More Hits

Since we haven't had a post since feburary, i'll do a quick recap:

Busking-blahblahbah i got tipped a baguette(!!) blahblahs gonna record myself to cd to sell blah blah

Software - Fl Studio 8 is just incredible and will even do quadratic equations and i don't know what those are. Also - free amp 3 is just flat out perfect and free and sounds good...the tools that are free now are just incredible.

This is just flat out awesome. What happens outside album covers.


(Via (not leo)Kottke)

Busking update: Spring

Starting to look like spring around here with 5 to 6 days of sunshine in a row. I was *so* excited to get back to the market since i haven't been there since early January.

Gah! when i arrived it were plagued with other musicians in full flight and all the good sunny spots were all taken...no place for the late-arriver to set up with barraging the patrons when a cacophony of homespun tunage and entertainments. So i slipped over to the shady side, set up in front of a very bored looking chocolatier and dug in.

Yesterday marked my first foray in to actual Vaudevillianism. I actually tried to do a bit of a dance while i got into a number. This is sort of the plunge that I always hope to take but spend each day running from any sort of leap of faith like it. More later.

Not to be presumptious, but i do feel like i was in fine form. I've had plenty of rest and i've been studying new tunes and learning some new chords for tunes that I can't WAIT to whip out on the market/earth at the earliest opportunity. My guitar playing was more sure, as it was much warmer than the past bajillion times, and I sung as close to my real range as possible...only once did i croak out a poor low note (during lone pilgrim), and once i swallowed a falsetto that i shouldn't have even approached in the first place (during Buffalo Tom's paen to wasted, perfect time - Summer).

I busted out the two Misfits songs that I'll go to my grave knowing, as i've known them since i started playing, nearly. I was feeling a bit restless, and thought maybe i should pack it in, but then i saw a clump of tied up dreads above a gray Misfits hoodie sweat shirt, so off came the fingerpicks and out came the flat pick and here comes the bass riff for "london Dungeon" and the fella's head wipped around and gave me such a grin. It got bigger when i was done with "dungeon" and jumped right into my Misfits-by-way-of-superchunk-on-halloween special "Horror bizness". I really should learn "Bullet" but i'm afraid singing that song in public would actually cause me to land in the jailhouse. The young gent scooted up to tell me "I never hear the misfits at the market" and i could only shrug and wink "Claro Que Si! but now i'm here and now you DO hear them at the market". highlight of the day. wow. yes. it really were.

So, i figured out on Saturday that i've been singing "Moses, Don't Get Lost" in Fminor. So i tuned up my A and D strings a whole tone each and capo-ed at the 1st fret and bingo! now i have a guitar tuned to Open Fminor. I've never been shown that by anybody and I was pleased as punch to figure it out. But, when the georgia Sea island singer do it, they've got like, 6 folks clapping and stomping in that way that causes my hackles to rise. To mimic it, 1 think white-boy - i started stomping with my feet and smacking about my guitar to get the different tones. I felt like the first Vaudeville entertainer leaving the cave for the first time to see if there were any sabretooths about. But if you're not going to go balls out. why go outside? I don't know if it was a success... and my slide and singing "Nobody's fault but mine" is kind've intense and a downer for the market...but it felt actually cathartic to do....so it stays. I don't know how to make my guitar sing quite like Rev. Johnston...but i do try. Also - i don't wanna cast stones, but I think the Duhks are an emasculated, updated-not-so-much-for-the-millennium version of Peter Paul & Mary. and not in a good way. Have a listen to a sample of their version of "moses, don't get lost" and let me know if you agree, or if I should stick to what i know, and leave my opinions whereever the fuck.

