intellectual properties

You know her life was saved by rock and roll

things have been….interesting.

here is my bitch list:

–rainy season has begun. as a bike commuter, this makes my days way less fun.

–it took 9 days to get my smartphone replaced after NYE (long boring customer service story) and the new one keeps doing all kinds of weird things that i hate

–my fitbit broke. again. there is a warranty but i might as well upgrade.  so far fitbit is costing me $99/a year in replacement costs, but i’m addicted to it so i still recommend it.

–work things i can’t talk about publicly are at maximum stress

–life thing with a deadline i haven’t finished is suffering major procrastination and mind-blankage and ∴ stress

–stress is causing unfavorable physical conditions

–blahblahblah whole foods parking lot

don’t get me wrong. my life is wonderful and full of wonderful things, like redwood hikes and purring cats and good wine and yoga and amazing love.  that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. but yeah, #1stworldproblems and i do try to keep perspective but i can’t even tell what news isn’t real any more so it’s pretty hard.

ANYWAY, i was driving to work this morning cuz it’s raining and it’s friday and at home i’d been listening to this great DJ The Count on KALX who reminds me a lot of my friend Finnius and plays David Bowie but whatever he was playing when i first got in the car  was a bit too something for the rainy I-80 east moment and so i switched it over to  107.7, as um….7 times out of 10? they are playing some some rock and roll i really like. (I HATE VAN HALEN, ALL FORMS.) i didn’t know the song playing but it jammed on for 2 or 3 minutes (of my 7 minute drive) and i got really into it, and started thinking about how much better i suddenly felt.  like, rock and roll in the morning really does make me feel so much better. A LOT. AURAL MEDICINE.  and then i was like this is GOOD and seems like something i should know.  what song is this? and then the vocals kicked in and i realized it was Working Man (Rush, 1974, definitive). (i used to hate Rush almost as much as Van Halen but i’ve come around.) do they play that every Friday morning? because they should.

music rec: superhuman happiness

as seen in NYC: this may or may not be your thing:

Superhuman Happiness

Superhuman Happiness was founded in 2008 to seek joy and love through shared rhythm and melody, composed and improvised. To pursue a happiness greater than that of an individual. They have one CD, Stuart Bogie’s Superhuman Happiness – Fall Down Seven Time Stand Up Eight, and two 45 records entitled GMYL/Hounds and Human Happiness (Electric Cowbell). Members are known for their work with Antibalas…, the Sway Machinery, TV on the Radio, Battle Apples, The Phenomonal Handclap Band, Caural, The Roots, Nicole Atkins, King Expressors, Minerva Lions, Passion Pit, Celebration, Holly Miranda, Iron and Wine, Foals and the inimitable MC Chris. The band regularly rehearses, composes, and records together, engaging in various improvisatory musical games currently being compiled for implementation in widespread applications.

BQN-JFK (december vacation part 2)/end of 2011

(…cont.)

Wednesday, my last full day in PR, in the morning Reagan and i went horseback riding on the beach, where i learned i’m not as scared of horses as i thought it was. in fact, i’d maybe like to learn to ride one FAST.

after lunch, we went back down to the beach and went surfing. i was not nearly as successful as the first time (trying too hard then, i suppose) and tired myself out quite a bit paddling, falling, paddling, falling. the waves started to get bigger and one came up and reagan said watch out this one’s breaking! but it turned out that i was at just the right spot and it just lifted me up and off i went. as soon as i realized i’d caught it/it caught me, i stood up. woo! after that, my shoulder was really starting to hurt from all the paddling and so i called it a day. later we went back to the beach again and watched the sunset and had some last evening cocktails.

