Why We Do This « Wow Cool

A Frank Budgen classic. From the James Kopta Memorial Concert. Valentine’s, Albany, New York, September 22, 2002.

Go Bookmark: homemade musical instruments

During at least the last two February’s, Ranjit Bhatnagar has built and blogged an instrument a day for the whole month. Ranjit works with interactive and sound installations, with scanner photography, and with internet-based collaborative art; and, he has been maintaining his personal web site moonmilk.com in one form or another since 1993.

The moonmilk homemade instrument series was one inspiration to finally start documenting some of the more out-there gear in the nickname: Rebel arsenal. The idea to do a gear blog had been kicking around for awhile but was not getting done. The other inspiration was the RPM Challenge, which invites musicians to write and record a whole album of music, 10 songs or 35 minutes, during the month of February. I created ‘R is for Riot‘ for the challenge in 2008 at the urging of Joshua Baker of Offset Needle Radius.

moonmilk’s homemade musical instruments

nickname: Rebel Gear Blog Archive

A Repo Chick gets INTO tense situations

I was sent a link to iO9’s write-up of Alex Cox’s recent Non-Sequel to his classic Repo Man film today by my nickname: Rebel cohort Michael Keegan. It was too early in the day to absorb. This was the first I had heard of any such sort of venture. I sort of peeked at it a couple of times. I sent it to someone else. Her response was “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!” Which seems to be the general reaction. I’m gonna say that’s a good thing. I want to see this movie.

Here’s the trailer:

Alex Cox has a blog. He talks a bit about the development and making of Repo Chick, as well as his repo turf war with Universal.

The Day My Kid Went Punk

punk

American TV and movies have pretty much always sucked at getting punk right. This and an episode of Quincy tend be remembered as classic quotable examples of this from a certain era. As a side note, my brother had the nickname “After School Special” in high school. He wasn’t particularly punk. Now you can watch the whole thing on Vimeo. Share and enjoy.

After School Special page on Wikipedia

Thanks to C. Adam O’Toole for pointing this one out.

the day my kid went punk from locky loo on Vimeo.

ATTENTION: Anyone digitizing old video tapes. If you are getting weird crackly sounds from your VCR like are heard here, please switch the audio from Hi-Fi to NORM. He won’t mind, and neither will anyone else. Sorry about that folks.

Holiday Cartoon Mindwarp Part 2: Doctor Snuggles

Now some 30 years old, Doctor Snuggles, in it’s 13 episodes, doesn’t hold up so great. The animation is maybe comparable to the Smurfs cartoons of the same era; and, it ups the surrealism quotient up by about a power of 10 from those. I’ve only watched the episodes co-written by Douglas Adams (yes, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy author) so far, but expect to be dragged through others soon. There is a quirky quaintness to it all that is, really, actually, a bit icky. I don’t really know what to say. There is some important brain part that may require switching off to engage with even one of these episodes. My experience thus far does confirm, that, yes, this is some fucked up viewing shit, yo. I got to meet Doctor Snuggles’ voice and narrator Peter Ustinov once for about a minute. I think at the time I knew him only for being the old man in Logan’s Run who recites from T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. Anyway… no shit, Doctor Snuggles will eat your brain whole and then serve it at high tea.

Complete Doctor Snuggles on DVD

The official Doctor Snuggles site

Holiday Cartoon Mindwarp Part 1: The Clangers

A little over a year ago, Oliver Postgate passed on at age 83. He left an astounding legacy, in just a few short series, that have had a lasting impact on generations of children. Despite only ever making thirteen episodes of Bagpuss, it remains one of the most popular of British childrens’ programs. The universal appeal of Clangers is undeniable. Your children will soon be running about the house whistling too after watching an episode or thirteen of these. We sat down as a family and watched a ton of them tonight. They remain extremely charming and delightful. My three-year-old son insists that I am the soup dragon; and, his attempts to whistle are beyond charming. Bottom line: each of us found something to laugh at or be amazed by.

