The Hamentashen Hunt
Looking for Hamentashen for Purim.
What’s Hementashen, you ask?
In some beatnik circles it’s code for weed, but in Jewish circles it’s a kind of cookie eaten during the spring celebration of Purim. My wife is Jewish and she’s been asking me to find these things because Purim is this Thursday. Where better than New York, right? But I haven’t been able to find them. I walked into a bagel shop and bakery out in Queens and the place is run by Koreans. Koreans running a bagel shop! Where were the Jews?
When I asked for Hamentashen, they looked confused and all start speaking to me excitedly in Korean. “Well, obviously you don’t have them,” I said, walking out. Now I’m heading for Brooklyn Heights. If I can’t find Hamentashen in Brooklyn heights, there’s no hope.
Meanwhile, the last trio of Lizards proceeds to record more music. A working version of Channeling Lou 2008 is now in the hands of Chopper Newt and Sir Pent. We still await Sir Pent’s drumming on Stay With Me before an official release can be made. I wonder if any of the other old tunes deserves re-recording. I’m itching to try something new, however. Legend has it that Chopper Newt has new stuff awaiting my guitar composition genius.
Lizards From Afar 
March 17, 2008 at 5:11 pm
1) Later tonight I will e-mail you the lyrics that Chooper has for a song called Clipboard. We did it as Fearless Freep and I think it’s a great song with lots of potential…but we never bothered to properly flesh out the composition/arrangement.
I think the idea is to have you compose your OWN music for it…then we will send you what WE did to see how they compare.
2) I’m not sure if you would be interested, but Chopski and I were talking about starting 2 side projects:
-NEW ROCK TUNES: I have written over the years several punk/grungy/pop songs. I tried a few with my interim band Wiggle Puppy…but we quickly fizzled. I jotted them down and sent them to Chopshop but then the new LFA project popped up and we never really got into it. (Or my songs were horrible and he just didn’t want to work on them.)
-NEW COUNTRY TUNES: After a visit to Bloomie to visit Choops, we discussed the current state of country music. I mentioned that I felt like I could honestly write genuine country/pop-country music. The discussion continued via e-mail and I ended up writing several potential country tunes and sending them to him, but then the new LFA project popped up and we never really got into it. (Or my songs were horrible and he just didn’t want to work on them.)
Would you be interested in my sending you any of my tunes from either of the above categories?
March 17, 2008 at 6:33 pm
I found Hamentashen! Brooklyn Heights saves the day. And I also bought dinner while up there.
For those who don’t know: I live down the hill from the Heights, toward the Brooklyn Naval Yard, just north of the uber-trendy DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) in an extremely old, cobblestone-street, crumbling neighborhood called Vinegar Hill. I need to write a song called Vinegar Hill, I think.
I’m interested in both of these little projects, except that I’m not interested in pop-country. I’m down with folk, old-timey, and old country, but not with pop-country.
March 17, 2008 at 10:34 pm
OK. I sent you all the lyrics for songs in progress…
The idea about the pop-country was that if we could really do a good demo, then maybe we could actually “sell the song” to country music.
I would like to take a crack at writing some good old bluegrassy kinda music, though. (And as I said, I have a banjo.) What the hell, works for Robert Plant. (Gave up $200Million to sing with Alison Krause.)
March 18, 2008 at 8:00 am
Got ’em. I particularly like Kung Fu Lover. It’s cute, I guess. I’ve already thought of a harmony and punk guitar part that mimics Japanese/Chinese King Fu movie soundtracks. I also like Sucks to Be You, which it certaintly does.
You aint Seen Nothing Yet is also good, for a countryish song
March 18, 2008 at 9:58 am
Chopski, Chopshop, Choops? Are you trying out new nicknames for Chopper Newt? I don’t think anyone can come up with a better name than Chopper Newt, unfortunately.
Trying to grade student midterms. This is what makes me think I hate this profession. That and the low pay.
