Tuesday, October 7, 2008

If i were a living human robot...

Wow, it's only been a few days since the last blog. Back to music.

Those of you looking on myspace for last week's song will hopefully get 2 this week. I uploaded it, i but it didn't show up on the player until yesterday. Der. Lets see if this week's song fares any better.

They're both up on iLike and Reverb Nation already. So, whatever, myspace.

This week you get BioMech Warfare. It gives me images of integrated human/robot war machines strewn across a battlefield beating the shit out of each other like only giant robots can, with the urgency of self preservation and war only a human can feel.

This song, along with all my other recent songs makes me wonder: What the hell did people do before sub-woofers?

Which got me thinking about another conversation i had last night over dinner regarding the integration of humans and computer, ie: interactive microcomputer implants. How rad would music be if we could inject it directly into our brain? Forgo ear damage and hearing loss. To fuck with the audible range of 20hz-20Khz. Anything brain-wave pattern we can learn from the brain, we can create artificial sensation by inputting it back into the brain. Music would be beyond audio. How about a song with a color scheme directly injected to your optic nerve, and orchestrated bombardments of brain-waves triggering relaxation, joy, excitement... panic, pain.

It could go beyond that as well. These microcomputers could interact with one another via external server or directly. Imagine truly sharing a thought, a song, an emotional process with someone else?

Where do i sign up, right? Or is everyone out there on the internet a bunch of Luddites? (a link so you can pretend like you got the joke)

I've been thinking about opening up some of my tracks for re-mix. Either remix a finished song of mine, or i can give you the pieces to an unfinished track and you can do what you will with it. If anyone's interested, in any capacity, feel free to shoot me a line and we can discuss terms & details.

The best time-waster ever: Boggle online.

<3 Noise!

Prophetnoise full length: Godless Music for a Free Mind CDBaby and iTunes.
Prophetnoise EP Orange & Silver on CDBaby and iTunes
Prophetnoise on iLike
Prophetnoise on Facebook
Prophetnoise on Myspace

Sunday, October 5, 2008

A Non-Music Blog: Sports and Politics.

I can't help but get involved in the state of affairs.

1- Pro Lifers: A vote for Pro-Choice is a vote for Pro-Life. I'll say that again, a vote for Pro-Choice is a vote for Pro-Life. I'll explain. When you take away the right to choose TO have an abortion, you implicitly take away the right to choose NOT to have an abortion.

This country, this planet is staring at 5 crises: Water Shortage, Food Shortage, Energy Shortage, Climate Change, and Overpopulation. These crises all feed off one another. It is not unreasonable to see a day in the future where we must control population and limit citizens to 1 baby per married couple. Have a second baby? Mandatory abortion. Not married? Mandatory abortion. Not licensed to reproduce? Mandatory abortion. Etc.

By taking away the right to choose, you set a precedent enabling the government to decide for you, regardless of how you feel.

2- Religious Zealots: The only way to ensure you maintain the right to practice your personal religions is to keep your damn religion out of the government. Personally, i think religion is one of the greatest evils on Earth, but i understand your right to practice it and believe whatever nonsense it is you believe. But, the more you elect representatives who push harder and harder to incorporate their faiths into legislation, the greater the chances that your personal religion will be legislated right out of legality.

I mean, there are so many little factions of you. Roman Catholic, Reform Catholic, Orthodox Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, Southern Baptist, Evangelical, Born Again, Witnesses... the list goes on. An active push towards religious fundamentalism is a feedback cycle. It can only lead to exclusivism and power struggle, bordering on religious 'war', however you may interpret my use of the word war.

Authored by Joel Barlow under President George Washington in 1796, unanimously passed by the Senate, and signed by President John Adams in 1797:

Treaty of Tripoli, Article 11;

“As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.”

Go back and re-read that first sentence. And read it again.

3- I'm not caught up in the Obama craze. But, i do feel that McCain needs to be stopped. I see how 'passionate' he gets. That's not a good thing. When there's something important going on, like, oh, i dunno... running the country, being a fiery passionate emotion driven creature is not good. Reacting and overreacting and alarmist behavior doesn't help the situation. Calmly assessing the situation and the facts, and devising a calculated plan is imperative. He will not do that. There's about a thousand reasons beyond that why he shouldn't be elected, but i won't get into those now.