New songs i busted out that I hadn't ever busted out before:

• London Dungeon
• Horror Bizness (both misfits)
• Lone Pilgrim (B.F. White)
• Moses, Don't Get Lost/Nobody's Fault But Mine (trad./trad)
• Move it on over (hank williams)
• Midnight Special (boogie like your name is Huddie)
  
• Po' Black Mattie (R. L. Burnside)
• Chips Ahoy (Hold Steady - my version is pretty short though)
• The Five Deadly Venoms (hyder)

Songs I hope to bust out soon:

• Blackwaterside
• Souper Trouper (Camera Obscura style)
• O Pato
• Manha de Carneval
• I Heard the Voice of A Porkchop (come cover me in grits)
  

Dying to get back in the ring coach. Let me at 'em!

Ghost Pleads With Fans "Go Cop My Shit!"

This video posted on Ghostface Killah's Myspace page last month catches the artist in between bringing the ruckus and choppin' heads, as he expresses hurt at his fans' downloading his music without buying his CDs. The video is actually quite sad, and is probably the most real and personal expression on the subject I've seen from any artist in the music biz.

On an upnote: Ghost states clearly that if you buy his CD and show it to him when he comes to your town, he'll personally kick it with you and ya'll can get "goosed up."

Sounds like a plan.

Via Fader

Sacred Harp Convention this weekend

I'm stoked. And I'm apprehensive. I've been sick a dog for the past 2 weeks and my voice doesn't want to speak even, and when I try to sing in general i start to cough. But I'm going anyway. It means i'll have to miss a sunday farmers market (which i haven't been to for 3 weeks or more), and i'm jonesing for that. But the Convention only comes once a year, and the market happens 51 times a year so....

Also - I don't know what food to bring. Cornbread is always a sure bet...but I want to bring something else, but don't feel inspired.

Today i'm going to listen to my library of recorded tunes and see which ones I'd like to lead. I do love Rocky Road - but I led that last year...don't want to repeat myself. but I do love Rocky Road.

I know when I get there, i'll probably cough my brains out halfway through singing the notes of "Holy Manna" and then i'll be hooked and won't leave till the cut the lights off.

The convention is Saturday and Sunday. So if you live is Seattle and are curious heres the deets:

9:30 am to 3:30 pm (or so) each day at Sunset Hill Community Club, 3003 NW 66th St, Seattle, WA.

Maybe you'll come down and see what all the magic is about. You won't believe how fast this thing will jump all over you and won't let you go.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter (w/ salt on top?)

Love love love that music biz talk.

love love love that Mac.

Love love love that david byrne.

Get well soon,

I'm sad y'all.

I just found out that Nate Dogg recently had a stroke and is getting the help he needs.

I can't tell you how much each time i hear Nates smoove vocal drop into a track that i'm just mezmerized.

Get well soon, Nate Dogg!

(props to the sexxy snake head on that cane. fierce!)

Buskers! Radiohead! Thom Yorke! David Byrne! - A Stream of Consciousness Rave-Fest

First, hats off for the busking adventures!

This new addition to ER is really exciting and just goes to show that when Dr. Confusion brings it, he brings it raw! That's right, honeys- smarts, a fine storyteller, and one hell of a looker (if I do say so myself). These little tales of magic and woe, of singing into the cold alone and with strangers, have touched my inner troubadour right where he lives....

So what else has got me excited? The new Radiohead album!! It's affirmative, chilluns, that In Rainbows is already out in the land o' the rising sun and will be available on CD stateside January 1st!

In case you've been living under a mossy stone in some forgotten forest somewhere, Radiohead's long awaited follow up to 2003's Hail to the Thief is a double-disc extravaganza that's been getting stellar reviews left, right and center. Many worldwide have already snatched up the album online, as it was originally made available back in October from Radiohead's website where you could choose your own price to download the album!

Speaking of Radiohead:

Thom Yorke announced that Radiohead will be "broadcasting a pre-recording of some songs and other bits on New Years Eve.." over at Radiohead.tv.

It starts at midnight GMT on December 31, which is in the early evening here in America, leaving plenty of time to go get ready to see Spoon or the Black Lips or R. Kelly or whoever.

-according to Pitchfork.

Mmmm. A pretty sweet way to spend New Years if you're going to be staying in....