Avoiding the grading by reading Sir Pent’s tunes–and I’m amazed at how many there are! I write a song in a decade, then throw it away because it sucks. The only songs I’ve kept around are kids’ songs I invent for my daughter, which I intend to record one day. Huge market in kids songs, you know. Anyway, some of ole’ Bob’s tunes are pretty fun. I have music for a couple of them in my head now. Haven’t thought of anything yet for Choopsky’s new tune, which seems to beg for something a little more complicated than a nice 1-4-5 blues progression or a punk riff.
Incidentally, I installed asio4all (www.asio4all.com) on my computer last night and it almost eliminates the latency problem while recording, although it also seems to stress out my computer’s memory. Recording takes just about every bit of memory the thing has.
March 18, 2008 at 3:46 pm
I keep thinking that the titel of this entry is Hamentashen Hut. It’s too bad that there is no store called the Hamentashen Hut, it would have saved you some time. Personally, I like the stuffed-crust Hamentashen.
Gecko, did we bother to tell you the inspiration for that Clipboard song/lyric? If not, care to hazard a guess as to what it’s about?
March 18, 2008 at 5:45 pm
I have to confess, I haven’t the slightest idea what Clipboard is about. But of course, my brain is fried, I feel like I’m coming down with a cold, I’m halfway through a pint of beer, and thinking about canceling my class tomorrow. Could be that I’m not in the mood for thinking.
Why don’t you just tell me so I don’t have to guess.
March 18, 2008 at 6:24 pm
I actually write songs (in my head) constantly. I had a few dozen like Powder Keg & Kung Fu Lover when I was trying to get Wiggle Puppy going. Unfortunately most were lost.
[The idea behind that band was no songs longer than 2 minutes!]
The country songs I wrote over the span of about a week…and then stopped when Chopsoki pretty much told me to stop sending songs!
I have another that I can’t quite get right in my head. I think I sent what I had to Choopy. It’s called Maid Marion. I think there is a nub of a song in it.
Well, I hope you are NOT sick and that your day is brighter tomorrow.
As Tupac used to say: Keep Ya Head Up
March 19, 2008 at 6:16 am
Here is rains like hell. Can I call in sick. If only I weren’t giving an exam today. Perhaps I can get the secretary to do it for me.
Came up with a preliminary idea for Kung Fu Lover last eve, but will have to work on it more. I still don’t like the sound of my new guitar, either. It’s too muddy when distorted. Could be the amplifier simulator on my computer just doesn’t sound the way I want it to. Too much Black Sabbath, not enough Traffic.
I found out one reason (and there are many reasons) why this guitar was cheaper than a real Fender, too: agathis wood body rather than alder. Agathis doesn’t have the bright sustain of alder.
March 19, 2008 at 6:34 am
I’m sure that I wouldn’t even be able to tell unless you played them for me side-by-side.
NOTE: In talking to my friend at work (who got me the discounted Cubase) he recommended NOT using the midi-out for my drums. That’s for kinds…on the fly…programming. I’d later have to get a drum machine and program each “drum note” that I had hit.
There is an audio out, so I’ll just use that.
March 19, 2008 at 8:14 am
Clipboard is about a guy who went to Wesleyan with us, and in fact expressed interest in being the LFA frontman from what I’ve heard, who allegedly, in the ensuing years, murdered his GF at ISU, and is now doing hard time. As with most LFA songs, it was based on a title (not “Clipboard”) that I thought was funny. The lyric was an experiment for me. Being a huge REM fan, I was getting tired of Stipe writing lyrics that made snese, and wished he would go back to writing non-linear stuff open to interpretation. Then I realized I never wrote like that, so I gave it a shot to see how tough it would be.
March 19, 2008 at 8:58 am
Fascinating story. Or, rather, horrible story. But the song is good, and I like the po-mo style a lot. I also dig old REM, too, so I can see where you are coming from. This also gives me ideas for the music.
