Robot Dog

Recording Diary v36

On Saturday we continued work on "Anjuna".

Our pal and accomplished Tabla player Larry Thrasher came down and recorded an amazing Tabla performance for the tune (playing about 3 or 4 takes, each take consisting of different patterns/performances for variance). It was beautifully done and added a wonderful rhythmic texture to the tune. Nothing like the real deal when it comes to classical instruments.

After Larry split we continued recording rhythmic elements (shakers, tambourines and other percussive things that I don't know the names of that fill our percussive drawers).

I also played some Sitar parts on the chorus using my Coral Sitar guitar knock off. We placed a cool backwards sitar part at the end fade and the doubled it with a forwards sitar solo. Sounds peachy.

Now all we need is Mirv to play a slide part, some bass and then lead vocals...and this one is done.

Here's what the Hog has to say..

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Graveyard

Here's a game I can get into. Your an old lady walking around a graveyard, you do so until you die. The game ends.

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Ghosts

An "ethereal" 10 second clip of a woman singing a French folk song has been played for the first time in 150 years.

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Hope.

Man I really could fucking use a self sufficient sarcophagus.This would surely stop the torrential harassment of those voices in my head who tell me to shave all my body hair off and then roll around in clown excrement. Fuck it. I'm gonna treat myself!

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Recording Diary v35

More work on Anjuna and another input in the diary that no one on Earth cares about,

I stared by recording the Hummingbird using the Joe Meek mic, that guitar records very nicely. I'm still in love with her.

Then Thomas arrived and we put him to work playing the Wurli part for most of the song. He then came up with a beautiful counter melody for the chorus that was played on a Wurli/Vibes and then doubled with the Glockenspiel.

Everything in life should be doubled with a Glockenspiel.

Richard McGuire

Richard McGuire (who is best known for his children's book and New Yorker cover illustrations) just stopped by my work to showcase a few of his short films. Soooo cool. Check out his use of shadow and perspective in "Micro Loop"!!

"The Foundation"

Hillary's got a secret boys club!

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Crayon Physics

Elton!

Homer Is Real

Recording Diary v34

Last Saturday we recorded drums for a new tune called "Anjuna". Anjuna is a beach town in Goa India that I stayed in last year, which is ripe with many drug damaged casualties. The town once known for Goa's famous raves now is much more quiet and simply bizarre. It's also a beautiful place to drop out from the world. One of my latest fantasies.

Tonight our friends Brain and Melissa dropped by. Melissa is an amazing singer who nails complex vocal parts and harmonies likes it's nothing. This was a massive asset to the tune, as she came up with some wonderful 3 part harmonies that sound so beautiful. The texture of a female voice is also a very nice change to the MBO sound. We love it!

So we did lots of singing, and Brain placed a shaker part. Then Melissa added some Wurli parts for the verse, followed by some synth solos at the end of the tune. Ripping.

Nice eve of friends help!

Rap: The Musical!

Look! More Zany People!

The museum "tolerates" these tours? If you ask me this is child abuse.

Neil Aspinall Is Dead

Man..lots of death in the air these days. Sigh

"Neil Aspinall, a longtime friend of the Beatles who managed their business enterprises and helped make the group a moneymaking phenomenon decades after they split up, has died. He was 66."

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Drum Machine Robots Rule

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Happy Eastre!

Here's one of the more eloquent minds on the subject of Religious irrationality. I had a interesting weekend that was ripe with Religious dogma, one day it was a Funeral and the other day it was Easter, so I felt it fitting to post this Harris clip.

Beatburner

Destroy everything. For free.

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EH Minisynth

Recording Diary v33

Last night we finished "Aphids". Here's how.

We started by playing 3 harmonized Ebow parts using the Les Paul via POD XT. This created a Fripp-like bed of texture. For those not familiar with the Ebow (it's an electric bow) it's a device that you hold over a string forcing the chosen note to resonate and sustain indefinitely.

Next we recorded some guitar through the Boomerang, built a loop, reversed it and played it via the "once" button throughout the tune. This created a very nice backwards texture, something akin to Aphids mating I think.

Next we added a few percussive elements, some Timpani drums and a Celeste bell.

Then we set up the Joe Meek mic and recorded the Gibson Hummingbird guitar for the bridge section. This took about 1/2 hour to get the tone right (mic placement etc). Sounds amazing!

Next up Craig added some tambourine hits on the snare pattern for the bridge section.

Finally we then plugged in a MIDI clock (from Pro Tools into Reason) and found a odd "music Box" rhythmic sequence that we placed throughout the song. The odd combination of beeps and squelches made the existing backwards loops all the more beautiful.

Now it's done! Fear The Aphids!

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I'm So Excited

Who Could Say It Better?

