for new music to listen to (as she does every so often), and inadvertently discovered The Jam. She was jamming in her room much to my delight, digging the tunes like they were some new hip Disney boy band.
I found it especially joyful that she liked the first couple of albums, in their punk-mod glory. Her discovery has made me really spark a renewed interest in Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton, & Rick Buckler. I've been listening to the albums in the car as much as possible, rediscovering the beauty, timelessness and joy of their sound.

Back Once Again...

2008-11-22T09:40:00.005-06:00

Man, it was a busy Summer and Fall. That left little time for this little ol' Blog, which got neglected and forgotten for months. I even missed the one year anniversary of my first post!

But now I am back, with my time more organized, prioritized. The last five months have been a whirlwind of activity and life.

It all started to get out of control with priorities and life at the beginning of July. I was offered the job that I was really wanting! The money offered was really good, but it was quite demanding from the get-go. I stepped into an upper management role that had been neglected for months, so it was like walking into an oncoming hurricane. Luckly, I deal well with stress and have spent the last 5 months making the position mine while streamlining it while adding things that I do best.

I was offered a great gig opening for legendary rave-godfather and LA figurehead Richard Vission at Albuquerque's notorious den-of-sin, Club 7. The gig was decadence and hedonism on parade...girls dancing in the their underwear, pills galore, and a packed house of freaks. And I stuck to my guns and played pure Techno, unlike most DJ's who bow down to the taste of the hour and play Electro. My set went down very well despite my refusal to play "popular" music. I had the whole place dancing! A few months later, Club 7 was busted in a front page raid, the owners subjected to lawsuits and jail time for the crazy shit that undercover police saw in their on-going investigations. I must admit that I saw everything that they report on the one night that I spent there! I have also played Mike's, Hooka Kings, and Party In The Park in Albuquerque in the last 5 months. But, because of a new weekly Saturday night show, I have been turning down more gigs that I have had the chance to play. You see, I also started a new weekly Internet radio program, HIGH DESERT RHYTHMS, on http://www.lowercasesounds.com/ at the beginning of July. Three hours of techno, tech-house, and progressive electronica every Saturday night, hosted by yours truly. It is another milestone in the masterplan of things that I wanted to do when I moved out to Albuquerque. The show has grown exponencially since July and now has a great audience and gains listeners by the month.

I played my first New Mexico gigs outside of Albuquerque in August, starting with the Earthdance Festival in Los Alamos. It was a blast!!! I made a lot of Santa Fe and Taos connections that week-end up at Pajarito Mountain, while turning out one of the best two hour sets of my year, during a beautiful sunset on Saturday night. It was wonderful time and one of the best festivals I have played in years! Definately will be back there again. I also have played in Santa Fe for the same promoters last month, which secures me more gigs up that way, thus keeping me busy locally.

I travelled to Texas last month for the Nocturning Minds folks to play Full Circle, which was a hedonistic blast! It's nice to still play Dallas at least three times a year as well as eat at my favorite restaurants, hang with old friends, and party my ass off! I am booked again in January for what promises to be one hell of a week-end...

I will be blog posting here with more frequency now that I have negotiated my time & lifestyle with better planning!

Festival De La Paz

2008-06-23T09:52:00.007-05:00

Since I am originally a Texas boy, specifically a Dallas/Fort Worth native, I have the very fortunate privilege of getting to play gigs out there still with some frequency. That being the case, I was more than thrilled and excited to play this years second annual Festival De La Paz up in the scenic Red River Valley in beautiful Saint Jo Texas. Lush rolling hills, sweeping canyons, lots of shade trees, and 48 hours of non stop music. Hundreds of people...and no security! It was like a Utopian community of like-minded people all grooving with purpose. And there was no incidents outside of someone stealing Darren Afrika's t-shirt and someone stealing my camping chair. Events like this aren't just planned; they are accomplished! It was one incredible week-end for the books!

This year, there were three stages...two of dance music and one of rock music, although I didn't spend more than 5 minutes at the rock stage! It was all about the beats for me. This years festival was really more like a big conference of Dallas/Fort Worth DJ's, producers, label managers, and live PA's. It was packed with talent and their respective entourages. For those who missed their set or were simply to fucked up to play, all the bases were totally covered. Sudden impromptu DJ sets were covered by friends and acquaintances, with on the spot tag team sets. Some of the best sets of the week-end were not even on the schedule. When some DJ didn't show up for their set, it was ON! Jello aka Acidtone, Joshua Kynd, and I played for two solid hours on Friday night, trying to outdo each other with wicked tracks and mind-numbing psychedelic techno. James Meadows and Cyberina Flux covered 5 hours with psy-trance and ambient music. Joshua and John Walker played for 4 hours solid on Saturday morning. Doctor J stood by the MST Stage filling in sets all week-end, whipping out the most amazing dub & dubstep. Too bad for those DJ's who missed the boat at De La Paz! You missed OUT!

Friday, the MST Stage started out with a 3 hour onslaught of psychedelic music courtesy of Doctor J. It was the perfect week-end opener! DJ Juju rocked it well during the Sunset over on the Nocturning Stage, serenading the sky with beats and sweet melodics. Jello, Josh, and I filled out the main evening hours at MST playing tag-team techno, until 4 Peace & J.Caprice brought out the Jack House at 11pm. They were like a machine with the relentless rhythm and looping riffs. Totally tight! DJ Mocean from Tulsa then proceeded to rip it up with the electro & techno goodness, even dropping his latest dancefloor bomb, Adrenachrome, to peak his set.

I split at the end of Mocean's set to head over to check out U Chin's set. On the way over, I heard five minutes of some amazing progressive/jamrock band at the Rock stage, while at Josh Kynd's mosquito tent, while watching him lose an epic battle of Fila Soccer on the Playstation to a triumphant Bo. These boys had a fucking 60" TV hooked up with playstation right in the middle of the rock stage campgrounds. Papasan chairs and all! Fucking sweet! That 2-1 victory was echoed all week-end by Bo, too. We sauntered over to watch U Chin throw down the micro-house and techno with surgeon-like precision. It was epic. Nocturning Minds soundsystem run by JP was so very tuned in and perfect.

By 3am, we were all very very twisted. The tequilas that Josh and Bo whipped up, the endless micro-brews, the nugs, and the night all culminated in a debauched frenzy. Our little entourage ended up over at the MST Stage to catch The Godfather, James Meadows, and Cyberina Flux throw down the psy-trance. I also somehow managed at one point to make it back over to the Nocturning Stage to catch 30 minutes of Dub Commission, despite being awake at this point for almost 20 hours without more stimulation than alcohol and food. By the time I made it back to my tent it was around dawn.

I caught a couple of hours of sleep before stumbling up and making it to James Pritchards burrito breakfast at the Nocturing Stage. A lot of them folks were still awake and still raging. A couple of cups of coffee and good food down, I was game for the rest of the day. I settled in a chair behind the MST Stage and watched the last hours of John Walkers epic 4 hour sunrise set. It was nice to see how many people were up and still getting down the next morning in total hedonistic festival style. It was around this time that Bo got me blazed out of my mind, and when the chair became my home for the next two hours. Dragonman was up at 11 AM and proceeded to tear it up. Dubstep in the morning is such a great thing! It blew my fragile egg-shell mind, finally getting me up to groove, thus taking my buzz to another level. I managed to suck down a couple of Fat Tires around noonish and left to catch Cyberina Flux's amazing IDM set from the shade-tree behind the mainhouse near the Nocturning area. It was nice to hear such diverse musical styles in one place! She always blows my mind, as does her beaux, Mister Nobody. It was great afternoon of music. I spent most of Saturday in a stoned haze bouncing between camps and stages, catching little glimpses of everyone's collective trip. After an amazing supper of cheese-burgers (thank you Josh & Amber & Bo) and spicy chicken shishkabobs (thank you James & Cybrina), I was ready to get in my two nighttime sets and spend my night in dance reverence.