As I said, I came up with something for Kung Fu lover, but I’m not sure it sounds like “us,” whatever we sound like. It’s like a cross between the Hives and Fountains of Wayne, and although I dig both groups, we’re more FofW than Hives, in my view. I’m probably too old to play Hives-style punk. I’d have to play Sex Pistols punk. Also, I’m kind of interested in reproducing an older sound: the sound of rock in my youth, or even earlier, back when rock was still cool and not overproduced commercialized crap.
March 19, 2008 at 10:29 am
I wouldn’t worry when composing about whether it’s us or not, I think the way we play is going to make anything sound Lizardy, if that makes sense. Even with the SWM project, although we’ve not got Metro on there yet and we did it remotely, isolated… still sounds like LFA. Can’t avoid it.
So I’d say, go for what feels right and the rest will fall into place.
March 19, 2008 at 10:30 am
Also, we will never end up with overproduced crap. Our crap will stay underproduced, dammit!
March 19, 2008 at 11:23 am
Yeah, I don’t know what I was thinking.
March 19, 2008 at 1:00 pm
For once I think I agree with Chopstein.
Speaking for myself, I can say that I am nowhere NEAR a good enough drummer to cop any other style than “Bob” style.
Whether I play country, rock, kids tunes…It’s going to sound like me…
March 19, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Kids tunes, now there’s an avenue worth exploring. We could be the new Wiggles. Those morons make money hand over fist. I’ll be the sleepy one!
March 19, 2008 at 9:19 pm
I’ll be the inappropriate one that hits on all the kid’s mothers.
Rich can be the creepy one…
March 19, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Our music is practically kids music already as it is.
Check your inboxes: I’ve e-mailed an idea for Sir Pent’s “Kung Fu Lover.” It fucking rocks, if I do say so myself (and I do). Plus I used some darn funky effects on my guitar, which makes my day. After I discovered that I owe Ohio $400 in taxes, I thought I had to jam.
Put a compressor effect on the drums, too, and they sound great. And, of course, flanger on my guitar solo. It wouldn’t be Gecko material without flange. The question is where does Chopstein’s guitar go? Aye, that’s a real question. Actually, I have an idea about that. But, give it a listen first. You’ll also have to figure out where the lyrics go, since I have no way of indicating them–other than playing them on my guitar. After the second break the first verse begins. The chorus might not be as Metro imagined it, but all the words are there. It goes:
Hi-Ya
I’m gonna steal your heart
Hi-Ya
And karate chop it all apart
Hi-Ya
I’m gonna steal your heart
Hi-Ya
Chopper: Do you have a de-esser on your machine? Or need one? I just downloaded a VST de-esser.
March 19, 2008 at 9:59 pm
I’m fine with the change. (I’m not a prima-donna like some people.)
Chop some vocals onto this bad boy ASAP!
March 19, 2008 at 10:40 pm
It’s too late now to figure out how to add a vocal harmony on guitar. Anyway, my interpretation isn’t necessary the best. Maybe CN can figure it out on his own. Although I think we all need to be in there screaming “Hi-Ya!” Maybe I’ll buy a mic this weekend.
I’ll be in Ohio, away from the electric guitar until Monday night, so I can do nothing more until next week.
In terms of having two guitars in there, my idea is to remove my guitar from the initial two bars, so CN can do that part with a less “crunchy” sound. Then we’ll both play the beginning two sections, with room there for CN do solo around. After the second break, the vocals begin.
March 20, 2008 at 7:59 am
Also, I think we should change the “Bloomington Democracy” project to be all new recordings of both new and some of the best of the old songs.
March 20, 2008 at 8:27 am
Yeah, I have de-esser. Or alternately, I can lisp when I sing. Dr. Ficca taught me.
March 20, 2008 at 9:11 am
I came up with an idea for Clipboard that might work into something useful. The part involves several huge stretched chords, a la Andy Summers, that feel like they’re going to break my hand, however. It’s also in the key of B minor, which gives it a sort of a melancholy old REMish feel. I’ll keep working on it.
