showbiz

the working musician

by: hhex65

Sun Aug 22, 2010 at 12:52:03 PM MDT

Below is a chart of the progression in 4 weeks of the entertainment at a bar about 2 blocks from me. I could hear the band from my porch. Here's what happened:
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2 outrageous frauds involving celebrity offspring

by: chill

Tue Aug 03, 2010 at 01:34:56 AM MDT

You don't get to pick your parents so most of us just try and make the most of it-- including these 2 starcross'd progeny of successful A'mercan celebrities:

Frank Sinatra, jr in kidnapping hoax?...
A rumor at the time was that this kidnapping was an attempt to gain publicity. In order to communicate with the kidnappers via payphone as they demanded, Sinatra, sr carried a roll of dimes with him throughout this ordeal, which became a life-long habit. Later, Frank Sinatra, jr stood in for his father on several TV appearances promoting the Nancy Sinatra/Frank Sinatra hit duet single "Something Stupid."

Eldest daughter of D. Wark Griffith pretends to be Adeline, Countess of Cardigan...
In London, 1922, after the worldwide success of "Birth of a Nation," Griffith's estranged daughter capitalized on his fame by publishing a false memoir in which she claimed to be a descendant of the Earl of Stradbroke. In the book, she says Disraeli propositioned her at the age of 15 and she criticizes the Queen for objecting to the marriage of widows. The book was a huge bestseller-- even after her true identity was revealed. In old age she became eccentric. Relaxing in a coffin kept in the house she would ask for opinions on her appearance. She would wear thick make-up and organize steeplechases through the local graveyard.

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I'm caught in a trap

by: chill

Wed Jul 21, 2010 at 07:58:00 AM MDT

there's someone
messaging me on
YouTube
who could be
a potential stalker

Is it obscure that i have a thing for Kristine Sorensen from Pittsburgh Today Live? I only see the show when I go through there. It helps that she's so distant. I'm not going to lie, I'd be embarrassed to have her find that I don't have no Def Lepperd on my iPod. And that --yes-- the headband looks stupid on me.

Stalking isn't funny. I wants to know how this screen name deleted found me.

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colony collapse disorder

by: hhex65

Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 15:00:00 PM MDT

I heard "Lookout Weekend" by Debbie Deb on the weird oldies station here, right after "Tallahassee Lassie" by Freddy Cannon and just before "Rock and Roll Gangster" by Aalon Butler. It is an oldies station that has totally collapsed chronological and regional boundaries.

Anyways, I remember Debbie Deb from a time when dance music was a little more rough hewn and underground-- but not because it wanted to be. Research shows that Debbie Deb was not only just the singer on that tune but in fact she was an auteur, a pioneer from Brooklyn to Miami of freestyle.

However, she was not a skinny person so the record company used a fake DD to promote the records.

Fake DD:

Real DD:

This exacerbated her low self-esteem and so...

She made little, if any, money from her hit singles, and was so hurt by the experience that she stopped singing for years.

I take a different perspective on this, I'd be happy to have someone else have to do stuff in my place to promote things--I'd like five well-designed representatives. I remember when Royal Trux were getting ready to promote their 6th LP and I told the band that only the female singer would be appearing in any videos and promo pix for this record. To my surprise they were pissed off. I could only shake my head. Y'know some people are better at some things than others but if you work together, pool your talents, and share the rewards it works out for everyone. But no...the twist was in the brain, as usual. This led to destruction. I still made good money. Dopes.

Now...Debbie Deb is BACK, by the way. There's been a revival of interest in the genesis of freestyle: Pretty Tony, Lisa Lisa, Nocera etc. She's got new records and is performing live as herself. Nice to see a genius get her due.

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Ada Lovelace Day: Hedy Lamarr

by: hhex65

Wed Mar 24, 2010 at 07:00:00 AM MDT

Ada Lovelace Day celebrates the achievements
of women in technology and science...


Sometime around 1933 the golden age movie goddess Hedy Lamarr invented a radio-controlled torpedo. Sadly, she soon discovered that the radio signals used to guide the weapons could be easily jammed since they were broadcast on but a single frequency.

Several years later, after meeting the composer George Antheil, she revived the idea and developed the concept of frequency hopping to solve the problem of signal jamming. This early version of frequency hopping used a player-piano roll to bounce the radio-guide signal between 88 frequencies.


Unfortunately, given the technology of the day, this idea was unwieldy-- too advanced to be feasible. Lamarr and Antheil did manage to secure a patent for it.

It was not until 1998 that the wireless technology developer Wi-LAN acquired a 49 percent claim to the patent from Hedy Lamarr. Frequency hopping serves as a basis for today's ubiquitous spread-spectrum communication technology.

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VC007

by: hhex65

Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 11:49:10 AM MST

Had some vandalism at one of my houses a week ago or so (and when I say house think hovel, junkyard and/or shack)-- just some kids climbing into the yard of what they thought was an abandoned scrapheap, breaking some glass with slingshots and sh&t like that. When I noticed it I called the cops just to give a report, and then I caught the kids the next day. I made a deal with their moms not to press any charges or ask for reimbursement for the damage-- just requested they attend one session of boxing class at the gym, see if that's a good outlet for them. I also requested that they not do it again.