I caught all of Josh's amazing minimal techno set at MST before shoving off to play my sunset slot at Nocturning. To my happy surprise, the Godfather aka Nobody aka James Meadows was procuring an absent DJ's spot with his brilliant melange of tunes. He took the sun right to the brink of setting, and I followed up bringing on the night with hard hitting druggy techno. I had a great crowd grooving to my entire set, thank you to the amazing fire dancers and wicked people who stayed for the duration. Dub Commission followed me and took it to the next level! It was pure bass communion. I headed back over to the MST for the rest of the night at some point. I caught the end of Cory B's set which was smoking and led straight into a sick set of psychedelic house and tech from Monarch. The MST stage was packed out at this point. I sipped a few beers and maintained a semi-coherent state to play my Midnight Solstice set. It was easily the best and most enjoyable set that I have played as my 12 years as a DJ. The sound was perfect, the people were twisted, and I spun a solid drug-music set of left-field techno and driving minimal. Easily my most fulfilling moment as a DJ. I handed off the arena to the Perfect Strangers and they took off. They were playing their first live gig, Patchen and Sean Anderson, and it was obvious that they had the tunes and sound to take us THERE. An hour and a half of wicked grooves and twisted sounds. Easily the set of the week-end! By this time, Bo and Josh had the tequila flowing again and I was off in a debauched haze until morning. I remember Josh and then Jello playing tribal house at some point on the MST stage. I remember watching the fire dancers. I remember looking at the stars in the clear sky as the moon shone down upon us. I remember being wasted and happy. It was quite a beautiful and intense night.

I woke up at 8am to birds chirping and a breezy cool morning. I made camp coffee and packed up my belongings for my 8 hour journey home. I was sad that it all went by so fast but thankful for such an amazing week-end with my Texas friends. But before I headed back to New Mexico, I bid farewell to my Texas friends whom I think of as extended family. We will all do this again.

The Albuquerque Report-Part 3

2008-06-04T11:51:00.003-05:00

Things that I am getting used to:

1-Little or no humidity. We have cooling humidifiers going all the time in the house. No wonder everyone here uses swamp coolers to cool their homes!

2- The Altitude. We are at almost the same altitude as Denver...really. Our pad in the Sandia foothills is at 5170 feet elevation. Exercising took some getting used to. Climbing the stairs in my condo was a chore for the first couple of months.

3-Static Electricity. See number 1. Everyone has it, everywhere you go. They're used to it here evidently. I shocked the Wife kissing her. My daughter shocks the cat simply by petting her. Static Guard is our friend.

4-Lack of True Mexican Food. Don't get me wrong...I love New Mexican cuisine! But I also love variety. I love the Central and Yucatan styles, too. EVERYTHING HAS GREEN CHILE ON IT HERE! Fucking McDonalds sells Green Chile burgers as does Wendy's, Burger King, etc. I really am craving real Tulum styled soft steak tacos lately...we have to drive to Rio Rancho or Coralles just to find Central Mexican cuisine...and even they offer Green Chile on it! Now I am not complaining here...just seeking some variety.

5-The Sunshine. Break out the SPF80! It is always sunny...and I love it. But it takes some getting used to.

We went to Old Town this past week-end and ate at the first place we visited upon our first arrival in town. The streets are lined with vendors. It was packed at noon. In the town square after lunch, there was music and dancing at the main gazebo. Walking around with my daughter, I noticed how many Europeans were there. It was tourist central! I had never seen it like that before because my previous visit was on a Monday. It was really neat hearing all of the languages flowing past in conversation. Speaking with one of the shop owners as the Wife perused jewellery, she told me more Europeans are visiting Albuquerque than ever before.

I went out for drink with a friend to a downtown bar & grill. The food they were serving was French! The bar was full of fine micro-brews on tap. The music was garage roots-rock. Very unique and culturally stunning. This place never ceases to amaze me. i just have to get used to some aspects of it!

1990

2008-05-25T21:20:00.010-05:00

People ask me why...all the time...."You're a rock and roll guy. You play a dozen or so musical instruments. You listen to prog rock, garage rock, and jambands all the time. WHAT made you...what possessed you...to start listening to...and to start producing...{gasp}...TECHNO?"

The answer to all of this is simple really....1990. The Stone Roses. Happy Mondays. MADCHESTER. I-D magazine. Spiral Tribe. Shoom. Psychic TV. Acid House. Wax Trax.

Everything was changing in 1990. I was slightly disillusioned with rock music after my tenure with Toadies. There was alot of experimental music and scenes lending themselves to the progressive "forward moving" musical elements that I sought in my life. And I have always been a dancer. Technology had caught up with the music. And I wasn't about to let myself become left behind. Thus, moving forward I found the sound that piqued my musical interest.

I was listening to the Stone Roses this week-end...their debut album still sounds very very FRESH in the harsh light of 2008. The rhythms, the basslines, combined with the bluesy funk guitar riffs and the soft almost chant vocals...all so very original at the time. Years later, there are still bands that copy that blueprint. The entire Brit-Pop movement was completely Stone Roses influenced. The current trance-fusion sound in jamband culture is also quite similar in structure and tone to what the Roses & Happy Mondays were doing. Rock structure, funk rhythms, and electronic basis.

House music was introduced to me by a friend named John, who had recently come back from a trip to London in late '89. Being quite a libertine at the time, I was all about new underground ideas and new musical sounds. The records he brought back from the UK were labeled ACID HOUSE. Like nothing I had ever heard at the time. It was psychedelic dance music!!! Right up my alley! Hypnotic and melodic. I was immediately smitten. He also brought back I-D magazines which described the burgeoning dance culture that was on fire in London, Chicago, New York, and Detroit. My little party crew (ESP) incorporated dance music into our warehouse "happenings" immediately. I mixed with a tape deck and a turntable. Industrial was turning into dance music as well. Wax Trax had bands like Fini Tribe. Meat Beat Manifesto had suddenly become very very funky. Psychic TV went from Industrial noise to Acid House almost overnight!

In 1990, things were changing in music. And that is what led me down the road to becoming a techno producer.

My Pal, Wayne

2008-05-11T10:41:00.005-05:00

I have been an unabashed Flaming Lips fan since around 1987, when I first saw them at Theatre Gallery in Deep Ellum, Dallas. I remember that first show vividly, despite my stoned teenage memory. They had more hair then any other band that I had ever seen. They chain smoked cigarrettes while setting up their equipment and also while playing. They were loud enough to send some folks screaming while others relished the power of their music. And they were like Neaderthal punk-metal gods with a psychedelic sheen to them. Their concert posters looked like LSD-induced nightmares. Everything about them was so out of sorts with the post-punk mid 80's, yet everything about them was totally in sync with where my head was at the time. I must have seen them 20 times in the late 80's. We used to have a joke about them, that they played more times with Three On A Hill then Tench Coxe (I told that joke to Wayne when we met up in a Mall in North Oklahoma City around Christmas 2004...and he laughed, actually remembering hearing it before). For me, they epitomized the beugeoning Dallas music scene in the 80's as much as any band that was local. They fucking played all the time back in the old days. It was routine to see them open for as well as headline shows in Deep Ellum back then. I remember tripping acid with some friends in Denton one Friday night back then while listening to "OH MY GAWD..." and "TELEPATHIC SURGERY", and then going to see them the next night. For me, and a lot of people, they epitomized the psychedelic 80's and the Deep Ellum scene.