I wonder what music you came up with, however.
Now I’m off to Ohio, if the high winds don’t cause my flight to be cancelled. I’ll be happy to end this commuting thing, I tell you.
March 20, 2008 at 9:15 am
Chopper Newt Says:
“alternately, I can lisp when I sing. Dr. Ficca taught me.”
Sir Pent Responds:
Now you’re just messing with me right?
– – – – – – – –
I am fine and completely trust Chop’s interpretation of the song…but I DO want to be included on the “Hi-Yas”.
– – – – – – – –
Matt: I have several microphones. They are not “top quality” like Chooples, but I could send you a couple if you are interested. (And I am keeping the best condition couple for myself obviously.)
March 20, 2008 at 9:46 am
Just hearing your description of the Clipboard music you’re thinking of, I can already tell it’s going to be better than what I had with it originally. Seriously, it was lazy, and I was always waiting for Jerry the bass player to fix it, as he was light-years ahead of me with regard to musical creativity, but he never really did anything with it. I have about three different recordings of it on my zune, and in each one you can hear me trying something different with my guitar to try and achieve some sort of flow, and none of them work. And as is it’s wont, the zune is constantly taunting me with them in random mode. That and Steve Perry kissing some audience’s ass on “Captured” where he thanks them for letting them be on “their” (the crowd’s) album… “this IS your album, y’know”. I don’t know what song he’s introing, as I usually skip ahead every time it comes up, which is twice a day.
Metro and I are going to see Maiden in June. Awwwwwwww… yee-uh. Maybe we’ll let them be on “our” album. And Dickinson will thank us.
March 20, 2008 at 6:57 pm
We totally carried Dickinson for years. Lazy bastard.
(Sorry for the radio silence. Been super-busy.)
March 20, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Howdy, Gator! We’re recording new songs! And do you want to put vocals to Channeling Lou? I’ve done yet another version, but we’re waiting for Metronome to add drums.
As for Iron Maiden, I’d say “I can’t believe they’re still touring,” but really what else would they be doing?
I have an old mic, too, from LFA days, but it’s the XLR jack, and since I don’t have a mixer I have no way of getting the mic into my computer. I think I’m going to buy a condenser mic with a USB plug. I saw one for $60. A condenser will work well for recording my classical guitar, too. Then I can regale you with my Villa-Lobos stuff.
I came up with parts of a new tune today on the airplane, but it may be too derivative. I’ll see how it works out. Clipboard hasn’t gelled at all yet. I’m going to have to take time off soon, however: I have to submit my book proposal to a new press since Penn State U Press dropped me. I’m trying University of Rochester Press. Then I have a conference paper to write. And let’s not forget exams to grade! Ugh.
March 20, 2008 at 9:22 pm
As Gator and I both live near Chicago, we could maybe come up with a weekend to get together to record his vocals for Channeling Lou. I could go by him or he could come here…his choice. I’ll hook up the mic to my laptop and we’ll be good to go.
Sorry about getting dropped. What is your book idea? (If I may ask.)
Tomorrow I have my surgery. Not until 3:30 in the afternoon, though…so no food or drink ALL DAY. Sucks.
= = = = = = =
And any new LFA album should be called The Hamentashen Hunt!
March 21, 2008 at 12:30 pm
There is no truth to the rumor that Metro’s surgery is being scheduled so late in the day due to the amount of time the shaving will take.
Good luck chief.
I will try to do some guitar for your Kung Fu song this weekend, and see about how the singing should go. Would you like Def Leppard backing vocals with that?
I’ll take that as a yes.
March 21, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Hope the surgery went well, Metro!
I came up with a good melody to Clipboard today on the acoustic guitar. Kind of melancholy. It really needs one more verse, however. Come up with something, Choops, or I’ll be forced to try my hand at it. At any rate, I’ll record something next week and send it to you for critique.