Thursday morning we got up early and went to have 8am breakfast at this charming english B&B on top of a hill overlooking the ocean before i had to go to the airport. it was really gorgeous, but i was *so exhausted* i could barely think. this doesn’t happen to me much – usually once i’m up i’m up, even if i haven’t slept, but i just couldn’t wake up for a couple of hours. so tired from all the frolicking in the sun the day before.

then off to the airport, but by then i was awake and no sleep on the plane. jay, who had been in NY since Tuesday, was so sweet and came to meet me at JFK. we got back to brooklyn late afternoon, settled ourselves, and then met up with peoples for dinner at a delicious veg restaurant Angelica Kitchen (where the waiter recognized me as he also works at another vegan restaurant i’d been to last week. tour de vegan restaurants NYC!) and then drinks and then late night endless bantering until 3am and finally crashed.

i tried to sleep in Friday but it didn’t work and i was up first at 8 and then at 10. Jay, Chris and I got up, had breakfast, and headed to the New Museum, which was underwhelming. i love participatory art, but the place was jammed, being a Friday and a holiday weekend, and so we weren’t able to really do all the things in the time we had. but even if we could….some of the things were broken/not available, and some were just…..? i don’t find tunnels made out of blank white styrofoam very impressive conceptually or aesthetically. i think Burning Man has ruined me ever enjoying that kind of art in such a sterile environment ever again.  don’t touch! stand in line! sign this waiver! oh and it doesn’t *really* work! anyway, there was also an exhibit about conflicts surrounding censorship of Lebanese art that was much more interesting.

after the museum, Chris took off and Wiley joined us for happy hour, and then we headed up to Central Park to go ice skating. upon arrival, however, it was obvious that ice skating among the crowds would not be pleasurable. so we wandered through the park in the dark instead, came out on the other side and found ourselves some cappuccino.

at this point in the evening, it would have been smart to go back to bklyn and take a nap, as we had 2 events to attend Friday night. however, the travel and logistics were such that it would be much easier if we just went to the first one directly, and so we opted to have dinner out instead at superfine and then head to the party. but at some point during dinner i started to crash in an irritable way. i drank a 5-hour energy but basically once we got to the first party i went directly to the couch and stayed there, eyes closed (but enjoying the eclectic live music) until we left at midnight.

at midnight we went back over to the Lower East Side to see friends Stuart Bogie and Colin Stetson (of Transmission fame – you know, that band from ann arbor ->SF that we saw triple-digit times in 2000-2003?) play in a newer band formation, Superhuman Happiness at the Cake Shop on Ludlow. now, when Stuart told me about it, he said it was a Phish afterparty. generally, despite the fact that we were avid fans/phans of both during the exact same years (early 2000s), the worlds of Transmission jazz and Phish have i think never really intersected for us and so i wondered how this mashup of scenes was going to be. but i trust their musical judgement completely, and so we went. through the pre-NYE wasted crowds into a hot crowded basement we went, just as they were about to go on.

(historical aside:  in May 2001, we came to NYC and a phishhead friend told us to go see Antibalas, which was playing in a basement of a jewish cultural center somewhere.  we arrived, and just after the band started playing, Stuart Bogie walked out and joined them. it was very……serendipitous.  so going to see him play again, in some dark basement somewhere in NYC, 10+ years later, was just kind of awesome.)

and when it started….it became very obvious that this was indeed a Phish afterparty. lots of phisheads, still with their glow bracelets and rolling eyes were packed inside. the music was definitely more indie-jam than jazz, with lots of melodic singing mixed with funked beats, which i can totally appreciate, especially watching them play so physically, so ecstatically, but i was so exhausted i just found myself a spot standing on a bench up against the wall, my head almost hitting the ceiling, observant. i wanted to make it to the end of the set to get to hang out, but just couldn’t. it was a sauna in there, i was wearing 2 layers of clothes, and the energy was so the opposite of where i needed to be. so in the middle of a cover of Sledgehammer (covers? did not expect that), we exited into the cold night and finally headed to bed at 3am, totally exhausted.

i was also not successful sleeping in more today, and right now as i’m typing this i should be trying to take a nap before heading out for NYE, but NYC makes me manic.  and plus, it’s the LAST DAY OF 2011 and i get to see many of our beautiful friends tonight!  how could i not be excited? we have 2+ parties on the list and we’ll see how far we get.