I spoke with Wayne numerous numerous times throughout the last 30 years, enough that he actually recognizes me now. Last time I saw him Oklahoma City at Abuelo's Restaurant, he actually mused that I was from another time and place, always appearing out of nowhere. In reality, I told him, I just moved a lot and lived a nomadic life due to my job and lifestyle. I used to regularly talk to him back in the 80's at Deep Ellum shows, in the 90's twice in Portland at La Luna before they played, once in Seattle at Rock Candy, a few times at the Parking Lot Experiments in Austin, and a bunch of different times when I'd run into him in Oklahoma City (where I lived for 4 years). He is the most genuine and down-to-Earth personality that I have ever met in the music industry. His Wife, Michelle, is so nice that my Wife and I have been invited to their house on a couple of different occasions. They are very interesting people who live the way they want. Conversations with them range from the surreal to the political. And one can never top Wayne for sheer bombastic moments in comversation.

It's great to see my favorite band grow with time, progress, and continue to bloom. I figured recently that I have seen them over 60 times in the last 30 years, which is like Grateful Dead devotion. I have seen every phase of their musical devolopment, every line up, etc. I was at the famous UFO's At The Zoo show at the OKC Zoo which for me was the pinacle of Flaming Lips brilliance. Nothing before or since has topped that show. When they encored with "Love Yer Brain", I was taken back to 1988 when I first heard my friend Bryan Bowden play that album in a Magnolia Warehouse in Fort Worth, which is how I first heard of my favorite band. And that moment put things into perspective for me, a life long fan. I will be seeing them twice this Summer...

Bowl Of Oranges (For Alysia)

2008-04-24T20:32:00.002-05:00

The rain, it started tapping on the window near my bed. There was a loophole in my dreaming, so I got out of it.
And to my surprise my eyes were wide and already open.
Just my nightstand and my dresser where those nightmares had just been.
So I dressed myself and left then, out into the gray streets.
But everything seemed different and completely new to me.
The sky, the trees, houses, buildings, even my own body.
And each person I encountered, I couldn't wait to meet.
And I came upon a doctor who appeared in quite poor health.
I said "..there is nothing that I can do for you
that you can't do for yourself."
He said "Oh yes you can. Just hold my hand. I think that would help."
So I sat with him a while and then I asked him how he felt.
He said, "I think I'm cured. No, in fact, I'm sure.
Thank you stranger, for your therapeutic smile..."

So that is how I learned the lesson that everyone is alone.
And your eyes must do some raining if you are ever going to grow.
But when crying don't help and you can't compose yourself.
It is best to compose a poem, an honest verse of longing or simple song of hope.
That is why I'm singing...Baby don't worry cause now I got your back. And every time you feel like crying,
I'm gonna try and make you laugh. And if I can't, if it just hurts too bad,
then we will wait for it to pass and I will keep you company
through those days so long and black.
And we'll keep working on the problem, we know we'll never solve
Of Love's uneven remainders, our lives are fractions of a whole.
But if the world could remain within a frame like a painting on a wall.
Then I think we would see the beauty.
Then we would stand staring in awe, at our still lives posed, like a bowl of oranges,
like a story told, by the fault lines and the soil....

Word and Music by Bright Eyes (Conor Oberst)

Grass For Blades

2008-04-15T08:14:00.003-05:00

Atomic man, embossed on hues of
Money greens that swell and ooze,
will Scratch his chin as if to muse
that All this winning meant to lose
Though he slaved and hate his dues,
Here he was, no time to choose
A way to change and try to fuse
him-self into the way the queues around him...

"Attack you fools!" the captain bawls,
"I have your heads upon my walls!"
Rows of heroes crouch to crawls, bomb
Bamboo huts and village halls, smash
Ping-pong bats with cannon balls, as
Ali-Baba's sheiks and sauls
Debag Goliath as he falls
While the Statue Of Liberty climbs and mauls everything...

Champagne for the hero whore
And watch your step in all that gore
But not too much, he'll scream for more
"El pres. advices from the door"
For though he's filled from skin to core
It's not enough he'll whine for sure, so
Say it's we who keep the score, and
nail him back upon the floor, yeh"...

So there he works, still at large
Behind his smiles and his camouflage
Of nice white coats and college grades that
Hide blue suits with golden braids
And though I hope the smell just fades
It does not go but leads to raids on
Bamboo huts in country glades
Where the people use the grass for blades...ain't that something?

WIGWAM...1976...words and music by Jim Pembroke

Klaus Dinger RIP

2008-04-03T09:19:00.003-05:00

The great Klaus has fallen. One of the true music originals. Member of Organization, original member of Kraftwerk, founder of NEU!, and La Dusseldorf. He was a visionary, taking electronic music and rock music to new levels. And he was an influence on techno, electro, and dance rock music. And a hero of mine.

Fur Klaus....

The Albuquerque Report-Part 2

2008-03-31T13:34:00.002-05:00

Well, after a month and one-half in this wonderful place, all is definitely well. In fact, it's better than it's been anywhere else. A new vibrancy seems to flow through me like never before. The artisan environment and creative atmosphere that lives and breathes within this place has me enraptured.
The Wife is happier than she has ever been with her career as am I. I am more creative than I have ever been with music and writing. We are in the best physical shape than we have been in yet. The Daughter loves her new friends and school. The weather is always beautiful. The people are friendly and easy going. There are thousands of places we have yet to experience here in this state.

Could we have stumbled upon the happiest and most vibrant community we have ever encountered?

It just gets better and better with each passing day.

Kevin Ayers

2008-03-16T11:40:00.003-05:00

Being the dedicated Soft Machine fanatic that I have been for a majority of my years, I was actually never too fond of Kevin Ayers' solo work until quite recently. And I now, I kick myself in retaliation of not listening to him much more than I have up until recently! There was always a copy of JOY OF A TOY and WHATEVERSHEBRINGSWESING around in my youth, but I just never gave it the chance it needed to pique my attention. Maybe it was too "pop" for me at the time, but now I find myself listening to tons of Ayers wondering if age and maturity has brought him around to my attention! Or maybe it's his latest album, The Unfairground, which made me crate dig and rediscover the beauty and brilliance of his earlier works. Funny that Kevin and Robert both put out new albums last year, and both are amazing works. Kevin had been in semi-retirement (much like Robert was before Dundestan) until recently. Last time I saw him live was in '94 in Portland with Daevid Allen, but I was mostly impressed with Daevid and not too impressed with the sullen and obviously drunk Kevin Ayers. With Kevin back on the radar again, I think it's time that more people payed attention to this English psychedelic folk genius...

The National Fiery Foods Show

2008-03-03T17:10:00.009-06:00

I must admit that I am a hardcore "foodie", as is my Wife. And being the gourmands that we are, this weekend's 20th Annual National Fiery-Foods & Barbecue Show in Albuquerque was phenomenal. You see, the misses and I like it SPICY...and it has to have a unique variety of tastes and originality. We were NOT disappointed. The Stellas Artois did flow, the taste buds were dazzled, and we left satisfied along with a full bag of sauces, soups, and recipes. I felt very Bourdain, and it felt good.

We went along with three other friends who also dig the HEAT and share the same passion for the gourmet experimentation that goes with these type of trade shows. After many chicken jerk sauces, fiery salsas, flat out hot sauces, tasty barbecue marinades, soups, and infused experimental fusions of taste, along with many many beers and colas, we all judged what we tasted. We were all smart enough to keep track of the vendors as well as clear our palettes before making our judgements. It was also very crowded and clearly easy to see who was popular and who was merely adequate (look for the crowds at the booths).