Stopped by Willis Music, the only really good guitar shop in town, to get a USB condenser mic, but they were out of stock! Bummer. I’ll have to order one online. Then I’ll just sing my own songs, thank you. While there I also played “my” guitar, the ’72 tele deluxe, plugged into a fully cranked tube amp. Boy was that fun.
If I started telling you what my book is about, you’d be asleep before I got to the end of the sentence, probably.
March 22, 2008 at 2:04 pm
It didn’t go THAT smoothly, but everything went fine.
– Dr. was late and didn’t get to the hospital until 4:45PM.
– Right as I was about to be released (at 8:30PM) I started getting REALLY nauseous. I was fighting not to vomit. We ended up not getting out of the hospital until 9:15PM.
– We got home about 10PM and I was still very nauseaous.
– I didn’t sleep most of the night and felt pretty lousy
– The implant is not working quite right, so if I turn on the “level” more than setting 1 it feels like I am having a heart attack
Otherwise, I am now feeling halfway decent. (Other than the obvious surgery related pain.)
= = = = = = = = = = =
As I said, I am all for anything Chop wants to do for vocals. I’m even open to changing the lyrics if he feels something fits better OR if he wants to come up with a 3rd line for the chorus.
March 22, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Well, that all sounds just like a carnival of fun. Now that you have electronic equipment implanted in your body, perhaps you can jack directly into your drum set and play by thought alone.
What does this implant do again? Does it inject you with drugs, or is this some other kind of pain management system? Do you have to carry around a battery pack and controls? An all around unfortunate situation, I’d say–but at least you’re alive!
I made a bid on ebay for a ’72 telecaster deluxe body (sunburst stain) and neck today. I suppose if I win the auction, I’ll start building a guitar. I’ve never built a guitar, but it sounds like fun.
March 22, 2008 at 2:42 pm
It’s a electric Spinal Cord Stimulator. They put an electrical lead directly into your spine and it is connected to a battery that is implanted in your hip.
The system sends pulses that “block” nerve signals. Sort of like “jamming the signal”.
When working correctly, it feels like a tingling sensation where the pain used to be. They do not have it adjusted correctly, so if I turn it “up” in any kind of way it really hurts…like I am being electrocuted.
The trial implant that I had in for 1 week worked really well. The settings on this one just need to be adjusted.
= = = = = =
If you DO build a guitar, you should keep a blog (on this site) with pictures so that we can see how it progresses.
March 22, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Will do, although I have to win the bids, first, and the odds are low since people are willing to pay a bundle for these guitars, even if they are in pieces. I figure if I win the neck and body, I’ll start collecting the hardware. Ten years later I’ll have a guitar. Alternately, I’ll salvage them from the guitar I have now. The most important thing is to get the better neck and alder wood body.
Incidentally, if you want a short report on my book manuscript, you can look at my totally unknown personal blog: matthewadkins.wordpress.com, and read the “writing” page.
Waiting for daughter to awake from nap…. Getting no work done at all…
March 23, 2008 at 7:20 am
Jeez, Metro. I hope they get the levels right. On the plus side, no we can call you Neuromastur … well, you get the idea.
Gecko – best of luck with Rochester! I really would love to see the manuscript, I’m working on Wills’ Venice: Lion City right now and find the combination of art, religion and empire to be very well done.
Chopper … how was breakfast?
At any rate, Metro, I’d be happy to swing by at some point to record stuff, though if anything my voice has gotten worse with the years. The rhythm’s still good, though; as the childfree aspect proves.
Next weekend’s out as we’re covering for a friend at her store, the 13th is an art show and the 20th we’re in classes. I dont’ think there’s anything booked on the 27th yet but the missus is still sleeping, so I’ll have to find out for sure.
March 23, 2008 at 9:45 am
Gator: I can always e-mail you a portion of it, I suppose, but you’ll have to await the next “revision.” I’m revising the introduction to send with the precis to UofR press. When I’ll find the time to revise the whole damn 300 page thing, I’ll never know. It’s more fun to record rock’n’roll songs.