.::.

i’m looking forward to seeing the sun come up on 2012, as 2011 – full of personal and global/internal and external revolutions, experiments and changes – has been a one hell of a good year.  keep up the good, everyone. we’re moving forward.

Filed in autobiographical, music, travel | Tagged with igottawearshades, jazz, NYC, puerto rico, reagan, surfing | Comment (0)

smashing pumpkins

last night we went to see the smashing pumpkins.  or, the smashing pumpkin, if you’re one who doesn’t consider billy corgan +  musicians who were not in the original band The Smashing Pumpkins, proper.  it’s difficult to tell with some bands how much everyone has a part, and how much the sound and message of the band is the result of the collective (The Beatles) or the result of a leader backed by other talented musicians (Nine Inch Nails).  this is the bane of many a band’s existence, has caused the breakup of thousands of music groups and the stresses of which have been fodder for rock movies like Almost Famous.

anyway, i digress, but because of this fact that it was Billy+ (no amazing James Iha on guitar), rumors that billy had  found religion, having listened to some of the new tracks off the forthcoming album which do not, shall we say, have the same gestalt as the anti-punk of the early years, and this band having such a formative place in my head and heart (i was 15 in 1991 when Gish came out and between then and 1998 i spent many many nights intoxicatedly and intensely listening to SP and they are like soul food for me), i was apprehensive that it might not be awesome/live up to expectations.

but it was.

.::.setlist.::.

the crowd at the Fox was pretty great – everyone seemed really into it and paying attention (no asshats talking all the way through it etc.). i sort of regret not getting closer but it was a sold out show and PACKED and i do not like to be wedged into crowds and plus i need room to thrash. it took a while to warm up, but when it did, and when they played my faaaaaavorite song Silverfuck, i went kind of crazy and felt like i was definitely winning.

the final encore of Bullet with Butterfly Wings seemed not only, well, obvious for a final song but with the #occupywallstreet / #occupyeverywhere / protests around the world going on, i did consider whether there was any irony to a mostly white, mostly 30something, mostly affluent crowd screaming “DESPITE ALL MY RAGE I AM STILL JUST A RAT IN A CAGE”.  after some thought i determined that i think the thing is that even white affluent 1st world citizens who should have everything, every freedom, every thing,  feel trapped. this feeling is that pervasive. there is no escape.

the world is a vampire, sent to drain.

i would’ve liked to have heard Ava Adore, but other than that i was totally happy with the show. the band was not as intense and virtuoso as the originals, but definitely good enough to rock the fuck out of those songs. you know it’s a good show when you hear songs you don’t remember or don’t know and realize to figure out what they are you’ll have to listen to the whole catalog again but that’s ok because you want to start as soon as you get home.

In you I see dirty
In you I count stars
In you I feel so pretty
In you I taste god
In you I feel so hungry
In you I crash cars
We must never be apart

<3

wake me on the softer side of heaven….

i really love this song:
Marina by SLEEPY SUN
Sleepy Sun: Marina

it starts out heavy, but weaves in and out. i highly recommend a listen all the way through.

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enter the hot dream

last night jayober & i went through the music files to make a rockNroll mix for burning man (so much electronica on the playa; i can’t take it for 7 days. we decided we need at least one rockNroll + whiskey afternoon). “just 1 or 2 songs from fav bands”.  after we finish, even without all our favs added, it’s 13 hours long.  i <3 rock and roll.

.::.

AWAKE (listen)
Shake dreams from your hair
My pretty child, my sweet one.
Choose the day and choose the sign of your day
The day’s divinity
First thing you see.
A vast radiant beach in a cool jeweled moon
Couples naked race down by its quiet side
And we laugh like soft, mad children
Smug in the wooly cotton brains of infancy
The music and voices are all around us.

Choose they croon the Ancient Ones
The time has come again
Choose now, they croon
Beneath the moon
Beside an ancient lake
Enter again the sweet forest
Enter the hot dream
Come with us
Everything is broken up and dances.