OUR WINNERS:
All Spice Cafe from Venice California gets a big thumbs up for their tasty tasty Choptle Garlic as well as Cayenne Habanero sauces. They also had a sweet hot sauce which is not yet on their website that would make an excellent marinade! They really made an impression on our taste buds.

Flaming Joe had the most incredible Jamaican Jerk sauce that I have ever tasted. And it turns out to be a first place winner in that category. It was perfect and beautifully spiced. Reminded me of Montego Bay.

The winner for most original tasting sauce went to Green Bandit. They had some truly amazing sauces, but their Basil Serrano was hands down winner for originality. It can be used as a marinade or alone as a condiment. Easily the most unique sauce that we tasted. And it's a beautiful melange of flavors.

The winner for best salsas was easily Garden Fresh Salsas from Ferndale Michigan. Yes, I said Michigan, Land of Lakes in the North. How did they compete with all of the southern salsas? All natural, all organic, and perfectly spiced, that's how. We bought both the Scotch Bonnet Salsa as well as the Jacks Special. They really have their spices and taste just right on both varieties. It was a big hit with all of us. At our afterparty, we devastated a bottle of the Jacks Special, even after spending hours at a food trade show. It's that good!

The winner for best barbeque sauce went hands to Jim Campbell, Indiana fireman and commercially pepper farmer. He sauce was original and unique, not mention trasty. He also had his Mild To Wild sauces that stunned all of us as well. His Fiery Hot Habanero buzzed me well, while his delicious Chipotle Sauce was the Wife's favourite. Then he whipped out the Haz Mat Sauce...and my mouth became numb. But it was a good numb. He is a pepper artist!

Speaking of numb, the hottest thing I put in my mouth was fortunately the last thing that I tasted. After tasting several excellent Torch Bearer Sauces, I was sent for a loop...67,582 Scoville Units of heat. I didn't expect it either. The #42 Slaughter Sauce was devastating. It was also on the last row at the end so it was only fitting that I got myself slayed by the last dragon. I was in tears. It was utterly delicious and wicked. I literally chugged my Stella and went for another. I kept pilfering chips from other vendors to try to quell the heat. The Wife and our friends just laughed at me. Our friend Chris said that just a small amount numbed his entire mouth. It was amazing. But it actually hurt. I have a cast iron stomach, but it actually made me feel ill for a few minutes. I soon recovered...

Along with some of the aforementioned "winning" sauces, we also purchased some local soup mix from Comida Loca that was excellent. And the local Italian restaurant, Luigi's, gave us a good sampling of their spicy marinara that made us yearn for more. My daughter actually ate three samples with bread sticks and wanted more. Definitely on our restaurant tour of the future. It was also nice to local New Mexican restaurants like El Pinto and Cervantes show them how it's done here in the land of enchantment. Both had their wares on display and both were quite popular as well as delicious.

Tonight, I'm gonna have to go for more of the Scotch Bonnet salsa with my meal. It's a given!

Thomas Pynchon, Part 2

2008-03-01T10:39:00.003-06:00

After finishing Thomas Pynchon's epic World War 2 novel, GRAVITY'S RAINBOW, quickly reading a Kerouac biog and then DHARMA BUMS, I am deeply into Pynchon's fine take on 80's Americana, VINELAND. This book is much less verbose than GRAVITY's, and much more enjoyable. It's my first time reading it and it's so very well thought out and composed.

As mentioned in this blog before, I may end up reading (or actually re-reading) everything the man has written all the way up to his latest book, AGAINST THE DAY.

The Albuquerque Report

2008-02-27T18:43:00.002-06:00

I have been a full time resident now for 12 days. It has snowed twice yet been sunny every single day. Most days are 50 degrees, and this is Winter.
The food is amazing. SO amazing, that we have starting cooking it ourselves.
Got a kick ass amazing corporate job with Pool Corp that starts in mid March. Met a lot of incredible people in my first 12 days. Already getting lined up with promoters and other DJ's.
I live in NE Heights right by Tramway/Montgomery and the Mountains. Every amazing sunset is viewed from my upstairs balcony. The Wife and daughter also love this place.

I can finally purchase Fat Tire, Widmer, and Red Hook again.

I am fucking in heaven....

Soft Machine

2008-02-19T09:39:00.003-06:00

Everyone who knows me knows that I am huge unabashed SOFT MACHINE fanatic. Lately, our youtube friends have been posting some amazing Softs clips. Rare and hardly scene stuff. Bless youtube for being so damn interesting and ever fluxing! I wished for something like it back in the 90's when MTV deceided to quit playing music videos!

Here's some hot Soft Machine clips:

The Soft Machine was: Robert Wyatt, Mike Ratlidge, Kevin Ayers, Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean. Best damn avant jazz rock ever!!!

Home Again

2008-02-17T20:50:00.003-06:00

We are now in Albuquerque. It was one hell of a journey though. Just like in 2001 when we left Texas, and again in 2004 when we left North Carolina, the day we left was COLD and the rain was relentless. It was a long long journey. It rained unmercilessly from Stillwater all the way to Amarillo. Sheets of rain. Monsoonal. Icy bridges. Complete washouts. We ended up spending the night in Santa Rosa because I40 was closed outside of Albuquerque due to heavy snow the day we were travelling. Luckily, the sun was out in New Mexico, melting the 4 inches of snow off the roads. We were able to make it into Albuquerque yesterday with no problems besides mountain winds.

We love this place. And we plan on staying here for a long long time.

Remorse

2008-02-11T16:20:00.001-06:00

I fucking feel terrible. I've had this beautiful siamese cat for 8 years, Sapphy. I bought her from a pet store because she looked sad. She was always a little "different" and "quirky". She has always been pretty nice to me but hates everyone else, including my daughter. She hissed at my family, shat on floors, and was generally uncouth and unclean for the last 6 years. But we tollerated it.
Today, I took her to the Shelter and basically dumped her out of our lives. It was a decision that I pondered for weeks before doing it, but it was obvious that it had to happen. We tried to give her to a new home but to no avail. I feel like shit about it. But she hated living with us and made it obvious. She was becoming downright arrogant and hateful. It still makes me feel like I failed as a pet owner. It's been eating at me all day. Especially the look she gave me as I handed her over. She howled and gave me this sad look of abandonment. God, I feel terrible.

Our good Siamese companion of 17 years, Simone, is now pacing the house and calling out for her. Man...I feel terrible.

New Mexico

2008-02-05T20:08:00.001-06:00

Well, I just spent 6 days in my new hometown of Albuquerque. Some of my friends who live there mentioned the phrases "culture-shock" as well as "different", but I felt right at home. It was an awe-inspiring trip.

Despite having a raging fever and lingering bacterial infection in my lungs upon arrival, I bounced back quickly and got down with the pace of my new city. It only took 24 hours for me to realize that I was HOME. The Mountains are incredible, the food is amazing, the attitude is progressive, the liberal-minded scene is right up my alley, and the scenery is perfect. I feel like I did back in 1990...the first time I set foot in Portland Oregon...only this time, I am more mature, able, and ambitious. There is a wonderful attitude to everyone that I met this trip. Made me feel right at home.

10 more days and I am out of Oklahoma and into a new World. Time is my nemesis at this point. BRING IT ON!

Disco Biscuits

2008-01-20T12:31:00.002-06:00

Just read that the Bisco did a 49-minute version of I-MAN last night in Vail. Full on "techtronica" jam style. Now, I know they usually do long tunes, but this is over the top and totally awesome to these ears...can't wait to hear this show! They have been on fire for the past year, and looks like the Jamaica run as well as the New Years Circo-Bisco shows are seeing them take it to a new level of trance-fusion jamtronics.