Sheesh, I keep forgetting about that pile of undergraduate essay exams to grade. Soooo boring.
March 23, 2008 at 10:01 pm
It’ll be a at least a month before I am ready to record anything…so we have time.
When I feel I am up to it, I will post.
While I am out of active duty this week, I hope to get to spend some time learning the multi-tracking software. This may prove excessively hard as I didn’t realize my wife was on Spring Break this week. (Thought it was NEXT week.) Problem being, while my wife never “forbids” any activities…she would much prefer that I spend ALL my spare time caring for our child, doing chores or in some way helping her with HER Extracurriculars. Spending time on MY activities usually invites 1-2 days of attitude and resentment.
So, even though I just got out of the hospital a day ago, I still have to “play” with my son and “help” get him ready, etc.
March 24, 2008 at 10:39 am
Bummer on the break, Metro. But that still beats, say, chucking all responsibility out the window to move into a small apartment with your old bandmates, each taking part-time jobs as busboys and bartenders, and spending all your spare time recording music …
or DOES it?*
* – This is not to be intended as a sincere offer on my part, just to forestall and sitcom-style antics where the three of you show up on my doorstep with a Budget rental truck and a bag of KFC.
March 24, 2008 at 11:17 am
I am amused by the foregoing largely because I just watched the Newsradio episode where Dave Foley’s bandmates from their college a-capella group “Chock Full O’ Notes” show up at his office, having quit their jobs and ditched their lives to hold up the pact they made years earlier to reform in ten years.
March 24, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Metro: Ha ha! Oh, wait, that goes for me, too. Fortunately, I spend the rest of the week in New York, where, if I can get enough of the work I actually get paid for done, plus finishing my NY State taxes, I can record music–this usually taking up valuable sleep time, unfortunately.
Gator: We’d have first to cut ten years off our lives to do such a thing.
That said, if I arrive back in NYC at a reasonable hour this eve, I plan to record a demo of Clipboard….
Other day walking under the Manhattan Bridge, which I do everyday, I saw a couple of professional photographers snapping pictures of a long-haired grungy guitar hero of unknown fame who was carrying a couple of guitar cases and trying to look down and out in New York City. Promo shots. First thought: how cheesy. Second thought: I wonder if those guys would take some shots of me with my new telecaster for the inside cover of “Bloomington Democracy.”
March 24, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Chopper, that was PRECISELY THE EPISODE I HAD IN MIND.
Matt, your instincts are, as usual, spot on. The fact that you did not ask them means that we’ll have to photograph you ourselves. In a costume of Metro’s choosing. Report to the communal underwear closet.
March 24, 2008 at 6:44 pm
I’m not saying that she “won’t let me” do stuff. When I want to do stuff, I do.
However, prior to any outing I have to determine if the enjoyment I will have outweighs the attitude I will receive.
– A mid-week trip to the movies with Brad is about 1 hour of attitude…so it usually has to be a movie I want to see
– A stop off after work for drinks with co-workers is about 3 hours (or whatever evening is remaining)
– A trip to Choops for a Saturday evening is about 6-8 hours of attitude
– A 3-day men only weekend to the cabin is pretty much the full day before and full day after of attitude
= = = = = = = = = = =
I love that episode of News Radio and it also reminded me of the LFA. However if we were to “chuck it all” and move in together…let’s just NOT chuck it all and move in together.
March 25, 2008 at 7:44 am
No. I’ve found that I love dollars too much to forgo them. Clearly.
March 25, 2008 at 7:49 am
I’ve heard about your “3-day men only weekends at the cabin”, Metro. If I were her I’d file for an annulment.
March 25, 2008 at 9:13 am
CN’s endless metro-bashing is amusing.
Anyway, I had no time to record my Clipboard idea last eve. Arrived too late, and I had to work on the B-string of the guitar, which was buzzing in an annoying fashion. Fixed this by raising the action of the string. I do have an idea, however, which I will try to hammer out and e-mail for critique.