Oliver was a conscientious objector to the second world war and a very vocal opponent to the nuclear buildup in Europe in the 70’s and 80’s as well as being an opponent to the post 9-11 clampdown on personal freedoms and the selling of the myth of the global terror network by the far right. One of the last productions that Oliver worked on that received wide distribution was the narration to the documentary of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, Alchemists of Sound, which I have watched at least once every year since it was released.

Just recently BBC4 has aired Oliver Postgate: A Life in Small Films, an overview of his astounding life.

Clangers Series One from Amazon.co.uk (cheap! not even 4 pounds!)

Clangers Series Two

Oliver Postgate on Wikipedia

The Alchemists of Sound at Synthopia.

Stephen Fry and Nick Park pay tribute to Oliver Postgate

SF MusicTech Summit Report

iphone developers

Still absorbing everything from the latest SF MusicTech Summit, this past Monday. This is my second one, and they have been great experiences. For those who have no idea what the hell I’m talking about, here’s the description from their website:

The SF MusicTech Summit brings together visionaries in the music/technology space, along with the best and brightest developers, entrepreneurs, investors, service providers, journalists, musicians and organizations who work with them at the convergence of culture and commerce. We meet to discuss the evolving music/business/technology ecosystem in a proactive, conducive to dealmaking environment.

I met lots of wonderful people working in diverse parts of what collectively can be called the music industry. It’s a big place and there are many areas that do not otherwise get the chance to randomly connect. I was caught by surprise by a question about it later that night.. “so was there new equipment to check out?” My answer of “No, it’s not the AES” was not too helpful. Nothing to buy. Nothing physical being demoed. These are the people working in the music industry getting together and talking about where it is all going, especially in terms of how various changing technologies affect it (not always just computers and more specifically the internet-which ‘technology has become synonymous with’-but it was often that.) It’s no joke that many in the music industry feel a bit like the character Ronald Craven in the first act of Edge of Darkness right now. Still, there was lots of hope and energy and direction, even in the face of the ‘pennies received for play’, as was often cited.

I confess I did not pre-plan for this event as thoroughly as I had planned to do, you know, checking out each attendee to target and network with. But I had full faith in the workings of chance that I would find the right people to talk to. I’m pretty sure I did OK in the end. My big planning time sink was Dave Allen, with his epic post Dear Musicians – Please Be Brilliant or Get Out of The Way. Dave had made a bit of an impression at the SF MusicTech session in May by pretty much eviscerating a fellow panel member, so all eyes were on him this time ’round (confirmed in several pre-panel conversations). Strangely, the panel he was on this time ’round that was dedicated to social media was very happy friendly.

It was great to re-connect with people I met at the last Summit, like former fellow Albany, New York person (and former member of the Silver Jews) Chris Stroffolino, who has some exciting local-centric (to Oakland) label plans underway; and, Michael Fiebach who is behind much of the goings on with the well-executed new website of DJ Shadow. New to me at this conference were the fine work from FanMail (an event sponsor), Wyndstorm (Social Media Architects, just down the road from Wow Cool. Literally) and the Valerie Orth Band.

It’s always great to meet someone passionately involved in music that is on a totally different path from yourself. That’s something I almost count on this event for. In this case it was two iPhone App developers.

I first encountered Shane Vitarana in the line to the buffet table at the after-summit cocktail party. Shane is the creator of the Drum Kit App for the iPhone, and he knows his drums, I am sure, as he did not blink as I deluged him with stories about John French and Jaki Liebezeit. We geeked on drums in general for a bit, until the olives were within grasp. Shane also shared the bit of brilliance he had to format his business card to have the look of the iPhone itself, complete with the contact layout on one side and his app’s display on the other (follow Shane on Twitter).