For anyone who wants an inside explanation as to how the VP Debate worked, along with a good laugh, this is for you: VP Debate Guide.

4- The bailout: $700 Billion. 300 million americans. That costs every single American citizen about $2,300. That's about 20% of what i earned last year.
The deficit: $10 Trillion. 300 million americans. That costs every single American citizen about $33,000. Together, that's over $35,000 per person. Your money. My money. I can't afford that. I don't have a spare 33 G's layin' around. If i did, i'd probably pay all of my bills every month.

And what do you get from this? A stronger Al Qaeda, a pointless endless war in Iraq that diverts efforts AWAY from the 'war on terrorism'; a 'war on terrorism' - which is an absurd notion (we're never going to do away with every last one by bombing them all – and i'm not a pacifist); a failing economy; a weak currency that nobody in the global market wants; rising unemployment rate; an energy crisis (and resistance towards developing alternatives which will spur jobs and scientific advancement); a failing education system (we no longer have a scientific or technical edge on most other nations); and we're still not guaranteed health care.

I don't just blame the govt. I also blame the voters. They're idiots. Idiots who vote.

5- It's October. It's the MLB Playoffs. Yes, i like sports. I know 'freaks' aren't supposed to like sports. I know most of the 'artistic types' around me in my field and artistic communities were probably made fun of by jocks in high school. I don't care. Get over it.

I don't celebrate xmas; don't celebrate new years; ramadan; kwanza; easter; whatever. I don't bother you when you're celebrating your holidays. Let me me have the MLB and NFL playoffs. Those are my holidays. They're just as arbitrary and pointless as your holidays.

Yes. I am rooting for the Tampa Bay Rays. No, i'm not a front-runner. I've been rooting for the Rays since they were the worst team in baseball. In fact, that was one of the reasons i started rooting for them. It takes balls to play with a Triple A team in the majors, and lets face it, that's what the D'Rays were; it was kinda charming in a “god this team is awful” sort of way.

Of course, my New York teams always come first. But, i'm rooting for the Rays and have been. I've been to two games at Tropicana Field. When i saw the team they put together in the off-season i was thrilled. And how can you not get behind a team like this? Young, talented, discounted by pretty much everyone, exciting to watch. Yeah, i'm a Rays fan, and you can make fun of me all you want. All i know is we're winning the series this year! HA!

<3 Noise!





Prophetnoise full length: Godless Music for a Free Mind CDBaby and iTunes.

Prophetnoise EP Orange & Silver on CDBaby and iTunes.

Prophetnoise on iLike.

Prophetnoise on Facebook.

Prophetnoise on Myspace.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Electronics Unite!

Another week has gone by.

Another song is ready for you. Actually, there are a few, but this one is the shortest, and it's a break from the norm. It's kinda disturbing.

Get Out of My Head

I'm getting all Demented Charles Ives on your asses! (Ok, i appologize, that's probably only amusing to other musicians who know who Charles Ives is)

We're compiling a list of electronic musicians and producers here in greater Portlandia. It's in response to a local 'Music Media Filter' claiming to give fair coverage. In a snide response, this Filter wanted some numbers. Along with a breakdown of the coverage with respect to genre, we're sending them a list of electronic acts that are actually electronic acts, not just Starfucker or Talkdemonic, who seem to be all the local media listens to. Ok, they cover Copy and DAT'R as electronic acts. Politically speaking, I'm not a fan. We'll leave it at that.

Rule of thumb: Sounding 'cutting edge' in Portland means sounding like you're from 1977-83.

So, if you or anyone you know makes electronic music, send me your music name and link. We'll show these uber-hip, anti-hipster-hipsters that there's something out there aside from Indie rock/pop & alt-folk. I recommend some musicians from the other genres of music that get severely overlooked by the pdx media do the same for their respective sounds.

Also, i realized that indie rock/pop is mostly just adult contemporary music made for younger people by younger people. Really, listen to it. Listen to some adult contemporary music. Listen to the indie shit again. They're the same brand of non-offensive safe music. The best of both of them are well written... but there's nothing beyond simple, safe, straightforward songs. Nothing dangerous or progressive about it.