Now, on with work, for which I get paid dollars…. a few anyway.
March 25, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Ah, the currency of time and torture. I know it well of old, my friend.
March 26, 2008 at 5:55 am
Arrived home in Brooklyn exhausted last eve, opened the frigo and realized the nice brown bottles of lager looked exceptionally tasty. So that blew any chance of getting anything productive done at all. On anything. But I did, eventually, try recording my Clipboard idea. I couldn’t get it to sound the way it did in my head, however. Just wouldn’t work out. Part of the problem seems to be that I can’t play the chords I came up with, not without fucking up dozens of times. The other problem is that I can’t get a sound on my guitar that I’m happy with for this song. I decided that what’s needed is an acoustic guitar, which means dragging my laptop back to Ohio tomorrow and trying to find time to record there.
March 26, 2008 at 7:19 am
I thought up a new verse driving home last night. This would go after the very first verse, so that the structure is balanced now, verse-verse-chorus, verse-verse-chorus.
It’s just a phase that you’re gonna grow out of
It’s just a thing everybody’s got to go through
Ain’t gonna wash when you put it on a tombstone
But don’t you cry, he’s just showing how he loves you
It’ll do for now as a placeholder, and if the flow is wrecked I’ll come up with something else.
You guys happy now?
March 26, 2008 at 9:19 am
Tried to post the chord structure for two songs, but couldn’t format it properly on the blog. So, I’ll try e-mail.
March 26, 2008 at 9:24 am
Only the third verse is rhyme free. The first verse rhymes “clipboard/zipcord” and the final verse rhymes “papers” with, um, “papers”. Oops.
Yeah, I thought that out and did it on purpose, and I don’t think it’s a hack rhyme, so I’m sticking by it. I like that the third verse is the only one to break from the pattern.
March 26, 2008 at 9:27 am
Check your e-mail, I sent the chord structure ideas for our two “newest” songs that way.
March 26, 2008 at 1:54 pm
I’ll take a look at the email when I get home, but keep in mind that I don’t know those letter names and other book learning.
I went to high school with a guy who was “teaching” himself the guitar, and he purported to know the “elephant” chord and the “duck” chord, although I dont know if the names came from the arrangement of the fingers visually, or the sound they made when played. Anyway, I’m better than that, but not by much.
March 26, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Elephant and duck chords? I tried looking that up on the web and could find no clear reference. Never heard of such a thing. Anyway, stop trying to pose as the Chet Baker of guitar playing. You know the major and minor chords.
I have no time at the moment to record, unfortunately, so you can play yourself that arrangement and tell me if the basic idea is ok. It is ok, of course, or otherwise my genius wouldn’t have suggested it to me. Whether you like it or not is another thing entirely.
At any rate, I’m dragging my laptop back to the blasted midwest tomorrow where I can record what I want with the acoustic-electric, then come back here to NYC next week to add the electric part (if I come back, which I’m debating at the moment).
Now, on to work. BTW, I’m still winning the guitar parts ebay auction, but it’s getting close. I suspect I won’t get the guitar body, but I may win the neck. But if I do will I really build a guitar? Or, better put, CAN I build a guitar?
March 27, 2008 at 6:08 am
Can – You – Build – It…
YES! YOU! CAN!
Now I have to go wiki Chet Baker…
March 27, 2008 at 8:05 pm
I’m. Still. Winning.
The big question is can I remove the neck that came with my Squier and install the Fender neck, if I end up winning the neck and not the body? I suspect I can.
I’ve never “ebayed” before, and I can already tell what is so addictive about it. I keep finding all sorts of things I’d like to have….
Did an acoustic part for CB this afternoon after arriving back in warm and rainy SW Ohio. Sounds good, I think. I’m still pondering the bridge and solo sections of the song, however.