.::.

and i’ll live while i’m young

this past weekend was a double header of camping in the Tahoe National Forest (specifically not disco-camping) and then to South Lake Tahoe (CA/NV line) for to see Phish.

superfuntimes with the crew Friday-Sunday in the forest, including mountain hiking, alpine lake swimming, and lighting things on fire.  i mean, it really Wasn’t A Big Deal so there’s not much more to say except that i <3 my friends and all their mischief and merrymaking.

then off to South lake where we chilled, had some hike and beach time with JaSbo, and caught up on our sleep.  Tuesday arrived  and after some beaching, had lunch and started to prepare for the night’s show (we only had tix for 1st of 2 nights).  unfortunately, what i ate for lunch disagreed with me IMMENSELY and i could barely walk across the street back to the hotel i was so doubled over in pain.    i have a history of meals violently disagreeing with my stomach, even if it’s something i’ve eaten plenty of times before, but usually what happens is i get immediately nauseated, vomit, and it’s all over in an hour.  this was more of a gut clenching thing, where every muscle of my digestive tract seized so much i could not stand up, and went on for 2.5-3 hours and at 4:30 i thought there was NO WAY i was making it to the show (doors at 5, show at 6:30) as i could not even walk to get there. this made me very very sad. but i was determined! and forced everything out of my body that i could. and by 5:30 i could stand up and soldiered on down to the state line.  sad that there was almost zero pre-party for our little crew due to this, but whatcanyoudo.

the arena was the smallest venue i’ve ever seen Phish (this was my 20th show!  first show 11/9/96 @ auburn hills, most recent show 8/5/09 @ shoreline) and i was STOKED about that. not a bad seat in the house, and we could get as close as we wanted. before the show started i walked around and was able to find old PB tour friends Stardog, John & Kristin Labonte, and Schlegel! greetings all around.  and then the show started, outdoor in a small sunny venue surrounded by alpines.  NICE.

< phish mode > first set was KILLER.   oh i had forgotten how much i love Rift:  “the passion that sparked me one terrible night / and shocked and persuaded my soul to ignite”.

i was en route to/from the bathroom for much of David Bowie but that did not stop me from enjoying it thoroughly.

by the second set however i was fading, having little food energy inside me and feeling a bit destroyed by the whole experience.  i zoned out through much of it, but in a good way.   all evening there had been people with these fluorescent green paper rockets on sticks, waving them all around. someone must’ve made and brought literally hundreds of them and handed them out. i had no idea what they represented or what they were for, until, in the middle of the second set, the band responded and Paige on piano sang Rocket Man. for the first time EVAR.  woo!

the encore closer of Squirming Coil was really awesome, and that final piano solo echoing through the trees was really just sublime. </ phish mode >

we stuck around briefly to see if we had the energy for any of the after parties (even though it was a Tuesday, this is a 2 day run, so most people are staying for both nights and partying right through in between), most likely being FreQ Nasty, but i determined i was 1. STARVING and 2. EXHAUSTED and needed to eat and go to bed.  so in the end, it was maybe the least “epic” Phish show i’ve ever attended, as there was almost no partying on my part and i went to bed before midnight (can we say “aging hippie”?).  but still: as nourishing as always. and since i am currently wearing a phish t-shirt and sweatpants, some regression might have occurred.

But who can unlearn all the facts that I’ve learned
As I sat in their chairs and my synapses burned
And the torture of chalk dust collects on my tongue
Thoughts follow my vision and dance in the sun
All my vasoconstrictors they come slowly undone
Can’t this wait till im old?
Can’t I live while I’m young?

and now: the Man Burns in 24 days.  holy crap.

last night’s red dress

i’m going to go ahead and recommend Beth Orton’s Central Reservationalbum to you all again for the 100th time because i love it so much.

Stayed true to the things I knew when I was younger
And food and love was all but left to hunger
It’s when I stray from the truth as I grow older
Too much leaves an empty hollow hunger

I think about you on a moonlit night
And the Stars All Seem To Weep
When there’s so much love to lose
There’s never any time for sleep

attn: fiercely old party children

Babylon,
Where bricks of mortared diamonds tower,
Sailors lust and swagger lazing in moon’s beams
Whose laser gaze penetrates this sparkling theater of excess and strobed lights.
Painted whores, sexual gladiators, fiercely old party children,
All wake from their slumber to debut the Bacchanal.
Come to the light! Into the light! The invisible light….