Shortly after I met Shane, I met Tom Scharfeld. Tom is the greatest evangelist the trombone has ever had. He is the developer of iBone. It took much persistent digging at Tom for me to really appreciate what a great thing he had accomplished. Brass instruments are the one great total gray area to me. Trombone even more so. After much thought and talking to Tom, I came to appreciate what he accomplished. iBone models what it is like to play a trombone, but on an iPhone. Tom used his own samples of himself playing the instrument and the depiction of the trombone is his own. He also did all the programming. If you think of the fluidity of the transitions of tone in the trombone – like the theremin or a fretless bass – then what he has accomplished (although, some cheats to get there were admitted) is remarkable. This is a massive, and maybe, even, groundbreaking, effort.

Oh, yeah… that is Tom and Shane in the photo above… left to right.

Much love to Brian and Shoshana Zisk for making this magical event happen.

There are just three more photos from the event (and a bunch from the one in May) up on flickr.

To be continued…

Yes Men Fix The World Limited Preview DVD Package

LIMITED-EDITION DVD GIFT PACK OF THE YES MEN FIX THE WORLD (2009)!
$30 for one, $50 for two, $65 for three, $100 for five, $500 for thirty

Whether you’ve already seen the film and are jonesing for a second fix, or haven’t because the multiplex nearest you wouldn’t play it, be the first on your block to get hold of the special limited-edition preview DVD! You’ll get the DVD in a simple package, a dream-edition New York Times, and a fake New York Post (“We’re Screwed”).

Bonus: it’ll help get the Yes Men to Copenhagen!! That’s right, the Yes Men are broke yet again. Launching a nationwide theatrical campaign can cause a whole lot of ruckus, from NYC to San Francisco to Chicago, from Salt Lake City to Seattle to Washington, DC – but it’s also pretty expensive. If you buy a copy (or 2 or 3 or 5) today, you’ll help make sure that The Yes Men keep going, both in Copenhagen and back at home, with the brand-new “Yes Tank” (stay tuned!).

P.S. The film is still playing in a bunch of great independent cinemas around the country – please help spread the word if it’s playing near you.

THIS OFFER ONLY APPLIES TO U.S. SHIPPING ADDRESSES.

THE YES MEN FIX THE WORLD is a screwball true story about two gonzo political activists who, posing as top executives of giant corporations, lie their way into big business conferences and pull off the world’s most outrageous pranks. From New Orleans to India to New York City, armed with little more than cheap thrift-store suits, the Yes Men squeeze raucous comedy out of all the ways that corporate greed is destroying the planet. Brüno meets Michael Moore in this gut-busting wake-up call that proves a little imagination can go a long way towards vanquishing the Cult of Greed. Who knew fixing the world could be so much fun?

ADVANCED PRAISE:

“It shines with raw wit and originality.” – Newsweek

“Comedic vigilante justice… Media-savvy pie-to-the-face.” – USA Today

“Hilarious, therapeutic, inspiring. The Yes Men are geniuses.” – Naomi Klein, author ofThe Shock Doctrine and No Logo

“There is more than one way for a film to tweak the powers that be … The Yes Men Fix the World goes at it with a raised eyebrow and a droll sense of humor.” – Stephen Holden, New York Times

“Funnier and more useful than Sacha Baron Cohen’s Brüno.” – The Observer

“We remain convinced that this is the year’s top documentary film.” – New Scientist

“One of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen, and two of the ballsiest guys I’ve ever met. Thank God for the Yes Men.”
- Morgan Spurlock, director of Supersize Me

Art Sustains Us: A Benefit Auction for Anandi

My good friend Anandi has been diagnosed with breast cancer. She has begun chemotherapy, and will be facing major surgery soon. She has health insurance, but it does not cover such necessities as supplements, healthy food, transportation to her many appointments, complementary care to reduce the side effects of chemo, or herbs to help fight the cancer. She also needs financial support for her basic living costs that have risen dramatically as a result of this illness. All of the art has been donated in the interest of hooking her up with everything she needs!

There’s some great art, prints, books and even services (like professional cat counseling)! So get on over there and start bidding!

Thanks for helping out.

Art Sustains Us: A Benefit Auction for Anandi

You can get Anandi’s awesome postcard sets “The Future History of San Francisco” from Last Gasp.

