Category Archives: thought - Page 4

2012 is coming

Posted by on December 29, 2011 No comments

I’m a firm believer that resolutions for the new year are nothing more than a recipe for failure. And any kind of list of things that one might want to accomplish in the coming 365 days could easily be converted into a list of things that are not going to get done. Habits are built slowly and deliberately when they are necessary. January 1st isn’t a magical day that grants wishes. It can be a starting line, but I prefer not to think about it that way.

That said, watch this space. I’ve been doing a lot over the last year and there’s a whole pile of stuff that didn’t see the light of day. And now it’s time.

[mp3-jplayer tracks=”When I’m From@http://cloxco.com/music/away/04%20When%20I’m%20From.mp3″ dload=”y”]

Album Notes

Posted by on December 15, 2011 No comments

Most of the time, I don’t feel like much of a musician. Making music is where a lot of my money goes, but none of it comes from there. I don’t even teach anymore. That gives me a sense that I’m not serious. Or not serious enough. It picks at my self confidence and a self worth. Maybe that is silly outside of my head, but in there it is serious business.  
 
And then I get together with Jason and we make some music. I don’t claim to speak for him, but I believe that we’re in similar places. We’re too young to quit and too old to have anything to prove. There is no pretense or posturing. We joke around, laugh a lot, and with an uncanny timing, start playing at exactly the same time. Not once in a while, but every time. It’s disturbing, that rhythm. 
 
We don’t get together often. It’s a three hour drive between us and I’ve got some screaming kids to wrangle, but when we do, cool stuff happens. I don’t pretend to understand it and it would be pretentious as all get out to try and explain it, but it’s fun.  
 
The collection we released yesterday is a full run of songs that I’m really proud of. I don’t cringe when they pop up on the iPod. I actually turn it up or repeat a track or two. All of the lyrics that I wrote sound less hack-ish and more h when Jason ties them voice. The guitar sounds like it has more depth. It all comes together and works. 
 
I’m so happy with the way this turned out. It’s a real surprise. Who would have though that three days of in-person real time and a year’s worth of emailed mp3s could get us here? Not me! 
 
Have a listen and let me know what you think. I’m curious. And thanks!

Here’s a sample from our bandcamp site.
 

The Shop Is Ready

Posted by on September 12, 2011 No comments

I cleaned out my workshop, such as it is, this past weekend. The temperatures looked like they were going to drop into the low 90s and stay there, but that hasn’t been the case. Unfortunately, today was over 100. Again. C’est la vie! In any case, the workshop is cleaned up and ready for business. I even got the OM project out of my studio closet to assess where I left it when the heat of the daystar became too great to overcome. It looks like I need to finish up the frets, do the binding for the top, and then make with the shellac. Lots and lots of shellac. I learned a lot from my last instrument and hopefully the finish on this one will be better.

In a fit of optimism, all of the bits and pieces for my very first electric guitar were ordered this weekend as well. I’m thinking of something with a Les Paul body style but no carved top. I want to keep it simple. The electronics will be a fun project as I’m winding my own pickups. I’ve done stuff like that in the past but always with more of an experimental bent. This time, I’m starting with a particular sound in mind and I’m going to see if I can execute. It’s all going to be fun and most importantly, it will reinstitute the weekend father/son garage work.

As a total aside, we repaired a birdhouse and a bird feeder this weekend while we were getting the shop cleaned up. The boy made good use of some sandpaper and deck screws. He’s becoming quiet handy and before he gets to school I’m sure he’ll be a fine assistant!

Lots of stuff is happening around one of my album projects and there’s another one brewing. By the end of the year I should have at least one project completed and another in full swing. Plus the weird and wild stuff I do on my lunch hour that harkens back to my days in more traditional computer music. “Traditional Computer Music.” Is that even real? In any case, I have a rather large piece in the making.

Lots going on and nothing to show for it but this blog that makes references to all of the stuff that’s coming and never shows a damned thing. I guess that’s what 2011 is. It’s the year of doing a lot and showing a little.

Fire and Project Round Up

Posted by on September 7, 2011 No comments

So a large part of Texas is on fire. That’s a bad thing. A very bad thing. The state is severely behind in water. I heard a stat along the lines of under 5 inches of rain since February. I can believe it. Everything smells dry and dead. The entire landscape is brown. And the smell of smoke blowing in from central Texas is unnerving. It’s so bad that our family evacuation plan involves going to New Orleans. Think about that for a second. Running to New Orleans to escape a natural disaster.

Despite the destruction and mayhem, a project that is very important to me is moving forward at a pretty good clip. I don’t want to say too much about it to the six of you who read this blog with any regularity, but it’s going to be good. So good.

The important thing to note right now is that my manifesto has hit a bit of a snag. One of the major points I’m trying to make isn’t resonating like it once did. That’s probably a good sign that I’m finally giving the right amount of attention to my process and The Work. I wish I’d done this exercise twenty years ago, but everything is handled in its time. They’ll be more thinking out loud around here as that changes.

And while I’m at it, the weather has cooled off! It hasn’t been in the triple digits for almost a week! That means that I can get that OM guitar finished up and maybe start that solid body electric that I’ve been itching to build. I’m almost ready to order the bits and pieces. This weekend will involve cleaning up the garage and getting what passes for my shop ready for business! Pics to follow!

Slow Going

Posted by on September 2, 2011 No comments

I’ve written about a dozen songs over the past month. I’m working hard to get lyrics written for enough of them so that I can send them out for singing. I don’t sing. There are people who should and people who shouldn’t. Me? Squarely in the latter category. It used to bother me but I let it go to focus on the areas where I really want to excel. The point is that I am extremely fortunate in that I know at least two really great singers who don’t mind working with me (most of the time).

Right now it’s all about arranging; the nuts and bolts of songwriting. I’m trying to become a better student of song structure and as a result, I’m listening to a lot of stuff that I don’t necessarily like, but have come to respect for technical reasons. There are plenty of books that I’ve read because they are “important” but I’ve skipped out on the musical analog because, well, music is different. If I don’t absolutely love it, it’s hard for me to force myself to sit through it. I realize that makes me a poor student and perhaps someday I’ll be better about it. Let’s not have anyone hold any breath over the matter.

In any case, I’m listening to things that friends have recommended over the years that I either acquired and didn’t take to right away or that I’ve put off getting my head around. The upside to this is that I now have lots to do on my two hours of commute time every day. The downside is that shuffle on my iPod has become even more disastrous than it was (if that is even possible).

Lots of listening. Lots of writing. Lots of recording. Still nothing to show for it. It’s strange to be doing so much and sharing so little. Time for an exercise.