Note how various bands describe themselves in their About bios (redundancy is the mother of comprehension! because I said so, that's why!).
Isn't it interesting how modest and brief King Crimson's bio is, when they could have gone on and on about their development. We might have expected an exhaustive treatment of all the innovators, albums, and spin-off groups that were generated by this creatively colossal group. Instead, we get a quick description and adios. Let the music be its own ambassador, eh?
King Crimson
Sometimes dubbed progressive, sometimes called metal, sometimes referred to as a wallpaper-shredding noise, since its formation in 1969 King Crimson has consistently produced genre-blurring music in all of its various incarnations.
With 13 studio albums in the can and numerous live releases, King Crimson remains just as challenging and as uncompromising as ever. There are plans for the group to get together in 2008 for yet another cycle of Crimsonising. For regular news updates about the band and its members both past and present, free downloads and full concerts for purchase visit DGMLive
Algebra Suicide
A poetry-music duo from Chicago that were together from 1983 to 1993.
From Trouser Press [Ira Robbins]:
"Of the many vocalist/instrumentalist duos to emerge in and around the new wave, this Chicago team was quite unique, a fascinating marriage of Don Hedeker’s music and Lydia Tomkiw’s poetry. Over the course of its career, Algebra Suicide flirted with pop forms and occasionally shared stylistic ground with both Laurie Anderson and the Velvet Underground but never wavered from its own individual path."
To buy the CD or MP3s of "The Secret like Crazy" at CDBaby, click here
or buy "The Secret like Crazy" on CD, here
Very sad news: Lydia Tomkiw died in early September 2007.
Her words, vocals, and vision will always live on.
A great article about Lydia by Chicago Sun-Times music writer Jim Derogatis
A very moving remembrance of Lydia by her long-time friend and fellow poet Sharon Mesmer
Bart Plantenga , a long-time friend and writer, honored Lydia and Algebra Suicide in September 2007 on his great radio program in Amsterdam. Details on the show, as well as some extensive commentary and notes.
Nullsleep
Nullsleep emerges from the darkness with Unconditional Acceleration – an exploration of romance and tragedy in the 21st century. Five songs, limitless intensity. Ecstatic bursts of cascading waveforms race toward uncertainty. A feeling of ever increasing separation develops. Unattainable distances are approached and sheets of white noise issue forth from the fissures of an obsessively restructured reality. The sound surrenders in memory of another time and place, to which we can never return.
Tyson and the Friction
Tyson & The Friction was formed in the year 2007.
Hi. I’m Tyson and I make music. I make some of the music by myself and some of it I make with my friends, The Friction. Some of the music is punk, some of it is new wave, some of it is bizarre indiecore that the kids with goofy haircuts seem to like, but all of it is infectious and catchy as all get out. The catchiness is sort of a curse really; listen to some of the songs you’ll understand.
I’ve been based out of Central Illinois my whole life, centered mostly in and around Peoria Illinois, but I am currently making music out of Champaign. I’ve been in a ton of bands and some of them were pretty decent. The bands toured around the country but we always concentrated on the Midwest. I was in the Amazing Kill-O-Watts (Thinker Thought Records), The Red Hot Valentines (Polyvinyl Records), Analog Saves the Planet, and Mandroid ‘Destroyers of the Human Race’ to name a few. I created Tyson and The Friction as a way to combine portions of all of those bands into one life long musical project. Our first release “Listen to the Braintrust”, is a 7 song E.P. that picks up where The Amazing Kill-O-Watts left off and drifts off into unknown territory. I formed a back up band that included Chris Anderson (Tina Sparkle bassist), Dylan Stanford (Mandroid keyboardist), Dan Seipel on drums, and Matt Scott on lead guitar. In the studio Marsha Satterfield from Tina Sparkle and the Amazing Kill-O-Watts was gracious enough to sing some beautiful harmonies, as did Matt Maloney from the band Sleepy Sleepy Octopus. The “Listen to the Braintrust” EP is as eclectic and melodic as you can get. It’s like a library book…check it out.
Tyson and the Friction also have an exclusive track on the new Live Music Peoria compilation CD. The CD is called “Playing in Peoria: Another Side of Town” and along with Tyson and The Friction the CD also features other Thinker Thought Records acts such as Scout’s Honor, Tina Sparkle, and The Forecast.
As for the future I am putting together a Single of the Month Club as a way of letting the fans hear new music every month, for free, in the process of putting together what promises to be a ridiculous new album titled “Fantastique Plastique”. Shoot an e-mail over to tysonandthefriction@yahoo.com to join the Single of the Month Club and to get semi regular updates on what is going on.