Albany Times Union presents The Bike Blog

Our good friend and consistent lifeline to the old Wow Cool home of Troy, New York, Mr. Andrew Lynn has just started The Bike Blog on TimesUnion.com. He’s managed to bust out three posts already in the first 24 hours, so we expect continued greatness. His statement of purpose follows.

The key constant among us, is that we all simply love riding bikes. Its a great way to get from A to B, but its also so much more than that. Riding a bike provides a fantastically unique vantage point from which to see the world, and those stories and experiences will be distilled down here. Hopefully, this glance into the world of the cyclist will put a smile on your face, and encourage you to air up the tires and go for a spin.

Also new to the blogosphere is Kate Moxham, one of the most talented photographers I know. Her Cut + Drift explores territory that may be of interest to followers of Ballardian, BLDGBLOG, City of Sound and Bearings. She’s getting the good post-situationist psychogeographical juice going.

VOTE! Today is Election Day

At least where I live. If you live in Cupertino too, here’s some info. There’s also some mad voting happening in Virginia, New York, New Jersey and much the rest of California. Anyone else, you’re on your own to figure it out. I do not know anything about this site I’m sending you to, except they seem to have the info.

The Yes Men come to San Francisco this weekend

The YES MEN and GLOBAL EXCHANGE present a Special Screening of The Yes Men Fix the World on its California debut weekend with Yes Man, Andy Bichlbaum & Global Exchange’s Chevron Program Director, Antonia Juhasz November 1, 2009 5pm The Roxie Theater, 3117 16th Street, SF (purchase advance tickets at http://www.Roxie.com)

Question and Answer Discussion following the film with Andy Bichlbaum and Antonia Juhasz

Protest Chevron with The Yes Men! 6:45pm
After the Q & A, Andy Bichlbaum will lead the entire theater of moviegoers on a march to the Chevron station at Market and Castro for a colorful, fun, ruckus, creative, protest of the kind only the Yes Men can offer!

Even if you can’t join us for the film, show up afterwards to take on Chevron Yes Men/Global Exchange style! We hope to see you there!!

Also worth a visit is the Yes Men Channel on Babelgum.

The Living Archive of Underground Music

It’s amazing what you can find that you never knew was right in your own backyard. In this case there’s so much of it, it’s hard to know where to start. I was steered towards The Living Archive of Underground Music page by Pete from San Francisco noise act fognozzle (a group we originally co-founded in the mid-90s). We’d been swapping random cassette culture links after I’d unearthed, photographed and digitized a bunch of our old tapes. The photo was inexplicably very popular and even made it into a feature in Wired. The Living Archive got stared at for a few minutes with little understanding by me and then the tab sat open for about a month. I looked at it again today and realized what a wonder existed there.

On this site I will attempt to give you a personal overview of underground, independent, and home recorded music. I will not try to give a complete chronological survey of what happened during the “golden years” of cassette culture (approx. 1980-1995) but will introduce you to various characters and sounds I have been exposed to during that period. I will enlist others to give their own experiences and I will have plenty of links to investigate.

This is the introduction to the site by it’s creator Don Campau. Don has been a radio DJ since 1971 and has been doing the No Pigeonholes show, focused on home produced music, since he started it in 1985. The show is still going, and can be heard online; on the air on KKUP 91.5FM – Non-Commercial People’s Radio in the Cupertino/South Bay/Santa Cruz Monterey area; and, on Germany’s Radio Marabu. Oh yeah… and he kept recordings of the shows, along with playlists and pictures of old cassette releases. That’s a big part of what the archive is about.

Imagine finding out that someone had been as obsessed with new and original music as John Peel, they’d been doing it for nearly as long, and there’s very little of it you ever could have heard before. Welcome to your big new online time dump and work-time listening destination.

Why We Do This: Shawn Kerri

Gary Panter may have been Punk Rock Art’s Father, but Shawn Kerri was definitely it’s mother. The style was already familiar from dog-eared copies of CARtoons. We weren’t sure what was going on, but we knew it was punk, and we liked it.