Everybody knows that the dice are loaded
Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed
Everybody knows that the war is over
Everybody knows the good guys lost
Everybody knows the fight was fixed
The poor stay poor, the rich get rich
Thats how it goes
Everybody knows

Everybody knows that the boat is leaking
Everybody knows that the captain lied
Everybody got this broken feeling
Like their father or their dog just died

Everybody talking to their pockets
Everybody wants a box of chocolates
And a long stem rose
Everybody knows

Everybody knows that you love me baby
Everybody knows that you really do
Everybody knows that youve been faithful
Ah give or take a night or two
Everybody knows youve been discreet
But there were so many people you just had to meet
Without your clothes
And everybody knows

And everybody knows that its now or never
Everybody knows that its me or you
And everybody knows that you live forever
Ah when youve done a line or two

Everybody knows the deal is rotten
Old black joes still pickin cotton
For your ribbons and bows
And everybody knows

And everybody knows that the plague is coming
Everybody knows that its moving fast
Everybody knows that the naked man and woman
Are just a shining artifact of the past
Everybody knows the scene is dead
But theres gonna be a meter on your bed
That will disclose
What everybody knows

And everybody knows that youre in trouble
Everybody knows what youve been through
From the bloody cross on top of calvary
To the beach of malibu
Everybody knows its coming apart
Take one last look at this sacred heart
Before it blows
And everybody knows

Everybody knows, everybody knows
Thats how it goes
Everybody knows

Pussy Cat!

Y: The Last Man

"Y: The Last Man" is a wonderful graphic novel that imagines what life would be like if every man on Earth died spontaneously. Well, every man except one. Cool ideas abound in this one!!

All the issues have been combined into Volumes 1-9.

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Hey Jude! Live! In Hell!

Recording Diary v32

This beautiful hunk of workmanship is my new Gibson Hummingbird Acoustic! I'm in love with her. I've been coveting a Hummingbird since I was 13 years old and, after exhaustive research and searching, I finally found one that is just beautiful. This is a custom shop model (only one made!) with a "bookend" back and a Maple tiger striped neck. So perdy. And it sounds like a dream. Rich, smooth and even. Gush.

Last night we worked on "Aphids" some more. Craig started things off by playing his beautiful fretless bass through a Mutron Phaser, which gave us a thick and bubbly sound. He then played what turned out to be a fairly technical rhythmic part. This took about an hour until he was happy with the performance. It sounds cool!

The Hog arrived and we then played some keys, all of them via Reason using the ever so popular Abbey Road Refills. We started first by running the Harmonium through the Boomergang (which is a hardware looping device). After finding a good drone loop I then rhythmically placed the loop into the song, tapping the Boomerangs "once" button in time throughout the tune.

We then messed around with some piano loops, finally finding one that was suitable. It was placed into the song at the 3rd verse.

Next the Hog played an 8th note Piano part on the chorus' and also added some simple chord stabs throughout the tune.

Then we added some Tubular Bell hits on the chorus, followed by a glock part that was then doubled on piano.

A productive evening! This one is getting close to complete.

Arthur C. Clarke Is Dead

When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.

The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

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White People...

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Battles

Jellyfish

Blackbird

I bet Mirv can teach me this better. I'm slowly getting it.

Addams Family

4 episodes online. Sweet.

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Recording Diary v31

Today we spent some time arranging a new song called "Oh The Aphids". It's about how Aphids are the gatekeepers to a diabolical Occult dawn. They also eat roses.

After placing an synthetic Eno-type beat into Pro Tools (via Reason) we placed Jeff's drums in and built the arrangement. The next step was to place simple piano fundamental chords to use as pitch references for singing.

Then we sang. The next 5 hours were spent singing. Craig and I worked on various harmonies, and doubled them etc. The end result is "thick". I am going for a Eno vocal texture ala "Here Come The Warm Jets". Chances are it will sound nothing like that.

Next step is to start the instrumental layering.

Then we went home. Sometimes I leave the Thelosophy Center feeling like I just played a football game.

Instant Karma

An amazing drum/vocal sound and Yoko knitting. What more could you want?

Optigon

Recording Diary v30

Wow..30 sessions! The album is coming along nicely!

More "James Pain"

Tonight we set up the ADK mic and I sang my sorry ass off. Lots of vocals, lots of harmonies, lots of doubling, layering etc. Craig sang as well on a few "Gang Vocal" sections, it's nice to have another vocal texture in there.

We finished it all.

I also added a harmonized guitar solo using the 11 plug in with the Les Paul. Sounds cool.

What more can be said. The song is done and we are quite happy with how it turned out. Killer kick drum sound!

Onward..

Huzzah for MBO!

Gabriel/Fairlight

The Fairlight was the shit back in the 80's. Here's Gabriel mucking about with his, forming what would later turn out to be "The Rhythm Of The Heat" from his Security LP.

The Beatles Are Out...

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Phase IV

Does anybody remember this wonderful film? When I was a wee lad Phase IV was a staple of my horror film watching. Im hoping it comes out on DVD one day. Oh yeah it was also directed by the typographic hero Saul Bass.