Hell, even Britney Spears (the pop commercially manufactured production team, with Britney Spears the person as the image) pushed limits by using quarter-tones in a commercial pop song. Go listen to “I'm a Slave 4 U.” That's right. Britney Spears pushed musical limits and boundaries and defied convention more than safe Indie Rock/Pop.

And no, not being able to sing in key does not mean you're experimenting with quarter-tones. It means you never bothered to learn how to sing in key.

<3 Noise!

Prophetnoise full length: Godless Music for a Free Mind CDBaby and iTunes.
Prophetnoise EP Orange & Silver on CDBaby and iTunes
Prophetnoise on iLike
Prophetnoise on Facebook
Prophetnoise on Myspace

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Turning Nocturnal

Thanks to everyone who showed up to the PRA Benefit on Sunday.

This week you get the song 4 AM.

It's a time i've been starting to call “mid-day” because my sleep schedule is slowly transforming to nocturnal again. If i couldn't tell by the shrinking daylight and return of the perpetual-overcast, my warping sleep schedule will let me know that fall is here.

I have something on my mind, but i want to hold off before i start talking about it. Hopefully you'll get a mid-week blog update when i find out more. Until then, go out and start some trouble. It's a lifestyle.

<3 Noise!

Prophetnoise full length: Godless Music for a Free Mind CDBaby and iTunes.
Prophetnoise EP Orange & Silver on CDBaby and iTunes
Prophetnoise on iLike
Prophetnoise on Facebook
Prophetnoise on Myspace

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Last holdout of beautiful before 9+ months of overcast

Not a complaint: The beautiful weather is killing my productivity.

I'm down from 3 complete (fully mixed – final product) songs a week, to just the one that you cats wind up hearing, maybe a second. I started about 10-15 new ones this week. Only this one came to fruition. There will be 9+ months of overcast drear where i can easily catch up, and probably surpass myself.

My ears thirst for something new:

Tell me of an artist/band/etc that might possibly change the way i listen to music... that you think i probably haven't heard yet.

Be careful, if you suggest something awful i might judge you. Or maybe i won't. You'll just have to take that chance.

I've been thinking of this: A mixed media scavenger hunt. Not to sound like a puss, but nothing has to get stolen. Armed with our vast array of personal media devices (laptop, camera-phone, digital photo & video cameras, etc) venture out on the town to not only find the classics like a Speed Limit sign not ending in a 5 or 0, but also sounds, abstracts, and physically impossibles. A train going by backwards, negative space, an orange tree, or something sad; ugly; smelly; a rhyming hobo... well, that's the gist of it. Not going to go into all the convoluted details. Points not only for getting the 'item', but also for your creativity in how you display it. Let me know what you think, who'd be interested, other ideas, or negative comments.

I'm playing Sunday at the Someday Lounge here in PDX. It's a benefit for Portland Radio Authority. Mike Jedlicka, Freaky Outty, and freshly transplanted from England, Moss from Pork Records. Good times. Go. Now! Ok, not now, Sunday the 21st.

That is all for today. I was going to say something that would probably piss someone off again, but i'm hungry, and the world stops until i eat.

This week's song:

Bitch!

(you gotta say it with a smile on your face)

<3 Noise!

Prophetnoise full length: Godless Music for a Free Mind CDBaby and iTunes.
Prophetnoise EP Orange & Silver on CDBaby and iTunes
Prophetnoise on iLike
Prophetnoise on Facebook
Prophetnoise on Myspace

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

They're Joking, right?

It's 12:27 AM, which technically makes this Wednesday morning, but i made an executive decision to hold off a few hours until after i met with Bubbles to discuss the state of affairs in Portland Music.

The other day i searched for electronic music in Portland. I know it's out there. But, it sure as hell isn't in the public eye. What the media filters consider electronic music, and what's happening in the rest of the world electronically are... well, lets just be polite and say that Portland has no fucking idea what electronic music is. (And no, pdx isn't that progressively different. It's years behind.)

Electronic music is NOT:

Starfucker. I don't know what these people are listening to when they call a straight-ahead indie rock band electronic music. Is it because they use a keyboard? They don't even list themselves as electronic on their myspace page. They list themselves as straight up Pop. Yet, they keep getting reviewed as one of the greatest electronic acts around town. Guh?