And by the way, if you like Thom Yorke and Radiohead, then you might (and by "might" I mean damn well should) check out the recent interview that Mr. Yorke did for Wired Magazine. It gives some nice insights AND (!!!) his interviewer is none other than mega geek and music legend David Byrne! Talk about givin' the peoples what they want....

LINK to the Pitchfork article for more details on the Radiohead New Year's broadcast.
LINK to David Byrne and Thom Yorke on the Real Value of Music at Wired Magazine

Busking: Victory is thrilling and the taste lingers

What up. w00t! for 100th posting down below. that video is indeed thrilling. Don't say yes to the man. mang.

After some terrible weather that kept me from playing at the market (woe is me?) - i ventured out yesterday. It was cold so my fingers were all kinds of stiff and clumsy and kept me from being any kind of nimble. But I played anyway and there was some great positive feedback. And for some reason yesterday was like "music community day". and it was great. some examples:

• I was mid way into my fahey-ed up bron-yr-aur, and a couple folks lingered to listen. When I was done the Gent asked if he could strum a bit with me so I said "Hellz yeah!" and tuned up in to standard tuning as he fetched his guitar. Turned out he knew "lonesome Whistle" and was familiar with "I'll be your baby tonight", and he played some excellent lead AND sang high-harmony while I tried to keep steady time with some choruses so he could move around on his guitar. A most excellent player - he played me one of his songs and showed me the changes - i tried to keep up. Then his sister came up and said "We gotta go mang!" so I learned his name was scott and he was visiting from main and had to bail to go to another market. Well met and done scott.
• Then there was robert who heard my corcovado, and let me know he was a busker too - and asked to play me one of his songs. I handed the guitar over and was treated to a easy-going song with loads of Major Sevenths and lyrics involving people coming to gether and Mother Goose Nursery rhymes. He told me he was a flautist as well, and would I be interested to play guitar and back him on flute up around town. I told him i'd consider it....i may not have the mental energy to add that to the pile.
• Lastly there was Mike. He hung out behind his table (the fay farm), untill he heard "corcovado" and then he JUMPED over the table to confirm it - and started singing along IN PORTUGUESE! I said I knew Ipanema, and he sang it and asked to repeat the verse so he could scat and inverted "take the A-train" melody over the top. Apparently Jobim did the same thing. He then tells me he cried for a week when he heard the news of Jobim's death. Tip out a glass indeed. Turns out, that Mike is a Jazz bassist and toured around with the likes of Doc Serverinson. And he's a songwriter that wins contests when he's not making skin care products. He saw my hands and tipped me a jar of his hand-salve and a fin. (!) He said he dug the scene and I should come back and stand right across from his stand so he could hear. I said, "i'll be there".

Damn right i will.

On to learning "Manha de carneval", "O Pato", "reynardine" and "beeswing". wish me luck, and thanks so Scott from main, Robert, and Mike.
-Dr. Confusion

100th Post!

Yay!

This, my babies, is our 100th post here at the luscious Effect Return and I've decided to celebrate it with a little Bobby Conn, who is in fact my new idol. I believe this clip is from 'Chic-a-go-go,' a public access dance show for kids and adults out of Chicago.

P.S.- Please, don't say "yes" to the man....



Awe, hell. I wasn't going to do this, but how could I only pick one when both these videos are so frickin' cool?? 'Home Sweet Home' may actually be my current favorite song....

This is How We Go Out

Leslie Hall. Nuff said....

Santana Shreds

I just wet myself laughing at these. hand to god - the funniest thing on the internet since some guy did a face plant on his bmx bike.

http://youtube.com/user/StSanders

they are ALL funny.

especially this one.

(shame they won't let us embed them)
Via Questionable Content.
-Dr. Confusion

Pack-Rat Confessions, Part 1

About a week ago, I had all of these boss ideas for posts for the ER. But then, school happened, life happened, and I forgot what I wanted to say. eek.

