The Gift of Totally Random and Difficult Music

As I continue to learn and grow and expand my horizons using nothing but a internet connection on the company dime, I have found a bunch a great blogs dedicated to sharing rare and out-of-print recordings, for free. It is sites like these that give me hope for the future…Although there are literally hundreds (if not more) out there, the following are a few of the cool ones I have stumbled over recently.

Dinosaur Gardens – Excavating the tar pits of popular culture – their words, not mine. Has all kinds of cool audio – not just music. Currently has an excellent Trojan Records compilation from 1972 up with a ton of classic reggae, rock steady and ska from waaay back…

Crud Crud – the man behind the site says “I have no impulse control when I walk into a record store.” I totally believe him. Here you will find anything that you never thought you’d need, or want to hear, but are happy to do so, and find yourself spending hours checking out. Everything from kids records to ‘60s French almost-hits and just good old out-of-print, small release recordings from all over. It’s so random and ever so cool.

Nothing Is – This is the jazz that your parents warned you about. Totally out. A+++++

Last but not least, I recently came across a blog named Punk + Free Jazz + Dub = ? Since I don’t read Spanish very well, I’m not totally sure of the entirety of what this site has to offer. But the name alone… fucking perfect.

May 1, 2008

In honor of some friends of the crimson variety, and because it looks like tough times lie ahead, I’d like to wish everyone a very happy May Day.

Although the musician tends to be forgotten in most economic conversations, there are many out there struggling to make ends meet while perusing their art. What does the future look like? Will there be any room for art and/or entertainment?

I’m sure people will always need music in their lives, but when there is so much out there for free, who will pay for it? Especially when folks are living paycheck to paycheck and trying to feed a family.

These are questions I ask myself, not because I have any hopes of paying my mortgage through gigs, I just want to understand how it all works. Our economy, which can no longer be thought of in terms of national borders, is incredibility diverse with systems and pressures so complicated (at least for me) that I can’t begin to imagine how it all ties together.

I have a hard time identifying with those who are comfortable with a world view in which national boundaries, socio-economic classes and political parties build a tidy framework of “how things are and ought to be” (in the US, we sometimes refer to these folks as Republicans).

I was recently in Central America. Read the history of countries like Nicaragua or El Salvador and learn what a negative impact US foreign policy has had upon the lives of its people. You can call me a liberal apologist if you want, but pick up any travel guide and you’ll quickly see what havoc we have sown. It doesn't make me very proud.

I use this metaphor too much, but the Chaos Theory in which the butterfly flapping its wings in Singapore causes a tornado in Kansas seems to work pretty well in illustrating modern global interdependence. We are all in this together.

So what does this have to do with May Day and/or music? I dunno, just some random and somewhat disjointed thoughts as we trudge steadily on towards the unforeseen. Maybe a little solidarity would do wonders. As they say, spread the wealth.

Japanese Robot

Back When Everything Went Black

Via, Running the Voodoo Down. You can find a larger size here.

I'm sure this dates me, but I spent much of my formative years absorbing Black Flag records (not to mention much of the SST catalog). I found this "time line" hilarious. Look how far we've come.

Daily Funnies

Ok, I’ll admit it. I’m a bit of a Craigslist junkie. Rarely day goes by that I’m not keeping up on the free stuff, musical equipment for sale, and of course, the musicians community posts. I’ve met many fine folks through CL (and a few less-than-fine). It’s definitely a love/hate relationship.

You find a wide spectrum of human interaction on CL. In addition to simple “wanted” ads, you’ll find gossip, drama and often comedy – sometimes intentional, sometimes not. The post below is an example. I’m not entirely sure whether it’s serious. If it is, it’s even funnier.

We are looking for drums, bass, keys, and a KILLER guitarist. Just forming so no $ right now but want to gig maybe once every 6 months or so. We all have good day jobs and don't want this project to interfere with them. Practice 5 to 6X a week. We DO take this very seriously so we need to sound good. Must have pro gear and attitude and a day job. Between ages of 25 to 35 trying to fit our image. If $$ is your goal please do not respond. We do this for passion and strictly the love of music (and ourselves LOL) No beginners either. Let's have some fun!

The best part is the use of the word “We.”

It’s got to be a singer.

Don't Believe the...