I could go on and list all the bands i found searching through myspace and cdbaby, or from wweek, mercury and vanguard reviews, etc., that claim to be the best thing that's happened to electronic music since the invention of the computer. But, i won't because this blog would be 100 pages long, and none of those bands would be electronic music; an indie rock band with a drum machine and a looper is not electronic music. But, according to Portland, it is.

Another thing that i'm getting sick of, that's probably going to offend every american who listens to music... what the fuck is with Guitar, Bass, Drums, VX, and sometimes Keys. Still? Really? Is that the extent of our musical prowess?

Rock and Roll was 'invented' circa 1950. It's 2008. Rock and Roll is 58 years old. We've been listening to Guitar, Bass, Drums, VX and sometimes Keys for 58 years. Rock and Roll can join AARP. Rock and Roll can start making plans to retire and collect Social Security. I know people keep bitching that rock is dead. I think the problem is that it's not.

One thing that rock has going for it is that it's name is self promoting. A rock show can rock. A fast car can rock. Anything cool, “rocks.” If you go to an electronic show and it's really good, you still say it rocks. I think we need a specific slang for electronic music, having to do with electronic music, meaning 'awesome,' to be memed into general speech.

“Yo, how was the Prophetnoise show you went to?”
“Oh, that shit was fuckin' Binary! Bleepin' Binary!”

Ok, i don't know if calling things 'binary' or 'bleeping' will actually happen.

Either way, here's a bleepin binary song for you:

It's Coming

And one more thing before i go. There really are a lot of great local electronic musicians in this town. I don't want it to seem like i'm saying all the electronic musicians in Portland suck. Just the ones you hear and read about do.

<3 Noise!

Prophetnoise full length: Godless Music for a Free Mind CDBaby and iTunes.
Prophetnoise EP Orange & Silver on CDBaby and iTunes
Prophetnoise on iLike
Prophetnoise on Facebook
Prophetnoise on Myspace

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

AudioCinema Visual Collective Recovery

I'm pretty well recovered from Saturday. I was running sound & stage managing AC/VC (AudioCinema Visual Collective), their annual event featuring the art of 50 Portland artists, readings from writers, dancers, a fashion show, and bands. From 5PM-3AM, i was keeping 2 stages + the floor in order, plus playing a set of my own music. One stage was lofted upstairs with the board on the floor. The other stage was ground level with the mixing booth up a different set of stairs in a room fondly called 'the Bunker.' I was running up and down stairs all night. Yay exercise!

The night did go smoothly and was a success. We stayed on time, for the most part, even though there was no downtime between sets. The two-edged sword of having two+ stages i suppose. That, plus i'm completely awesome and wouldn't expect anything less. Or so i think...

I can't take all the credit. I have to commend the bands as well. Save one act, they all showed up on time, set up in a timely manner while the other stage was performing, ran either a quick sound-check, or we just jumped into the set and it was worked out by the end of the first song. No prima donnas, no drama. Just great acts to work with.

Note to musicians: Be nice to the sound-person. If i need to explain why, you're going to have a 'frustrating' career.

Also, i'm pretty sure most of the art will be on display until friday. AudioCinema will be open from 12-4PM daily (ring doorbell), and will be open all day for first friday. I suggest stopping in and taking a look.

In other news, Digital Organics on Portland Radio Authority is up and running.
That's:
Mike Jedlicka with Optic Echo Presents: Mondays 6-8PM playing Downtempo, Ambient, & Experimental music.
-and-
Ana & X24 with Digital Organics: Mondays 10PM-Midnight playing Electronic music including many local (PDX area) artists.

You can listen online from anywhere on the world on P.R.A.'s site or streaming on iTunes. Good times.

This week, a song aptly named. I don't know where this came from, but i guess it was sitting inside my brain somewhere:

Curiously Peculiar

<3 Noise!

Prophetnoise full length: Godless Music for a Free Mind CDBaby and iTunes.
Prophetnoise EP Orange & Silver on CDBaby and iTunes
Prophetnoise on iLike
Prophetnoise on Facebook
Prophetnoise on Myspace