Octopus straps are a great way to keep kids out of cupboards.
Curious review
Just saw this in the Sydney Morning Herald Spectrum section from Saturday, an album review without text. (You can tell it's the Spectrum because it's got that weird pie chart they use. I think the pie chart is weirder than a review without words but it's there every week.)
At four stars I wouldn't have thought the reviewer would be lost for words. Either they're a novice -- and, to be honest, I've read a few reviews lately that seemed like the sorta PR you get with the album as a reviewer -- or it is an album that I'm intrigued to hear for myself to form an opinion.
Once in a blue moon?
Previously I quoted Tim Rogers saying that no one knows how to write a hit song. Which soothes the pain of never getting Tim's opinion of my tune Blue Moon.
This is the version I might've performed for him:
Blue Moon (Jase's single take) by ShowcaseJase
And this is the version I recorded with my BFF in 2007:
Blue Moon by ShowcaseJase
And this is a slower instrumental version:
Blue Moon by bassling
Anyway, I've reconsidered the role of songwriting in producing a hit after this quote from Sia Furler in the SMH Spectrum section last month:
Guess it could be any number of things. These opinions segue to my surprise at the popularity of this tune I knocked out quickly and didn't like much. If I were marketing my own music, I wouldn't have picked this track as a single yet it's been heard more often than any of my other recent work.
trip-hop by bassling
Maybe it's the name? Trip-hop might be a search term as a genre.
Then again, maybe I'm obsessing over numbers instead of my own enjoyment of music.
Maybe Prince was right when he said:
(BTW this Prince quote is a very popular topic at present. I like the discussion here lots, especially the bit about carrying a church instead of a reverb unit.)
This is the version I might've performed for him:
Blue Moon (Jase's single take) by ShowcaseJase
And this is the version I recorded with my BFF in 2007:
Blue Moon by ShowcaseJase
And this is a slower instrumental version:
Blue Moon by bassling
Anyway, I've reconsidered the role of songwriting in producing a hit after this quote from Sia Furler in the SMH Spectrum section last month:
"You can market poop. You just have to listen to the radio to hear the poop being marketed."
Guess it could be any number of things. These opinions segue to my surprise at the popularity of this tune I knocked out quickly and didn't like much. If I were marketing my own music, I wouldn't have picked this track as a single yet it's been heard more often than any of my other recent work.
trip-hop by bassling
Maybe it's the name? Trip-hop might be a search term as a genre.
Then again, maybe I'm obsessing over numbers instead of my own enjoyment of music.
Maybe Prince was right when he said:
"The internet's completely over. I don't see why I should give my new music to iTunes or anyone else. They won't pay me an advance for it and then they get angry when they can't get it.
"The internet's like MTV. At one time MTV was hip and suddenly it became outdated. Anyway, all these computers and digital gadgets are no good.
"They just fill your head with numbers and that can't be good for you."
(BTW this Prince quote is a very popular topic at present. I like the discussion here lots, especially the bit about carrying a church instead of a reverb unit.)
Tim Rogers
There was a performance by Tim Rogers of You Am I in Wagga a few weeks ago to support the Metta Generation. At an auction earlier in the year I'd bought a one-hour songwriting lesson with Tim for about $250.
The show was good, I hadn't heard much of his solo material. Actually, I don't know that much of You Am I's material either aside from when I've seen them play and they were all over Triple J for most of the '90s.
The songwriting lesson was more of an opportunity for me to ask Tim and the band a lot of questions. I probably should've warned them I wrote music journalism for a while. I don't remember many of the answers, except for Tim's parting comment that no one knows how to write a hit.
A couple of other tidbits were that Berlin Chair was written with more of an obvious My Bloody Valentine influence but the droning guitar parts didn't get recorded. And that he'd been advised by an American producer to drop every second word in his lyrics to make them more palatable for the US market.
It was interesting to walk into a pub with Tim Rogers and see the faces around the place look and stare.
Now I wonder if I should've got Tim's opinion on my own songwriting?
The show was good, I hadn't heard much of his solo material. Actually, I don't know that much of You Am I's material either aside from when I've seen them play and they were all over Triple J for most of the '90s.
The songwriting lesson was more of an opportunity for me to ask Tim and the band a lot of questions. I probably should've warned them I wrote music journalism for a while. I don't remember many of the answers, except for Tim's parting comment that no one knows how to write a hit.
A couple of other tidbits were that Berlin Chair was written with more of an obvious My Bloody Valentine influence but the droning guitar parts didn't get recorded. And that he'd been advised by an American producer to drop every second word in his lyrics to make them more palatable for the US market.
It was interesting to walk into a pub with Tim Rogers and see the faces around the place look and stare.
Now I wonder if I should've got Tim's opinion on my own songwriting?
Drumming faces
Jonathan Coghill, drummer with Powderfinger, has this entertaining article in Australian Musician magazine on facial expressions while drumming.
Previously I've commented on the orgasmic faces of guitarists but I guess that's a better known phenomenon.
Pedal board
Here's the pedal board I've been using with my guitar recently.
A few comments about the effects:
- Holy Stain is an interesting multi-effect but, as much as I like the reverbs and tremolo, it falls short in the distortions. Using an expression pedal to control the length of the reverb is a great feature though.
- Tubescreamer is great for warm tones but also for taming the Giant Cooter.
- MXR's EQ is beaut, even when it's off it seems to add something pleasant.
- LPB adds a big bluntness to the attack that's great with the Cooter but I'd like something that adds more presence without the oomph.
Last resort
Do you reckon they get a lot of business by suggesting the Fruitshack is the last place you'd want to consider staying?
Male kangaroos ahead
I like the modification to this sign outside Ganmain.
It reminds me of another mod I saw a while back.
It's a Knockout
This Knockout pedal is pretty good. It allows me to add more or less top or bottom to my guitar tone.
I'm surprised the red light always comes on when I plug into the input. Must be some residual power within the unit when the power isn't plugged in.
Goatse by hand
Dunno who drew this underneath one of our bunk beds but I suspect it predates the popularity of the internet.
Automatic headlines
This is one of the redesigned websites for the newspapers formerly owned by the Riverina Media Group, now Fairfax.
They've got these interesting links that seem to be generated from headlines, creating weird and sometimes nonsensical text, like 'Coleambally was once again on Coly Point'.
I'm mildly intrigued about the closure of Junee and the progress being made to make Leeton. Maybe this is why they make these headlines?
Riding kids for fun
I'm sure it should be 'Kids saddle up for fun' but maybe it's a Freudian slip from a kiddie bondage loving sub-editor?
Oscar's Mario party
Oscar must feel like royalty after celebrating his second birthday this year. Above shows Oscar as Mario, while below are the cakes and pinata, as well as our version of pin the tail on the donkey.
No pressure, Mum!
This poem -- while a lovely sentiment -- puts mums on a very high pedestal methinks.
Soothing
Looking at this I can imagine cool, damp air. Seen on a bushwalk through the Border Ranges National Park.
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