Twittering Machines

Short notice but I just heard about this. I can’t make it but maybe you can…

at Gavin Brown’s Enterprise

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Trout Mask Replica

An obvious choice but when, if you’re anything like me, you have to deal with people that do nothing but disappoint, deceive and piss you off, there’s nothing better to clear out the anger than the good Captain. Sometimes I think the creative soul is inspired by disgust.

Or maybe it’s processing disgust and turning it into something that doesn’t eat away at you.

A celebration, in the end, of life and all the beautiful fucked up shit that comes along with it. Whatever it may be, this is one inspired record and a joy for the mind to unravel. Or is it the unraveled mind that finds joy in it. O fuck it, I think I just need a beer and more volume.

Van Vleit had the entire band live in the same shack for 8 months rehearsing this double LPs-worth of music where they practiced for 14 or more hours a day, nearly starved and were psychologically abused until they broke. A visiting friend said “the environment in that house was positively Manson-esque.”

From 1969 a true breakthrough of madness, mayhem and free-flowing creativity captured. John Harris of The Guardian called the album “fucking awful”.

…a custom ’57 Harley chopper trike with ’69 Sportster barrels and a Ford rearend all wrapped up in a stars and stripes theme. With matching boots.

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The Mugshot. Even better, the celebrity mugshot. Even better, the all fucked up looking celebrity mugshot. We’ve all seen the messy hair, the crazy drug-infected eyes and the drunken disarray. But what about the dignified mugshot?

Let’s start with a real winner – On April 15, 1940, Stravinsky’s unconventional major seventh chord in his arrangement of the Star-Spangled Banner led to his arrest by the Boston police for violating a federal law that prohibited the reharmonization of the National Anthem.

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Norbert Schwontkowski
Gelbe Musik (yellow music)
2008
oil on canvas
80 x 100 cm / 31.5 x 39.4″

Herb Reichert posted some of Norbert Schwontkowski‘s paintings on Facebook and I really liked what I saw. Upon further looking, I found this kindred-spirit-work.

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Remember – you can pick your friends, but you can’t pick your friends clan’s tartan

Of all the tartans, there are about 3,500 registered with the Scottish Tartans Authority, I’ve always been drawn to black watch. But isn’t tartan just plaid?

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zoom

From The Onion,

NEW YORK – The Recording Industry Association of America announced Tuesday that the combined revenue brought in by Warner, Sony, EMI, Universal, and countless independent music labels in 2009 totaled $18. “The music industry is back,” RIAA representative Doug Fowley said. “Not only was Kenny Chesney’s Greatest Hits CD purchased at a Knoxville, TN Borders for $12.99, but we also had two songs downloaded through iTunes, and our ringtone sales reached three.” Fowley added that as long as no one returns or exchanges the CD, the music industry would continue to be a vital and creative force in American culture.

A suitably arty onion shot!

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drawing by Gary L. Simmons

What does a self-respecting boot-lover wear when the going gets hot? While I pretty much stick to my trusty Chippewa’s, I have to admit that on those 90°+ days they can sti/c/n/k to/of me.

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…a Rolls Royce Phantom V Yellow Submarine

Forget those expensive record cleaning machines.  Glue is the new clean …

More info at  Audio Karma .  In case any one is curious, I’ve already copied Harry @ VPI!

Zola Jesus
Stridulum

Stridulum is everything I hoped it would be. Nika Roza Danilova steps out of the murk and into the spotlight which is where her voice belongs. There’s also a wider scope of influence coupled with a more mature sound that makes this Stridulum EP a joy to listen to and a happy harbinger of things to come.

Don’t you love when that happens? I do.