A tribute by Paul Grushkin with lots of art.

Commissioned art and a story at Most Uninteresting

The Legendary George Trosley shares some knowledge and CARtoons pages on his site (check the rest out too)

Some analysis…

There seems to be some confusion as to Shawn’s state of being. If you have any solid news, please share it in the comments.

Why We Do This: The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band

The amazing thing to me is I don’t think anyone in the Brown Cuts Neighbors saw any of these old Bonzos TV clips while we were still active. If we had then surely we would have dropped to our knees and wept. Go seek out all you can on Vivian Stanshall.

Ciao My Shining Star: Mark Mulcahy Benefit

Mark Mulcahy, originally uploaded by taswan.

Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy

On September 29th Shout! Factory will release Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy, a tribute to former Miracle Legion front man Mark Mulcahy. The album features a collection of some of today’s greatest recording artists performing versions of Mark Mulcahy’s songs. Mulcahy’s wife, Melissa, died suddenly in September 2008, and proceeds from the sale of the album will go to Mulcahy to help him continue his music career while raising his 3-year-old twin daughters.

The album features 21 exclusive recordings by Thom Yorke, Michael Stipe, Dinosaur Jr., Mercury Rev, The National, Frank Black, Vic Chesnutt, Frank Turner, and Josh Rouse, among others. In addition, a further 20 tracks, from artists such as A.C. Newman, Buffalo Tom and Laura Veirs, will be available digitally. To coincide with the release, there will be two concert events, one in London and one in New York, details TBA.

Mulcahy was the front man and main songwriter for alternative rock band Miracle Legion in the 1980s to mid 1990s. Shortly after their demise, Mulcahy formed Polaris, the house band for the mid 1990s alternative television series The Adventures of Pete & Pete (1993–96) and perhaps best remembered for the song “Hey Sandy,” which was featured in the opening credits of the show.
Mulcahy has opened up for many notable artists, including Oasis and Jeff Buckley, and has received homage from Radiohead front man Thom Yorke, who dedicated a song to Mulcahy at a show in Boston. Nick Hornby wrote an essay on Mulcahy’s song “Hey Self-Defeater” (from the album Fathering) in his book 31 Songs.

Mark and his music is an old friend to those of us from the upstate New York/Berkshires/Five Colleges region. This is a heartbreaking loss and everyone here at Wow Cool HQ extends good feeling towards Mark. His is a voice so rare, it deserves the very best. Mark your calendar. grab one of these disks. UPDATE: Stereogum has posted cover art and a preview of Thom Yorke’s version of All for the Best.

UPDATE: Thom Yorke’s version of ‘All For the Best’ will also be released as a limited 7″ single backed with Mark Mulcahy’s ‘Ciao My Shining Star’ to be released on September 7, 2009. Via At/Ease

Continue reading Ciao My Shining Star: Mark Mulcahy Benefit

Why We Do This 4: Tim Yohannan

Tim Yohannan and late-80’s Gilman Street crew, originally uploaded by acrofish.

He was the general contractor on that which we did that was secret. He was a good friend and inspiration and is still greatly missed. Wikipedia entry.

Saint James Infirmary Blues

I keep watching this again and again and again…

RRRecords – Lowell, MA

After many years of wanting, I finally got to visit RRRecords in Lowell, MA and meet its proprietor Ron Lessard on the recent tour. I failed to put a card in my camera, so had to settle for a single still from the old video cam. One of the releases I was most psyched to be involved in ever was the RRR 500 record of 500 locked grooves. You’ll find me as the bass in track B145 by Horseback Solids. I spent a really long time looking at pretty nearly everything. The vinyl selection was intense. We traded some CDs, I bought a small and strange stack of disks and zines and wandered off dazed to the pub next door to wait for Reverend Baker from Offset Needle Radius so we could start the tour. RRRecords April 11, 2009.

More background on the shop on Wikipedia.

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Jason Martin with Kamikaze Hearts - Live 2002