Here's a nice overview of New Years Eve to give you some idea of the insanity that is Bisco:

Go see this band if they come your way in 2008!

Holidaze

2007-12-30T19:15:00.001-06:00

Spent a week in Texas with the Families for Christmas. Played some gigs, spun some shows, sipped some 18 year old Scotch, drank a lot of beer and wine, ate incredible food, and generally revelled in being back in my hometown for a spell. It was an awesome 8 days. Nice to see my town growing and looking better than ever, as well as my old friends.

The Gideons played our final show...unless they hire another drummer, which I hope they do. It was a freakin awesome show too, captured for posterity on video. Carl sang from behind a pulpit. We did the wickedly amazing double bass assault thanks to Lee and Blake. And Chuck fucking tore it up on lead guitar. I'm really gonna miss playing with them.

I did a private studio reunion with my old band from teenage years, E S P. We played a lot of our back catalogue and as par for our course, improvised a new tunes. It was a fucking blast as well. 20 years later, and we still sound great together. The chemistry is there. If I lived in Texas, I would definitely consider a revised proposition of our band situation.

Looking back on a productive and creative year, I see only more possibilities and endeavors for 2008. The label will expand exponentially, my creative partnership with Angela will become a full blown PROJECT situation under a new name (details to soon follow). And Terry Vernixx will now become a DJ name as well as solo project.

Cheers!

ABSENTEE REPORT

2007-12-12T14:06:00.001-06:00

In the 2 full months since I wrote in this little ole blog, a lot has happened to me.
I played a lot of gigs. I mastered more music for 2008 releases. I rehearsed and gigged with The Gideons. I started mountain-biking again. And our family has decided to move away from Oklahoma.
Yes, it's true. After some time here, we are gone. Literally 4 years almost to the day when we arrived in Oklahoma. This February, we leave and move to our new home, ALBUQUERQUE NEW MEXICO! It is quite fucking exciting.

While I have made many friends here, it is time to ramble on. We feel that this place is culturally abandoned and intellectually bankrupt to us. We have to travel to see shows or shop or see art or find beautiful mountains to camp next to and hike. The economy and cost of housing is a joke. And let's face it, everything and everyone here seems to be obsessed with college athletics, particularly football...which we loathe. So, the time is at hand to move, make double the amount of money doing the same exact jobs in a place with the same cost of living, and get to see art, go to shows, climb mountains, hike, and have conveniences that we have missed. I will not miss living in Oklahoma. I will only miss my friends.

"I got to Ramble..."

Projects and Hiatus Activities

2007-10-24T13:13:00.001-05:00

Gee...I need to post here more often! My little blog is getting the last priority during my hiatus from DJ gigs. Need to find more time!

Well, what can I say...it's been a busy October. Spending a lot of time in the studio working on music. Finishing new tracks for the upcoming GOLDEN TALISMEN album, due out in Spring 2008 on avant god music. I have been making tons of new Techno & House tracks for upcoming Mover Music singles, too. No less than 6 new tracks in either production or mastering phases. It has been a really creative and expressive time for my....the muse is here and isn't going away. I always seem to write more in Fall and Winter, though. Spring and Summer is fun time, and I rarely write music during those seasons!!!
When not working the days and evenings away in the studio, I have been catching up on books. Currently enraptured in THE GNOSTIC BIBLE...it's so interesting to study the Nag Hammadi texts in such detail.
Also spending time with the family...my 5 year old daughter Victoria is learning to read and is exhibiting incredible artistic skills.

I have some DJ dates lined up for November and December, but not too many, as I am up to the task of finishing music for 2008 releases and relaxing more....

Southern Junktion Fest Review

2007-10-05T19:10:00.001-05:00

I've spent the last week catching up on sleep and trying to sort out my activities from last week-end....but here it goes:

Two full camping days in the Texas woods....snakes, javelinas, coyotes, canyons, rolling hills, and miles of beautiful trails. Southern Junktion Music Festival in Saint Jo Texas was two days, four stages, and non stop music and camping for all who made the trek to the Texas/Oklahoma border in beautiful Red River Valley. I played a small festival in the same place back in June, where I met up with the Tribal Elements folks and the seeds were germinated for this event. We knew the spot was sacred and that a larger event was inevitable. My instincts told me this was gonna be huge, and it was in many ways. Sure...all the early street words and predictions said 2500-3000 people would probably attend this event. In reality, around 1500 adventurous souls made it through the gates in two days. Still, that didn't dissuade the positive attitudes at what was the premier dance event in Texas for years. Dallas Dance Music reviews are unanimous and glowing....pages and pages of thank yous and pleas for another event like it. It definitely reminded me of the 90's Hazy Daze outdoor parties...like minded souls, incredible line-up's, and professional event planning. Even though the stages were an hour late starting up, only one little pussy prima-fucking-donna Tulsa DJ took the delays in anger and actually left the festival. What an idiot. Maybe he was just scared to play in front of people. Everyone else just reshuffled their schedule and made it HAPPEN. That's what Southern Junktion was all about.The main stage hosted jambands, a few punk acts, and an eclectic assortment of diverse musical styles. I must admit that after doing Wakarusa in Kansas for the last three years, and seeing DJ's grow more prominent in the "jam" circuit, I find watching bands kinda passe and boring. I only caught a few minutes of band oriented music on the main stage and I'm all the better for it. DJ Catfish literally stole the show though on that stage early early Saturday morning with psychedelic electronica which slowly segued into country western classics (excellent stuff from the 50's and 60's!), and then vintage punk. After all, he was deemed THE PUNK ROCK ALARM CLOCK for this festival and his slot woke a lot of the folks up early. His set blew my mind as I enjoyed a breakfast taco while sipping a whiskey (yes, I was up all night). The only other act I really caught on the main stage was Spoonfed Tribe, a psychedelic band I have caught many times on the circuit, and have always been impressed by year after year. The could be the American version of Ozric Tentacles...I dig that about them.The House stage hosted some incredible music. DJ Mocean rocked the Tribal House with the French Electro to perfect effect. K-Harmony did a beautiful set as the stars came out. Brian Scott came out of retirement to play the most classic set of Chicago House music this writer has ever seen. He was a monster rocking the decks with song after song of brilliant history. His set was awe-inspiring. Chicago House icon Angel Alanis followed him with a deep set of wicked remixes and personal edits & rerubs. He tore the night sky apart. House Music flowed all night and day to many's delight. Saturday night hosted the best set of the entire week-end, Jay Tripwire, playing deep House until dawn, followed by another Angel Alanis set which brought on the morning sun. The House stage was rocking for a solid 48 hours.Down a 1 mile long twisting turning dirt trail, out by itself, in a natural rock amphitheatre surrounded by rolling hills, was the most psychedelic stage of all....Loco Motion. Full lasers, huge projection screens, professional lighting, glowing art installations, and a booming soundsystem, this stage hosted Intelligent Techno and Psychedelic Trance for the entire fest. I spent a majority of time out there digging that scene. Mostly because, once you got there, you were loathe to leave!!!! Even with the constant shuttles as well as fun hayrides out to the stage, the journey was worth it and was taken by many time after time. And the moto for our trek became WALKING IS FOR SUCKERS. Everybody hitched rides out to the Loco Stage. The music made it worth going that far. I opened the festival out there with two hours of ethereal deep intelligent techno to a shimmying dancefloor and revelling wasted freaks. Sean Anderson tore the night a new one with a live PA of Acid Tech music. Man, I saw some incredible drug-music out there...Treavor (Moontribe), Red Eye, Aeon, James Meadows, Josh Kynd, Acidtone (Mr. Jello), Lyvewire, Point Bender, Klapton, The Scoobie Doo Crew, Opie, Atum...it's like I spend 3/4 of my time there and back at the VIP DJ camps aprtying with people. The lazers danced on the hills, the vari-lights danced on the dancefloor, and the people danced to the drug-music. It was incredible. All you had to do was walk or ride the trance-mile....but WALKING IS FOR SUCKERS.If the walk was made, there was always the ambient stage, a solstice for many on Saturday night, located halfway between the main area and Loco Motion. That road was sketchy at night, and may of the sketchy people ended up chilling at the Ambient tent. IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE WEEK-END OF MUSIC. And it will happen again. I spoke with the promoter on Monday, and they will definitely do something again. The sacred land calls for it. I probably got 5 hours sleep in two days. Angel Alanis woke me up to party at 10 am on Sunday. There are many many stories to tell about our wasted evenings and days....but they shall remain told in smaller circles due to their content.