Keep On, Keepin’ On
Tyson Markley
Bands I've has been in over the years
somewhat chronological
---------------------------------------------------
The Massaged Llamas
Super Fub
Home Jones
HAM
The Kill-O-Watts
The Amazing Kill-O-Watts
The Taco Bros.
Minker
Analog Saves the Planet
The Red Hot Valentines
Karaoke Death Squad
...So Gigantic
MANDROID (Destroyers of the Human Race)
Super Mario Speedwagon
Tyson & The Friction
BLOB is an electric instrumental ensemble experience, that focuses on recording their spontaneously created journeys, that embrace a multiplicity of genres, taking their burgeoning legion of followers to exciting, energy and spirit driven spaces with each foray. BLOB is all about the moment, and those moments are eclectic, honest, and heart pounding. It is full-out instrumental playing within a stream of consciousness mindset that speaks to a world in desperate need of this level of immediate expressionism.
BLOB's 4th CD "You Can't Get There From There" has just completed the mastering process and is on its way to Lisbon hopefully to be sold to a label. We'll let you knw! The other 3 releases are "Quantum Fugue" available on iTunes (there are links on this page), "Halloween" our Clinical Archives netlabel releasem and, now out of print, "The Awakening". We encourage you all to visit our store at johnlindberg.com/BLOB
Ted "Deadly Tedly" Orr is a renowned guitar virtuoso and an innovator in the arena of midi guitar performance. He has recorded and/or performed with Sly Stone, George Clinton & P-Funk, Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley, Pee Wee Ellis, Bad Brains, Gary Windo, Karl Berger, Creative Music Sudio Orchestra, Garth Hudson, Ismet Siral, Wadada Leo Smith, Nana Vasconcelos, Hunter S. Thompson, Buddy Miles, Swollen Monkeys, Stanley Jordan, 420 Funk Mob, Cacophonic Funk Mob, Winston Grennan, Futu Futu and others. Ted maintains a parallel career as an audio engineer; a unique talent that has given BLOB its public voice.
John "Geeze" Lindberg has been a seminal figure in the world of creative music for over thirty years, having toured worldwide performing his own work leading ensembles, with the String Trio of New York, and as featured bassist with artists ranging from Anthony Braxton to Wadada Leo Smith. He has released over sixty albums featuring his work. He recently created and produced JazzHopRevolution with hip-hop emcee Rahman Jamaal.
Harvey "Mudcat" Sorgen has performed and /or recorded with the following artists: Hot Tuna, Ahmad Jamal, Michelle Shocked, Paul Simon,Dewey Redman, Dave Douglas, Mark Feldman, Zakir Hussain, Giovanni Hildago, Wadada Leo Smith, Cameron Brown, Steve Swell, Neil Rolnick, Anthony Braxton, Carter Jefferson, John Stubblefield, Brenda Buffalino, Honi Coles, Daunik Lazro, Todd Reynolds, Derrick Trucks, Roswell Rudd, Phil Lesh, David Torn, The Memphis Pilgtims, Bill Frisell, Fonda/Stevens Group, Carlos Santana, Dry Jack, Art Lande, John D'Earth, NRBQ, Bob Weir, Greg Allman, Marcel Monroe, The Mallards, Sorgen-Rust-Windbiel Trio, Jack DeJohnette, Dave Samuels, Drew Gress, Tony Levin, Pete Levin, Garth Hudson, Jimmy Vivino, among many others.
BLOB is interested in collaborating with experimental film/video artists!!!
BLOB ON!
To Get Her Together
As though through a rip in space they were born. With fathers of stars and our moons of mothers whom say the simple words of wisdom "Do as thy Do". Raised in the memory banks of Servo Computers in a distant binary system unknown by the eyes and telescopes of Man. They were instructed and immersed in the ancient ways of the universe to enlighten the humans from their intolerance of each other and to see the love and truths of their golden future.
Transmutating from their previous dimensional state of pure thought, To Get Her Together was manifested into this three dimensional reality.
A diamond of his time Quasar One, also known as Jeffrey James Sanger The First is a truly unique and mystical singer/songwriter. Whom from an early age melodies rung deep in his conscience mind and found their way into the living rooms, ears and hearts of this place described by the elders as Terra.
Joining along side of him is Ms. Dareadorme, also known as Alexa K. Marmon assisting in the sacred sciences of electronic replication of sonic vibration. This is symbolically interpreted by the Casimir Effect.