One thing I've been noticing lately, though, is that I seem to have acquired an inability to get rid of music in my collection. I think I'm a musical pack-rat. There's loads of full albums that need to be purged from my music vault, but that I simply don't have the heart to toss out. Even worse, I don't seem to have the ability to break up albums either. For me, everything is digital now, so it would be so easy to simply keep the one or two good songs on an album and ditch the rest... but I can't. I simply can't bring myself to do it. There seems to be this issue of posterity that keeps coming up with me- that I want to keep everything that I can because it's all important somehow. This leads me to question: Am I building a music collection or a music library?

Maybe it's a library until I run out of space on the hard-drive, then it will become a collection...

Beach Party Tonight

Tonight La Tostada and I get to see Yo La Tengo again.
I'm so excited.
Actually i'm a little sick, so I'm not as excited as I wanna be.


This will be the 3rd time I've seen them and they say that this tour is the "Behind the storyteller's music" tour or something. They say it'll mostly be acoustic with some stand-up mixed in, or something. La Tostada is thrilled cause she loves YLT's more quiet side - where as I can dig the skronky noise for a bit longer. Either way it's a win/win.

After I saw them the first time (not too long ago, acutally) i was inspired to add in more YLT to the GoA's songs. This song in particular cribs directly from Ira's use of Drop-D tuning and smacking the back of the neck just so to make that super sweet ambient chord that you hear a lot in their songs. Ira is a freaking genius with the way he twists and turns his electric all around to make all these textures.

He really gets me to thinking about the physical form of the person and their vocal/non-verbal epxression and the very well developed expression or avatar that some guitarists conjure up when they play. Like Keith for example. I keep saying I want to make a post/essay about this issue and Ira and Keith are perfect examples. You'd think Ira was narcoleptic on stage, he barely opens his eyes, and his vocals are very soft and gentle - but then he makes with these 15 minute long (or longer) skronk-anallias of roaring chords and squealing amps...it's quite something to see. and in general James is very tall and seems super gentle and sweet and Georgia seems like the shyest drummer ever - but then they can be the loudest, most abrasive band since White Light/White Heat. It is a marvel. And i'm lucky to get to see them again! yay US!

Analogies

Amy Ray : Driver Education :: James Joyce : Ulysses :: The Existence : Life all at once

------

That is all.

(Mp3, Lyric) for the song

Is this what Deaner was talking about?

As announced here, Ween have a new record out. And i'm stoked for it. A little bit of history of me and ween.

Geaner and Deaner are like two slightly older brothers to me. My cousin made me a tape at the beginning of 10th grade of some newer music, as i'd been on a steady diet of Zeppelin, Stones and AC/DC - i'd gotten my mind blown recently with The Velvet Underground and I knew from liner notes and other stuff that there were all these other bands that took the VU thing and ran. I knew about R.E.M. of course, but the Clemson radio station only came in when it was cloudy so i didn't have money to buy a bunch of records, so my Cousin made me a tape. Of all the stuff that was on that tape, They Might Be Giants (what evs), Chickasaw Mudpuppies (eh...), Jane's Addiction (now were talking!, but all their fans are so DRAMA-ey) Ween leapt out at me, shook my hand, and whispered in my huge ear "You can do this". SO funny, and SO lo-fi and so confident. So perfect.

So, I've seen Ween 5 or 6 times - and In 96 I think, i got to interview Deaner on the Mollusk tour for a local paper. That was difficult, it was my first interview - it was during soundcheck so we couldn't hear each other - and Deaner was very foggy after a nap and needed some coffee. Any way - it was a real treat to meet him and talk to a real hero of mine.

Deaner is an amazing guitarist - and being somewhat of a guitarist myself i have definite likes and dislikes - i don't as a rule like guitar solos. and I have walked Swiftly away from any concert that sounded like a "Jam Band" - Not saying that Ween are - they are not. But I have seen Ween do a, i'm not kidding here: i timed it, 45 minute version of LMLYP - which you could assert was a "Jam" of the "Wicked" variety. I think it is all to easy to fall into cliche and self indulgence when soloing on guitar. Having said all that

Here, watch Deaner rip something alive from the depths of the earth with his bare hands. This clip is long and it's mostly a guitar solo but not many people on earth get a chance to see this -

Microtonal Van Halen

Oh man.