The DJ as an Artist

2007-09-26T10:43:00.001-05:00

Richardo Villalobos is set to release a milestone in modern electronic music this next month. Fabric 36 is both a DJ mix as well as an artist album... with all of the tracks being brand new and unreleased. This sets a major precident in the progression and development of electronic "dance" music, or EDM as it is oft labeled. Fabric 36 is all Richardo's latest material released in a mix by Richardo. Though this has been done a few times by other artists to little or no acclaim, for someone with the global popularity of Mr. Villalobos, this a major event in EDM.

Most DJ mixes are comprised of tracks by a variety of artists. Some mixes vary in styles while others paint a collective conceptual continuity within their running time. Richardo has raised the bar much higher. All 15 tracks are startlingly fresh and vivid compositions in his unique and original minimal micro House & Techno style. Percussive, psychedelic, and ethereal...and very forward thinking. He started this trend last year by releasing the impossibly long and drawn out single, "Fizheuer Zieheuer", in all of it's 40 minute glory. It was only logical that he made what is basically one long track of ever changing music tied together by a central theme and sound. Thus, Fabric 36!
The new mix CD contains his latest bombshell track to make the rounds on dance music stages via sets by Richardo, Magda, Richie Hawtin (as well as bootlegged to his dismay all over the intrawebz) "Premier Encuentro Latino-Americano". It is his take on a famous Chilean song from his youth. This mix CD is easily the most progressive musical journey ever released by a DJ and artist. It represents the EDM world in it's most creative and artistic sensibilities.

Richardo has basically moved things forward for EDM's producers and DJ's by challenging the norm, breaking new ground, and shattering the tired pre-existing molds of modern electronic music. Of course, he has been doing that for many many years musically with his compositions...it was only a matter of time before he took this next big step.

These Days...

2007-09-26T10:29:00.002-05:00

I've been waaaaay to busy for the past 9 days to post much here, let alone do anything outside the creative realm as well as the family & work worlds. I played a fabulous party in Dallas for the Tribal Elements folks. I opened up for DJ Micro in Tulsa to a huge and festive crowd. I've been working on finishing some new productions, which as most of you may know, is a slow and exhaustive task.

Getting geared up for the SOUTHERN JUNKTION MUSIC FESTIVAL in Saint Jo Texas in two days. I play on both days, then head down to Fort Worth to play the closing of The Wreck Room on Sunday night. It will be a busy busy week-end.

I am taking a formal hiatus from DJing for the next few months in order to work on Mover Music projects, finish up some compositions, spend time with my family, and generally do all of the things that I have blown off for the last few months. I am also gearing up the label for some exclusives at the Winter Music Conference this March. Although I never go to these industry mutual musical masturbation fests, I always have some DJ's who take exclusives of my tunes down to Miami.

Stay tuned for more....

My Week-End Rewind

2007-09-17T10:44:00.001-05:00

What a blast I had in Texas this last week-end!

The Gideons sound better than ever! Lee Allen on bass has added a new dimension to our sound. Makes me excited to play drums again. We blasted through our set and jammed for hours on end. It was spectacular! Can't wait for our first gig as a new band at the end of the month.

My gig for the Tribal Elements guys was also most bad ass. Played a solid hour of psychedelic Techno and got a nice round of accolades and congrats from the locals. It was the pre-party for Southern Junktion Music Festival, and from the average consensus of party goes, this festival is gonna big huge. Can't wait to camp and get down and play.

This week I play with DJ Micro, the NYC legend, who is playing in Tulsa. Also time to work on those tunes that seemingly never get finished. So much for deadlines and label pressure. This is has been a spectacular end to a wicked Summer. Southern Junktion will take Fall to a new level....

Daydream Nation

2007-09-14T10:19:00.001-05:00

19 years ago, I was overpowered by one of the greatest albums of the rock and roll era, Sonic Youth's powerful opus on teenage angst and New York City reflections, DAYDREAM NATION. It was inducted in 2005 into the Library of Congress National Recording Register which is probably the biggest accomplishment and honor ever bestowed upon an avant garde punk band. It remains as my top rated and most played album in my collection.

I have DAYDREAM NATION in my car right now and it still sounds as immediate to me as it did back in 1988 when this young musician rode in a convertible car with Peter Paulus cruising down Camp Bowie Boulevard in Fort Worth with this album as the soundtrack. It was blasting loudly down the road on a Friday with Teenage Riot proudly blaring out of the speakers like a clarion call of youth empowerment!
I have owned four different versions of this...one cassette, on vinyl LP (now stashed in my collection), and two CD's including this month's rereleased version. Though the new version has a bonus disc of the album-songs recorded live and some odd cover tunes, those pale in comparison with the actual album as it's own entity. There is nothing like Daydream Nation as far as rock records go...nothing like it has come out since and there is nothing in rock history to compare it to, save for the other ground-breaking classic double albums of other eras (Blonde On Blonde, Exile On Main Street). It remains a touchstone for modern rock as a whole. I believe it could get released today as a new album exactly as it was in '88 and do quite well in the modern onslaught of indie rock. In fact, it would probably be a best seller in today's world, just like it was in '88 with the college musos and alternative heads. Everywhere I went in 1988, people were playing it...in dorm rooms, at parties, in cars, and loudly in bedrooms.
The album is immediate, gritty, and genuine with nods to the avant garde, the punk movement, and classic iconoclasts like Iggy Pop and Television. I remember at the time, my band E.S.P., was playing music of a similar sound and style, although rooted in a more organic psychedelic dirge feel. When we heard Daydream Nation, we instantly recognized kindred spirits in Sonic Youth, although their angle was more reflective of New York No-Wave and Bowery Punk influences, whereas ours was brought on through drugged explorations like Spacemen 3 and Hawkwind. Still, we knew something was happening in modern music...and it was good! It is interesting to me how much my old band sounded alike to Sonic Youth (we had never even heard them before Daydream Nation), yet were from different areas, backgrounds, and shared completely different influences. I still listen to our old tapes and am astounded at the similarities in guitar tones and stylistic references. Daydream Nation was the place were a lot of people met with similar musical minds and attitudes within underground culture.

Sonic Youth has been playing Daydream Nation for the past year at shows and on special tour dates. And that in itself just goes to show how they can reflect their past in their present state while referencing it towards their future. Let's face it...they are NO LONGER YOUTH, yet they remain at the forefront of their style and sound. Their last album, Rather Ripped, is (to this muso and writer) easily their best album in 15 years. They show genuine growth and maturity in their sonic exploratory quest.

If you don't own a copy of Daydream Nation, or never have....let's just say that you are missing out on vital 20th Century music as well as one of history's great post punk (and/or rock and roll) album. Enough said...