Recording Diary v29

More "Jim Pain" recording last eve. We first recorded my new Gibson Hummingbird acoustic for the chorus. We set up two mics and after a bit of experimentation we found a sound we liked. I then recorded the guitar for the chorus only.

We then recorded handclaps for the chorus. Two tracks of Thomas, myself and Craig.

Next I played a simple guitar line on the chorus using my Les Paul Standard via the "11" plug in.

Following that we worked on a backwards percussive effect that would introduce the chorus. We recorded a Abbey Road Organ and Celeste and reversed the parts. The effect was interesting but not all together inspiring.

Next the Hog played a Wurli solo using the Reason "Elki" patch, which was soaked with lots of fuzz distortion. After learning and recording his part we then added an 8th note rhythmic piano part for the solo and end chorus sections. We used the Mrs Mills piano.

Following the solo I added some more guitar with the Les Paul going through the Boomerang. I dropped in some backwards guitar lines that Craig and I will place later.

Not bad for one night's work. This one is coming along nicely.

Next up vocals...

Dan Deacon. Big Big Big Big Big

A Movie Could Improve Your Life

Killer Queen!

Harry Smith Doc

My love for Harry Smith runs deep. Smith captured and catalogued thousands of pre war "Folk Songs" (although that title does little to describe this wonderful music) of the South and Appalachia and released them with often bizarre liner-notes and illustrations. This music would later become known as "Raw Music" and made a stylistic comeback in the 60's and 70's via John Fahey, who was also a obsessive collector and damn fine guitarist. I do recommend Smith's "Anthology of American Folk Music" that the Smithsonian released some years ago. Wonderful stuff.

Recording Diary v28

We recorded drums for two new songs on Saturday ("Oh! The Aphids!" and "Jim Pain") and managed to get some real cool drum sounds with two mics, one mic on the kick and the ADK mic about 5 feet in-front of the drums. Both the tunes use only kick drum and snare patterns, which gives the arrangements lots of room to breathe, this is a good thing. Drums took a few hours to nail (testing and performing)

We also drove out to Thomas' childhood home and picked up a beautiful Kimball pump organ that looks to be from the 1800's. We are expecting to use it lots! Cool!

After recording, Craig, Jeff, Brain and I went to see our pal Ler play with Serge Tankian at the Warfield. It was nice to see many old friends and Ler was ripping as expected. This music is not really my cup of tea, but I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Tight band, and Serj has a cool voice.

Pet Sounds!!

I'm not sure that I can write anything new here that hasn't already been said about the Beach Boys Pet Sounds. This music is perfect for so many reasons (arrangements, performances, lyrics, etc) but the thing that really gets me is the feeling of innocence that Brian Wilson obsessively captured in 1965 (while his band-mates were on tour in Europe). My fave songs are "God Only Knows" (which I'd give everything I've ever written to have authored), "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" and "Hang On To Your Ego". But every song pretty much slays me.

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Sigur Ros

Will Arnett Is God

Who Watches The Watchmen?

I love graphic novels. Well a few of em anyway. Besides "The Invisibles" (which Im convinced is impossible to make into a film) another great is "The Watchmen". Watchmen is cool because it turns the super hero mythos on it's ears. In some ways it kinda predates Pixar's "Incredibles" in terms of super heros dealing with "real-world" problems.

Warner is making a film of the Novel and dare I say it kinda looks cool? Some of the design decisions are kinda lame...but maybe?

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NIN: Ghosts

Freed from their major label deals, NIN have released a new business model on the world.

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How to make money playing music.

The times they are a changing...

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All The Young Dudes

Fisher Price Music Box Samples

Here are some weird samples from a Fisher Price Music Box Record Player. Load em into your MPC and go to town.

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New Airking Album!

MBO's keyboardist Thomas Muer has just completed his second Airking Sound album which used his Autopilot audio system. Check it out!

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Zappa...

Honestly Ive never been a huge fan of Zappa's music, I certainly appreciate it, but it just never rung my bell. Having said that I do adore the man. What a great mind.

Recording Diary v27

It was nice to return to the studio after a few weeks off (illness). We dusted of Solomon Grundy..

Thomas arrived and we placed some rhythmic Farfisa Organ over the verse"skank" sections. Thomas then played a insane solo in the out section that we want Mirv to learn and double (hopefully later this week). I wanna get a Steve Howe big hollow body guitar sound for this one. Mirv knows how!

Thomas also played some "Mrs Mills" piano on a few Verse sections and we experimented with piano on the chorus. We opted for a Wuri instead. The keys are almost done..but we still need to add some Melotron Choir parts to the verse, bridge and outro.

And their is still lots of guitar to record on this one. I expect it will take 3 more sessions to get it wrapped up. Why cant I write 2 min Green Day pop songs? Sigh.

Bed time...

Gary Gygax is Dead.

How many stoners owe a huge debt to Mr Gygax. I certanly do. This man shaped my youth in many ways. May he be forever in the arms of a hot 50th Lvl Wood Elf.

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