Category: music

The New Men in My Life

So, as I mentioned briefly last night, I’ve joined a band, playing sax. It’s a new band that’s still coming together out of Alameda. If you’re into labels and genre, it’s ska, soul, and reggae. We’re so new that we don’t have a name yet, although there was a name that I threw out last night that the guys seemed to like, but I’m not sure it’s written in stone just yet, so I’ll keep that to myself.

In keeping with my tradition of not using anyone’s real names in my blog, I’ve already assigned code names to my bandmates – Pedro (bass), Ruckus (drums), and Commando (guitar). So far as I can tell, none of ’em smell too bad, and they all enjoy any joke involving either pee pee or underpantslessness, which is good, ’cause I’ll probably be spending lots of time with them in the confined space of a practice room.  A sense of humor seems to be a good asset in such situations.  They also don’t seem to mind my belches.

We should have a singer soon, as the guys have been getting together with a few last week and this. This will probably be another female, so I won’t be the only woman in the band. Also we would like to have a keyboardist. I’m not sure if there will be any other horns.

Last night we got together and “jammed”. This was a first for me, and I have to say, I surprised myself. I’m not nearly as awful as I thought I was. I know that I’ll get better too, with time and practice and possibly lessons. I am really looking forward to being a part of this group, and see it as the next big adventure of my life.
Making music is good times!

Evil iPod Gremlins

I love my iPod.  I don’t know how I ever managed to get by a day without it before.  I’m not very materialistic, but it is one of my favorite things ever.

But sometimes, it’s against me.

I have the big mambo jambo 80 gig hard drive in my iPod.  So there’s a lot of stuff on there.    A lot.   Almost all the music I own.  I’m still working on loading it, three months later, and it’s not even near half way full.

The thing I like to do most is put it on shuffle.  It’s just kind of cool to hear Ocean 11, followed by Billie Holliday, followed by See Spot, followed by The Beastie Boys.   I love shuffle.   I hate shuffle.

The thing is, sometimes the last song in the world that you should be hearing while you’re in a particular frame of mind will find it’s way to your ears, out of your iPod that’s in shuffle mode.  Brutal.   Damn brutal.  Why you gotta do me like that, iPod?

I hate to love you iPod.

Phenomenauts’ CD Release Party – March 29th

What do you need most when life gives you the finger? Friends. And if those friends happen to be the best intergalactic rock and rollers and their cadets, well even better!

Maldroid opened the show. I tried to get some good shots of them. Tried is the operative word here.

 

They get better every time I see them. I just got their new self titled album last night. I have been enjoying it and The Phenomenauts’ “For All Man Kind” all morning.

Next up were The Lovemakers. I don’t know any of them. They were less than inspiring. I didn’t take any pictures.

P-H-E-N

O-M-E-N

A-U-T-S

PHENOMENAUTS!

I did my best to help get the chant started and then they took the stage.

 

I love the new opening.

Commander Angel

Angel Nova

I love this trippy red shot.

Red Phenomenauts

 

I didn’t get any good shots of Joebot, but I bet Agent 99 did.

Agent 99 Shooting

 

It was a great show. The bands were good, the club was packed. But most of all, it was good to be with friends, making new friends, and celebrating the success of some hardworking guys and everyone who’s behind them.

 

Science and Honor!

And People.

 

The Same, Except Completely Different and WAY Better

It seems that half my office went and saw The Black Keys at the Warfield last night. The cube farm was all atwitter with it this morning.

The Black Keys are a blues duo from Akron. I first heard about them a couple of weeks ago. I looked them up on MySpace, and they have two tracks there. Now, you can’t really tell much about a band from two tracks, but based on those two tracks, I wasn’t very inspired to go looking any further. I was underwhelmed, to say the least.

The very tiny place in my heart reserved for a guitar/drum blues combo has long been held by Two Gallants. I am slightly biased. They recorded their first album at the studio where I worked in my early twenties. They earned a nickname from our mastering engineer, Tom Carr, that I smile to think about still to this day. They’re also a local group, and we all know the soft spot I have for local musicians. ::cough:: ::cough:: Maldroid CD release Friday. ::cough::

Two Gallants is more akin to my taste due to their more melodic style. They’re more of a folky, indie blues. Their tracks are a lot cleaner than what I’ve heard from The Black Keys, who seem to be all about the distortion. I’m not such a fan of the distortion. Well, at least not since I O.D.ed on it in the 90s. I also think that The Black Keys sound way too much like stuff I’ve heard too much before. I know that’s an odd critique coming from a girl who spends the majority of her time listening to throw back ska and reggae, but it is what it is. Two Gallants remind me of other things, too, but it’s more like the last wisps of a dream I had once, rather than a smack over the head with a 1970s KFOG skillet.

Plus, Two Gallants are named after a short story by Joyce.

Wanna Hang?

OK – to be honest, I don’t really know who all is reading this. That being said, this might not be such a good idea, but I’m going to let you all know where I will be next Saturday night. Hopefully all the Mark David Chapman’s of the East Bay region will stay home.

At any rate, long time friends, and even longer time rockers Los Hooligans (Fresno, CA) and Monkey (San Jose, CA) will be playing, along with close acquaintances SOL (East Bay, CA) at the Starry Plough next Saturday. This promises to be an excellent show, and I promise to drink at least one beer. Los Hooligans don’t play often, so it’s always a treat when they make it to the Bay Area. (Yes, it’s capitalized. ‘Cause I said so.) So, if you’re in the vicinity and you want to hang out and hear a variety of takes on the sounds of Jamaican ska, please stop by.

Starry Plough Flier

They’re Coming!

I just got the weekly newsletter from the Red Devil Lounge, announcing that Black 47 is booked.  Unfortunately, the gig isn’t until March, but tickets go on sale this weekend.

Black 47 is a political Irish-American band from New York that I have loved since the nineties.   I have even read the singer’s memoir, “Green Suede Shoes”.

The thing is, I’ve never actually seen them live.   I had intended to go out to New York a day early for my business trip so that I could catch their weekly gig, until I found out how expensive a hotel room in Manhattan could be on a Saturday night.    I had every intention of going to see them last time they were in SF, but no one was interested in going with me, and so I caved and went to Pier 23 instead.

This time I’m going.   Even if I have to go alone.

I’m excited.

My Heart’s a Little Bit Broken

A couple of days ago, I read some terrible news on MySpace. It’s taken a couple of days to process. One of my favorite bands has lost a member. David Fuentes, the bass player for Hepcat passed away this last weekend.

If you’ve never had the pleasure of knowing a Hepcat show, then you have no idea what you’re missing. I’ve never met anyone who has heard their music, and not liked it. I have never met anyone who has seen them live, and not loved them. They will always be one of my favorites, no matter who or what else comes along.

I don’t know if the band will go on. I hope that they will, but I will understand if they won’t. There will never be another.

If I were a praying woman, he’d be in them.

David Fuentes: 1971 – 2007

http://www.myspace.com/hepcatlive

Current Mood: Bummed Out

Playlist: Scientific
Hepcat