Unless you've been reading this, or this, or this, or listening to this, I haven't been putting much out there lately.
It's been a weird year. Been a spate of those recently. But this year especially, articulating my life to myself has been difficult. Figuring out how to show it to others? Impossible. So any kind of writing of a...personal nature, let's call it?...gets locked down as soon as it's produced. To the average observer, I've been piping my diary into dev/null.
Every so often though, it's nice to fire up the skywriter and spell it out in long, graceful arcs. Given the weather lately, I figured I should take any clear day opportunities and make the most of them.
Most of my free time over the past six/seven months has been devoted to one of the following projects:
1) The Psychotronics.
A destructive instrumental surf band devised and birthed by documentarian Jeff Myers, he of past projects like The Christmas Belles and Desperado. We take our first real steps on September 30th, when we play live on Hollow Earth Radio's Blues & Bluster. Listen in at your own peril.
2) The Christmas Belles.
You may remember a Christmas party so epic that the Stranger covered it? We're coming back. This year, we're making some changes: new songs, new venues, new member(s). More information to come as we figure it out.
3) HONK! Fest West.
Man, one year ends and the next starts up, just like that. The pace can be punishing. Thankfully, the reward has (so far) always made up for the hours of work necessarily tied to any venture fully run by volunteers. We already know a fair bit about 2011's Fest: it will be May 20-22 in Georgetown, Fremont, and West Seattle. Still to come: bands, schedule, volunteers, food, general logistics. You know, the small stuff.
4) Strange Tales of Preston Stagger.
He's a magician who solves crimes. He's also the title character of Simon Astor's two-act play. I'm writing some of the music, and will be in the pit during performances. Later in October, most of you can look forward to an invite to the theater.
5) Slap & Tickle.
I am not actively propositioning you. (although you are rather darling in that outfit. The color is really good on you.) Slap & Tickle is me on washtub bass and vocals with my good friend Kate on ukulele and vox. At the moment we're doing covers of old lovely songs that some people vaguely remember. It's just like writing a new pop song, but much, much easier. And you can tell we're serious about it because we made some videos.
Tonight You Belong To Me
You're Sixteen
Five Foot Two
We play next at Trolloween, Sunday October 31st at 7pm. Invites sure to be issued at some point closer to the actual date.
On top of all that, there's everyday life and a full-time job. A loving and wonderful partner and an amazing circle of friends. There are time I am nearly swallowed by my schedule, but I wouldn't have it any other way. What I'm trying to say, I suppose, is to please not worry if you don't hear from me here that often. If I have a spare moment, I'm most likely sleeping.
9.22.2010
4.05.2010
HONK! Fest West is this weekend. Tell me you'll be there.
For the past six months, I've been organizing a little thing called HONK! Fest West. Only it's not so little anymore.
It's huge. Sprawling three days and four locations.
It's open. Almost every performance in the street and every single one all-ages.
It's raucous. Over 20 bands--that's over 250 musicians--will play over 19 hours of scheduled music (see:1, 2). God knows what they'll be doing when we're not looking.
It's free. We are accepting donations, but all money raised goes to either the bands or festival activities. I am a volunteer. Everyone involved with HONK! is a volunteer. You should be a volunteer!
But that doesn't really get to the nut of HONK! Fest West. Although I'd be foolish to believe there's only one.
Honk! Fest West, so sayeth the thing, "is a street fair dedicated to bringing marching bands, samba lines, horn players, drum corps, and every manner of rhythmic and melodic noisemaker we could find right to the Seattle streets."
Which is to say HONK! is loud, energetic, stylistically bold, and always on the move. Samba lines, 2nd line New Orleans jazz, drum corps, Balkan folk, and anything and everything in between.
That was nut the one.
Nut the two is our community focus. HONK! events use music to remove the line between professional and novice, audience and performers. The honkers' ultimate goal is to have fun, to relish the art of making fun as a form of individual and collective transcendence, and to encourage others to see and do the same.
We love that idea. So this year we made some changes to support that vision. In 2010, HONK! is officially in the streets and all-ages!
(And as a partner with the City of Seattle and The Vera Project, we think it makes a lot of sense.)
FRIDAY: We'll be in Fremont (pic) on N. 35th St at Phinney Ave. N. from 5-10pm.
SATURDAY: HONK hits twice! From 10am-4pm, we'll be in the Central Area (pic), headquartered in historic Washington Hall. From 6-10pm, we join our good friends the Art Attack down in Georgetown (pic).
SUNDAY: We are stoked to be sharing the streets with the West Seattle Farmers' Market. From Noon-5pm, marching bands will have the run of West Seattle. You'll probably notice a difference.