Van Der Graaf Generator

2007-09-07T15:58:00.001-05:00

I have been on a big big Van Der Graaf Generator kick lately...don't know why...it just kinda' HIT ME. I have Godbluff in my car right now, practically on repeat! It drives my Wife kinda crazy but my daughter loves it...2 out of 3 votes win!

Peter Hammill is a wicked genius of originality with a thoroughly unique style, and is quite the prolific musician. He has recorded 29 solo albums since 1970, as well as 9 Van Der Graaf albums...and we're not even counting the collaborative efforts or live albums! His distinctive voice, lyrics, and compositional acumen holds no bounds. He is acknowledged for influencing David Bowie, Johnny Lydon, and Robert Pollard. And his music is progressive, punk, new wave, and avant garde, sometimes all within the same composition!

And maybe that is what about the man speaks to me. I can play early Van Der Graaf albums like H To He or his latest solo albums like Singularity and still hear the same man moving forward.

Cheers to Peter Hammill and the genius is:

Busy Busy Busy

2007-09-05T14:31:00.002-05:00

Working in the studio feverishly on some new material, as well as some post production on two submissions for the aforementioned "big and unmentionable due to contractual obligations" record label. If the new tracks are rejected, I will release them myself.

Mover is doing great...finally really getting the exposure it needs...just signed distribution with JUNO...seems we're using Europe now more than North America to sell music!

Angela Maria called me to let me know she is on a creative streak and is about to BLOW MY MIND with our latest collaboration. Expect the EP to drop in October if all goes well. Playing Plan 9 this week, the start to a once a month gig in Tulsa. Should be quite the shindig.

It seems that all is going forward and moving progressively with SOUTHERN JUNKTION MUSIC FESTIVAL. Just talked with one of the promoters who was on his way back from Burning Man...he thinks over 2000 people will be at the Junktion Fest. Received my allotment of distribution flyer's and am passing them out now. This will easily be the rave of the fucking year!

Stay tuned....

Elliott Smith

2007-09-01T14:05:00.001-05:00

Coming up on the 4th anniversary of Elliott Smith's untimely suicide, I've been listening to his albums lately.

I was fortunate enough to have lived in Portland in 91-95, and witness his rise in Heatmiser and then solo. I was even at his first couple of gigs as a solo artist. I spoke with him a few times when we shared stages in our respective bands at Berbati's Pan and Satyricon. I also used to bump into him, Neil, and JJ at pubs on Hawthorne. Really soft spoken and tense, but always up for a good conversation about The Beatles

He always reminded me musically of Paul Simon, with a nice dash of dark poetics and minor chord folkie inclinations. Listening to these albums some years later, I am struck by his balance between heartfelt interpersonal observations and beautiful musical structure.
It's really too bad he had so many demons to battle inside, which were obvious if you ever hung out with him or saw them manifest themselves at his live shows.

I think he was really developing and stretching out as an artist, especially witness by his posthumous release, FROM A BASEMENT ON A HILL. I think he was actually leaning towards a psychedelic and progressive rock area in his last years. If the demons wouldn't have won the battle for his life, I think the man would be churning out some very challenging music these days. He would have become the Richard Thompson of our generation...

Hung Over and Hanging Out

2007-09-01T13:47:00.001-05:00

My head is throbbing. Always watch yourself when you're drinking with an Englishman. It can lead to a disasterous morning after! Last night, it started with beer, went to tequila, and ended with The Glenlivit Scotch.

I am hurting today, although feeling much better after lunch. And tonight is a big VIP super happy fun DJ birthday party which will involve much hedonism and heroic intake of adult beverages.

I love bank holiday week-ends....

Future Gigs

2007-08-29T20:14:00.001-05:00

No less than 8 gigs booked from now through October 8th. From Texas to Tulsa and back again. Damn...

Three in Tulsa, four in Texas, one in Stillwater. I feel over-booked and overwhelmed. But it's all about the clubs.

Just got wind of some possible big gigs in Kansas City, and Lawrence including some high profile slots for Winter. And I started a new Saturday night once a month in Tulsa.

Maybe the word has spread..........

Thomas Pynchon

2007-08-28T15:07:00.001-05:00

I am in the midst of reading "Gravity's Rainbow" again...for the 4th or 5th time. Thomas Pynchon is a master. A modern day American version of James Joyce. His details, characters, plots, subplots, and the way he weaves words is incredible.

I usually read it at night just before bed. And I will probably spend the next 6 months reading it...one because it's so damn long; two because it's so detailed; and three because it's so damn enjoyable that I can only get a few pages down before I have to digest what I have just read! That to me is why it is one of my favorite novels of all time. It's like a labyrinth of images and ideas rapped up in an enigma. The webguide to Gravity's Rainbow is quite helpful...when I first read it back in the 80's a youngster, no such wiki existed. But now, it adds so many dimensions to the book and adds to my enjoyment of it.

I will probably read his latest book next, Against The Day, followed by Vineland and then Mason & Dixon...
Hell, I may just spend the next two years reading Pynchon since his works are so encompassing and interesting! In my opinion, he is the most interesting novelist of the last century.

Sexy Techno

2007-08-27T19:29:00.001-05:00

Techno is sexy. Make no mistake.

My Chilean roots tell me so. After all, the prominent purveyors of sexy minimalistic tribal influenced techno are from Chile. And sexy lush techno is massive in Santiago...as well as Berlin, Sydney, Paris, London, Moscow, Sao Paolo, Montreal, and New York.

Here is Chile's top producers/DJ's Richardo Villalobos and Luciano in front of 20,000 German revelers at the 2006 Love Parade playing the sexy techno bump....

I love it......

The Week in Advance.......

2007-08-27T16:25:00.001-05:00

The start to another busy busy week. No club gigs lined up, just mostly studio work.
I am due to play Matt Mocean's 30th Birthday party this week-end...a wild affair to be sure....but that is a house party a few blocks from my own house, so I can crawl home legless afterhours. Sunday will hurt, no doubt.

I have a couple of tunes to finish up in the studio. One due very soon for the Andre LaMont track BURN, to be released on Mover Music in late September. Angela and I are finishing up the WATER EP for October release...her vocals are in post-production now. I have two tracks I am contributing to a European label (which I won't mention due to contractual negotiations). May turn out to be a really really big deal! I also have some tracks for Winter that are in the initial phases...

Received a nice August playlisting from Bulgari by d-phrag from Frisky Radio for my track, DIRTY FLOOR. Thanks for the airplay, Ivan! Much appreciated.

Now, it's time to get back to the studio and work.....

The Brilliance of Pat Metheny

2007-08-26T16:30:00.001-05:00

Last night, on my way to a gig in Tulsa, I listened to PAT METHENY'S wonderous 1991 solo album, SECRET STORY.
It is soon to be rereleased with new tracks in September, and it has always been one of my personal favorites. Not the entire album, mind, but for three key compositions.

Finding & Believing is easily still one of his most bold and progressive compositions to date.
It begins as a cod funk pan African rambling fusion of varied World musical styles:

The chanting, bashing, jamming, and sonic maelstrom subsides as the track turns from a bridge of cinematic orchestral brilliance into a classic piece of Metheny jazz...all with the underpinnings of the original African feel of part one.

This composition and performance represents to me the brilliance of Pat Metheny.

The Axis Club 1989

2007-08-26T14:09:00.001-05:00

Has it really been 18 years?

