This is one of the brown snakes that lived outside my last house. I'd just stepped over it walking out the door before these pics.
As it slid away it zigzagged down this staircase.
My former neighbour
This is one of the brown snakes that lived outside my last house. I'd just stepped over it walking out the door before these pics.
As it slid away it zigzagged down this staircase.
Wandered
Wandered by ShowcaseJase
Above is a draft of a tune I've written called Wandered. It's a demo recorded quickly with my BFF Jo and the lyrics could flow better.
Below is an instrumental version of the tune in an electronic style. It's a bit glitchy and reminds me a little of Boards of Canada -- although it doesn't have their awesome drum sounds. (I was listening to their earlier albums today and noticed their distortion and sometimes delay on the drums.)
Wandered by bassling
The opening drone reminds me of the wires a bit. It could use some birdsong to reflect the theme of the lyrics in the original.
Above is a draft of a tune I've written called Wandered. It's a demo recorded quickly with my BFF Jo and the lyrics could flow better.
Below is an instrumental version of the tune in an electronic style. It's a bit glitchy and reminds me a little of Boards of Canada -- although it doesn't have their awesome drum sounds. (I was listening to their earlier albums today and noticed their distortion and sometimes delay on the drums.)
Wandered by bassling
The opening drone reminds me of the wires a bit. It could use some birdsong to reflect the theme of the lyrics in the original.
Can women sell cymbals?
Previously I've commented on the use of sexy women to sell keyboards and speakers. It's awesome to see this theme expanded to sell cymbals.
It reminds me of an experiment I read about while studying psychology. They found that by showing men photos of naked women wearing high heels they could train blokes to be aroused by shoes.
BTW the ads aren't working because I'm flaccid while looking at my cymbals.
Bearded dragons
Bearded dragons are kept as pets in some parts of the world but when I was living outside Wagga Wagga I'd often see them in the wild.
They're quite social animals for lizards. As pets they seem to really like being stroked on the neck.
Sadly a lot seem to end up run over on the road. Below is one I rescued from a fence.
Below is one I didn't get to rescue.
Bearded dragons were featured in my film clip for bassling's tune Hazmat.
Gently borrowed
Gentle Borrower by ShowcaseJase
This is Gentle Borrower from the 2008 RPM Challenge. It's the first recording of the track I wrote about copyright and musical inspiration. It was inspired by one of the most potent essays I've read about music -- Bettered by the Borrower by John Oswald. As I read it I jotted down ideas and later thought they would make good lyrics.
Here is a version of the song we recorded live using the wires as a reverb on the vocals by singing into a can, like one of the telephones you'd make with two cans and a string.
Below is my bassling remix of Gentle Borrower. If you click on the downward arrow you can download it.
Gentle Borrower (basslingspulsingwiresmix) by bassling
This is Gentle Borrower from the 2008 RPM Challenge. It's the first recording of the track I wrote about copyright and musical inspiration. It was inspired by one of the most potent essays I've read about music -- Bettered by the Borrower by John Oswald. As I read it I jotted down ideas and later thought they would make good lyrics.
We share in ears
vibrations in air
it's more primal than blues
this form we share
I am a sound
a song that is true
this music that flows through me
can flow through you too
Gentle borrower
transform me
gentle borrower
transform me
Brainstorm elation
marks transformation
save condemnation for
straight imitation
There are more than these notes
there are more than these keys
an infinite soundscape
needs your diversity
Gentle borrower
transform me
gentle borrower
transform me
Here is a version of the song we recorded live using the wires as a reverb on the vocals by singing into a can, like one of the telephones you'd make with two cans and a string.
Below is my bassling remix of Gentle Borrower. If you click on the downward arrow you can download it.
Gentle Borrower (basslingspulsingwiresmix) by bassling
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.
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