Zero-calorie updates
Current mood: amorous
Category: Friends
Somehow I went from riding a 80s steel frame rusted Raleigh record bike to riding a 80s cro-moly framed single speed custom 'texas special'* bike out here in Texas. Life has been relatively sweet biking to work at a giant oil company. After a decade of avoiding working for any group larger than 100 people, this has been eye-opening. And it's only halfway done... bottom line, I'm having an ok time.
One of the COOLEST things that has happened, or really the only good thing that's happened outside of material purchases (aka the bike and accessories), trying to be environmentally good, and biking a lot was that:
Clark 8 on Sun Smog and Hate compilation. Is it just a coincidence that Whitman and Treasure Mammal are also on this as of yet unreleased LP? Conspiracy! It's a totally new and completely exclusive track for the comp... so... you just have to imagine its innocent beauty and sublime nonchalance... heh.
Clark 8 on Facebook. There's a really sad pseudo-cover of a Beatles song up there that you might like! It's fresh and new, if you hadn't seen it!
Clark 8 on myspace/the internet. All of my home internet is stolen from my neighbors wireless. So it's spotty. I apologize. I want to write comments to people but half the time MySpace fails and gives me and error and I give up...
So consider this a universal hello to YOU!
Remember come fall/winter... NEW CLARK 8 LONGPLAYER tentatively titled 'snooze.' on who knows what record label
Oh OH -- and between the interminable now and then, we will release a lo-fi compact disc or somesuch on Bridgetown Records and a split single with Family Tree Analog on Mookie Records! Don't worry these tracks actually exist as recorded items, we're just taking our time... :-) -Rich (in Houston TX till August) * built by this cool guy Kirby who can be reached at spinningobjects at gmail dot com. he sells his stuff on craigslist here in houston.
So, this is it. "coping with modernity" the song, as it exists on this myspace page is ephemera. A product of 3-4 hours of late night fiddling and whatnot. It owes a debt to Cher, T-Pain, Akon, etc. (does Akon use autotune)... merged with perhaps Lou Barlow, Whitman, Kevin Greenspon and others... It was really Kevin's idea to use autotune on a song.
http://myspace.com/kevingreenspon
This song isn't about anything much and it has the m-f word in it, so cover your ears.
Yeah... who knows how long it will be up, it actually goes well when it bumps right into Factual, but I took that down to put it up. Perhaps I will rearrange.
Also... anyone lookin' to book us for a show before I leave in Early June for a couple months?
Let me know.
We're going to be recording (for real) before I leave, so there might not be much time, but whatevs. Enjoy/download this silly tune before we do it for real.
Frat rock for the unpledged == Facebook Clark 8 page w/ new song
Current mood: numb
Actually I have no idea about the proper nomenclature for fraternal associations of the collegiate type. Needless to say, that’s sort of where Clark 8 resides. Frat rock for those of us who really had no care to join a frat, but occasionally drank eagerly from a red cup at a frat party here or there. Math rock for the post-Mathematica generation. Perchance?
So in other news, which I would put into another blog entry, but... I ain’t gonna right now... I did this collab with my sweet girlfriend Heather Dean for her project Twice Council Visit. It’s a live track written in its totality about 20 minutes before being recorded live to GarageBand... It’s here:::
Wow Pehrspace Monday was ridonkulous... American Gil and the Major Dudes, PST, Dirt Dress, Lucky Dragons and Whitman all ruled hard. It was super fun to play for the hardcore crew that stays late at Sean Carnage’s Monday escapades.
good things of music
Current mood: selective
Category: Web, HTML, Tech
We are playing our next show at Whitman’s LP release party. That will be something else. That’s at pehrspace on the 31st. I (Rich) put a little cello down on something that he’s putting out on a split 7"... the song’s called "a cure for riverside" and you can check it out at his myspace personal musical page of things here. You’ll hear the cello only at the very end. He’s on tour now. Go see him!
Also, Amy Annelle of the places has a new thing, and it’s really pretty good... along the lines of country & western music. It’s here Precious Blood. They are authentically from Austin... they’re playing FXFY’all this weekend... which... if I was in Austin right now... I... just wouldn’t be. (no offense to our friends in a faulty chromosome (who are moving there...), foot village, the happy hollows, the henry clay people, etc.) I can’t get involved until we hit Web 7.0.
Then finally this show last night with the Hectors and Mospeada was just a jam of a Thursday. It was sort of a clark 8 sandwich with shoegazy bread. I had never heard the term shoegaze until the first era of shoegaze was over... but perchance it’s back sorta kinda? Genres, who needzum? The Hectors and Mospeada really killed it and got some Pasadena love for sure.
Riverside... South Central... Houston, TX
Current mood: okay
Category: Quiz/Survey
So... today is my birthday. This is the first public forum in which I've announced it. I try to keep it low key otherwise... but yeah. One more year until I'm officially to old to rock and I'll have to simply roll.
We played (for probably too long) in Riverside on Friday... it kinda ruled. Talked to a lot of people I don't get to talk to too often. I think there was a killer show going on at L'KEG that night, but still some peeps stayed true to the I.E.
Got a peek (but not a listen) at Whitman's new album. Let's just say it's a nice piece of artwork for sure. You should preorder it.
Also... I've found out I'm going to Houston, Texas for a couple months this summer. This should prove... edifying? ("to instruct or benefit, esp. morally or spiritually; uplift: religious paintings that edify the viewer.") ... well... we'll see. At any rate, it gives us a reason to lay down the 5-6 clark 8 tunes that aren't recorded and put out some sort of EP or another.