I remember Fort Worth in 1989 very well. Like it was yesterday. I was in a band called E.S.P. and was in the midst of playing gigs around town and being a young teenaged debauched freek. But there were very few venues to play in Cowtown. ESP lived in Southside Fort Worth on 7th Avenue.
Our good friends in the band HYDROGEN CITY were always over and hanging out as well as sharing gigs at the only places to play in town. The Hop, The Greenhouse Café, a little place on White Settlement called Garage Café, and a junky warehouse on main called The MC Club. Deep Ellum had also just begun its rise, but none of us except for HYDROGEN CITY had made the trip over to Dallas.
We befriended another psychedelic band through the HYDROGEN guys called MASCARA SNAKE, later to become ANONYMOUS DOG. Soon, the DOG moved over by All Saints Hospital off of 8th Avenue on Oleander. Times were wild. We all played around town and shared friends, psychedelic drugs, and lifestyles...not unlike the San Francisco scene of the late 60s.
Michael Parker was the leader of HYDROGEN CITY. He was a visionary guy. He had played in the seminal legendary psychedelic punk band LEAGUE OF NONE. He was an artist in every sense of the word. We all respected him enormously. His band had actually played in Deep Ellum. He had long hair and played a mean guitar. He painted. And he was about to start a music club with his brother Kelly to showcase local talent in Fort Worth. And they had the cash as well as the vision to make this all very possible.

I remember that in January of 1989, they had found a place on the corner of Magnolia & Main in front of St. Josephs hospital, and started to prepare it. He took me to look at it and we talked about his idea for an underground Fort Worth venue to play. It was dusty, dark, and small. But he and Kelly already had a master plan to eventually take over the space next door to it and make one big venue. They were gonna call it The Axis, in homage to the Jimi Hendrix song. We were stoked.
And so, with very little fanfare, on Friday February 10th 1989, The Axis opened. My band, ESP, played all night to a crowd of Fort Worth denizens, other bands, and our friends. We set up in the corner (there was no stage), and brought our own light show and PA. We played two sets of our loud improvisational psychedelic Sonic Youthisms. It had begun.

Soon after that night, a stage was built, a PA procured, and the Axis really took off! The first really big national show I remember there was Live Skull. By April 1989, ESP had taken over a floor at the downtown Kress Building for our studio. I distinctly remember Michael coming over to our studio to wax ecstatically about booking Live Skull. It was like a watershed moment to us. And they played a dynamite show. We all ate at Benitos afterwards at 3 am. That was just the beginning.
The Axis showcased all the great local bands and gave us all a chance. LICKITY SPLIT, HAUNTED GENERATION (later called POP POPPINS), KURT DANIELS, RAIDED X, DAVID DANIEL BAND, SOOTHING SOUNDS FOR BABY, THE DRAGWORMS, SILENCE OBSCURE, TRIO OF ONE, SUGARBITCH, THE AGITATORS. Fort Worth's scene as well as the local bands were quite a diverse bunch, ranging in styles from punk to goth to progressive to synth pop to metal to garage to power-pop. Fort Worth was musically kicking ass. We all supported each other and built our fanbases.
And soon, the bigger National acts started to roll into Fort Worth by Summer 1989. Fugazi, Goo Goo Dolls, Lemonheads, Universal Congress, Field Trip, Tad, Sleep Chamber, Pussy Galore, Bullet Lavolta, Nirvana. Not that all the shows were well attended though. Nirvana played for around 10 people (and Kurt Cobain didn't steal that watch from Eric, as the rumour states....Old Man Dave did the deed). Tad blasted the place! Fugazi was absolute godhead brilliance and was totally packed. The Goo Goo Dolls were still punky then and tore the roof off.
Tom & James Finn with partner Baird Blanton (as VIDEOPHILE) filmed tons of shows as well as the lot scene at outside. I even helped film events and the scene. I would occasionally even work the door when needed. Every night was a total blast whether in the lot or in the club. Fort Worth was rockin'. I remember the night when Vanilla Ice showed up and beatboxed unannounced, brought by Michaels girlfriend Nancy, who saw him in Dallas and knew he was gonna be a sensation, inviting him to the club. The place was unpredictable and such a fucking blast. Anyone remember the great daytime PUNK showcases on Sunday afternoons? They were packed!!!! How about all the bands that used to rehearse their on off nights. Even those were open and attended by fans of the bands.

Of course, the cops soon caught on. They closed the place a few times and tickets were issued. We were no longer so invisible and underground. The writing was on the wall. My band ESP broke up in May 1989. ANONYMOUS DOG bought a warehouse on Magnolia which became quite the party place. HYDROGEN CITY broke up and Michael formed BURNING TEMPLE. Urged on by my girlfriend at the time, I joined THE TOADIES in their original lineup. We played a dozen big gigs at The Axis and I believe that THE TOADIES Fort Worth fanbase was solidified by those first gigs. It was sensational.
The Axis was the center of the Fort Worth musical universe in 1989. The Hop was too mainstream. The cops became relentless to close down the Axis though. Kelly was arrested finally; we held a big fundraiser that night at the DOG house to bail him out. In fall, while THE TOADIES were opening for THE WANNA-BEs, the cops came and closed the place down for good. They did it with over 15 police cars and a riot squad. Sheriff Lon Evans had seen enough of the place. I remember standing onstage with Lisa Umbarger using the PA to berate the cops. It was over so quickly with no time to say goodbye. It was done

So, I have the distinction of performing on the first night as well as the last night of The Axis club. Sad but true. I loved that place and I still think about those days all the time.

Do You Remember The First Time?

2007-08-26T10:57:00.001-05:00

I remember the first time I played music in front of an audience. I must have been around 12 years old...early middle school years. I was younger than all the other drummers and musicians who tried out for school band. But because I was already privately trained, could already read sheet music, could outplay all of the older kids on drums, I easily secured a spot in Ms. Barney's Orchestra at Stripling Middle School In Fort Worth. It pissed off a lot of other players. They spit on my snare. Broke my sticks. stole my sheet music and trashed it. Complicated also by the matter of being a really small child physically, it was a hard road those first few months of school. But I was determined to win first chair snare, which I did with ease.

Having a family that listened to as much classical and jazz as rock-n-roll, I was also familiar with the selections of music we were to present at the Fall concert...Count Basie, George Gershwin, and Duke Ellington (kind of complicated stuff, but this WAS advanced orchestra, and many of the kids were 8th grade level and quite advanced...in retrospect, I was really lucky to have such chops, training, and knowledge for a 6th grader).

As we rehearsed at school daily, we picked up the tunes quickly and moved forward towards the concert date. We played most everything in a Souza-marching-style though...quite stiff, stilted, with not much emphasis on swing or backbeat. Towards the last weeks of the rehearsals, I had a heart to heart with Ms. Barney....I brought up Gene Krupa, Chick Webb, and other big-band drummer, noting their styles and how they made the music....GROOVE. WE NEEDED A DRUM SET IN THE MIX! After much back-and-forth pandering, she brought up the fact that the school did NOT have a trap set, so such an endeavor would not be possible. I told her I could bring mine to school. She wasn't warm to the idea at all...but after much pleading, including the same interjections from a few horn players, she relented.

The first time we played TAKE THE A-TRAIN with me on the traps, the feel and mood of the piece took on a swing. She even admitted after that initial rehearsal that it might work, however unorthodox the set up might be. The drummers in the section were NOW ON MY SIDE. I had introduced funk to the mix. We even began staying after school to work on chops and fills that complimented the music. Ms. Barney was thrilled at how we were beginning to sound.

The big night came and we flew. I was nervous as hell but turned that energy into exuberance behind the kit. I remember actually playing way to loose and groovy during the concerts....but it egged on the bassist and horns into a funky swinging frenzy. Ms. Barney was beaming the entire time. The parents LOVED IT!
And I was hooked on live performance.

For the talent show that year, the trumpet player, tenor saxophonist, bassist, and I performed as a quartet playing Bob James songs! And this was during the punk rock era........but that's a whole different set of nerdy complications in my life.