That's HONK!
It's this weekend. Tell me you'll be there.
It's huge. Sprawling three days and four locations.
It's open. Almost every performance in the street and every single one all-ages.
It's raucous. Over 20 bands--that's over 250 musicians--will play over 19 hours of scheduled music (see:1, 2). God knows what they'll be doing when we're not looking.
It's free. We are accepting donations, but all money raised goes to either the bands or festival activities. I am a volunteer. Everyone involved with HONK! is a volunteer. You should be a volunteer!
But that doesn't really get to the nut of HONK! Fest West. Although I'd be foolish to believe there's only one.
Honk! Fest West, so sayeth the thing, "is a street fair dedicated to bringing marching bands, samba lines, horn players, drum corps, and every manner of rhythmic and melodic noisemaker we could find right to the Seattle streets."
Which is to say HONK! is loud, energetic, stylistically bold, and always on the move. Samba lines, 2nd line New Orleans jazz, drum corps, Balkan folk, and anything and everything in between.
That was nut the one.
Nut the two is our community focus. HONK! events use music to remove the line between professional and novice, audience and performers. The honkers' ultimate goal is to have fun, to relish the art of making fun as a form of individual and collective transcendence, and to encourage others to see and do the same.
We love that idea. So this year we made some changes to support that vision. In 2010, HONK! is officially in the streets and all-ages!
(And as a partner with the City of Seattle and The Vera Project, we think it makes a lot of sense.)
FRIDAY: We'll be in Fremont (pic) on N. 35th St at Phinney Ave. N. from 5-10pm.
SATURDAY: HONK hits twice! From 10am-4pm, we'll be in the Central Area (pic), headquartered in historic Washington Hall. From 6-10pm, we join our good friends the Art Attack down in Georgetown (pic).
SUNDAY: We are stoked to be sharing the streets with the West Seattle Farmers' Market. From Noon-5pm, marching bands will have the run of West Seattle. You'll probably notice a difference.
That's HONK!
It's this weekend. Tell me you'll be there.
1.28.2010
The End Times are Confirmed
via Fred:
We've confirmed ... The End Times will perform at The Mix in Georgetown (Seattle, WA) on April 16, 2010 to herald the release of THESE ARE THE END TIMES. Possibly another NW date or two as well, but don't quote me. There are still no-cost downloads available at the website, but only for a limited time ...
We've confirmed ... The End Times will perform at The Mix in Georgetown (Seattle, WA) on April 16, 2010 to herald the release of THESE ARE THE END TIMES. Possibly another NW date or two as well, but don't quote me. There are still no-cost downloads available at the website, but only for a limited time ...
12.17.2009
One picture says 1,000 words, so I hung three. I'm still not sure that will be enough to explain why I'm so excited for the weekend.
Back in 2007, I joined a mysterious outfit called The Christmas Belles. Our mission: provide relief from the forced joy and hallmark sentiments that surround this time of year like hardened special forces. We were successful. And then, like the smart operatives we were, we went sleeper.
As we eased back into the mainstream, each of us found new pursuits. Some of us became prophets, others took up arms, and some drifted away.
But this year, the need was too great. We have re-grouped and assembled a set to decimate audiences as we sweep through the coming week towards Christmas. Our various dates are listed below, but it elides one very important one: our anniversary date at the very venue that birthed us.
The Belles will be joined by Hey Marseilles, Pillow Army, Yellow Hat Band, and The Seattle Elves. There is also a small matter of meat. Further information is available from me through usual channels.
Back in 2007, I joined a mysterious outfit called The Christmas Belles. Our mission: provide relief from the forced joy and hallmark sentiments that surround this time of year like hardened special forces. We were successful. And then, like the smart operatives we were, we went sleeper.
As we eased back into the mainstream, each of us found new pursuits. Some of us became prophets, others took up arms, and some drifted away.
But this year, the need was too great. We have re-grouped and assembled a set to decimate audiences as we sweep through the coming week towards Christmas. Our various dates are listed below, but it elides one very important one: our anniversary date at the very venue that birthed us.
The Belles will be joined by Hey Marseilles, Pillow Army, Yellow Hat Band, and The Seattle Elves. There is also a small matter of meat. Further information is available from me through usual channels.
9.29.2009
three times yearly
I had no intention of really talking about it, but then The Stranger's Eric Grandy went and pulled a dick move. So, yay, I guess I will. However, I want to say up front that I still support KEXP (literally, actually, and we'll get to that) and will continue to volunteer my time there.