Ouch.

Head over to Create Digital Music and see some painful tech trouble. Both the Bass and Eddie Van Halen's guitar are playing a few microtones below their synth backing track. oof.

The Moby Equation

Magnificent.

Only - they left out the most galling part of the whole Moby/Play phenomena - He was literally STEALING the good parts of his songs from unpaid african american folk artists. His offence goes WAY beyond the justified criticism that Elvis and most other white artists need to own up to, in terms of appropriating black music to a white audience. With Moby, its worse, because - he's not even copping the style of Big Boy Crudup - he's using the recordings of Bessie Jones and others and putting shitty, simple, Theory I first week re-harmonies under them with soft synths. big whoop.

And one more knife twist in this pointless post. He has this screed about being a Vegan in the sacred space of liner notes for this record. and on the cover, what do we see on his super-cool feet? Some nikes. some leather sneaks made by nike. Way to live in a glass house doood. here, take this rock and nail it to the wall.

(is she not amazing looking? and she knew *all* these songs. I wish i could have learned from her directly, not just from Lomax's tape recordings - but thank god for those)

Busking: Rounds 4 & 5 (ding! ding!)

Not to turn this into a busking blog but:

That's been the biggest musical whatever happnin' in Dr. Confusion's world so - here's a collection of observations and anecdotes from rounds 4 & 5 of the great Busking Adventure of the Naughties.

• I'm starting to really dig it, and I start looking forward to my sundays playing at the Ballard farmer's market all week.
• So many kids
• so many dogs!
  
• every dog wants to sniff and maybe pee on the hat.
• 95% white men (who are not dads who have their kids with them) in their 20's are too cool for school and never smile, stop and listen, or toss coins. I think they must all be guitarists too.
• Kids are the secret to steady change - they stop and stare, and the 'rents give them a quarter to drop in...it's a whole procedure...it's fun...i'm going to be learnign some Leadbelly kids songs (the good ones) to tailor to the wee beasties.
  
• Round 4:
• was total fun.
• I got dressed up with a tie and my granddad's jacket
• Right off the bat a guy comes up and says (seriously): " you have the air of the british isles about you. What part are you from?" I replied " I'm from Easley, South Carolina" and he seemed surprised. what fun! - song I was playing one of my new work's in progress which is a John Fahey'd up version of Zeppelin's Bron-Yr-Aur.
• I hit a particularly good stretch on John Hurt's Big Leg Blues and a bunch of young kids started gathering around and actually dancing. that was crazy.
• the one wee wee toddler went up to the hat and lifted it - he found out it jingled onnacounta the change in there and jiggled it once or twice and then full on slung the hat as far up as he could so all the change could clang down and the bills drifted back to earth.
• The poor mom - she was worried and asked the kid to help her put the money back, but the kid was totally pre-verbal and just was looking around. she was all "i'm sorry" and i answered - "don't worry, that was HILARIOUS."
• A nice couple stopped by and said they like the playing and I was extra thrilled at that cause i was doing a stretch of GoA songs. w00t!
  
• The empire ice cream guys across the street from me dropped a dollar in and said they liked the set list (sweet!). So after I packed up I asked them what they liked (costello, Nashville skyline era dylan, maybe some more BRUUUUUUCE!) and didn't (not much, just don't play all along the watchtower 7 times in a row, like some people do {check!})
• Then they gave me a free pint of Peach Sorbet. SCORE!
• It rained most of the day and the strings got hard to play - but it was fun...i wondered if I felt like the Edge felt when they made Live at Red Rocks. god that video was awesome.
• Round 5 (ding! ding!)
• Got there late.
• totally lost my voice and steam like, an hour into it (drag)
• Just not on my A-game.
• Started with my new fully learned "Prodigal Son" which i've been wanting to learn how to play for ummm....20 years. (yep. since i was 10 at least)
• (shout out to Rev. Wilkins for being such a genius!)
  