March 28, 2008 at 6:04 am
I tried to use the chord progression you emailed, and my lack of facility was actually not the main hangup. Once I got on the computer to get a reminder of which one was D (shut up), I played a bit and kind of got it, but here’s the trouble… I couldn’t get rid of the melody and cadence of the music I’d given it enough to “hear” the new version, if that makes sense. I think this is really one where I’ll have to hear it recorded in order to get it. And don’t get me wrong, I have no doubt that this version will be superior. I just couldn’t be enough of a blank slate to get it from the chords.
March 28, 2008 at 12:36 pm
I understand. I’ll send a recorded version next week.
March 28, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Good news. Bad news.
GOOD NEWS:
Surgery went well. Implant is working pretty well.
BAD NEWS:
I am restricted from physical activity for another 5 weeks. (Which includes lifting my son…this should be interesting…)
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There were a couple of Christmases in a row where I bought all of my gifts on Ebay. You can literally find EVERYTHING you want.
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Chop – While Matt is working on that recorded version for you…you could be working on the vocals for KFL…
March 28, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Kind of funny getting working orders from an invalid. And 5 weeks of recovery? Suck it up and get start pounding those skins tomorrow! At any rate, glad it went well. Does this mean you won’t be in constant pain?
Did a version of CB this afternoon while my daughter played with her trains. Great that she’s now old enough to play by herself. Anyway, I haven’t finished, but the song sounds awesome. After finishing the rhythm guitar on acoustic, I went ahead and added with the acoustic the part I was going to do with the electric–and I’m almost convinced it sounds better. Drum loops I added sound good, and I just have to do some bass and some sort of bridge-solo-thingy and I’ll be ready to send it on. You’ll hear it by early next week. My wife loved it and says it’s a “haunting” melody.
March 29, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Invalid?
I’ve typically been pretty bad about following doctors orders…but that’s probably one of the reasons that I am in the situation that I am in right now. Plus, since it’s dealing with my spine and the spine kinda is important, I’m gonna do what the doc says.
As far as not being in constant pain…yes and no. The impant doesn’t “stop” the pain so much as replace it with a different, more acceptable sensation. I don’t necessarily feel pain in my chest/ribs now…just a constant vibration/tingle. It’s better than the pain but it’s still not the same as being cured.
NOTE: We are looking into suing the hospital/doctors responsible. I’m not litigious and hate people that contantly sue, but I am pretty sure that hospital botched several things and made “very poor” decisions throughout.
I am dying to play, though. Especially as I have done nothing but lay around all week. (It sounds a lot better than what it actually is. I’m lazy, but this is even too much for me.) I got so bored at one point that I actually did some work!!
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I was just playing train with my son this morning. After about an hour I had to come in here and lay down in bed.
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My wife took it upon herself to relocate some of the furniture that will leave space for me to set up the drums. So small steps…
We’d also recently upgraded some home electronics, so I have a stack of old VCRs/DVD players/stereo equipment that is also stacked up where the drums need to go. Although in different states of disrepair or obsolescence it kills me to throw them out.
March 29, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Went to Yellow Springs today so my daughter could buy kids books at Dark Star Books, the coolest book store in the area. I never let any trip to Yellow Springs go by without a trip to see my friend Mark’s guitar shop. He still has that old G&L telecaster, which I played. He also had a vintage ’68 Gibson hollow-bodied electric for a mere $5400, which I of course jammed on for a while.
I’m now losing the ebay guitar parts auction, by the way. The real question is: do I raise my bid?
I added synthesizer to my CB demo today, too. Man, is this song cool.
March 30, 2008 at 9:30 pm
I’m excited to hear it, especially having already had “music” for it. Interested to see what direction you took that Chops/Jerry didn’t…or if there are any similarities.
March 30, 2008 at 11:09 pm
Check your inboxes for a really funky version of Clipboard, complete with synthesizer solo!
I was outbid again for the neck and body of the ’72 tele deluxe RI. I’m not going to raise my bid again, so that’s over. Hell, I can’t afford to pay my credit card bill as it is!
This calls for a new posting!