Early last week, I received the 2008 Annual Report to Contributors. As I understand it, the report is publicly available for your perusal here. The report lists funding initiatives and revenue reports alongside the names of everyone who contributed last year. My name is right there on page 25:
It'll be there next year too; I re-upped my membership about 10 days ago. (A long story, but in a nut: I dropped in on someone's blind date and ended up having a drink. A couple days later, I realized the card I got back was someone else's, so I had to cancel mine and update the info on all of my automatic withdrawals, one of which was KEXP. I had a staffer in membership on the phone, my year was up, and it seemed the thing to do.)
As a member in good standing, I was excited to receive the report a few days later. It also names staff and their positions, and here I am again:
I'm going to be super optimistic here and say I hope to be there again by next year. But you never know. I remain a production assistant at KEXP, and with my newly available time I'm angling to increase my duties there.
At the moment, I won't lie to you. I'm bummed. At the time I was let go, I'd been board-opping for a year and five months. This coming May, I'll have volunteered there 5 years. I have, you might say, some investment. And so do the people who run the station.
Speaking of, let me show you the letter from Tom Mara where he outlines where KEXP has been and where it's going. It's interesting for sure. I can't imagine the juggling of motivations and goals that goes into running a non-profit organization, especially one as large and public as KEXP.
You may notice Mara mentions strategic planning towards a new home for KEXP. If you've never visited the station--and right now is a fabulous time to do so--you're missing out: it's an old bank building, with exactly the right mix of character and business. They keep the swag in the vault, which always tickles me. At the same time, they outgrew the building about a year ago. I can't begrudge them wanting to move. And won't, as long as they don't begrudge me wanting to stay.
I tell you all this as a reminder that today begins KEXP's fall pledge drive. I've given. Will you? I'm not naive--the station meeting its goal changes nothing about my status there--but for the next few days, when you find yourself voluntarily listening to KEXP's DJs cajoling you for cash over whatever godforsaken thing The End is playing, please realize I might be a canary, and you need their song.
Early last week, I received the 2008 Annual Report to Contributors. As I understand it, the report is publicly available for your perusal here. The report lists funding initiatives and revenue reports alongside the names of everyone who contributed last year. My name is right there on page 25:
It'll be there next year too; I re-upped my membership about 10 days ago. (A long story, but in a nut: I dropped in on someone's blind date and ended up having a drink. A couple days later, I realized the card I got back was someone else's, so I had to cancel mine and update the info on all of my automatic withdrawals, one of which was KEXP. I had a staffer in membership on the phone, my year was up, and it seemed the thing to do.)
As a member in good standing, I was excited to receive the report a few days later. It also names staff and their positions, and here I am again:
I'm going to be super optimistic here and say I hope to be there again by next year. But you never know. I remain a production assistant at KEXP, and with my newly available time I'm angling to increase my duties there.
At the moment, I won't lie to you. I'm bummed. At the time I was let go, I'd been board-opping for a year and five months. This coming May, I'll have volunteered there 5 years. I have, you might say, some investment. And so do the people who run the station.
Speaking of, let me show you the letter from Tom Mara where he outlines where KEXP has been and where it's going. It's interesting for sure. I can't imagine the juggling of motivations and goals that goes into running a non-profit organization, especially one as large and public as KEXP.
You may notice Mara mentions strategic planning towards a new home for KEXP. If you've never visited the station--and right now is a fabulous time to do so--you're missing out: it's an old bank building, with exactly the right mix of character and business. They keep the swag in the vault, which always tickles me. At the same time, they outgrew the building about a year ago. I can't begrudge them wanting to move. And won't, as long as they don't begrudge me wanting to stay.
I tell you all this as a reminder that today begins KEXP's fall pledge drive. I've given. Will you? I'm not naive--the station meeting its goal changes nothing about my status there--but for the next few days, when you find yourself voluntarily listening to KEXP's DJs cajoling you for cash over whatever godforsaken thing The End is playing, please realize I might be a canary, and you need their song.
9.06.2009
Bumbershoot
I'm tired as a motherfucker (because, in that situation, wouldn't you be physically and psychically exhausted? All I can do is be thankful my mom's not a tri-athlete), but I've seen some downright amazing things this weekend. I've got one more day to go, but here's a sampling of where I've been:
Iglu & Hartly:
The Whore Moans:
Os Mutantes:
Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground:
Hey Marseilles:
Parenthetical Girls:
U.S.E.
Raphael Saadiq:
Iglu & Hartly:
The Whore Moans:
Os Mutantes:
Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground:
Hey Marseilles:
Parenthetical Girls:
U.S.E.
Raphael Saadiq:
7.28.2009
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