• Right off the bat got into a discussion with a nice new mom about Mississippi John Hurt and she recommended that tribute album that i want to listen to. I asked her if she wanted to hear "big Leg Blues" again, and she said yes...so I played it again, and she left (husband/partner stopped by and dropped some change, thanks!) and as she was leaving said in what seemed to be honesty: "You play very well, you're very talented" and I was just beaming.
  
• After I tried to play "beulah land" but I had the I IV V right, but not the right capo/chords - oh well.
  
• Empire Ice cream guy dropped a dollar after "Tonight, I'll be Staying here with you" and said "That is the greatest love song in the world" Fucking right it is.
• My hat was pretty anemic on the money front till this guy wandered over as I was finishing up a song. He wanted to see what kind of guitar. I showed him, and he was like, "Humph! well...." as if that was a super fancy guitar. It is. And it was a gift (and the gifter didn't pay the list price, that's for sure). and I treasure it. and play the shit out of it. So i said "Yep. It's a martin, I want these songs to sound good to y'all, y'know?" and he did the head tilt/shrug thing that means "good point" in american non-verbal language. and I asked did he want to hear something in particular. He said "No, but how about a ballad? from the 70's or 60's?" I said how about one from the mid 50's? Cause I was just about to play "Long Black Veil". He stepped EVEN closer to hear it and i was getting nervous...so i just tried to keep as steady a beat as I could and sing it solid. I do it basically the Lefty Frizelle version but try to incorporate some of the Welch and Rawling's bits too. He dug it and when it got to the 3rd verse and it's clear what's going on he gave a little "woo" when he understood the action. and then he pulled out a five and made sure I saw it go into the hat. He said "Good job, learn some Eric Clapton" - I'm thinking he wanted to hear "Wonderful Tonight" but i don't think I'm going to learn that.
• I think the market folks like that I stick around and play while they are packing up - rather than bailing as soon as the market's over and the customers leave. I like that too and want to keep doing that...I hope they like it...they don't really talk to me...but i overheard two workers talking and they looked my way and one said "I know, I love it" to the other one...and I THINK they were talking about me...but who knows.
• I want to learn SO many more songs now... and really really really KNOW them...
• I still need to keep working on my game...there's a lot more guitaring i could be doing, and my singing STILL needs a year or two's study and work 40 hours a week. ooohhh it's a fickle thing, my voice...it needs a LOT of work.

So that's what's happening - i'm still scouring my record collection to find songs I want to do and learn. This has been a great adventure and I really hope to continue to get better and better.

whew!

Talking Heads Live in Rome

Boing Boing reported a few days ago that someone had posted an entire concert video of the Talking Heads live in Rome (circa 1980!!) to You Tube. Holy Crap.

I am and have always been a fanatical follower of this incredible band, who (along with Television) totally redefined the way I think about the interplay of the instruments in a band.

This show reveals why the great Talking Heads remain the stuff of legend, and the rich vibrant energy that they emit on-stage is intoxicating to say the least. In a word, this is a-w-e-s-o-m-e.

So grab a drink, get comfortable, unplug the phone, and put your rawk goggles on!

The Songs:

* Psycho Killer
* Stay Hungry
* Cities
* I Zimbra
* Drugs
* Take Me to the River
* Crosseyed and Painless
* Life During Wartime
* Houses in Motion
* Born under Punches

Live! James Brown, Michael Jackson, and Prince in Supersoul Throwdown!

In keeping with the recent burst of video love, I just had to drop this clip of an old James Brown show where Michael Jackson and Prince both get called to step up from the crowd and onto the stage to add a little spice to the Godfather's mega-jive. Holy crack-rabbits, this is some cool sh*t....