South Central LA is where I live currently (at least by police precinct, it's more like university park or jefferson park) anyway, we'd like to have some chill acoustic shows some coming weekends as spring arrives. Let me know if you are interested. That way I can deny you and have a power trip about it. Kidding.
Ok... so I finally got Thurston Moore's (not that new) "Trees Outside the Academy"... I never had "Psychic Hearts", but I'd listened to it a lot... Anyway, I was instantly floored by the violin, played by samara lubelski
So check that...
Then check Anni Rossi's new video. We're playing with her in Riverside at Turtle Shouse::
Then... yeah, for the me playing cello part... Listen to this cHarp track here... (the cello is kinda lame, but it was all live and fresh)
And John Thill's track Santa Ana Pass, which for the time being is at the top of his player, but he might take it down at any time::: John Thill!
So yeah, we finished tracking on a few more songs with Piry of Family Tree Analog. These are 4 track fully analog versions, so way more stripped down than the protools action that graces 75% of what we've released thus far. The drums sound way better though, I think. We'll see how much post production we do on them...
finished, unreleased tracks::: Push Down No Purchase Necessary (this one came out pretty damn good)
nearly finished:::: easy one... i don't wanna do nothin...
we might have done more, but I'm dumb.
We rock Oxnard next Tuesday... that should be fun. More shows, etc. etc. Check our new friends for some cool bands... and stuff.
And finally...
this is wonderful to me, everything about it, usually I don't go for the train wreck thing, but I can just see these guys afterwards going "yeah, that was pretty good, we held together and finished the song. yeah guys":
semi-mixed feelings about making Andy Dick cry.
Current mood: tired
Category: Parties and Nightlife
Story time!
First off in band news, we got news songs and a new recording on the way... but it's always like that. We are gonna rock Oxnard pretty hard. Had some good shows at Old Town Pub and L'KEG thanks to them for having us... Family Tree Analog, Pizza!, Big Whup and Mountains of the Moon all rocked it.
Now for the story.
So Andy Dick was insanely drunk, the sort of drunk you can only get to at a bar (without being kicked out) if you are like semi-famous with a serious alcohol problem. He was hitting on nearly everyone at the bar... and I don't mean like making small talk... more like, just going in for kisses. One dude punched him and knocked him to the ground. I mean... seriously it would've taken a strong gust of wind to get him off balance in his state... but anyway, he's kind of getting touchy feely with one of my friends so I intervene and start talking to him about how maybe someday he'll be funny funny instead of funny sad. and like how Joe Rogan's doing alright... what about him? and then I asked him if he'd been 5150'd recently... and that's when he sorta cried a little. And all the time I'm kind of laughing because... a) drunk people are funny b) I know this is gonna be a kind of funny story
He eventually left by cab after alienating 95% of the bar, but yeah... I dunno... I don't watch enough E! or Extra or Entertainment Tonight to know what's up, but clearly the fame system of Southern Cali coincides pretty heavily with mental anguish and alcohol/drug problems.
I told this story to a friend of mine and he was sad that I had made Andy Dick cry... but really, he's a jerk. Nevertheless, I don't dig seeing people intoxicate themselves to death... so... good luck there dude.
Fell off my bike this morning. It was wet from rain and/or sprinklers and my left shoe slipped off the pedal. I made eye contact with some guy right as I went down. He said "Are you OK?" I was.
Yesterday I got a faulty chromosome's new compact disc recording "as an ex-anorexic's six sick exit" in the mail. It was pretty wickedly packaged and came with a nice pin (shiny!).
Anyway, this record kicks ass. I mean, I don't know, it's just creamy, textural, layered, etc. Here is their MySpace!!!
Also, the Henry Clay People have a new EP coming out, which I think is a good thing.
We have our tape out, so you know, I will shill for that more, go get it here at folktale records. I need to send out mad promo CDs to FOX News and Bloomberg News INC. soon. (those are my two secret channels to the musical underground.)
We have two shows listed, but I think we have more... they're just kind of tentative at the moment. Umm... what else? I got a pickup for my cello, a new/different steel guitar and an amp this past month or so... Maybe we'll get some steel solos on our new record. Which should be coming soon. We've got some new burners made up.
our cassette’s out + futuresongs + etc etc
Current mood: froggy
Category: Pets and Animals
Oh my!
We had our cassette release show the day before yesterday and it was totally invigorating. Got to see some fave bands: Family Tree Analog, Codpiece and Whitman
Then we did our little rock thing. Finally Dave got on backing vox and the result was lovely! The people dug it. I love rockin' out Mr. T's.
The tape is out. It's purple, it has great Sundaykat graphics. You should try to order it today if you want to get it soon. Otherwise come to our shows. We still have some to sell ya.
So yeah, we have new songs in the works... mostly sea shanty style songs.
Also, on top of all that we have a show this saturday with kind hearts and coronets. I saw them once. It was pretty darn good stuff. Them, Panic Movement, us, Foxtail's Brigade. Should be the jam.
I was going to pontificate on the state of musical distribution, etc. etc. Like... Should we put up a streaming version of the cassette? I don't know. Also our next thing will probably be a vinyl/CD release... whatchothink about that?
Umm... what other things have been destroying my time: Wainy Days (David Wain's web short sitcomy thing... absurdism... and bicoastal to a degree)
I think I might update our website to make it super extra awesome.
amorous
awake
numb
selective
okay
geeky
energetic
tired
crunk
froggy