Thursday, August 13, 2009

When the music changes, so does the dance.

1935 - 2009

Another great passing. I actually got to see Rashied Ali play. A few years back Ali played 3 sets at The Blue Monk here in Portland and I managed to sneak myself and three friends into the sold out packed to the rafter club for the last set.

I ran into the bar and down the stairs to the humid low ceiling room and heard the crisp snap of a drum as the simple quartet raced into a number. I dashed upstairs and handed over a sum of money that was equal to 2 full price entries and convinced the doorman to allow my friends to venture down for the last set. He nodded us in while my neck hairs still bristled.

Amazing set, memory for life.

Thank you Rashied

I look at the floor and I see it needs sweeping

1915 – 2009

The man who invented all the things that allow me to process a guitar signal and allow me to make the music I love has passed. Multi-tracking, overdubbing, tape delay and phasing effects plus the little thing I like to call "electric guitar" are a few of the devices and processes Les Paul developed in his 94 years.

He created the "Les Paulverizer" which allowed Les to create an orchestra of guitars on the fly live. He Later made the mythical "Les Paulverizer" real for his stage show, using a small prop box attached to his guitar. He really pretended to lay down one track over another and then play over the repeating forms he had pre-recorded.

We now have modern looping delay devices that Les Paul dared to dream about.

Thank you Les Paul.

Monday, August 03, 2009

“When we talk about ourselves we almost invariably use Latin words, and when we talk about our neighbors we use Saxon words”

Over at Siempre la Luna J has been having a time with the Blackest of Black and here at Things I've been enamored with Saxon's Wacken attack.

Biff Byford...Classic Mammal Toe

Steve Dawson...Hipster Split!

Screen capture of Steve Dawson to emphasize my point:
Puffy white high tops? Check!
Skinny Jeans? Check!
White belt? Check!
Thick porn stache? Check!
Headband? Check!

Pure hipster 101. In fact this may be the exact image all hipsters base their fashion on.