–Invisible Light

this is definitely the most ridiculously campy song i have ever loved, but the first time i heard it, it felt like some sort of aural anthology, compressing the sound and feel of the late 90s->The Aughts dance culture (incl of course burning man) into one song, it just sums up so much….

summer 2011: warm-up

for years i wondered if my blogging was a result of actually having something to say, or just something to do while sitting at a desk job for 8 hours a day. well, these past few months i’ve not been sitting at my desk job all day every day (shifted to working part time as needed), and i think the lack of posts here answers that question.  it turns out when i’m not stuck spending hours a day in front of a computer i do other things, like read the New Yorker and go for walks, and don’t just sit in front of my laptop. so that is the explanation for lack of posts.  it’s not because i haven’t been doing anything or reading the news or have commentary.  i’m just not as inclined to sit down and write about much if i’m not already at the computer.

moving on: last weekend was super fun. we went to see 2 live shows – Ezra Furman and the Harpoons (with Tristen opening) on thursday night and The Black Angels (with Sleepy Sun opening) on friday. Ezra was great, but he was sick and i think it showed.  always a good show though with great energy from the whole band.  i highly recommend their albums if you love singer/songwriters.  while i dig indie rock, dark and twisted psychedelic rock is higher up there on the list of things that my brain soaks up and rolls around in and enjoys. local SF band Sleepy Sun was a great surprise for an opening, and The Black Angels did not disappoint with their wall of sound. it was a challenge to keep my mind from wandering into the purple haze, but the crowd push from the mosh pit jolted me back every few minutes (who moshes at a psychrock concert? i thought we all just stood around with our eyes closed? people who grew up at gilman street, i’m guessing). + i love falling in love with the people on stage for a minute and that is why i love live music.

a string of birthday parties on saturday, then sunday we went for a hike up our favorite trail in Berkeley and cooked dinner and watched the Babies documentary with friends. while it was fun to watch and beautifully shot, i was slightly underwhelmed by this film. the small controversy when the film came out about whether it was appropriate for children to watch (some mommies thought seeing other babies pooping/peeing/breastfeeding was TMI for their own little ones) was much more interesting to me than the film itself.

and now we are gearing up for spring/summer.  with my new free time – the first summer i’ve had since 1998 that i’m not working full time all season – i have A LOT OF PLANS.  we shall see how many of them come to pass.

things that are for sure:

–Spring Training, this sunday in Joaquin Miller park in Oakland (if the world doesn’t end on Saturday!), because if your summer is a marathon of camping (disco or regular), mountain climbing, all-night escapades, road trips, festivals, and full days of drinking in the park with work days in between, you need to warm up so you don’t hurt yourself. this is a free all day picnic-party. the illustrious obi-j closes the show, but we’ll be there all day.

–spending a long weekend floating on a houseboat flotilla in the Sacramento river in June – i have lived in this state for 12 summers and i almost never get to swim. the Pacific is cold and surly no matter when, and the rivers and lakes are all a drive away. growing up in Michigan with a freshwater pond and/or river every 100 yards, this really makes me crazy sometimes.

–PRICELESS. July 1-4 up in Belden Town.  the best disco campout in the High Sierras for the 6th year in a row.

–Phish in Tahoe August 9 with a hiking/camping weekend beforehand. summer in lake tahoe + phish = guaranteed awesome.

the things that are definite maybe:

–New York City.  sometime before July 31, because i NEED to get to the Alexander McQueen exhibit at the Met.

–Burning Man. we have tickets. but if something a better use of time/money comes up (like a trip abroad this fall?), this could get bumped.

in the meantime, i plan to continue spending my days biking around town, going to yoga/keeping up the workout routines, and window shopping. and….that’s about it.

summer 2011: are we ready?