Currently residing in the lands of Portland, Oregon, United States of America, and performing for the populace.
Starflyer 59
Jason Martin Vocals, Guitar
Steven Dail Bass
Trey Many Drums
You have come to expect Starflyer 59 to be the most reliable, most dependable, yet most undeniably unpredictable messengers of album after album of quality independent rock tunes. Over ten albums deep, over fifteen years time, from the early guitar-heavy shoegazing era to the ethereal moodiness of The Fashion Focus years to the latest incarnations and recreations of themselves as keyboard-driven masters of chorus, this is and always will be a band who will deliver great songs with new sounds.
But who are you going to call when you need a deeply emotional, personal album confronting loss with faith and candor? Dial M for Martin...
Jason Martin, the band's vocalist, producer, and songwriter explains, “I always wanted to do a record of solo tracks and call it ?Dial M for Martin.” But because this is such a candid record for me I decided to lend that idea as the title for this. I dealt with some very difficult tests when I was working on this...the loss of someone very close to me. This record deals with that loss.”
Somber, yet reflective, mournful, yet hopeful, this is Martin at his sleeve-wearing finest. Feeling speaks first here above all else, but just don't expect him to trade songwriting or sonic surprise for sentiment. And there is more than one dose of the unexpected here: instead of any sense of drive to the guitar sounds, SF59 goes the opposite direction, which proves to be a wondrous decision; Mr. M. and company rely heavily on assorted analog keys and synths, with a sprinkling of acoustic guitar. There are even tracks without any guitar at all. Consider, The sexy swing of track number three, “Concentrate.” With a beat that you cannot help but slowly sway to, and the swagger of Jason's sultry vocal, the point is made without the need for a six-string.
Perhaps the most noticeable aural quality of this release is the to-the-point nature of Martin's vocal, in both performance and presentation. While many would site his vocals as more subtle in approach on previous releases, this is Martin at his most confident and most clear. His choice of melody is pinpoint, as his voice carries the music, rather than the other way around.
Though SF59 has always been a band that is about albums, not singles, approaching songwriting from a stregth-in-numbers standpoint, there are several standout tracks that deserve first attention. “The Brightest Of The Head” is a snowy hillside stroked and brushed with echoes. “Taxi” shows a hint of Smiths throwback (but just a hint), moving through with tastefully-placed strums over a beat that pushes you forward like a cab through the urban sprawl at 3 A.M. And complemented by background the sounds of birds throughout the entire song, the ballad-like swell of Mr. Martin could even move those with hearts made of stone.
When you add in the fact that Mr. M. has produced his last several albums, including this, his latest and greatest you begin to realize he may just be one of the most underrated men in independent music, and Starflyer one of the most underrated bands.
“I don't really have a formula. I just write songs and try to make ?em as good as I can. And I have gotten used to self-producing. The idea of booking out 12 days in the studio where you have to get things done for better or worse, then getting home with the songs and thinking about all the things you would like to change, but knowing you cant...that's tough. I love the idea that if I don't like something I can always go back in my place and do it until I think it is right. Everyone has limitations on what they can do, but if you find something you can do reasonably well stick with that...you gotta just do what you do, and this approach works best for me.”
When you understand the subject matter behind the lyrics to Dial M, whether you are a lifetime Starflyer fan or a newcomer, you will realize the depth of faith this record possesses. And even if you were just a moderate listener before, you may just find this becoming the soundtrack to your next trial, thanks to Mr. M. On the opening track he provides provides a shrewd insight with a double meaning: For once, or maybe twice, i was in my prime...the best are made from these. That's what I say to put my mind at ease. The saddest songs are wrote in minor keys. Like Johnny Marr I want my please please please. The brutal honesty in the album's closer regarding the trials of the music industry should be mandatory reading for any new band: No need to remind that scans are unkind a lot of times. But i've tried, i've tried to write, what was in my head, what was in my head. Sometimes I feel, i feel so obsolete, because the kids want a faster beat. And if I was free, free to leave, but it's my kids, they need to eat. And if there was any doubt as the where Martin's priorities lie, you can find them on “M23”: Hey man you tired? ya that's me. You look worried, well ya that's me. Is it over? Well, we'll see... My memorial. Can I rely, can I? in the twinkling of an eye..of an eye, we'll rise. So I'll rely on Christ. in the twinkling of an eye we'll rise.
“My dad passed away last year, so this record for me is a bit more personal than my records usually are....Not that I have so much to say, but I really wanted to write some songs that had some meaning to me, and in a small way to honor my old man, who I really miss.”
No comments:
Post a Comment