While catching up on the exploits of the Industrial Jazz Group's California sojourn over at JTMOU, and after reading the unfortunately all too common lament over the lack of money, it struck me harder than a lead balloon...

THE ANSWER.

Yes.

Although I haven’t run any clinical trials or case studies, I do believe that I have come up with THE ANSWER for all the musicians out there asking, “just how do I make a living playing music?” Best of all, it has absolutely nothing to do with Craigslist (or Myspace).

Before we go any further, I need to set things straight. I’m not totally convinced that I should even be sharing this sensitive information. But I feel that, without providing this service to humanity, I may someday die with a severe sense of regret. That being said, THE ANSEWR is really in two part form (with a very important third part that you’ll want to pay attention to).

The first part is simply: “Make a living? Playing music? IMPOSSIBLE. Cannot be done.”

?????????

Yep. Sad but true. And it’s not like this is the first time you heard it either. In fact, this debate has really become cliché. It is simply unfeasible, and highly impractical to think that a suitable long-term career choice would be that of a performing musician. That is, if you want to eat and stuff…

Luckily, for those who will refuse to heed the realities of our modern socio-economic landscape, there is an element that, when introduced, manages to twist, if ever so slightly, the crushing finality of impossibility. You feeling me? This is part two. If you what to name it, call it the Chaos Assumption. Somewhere, somehow, some gigantic butterfly is furiously flapping its wings so that you may get a shot at becoming the next Phil Collins.

The Chaos Assumption makes the totality of 100% impossibility fallible by 0.0000012% (give or take a few billions of a percent). This is just enough of a tilt to allow the chance of a profitable musical career, if ever so slight. But a chance it is…

Now that the door has been wedged open and allowed us a glimpse of the fluorescent glow of possibility, you still need that finial component, or, for a feeble metaphor: that crucial first corner piece of the puzzle. It will get you started down the road toward musical fulfillment and economic viability. By the way, this is that third part I was referring to earlier. That element? It’s the elusive spark of curiosity, the magnetic draw of inquisitiveness, the critical quotient in the COOL = COOL algorithm… I’m talking about HYPE.

Yep. So simple, just like Einstein. I almost named my dog Einstein. But that was because he’s dumb, so that’s not the same thing at all. Anyhoo…

Don’t laugh. HYPE will get you farther faster than any display of talent or skill or virtuosity. I know too many insanely talented, creative people who scrape by so close that their knuckles bleed. They got no HYPE.

That crappy art-punk band that you sat through four even crappier art-punk bands to see cause Pitchfork gave them a 9.2, that’s HYPE. Madonna? She is HYPE perfected. Now, you’re probably thinking “OK, so if HYPE is the crucial part of THE ANSWER, how do I get the HYPE?” And you would be right to ask this. Unfortunately, I haven’t figured that part out yet and I was hoping someone could tell ME.

New Music Strategies also has a ton of more interesting things to say on the topic of career launching in this digital age. If that’s your bag, I recommend checking them out.

Must... Post... Again...

Yeah, I know - it's been awhile... Sorry 'bout that. But let's not dwell on it.

Moving on...

Earlier this month, Downbeast linked to a Jazz.com article with Peter Erskine where Peter lists his "Desert Island Dozens." Basically, the twelve albums he would choose if they were the only records he could listen to for the rest of his days.

This got me to thinking about mine. Instead of racking my brain trying to come up with a list that would satisfy me for the remainder of existence (I know myself well enough to know that it is pretty much impossible) I tried to think instead of the top 5 albums that I never tire of.

It's not easy - I have the attention span of a tsetse fly. But looking over my collection there are a few gems that I can always enjoy no matter what my mood or where my tastes happen to be focused. So, with no further ado, here are my top 5. Feel free to share yours.

In no particular order

A Love Supreme – John Coltrane
London Calling – the Clash
The Roots of Dub – King Tubby
The Shape of Jazz to Come – Orenette Coleman
The Politics of Time – The Minutemen

Honorable Mention(s): St. Pepper’s – The Beatles, Bitch’s Brew – Miles Davis, Plastic Surgery Disasters – The Dead Kennedys

Yeah, I know - not the most esoteric or obscure list. I’m sorry, those are just damn fine records. I never get tired of them.