I mean, I didn't even notice the damage right away. Honestly, it was indistinguishable from the rest of the yard which is already like Sanford & Son meets The Haunted Mansion (with more North Mexico gothic paraphernalia over the New England gothic flavor of the original.) That's how I have established my work environment.

And so the striking thing about this event was escorting the cops around, differentiating the very worked-over trashcan style I have constructed from the violently random alterations caused by the wayward youths. I found myself explaining why I lived here (not just WHY in that house but WHY in this town, WHY in New Mexico.) And I had to finally justify what they saw by explaining what I did for a living and how this was all part of it, how I worked outside a great deal, &c. &c... as usual, when asked about employment, I deemed myself content provider. That's my work.

And I am in the middle of working, getting content together to provide to Drag City. Referring to the full-tilt-audio-version of Victory Chimp.

I earlier had explained here that I broke down the text into small cells. I assigned these cells to voices, music, radio-show style exposition &c. The first step had been to immerse myself in the emotion of the book, it's period and purpose; consulting my original notes, exploring the music of the time of its creation, as I remembered it. This research helped me approach the monolith of the text and begin to see what each part might want to be in an audio version.

So that's where I am, the thing is in parts on the assembly line or I'm like a little Chuck Close over here working on each detail that recapitulates the whole, details that will make up the whole eventually when I take a step back OR I am currently coloring each thread of what will be a tapestry once I construct the proper loom (to ruin the analogy and bring in some Medieval flavor...)

Once the parts are all finished, another week or so, I will lay it all out in a rough cut (something I think I have already mentioned here but it's the step that I'm still getting to) which I'll then start to polish with overdubs and redos and eventually go to mix down for the master.

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notability requirements met

by: hhex65

Fri Oct 30, 2009 at 23:34:33 PM MDT

I studiously (piously) avoid searching on myself or bands I've been in thru the webz-- so I never know what; but someone pointed out to me the 'wikipedia notability guidelines' for musicians and I was pleased to believe that I still qualify. For example:
  • Has been the subject of multiple non-trivial published works

  • Has had a charted single or album on any national music chart (do Uk indie charts count?)

  • Has released two or more albums on a major label or one of the more important indie labels (Or...like way many more than that)

  • has been a member of two or more independently notable ensembles (pussy galore and royal trux qualify, right?)

  • Has performed music for a work of media that is notable (that song from "Hi-Fidelity," right? which is on cable all the time, though I've still not seen it)

  • SO, haha fuck all you haters from back in high school!
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POLL CLOSED: cancel rxconor persona-- yes or no?

by: chill

Sat Oct 24, 2009 at 21:14:26 PM MDT

I GoT leFt in charge for a while since everyone is busy and Mike never writes a damn thing anyuways. Usually in these work related stoppages we use the rxconor function (designed by the group) to fill the page.

However, left to my own i alone am thinking we might need to take things in another direction-- and so we'l take a poll for a few days and see if we should cancel the rxconor persona and mov eon.

and here are they final results 10/27/09:
YES, Cancel rxconor: 618
NO, Do Not Cancel rxconor: 34



& thanks to everyoen who took the time to vote
...will have mOre on this topic tomorrow.

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sign the petition

by: hhex65

Mon Oct 19, 2009 at 07:00:00 AM MDT

It's really all over, that world is silent forever, the dust has settled, the ammonia is frozen-- there is but one injustice that needs to be corrected...
Put Grand Funk Railroad in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!!

Please sign the petition, spread the word & E Pluribus Funk.

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Screech

by: hhex65

Thu Sep 24, 2009 at 23:57:38 PM MDT

Well, the Sept. 21 release date on the Rogue Moon LP is blown, apparently. They say within a week or so they'll have everything. I don't like it, since they're taking pre-orders already. Stay tuned. And people wonder (often with straight faces) why I have worked only with Drag City for so long. Sheesh.
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Rogue Moon

by: hhex65

Fri Sep 11, 2009 at 06:00:00 AM MDT


The Howling Hex
Rogue Moon
Preview Video
The Howling Hex proudly present a new LP from Golden Lab Records: Rogue Moon, available September 21. Pre-Orders can be lodged here (as of 9/7): Rogue Moon by The Howling Hex.

The LTD. release Rogue Moon features NEW mixes, songs, poems & music-like material compiled over the past 2 years by NMH, Phil Jenks, Mike Signs & Evrim Baykal. Enjoy & thanks for talking to me, Manchester.
as per comments, that pre-order link is funky-- I've asked Golden Lab to look into it

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Hey, it's a tough business, grow some fucking skin

by: chill

Sat Aug 22, 2009 at 01:13:52 AM MDT

BUENA PARK, Calif. - An ex-model found stuffed in a bloodstained suitcase without fingers or teeth was so badly mutilated that authorities had to use breast implants to identify her body, prosecutors said Friday.

The U.S. Marshals Service offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Ryan Alexander Jenkins, a wealthy reality TV show contestant who was charged Thursday with murder in the gruesome slaying.

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TR2N-- TRON: Legacy

by: hhex65

Thu Jul 23, 2009 at 21:23:13 PM MDT

I'm happy to hear there will be a sequel to TRON.
They previewed some footage, apparently, here's a description:

Three minutes of TRON 2 shown at the Disney panel at Comic-Con

another report about it:
Jeff Bridges returns to world of TRON, now in 3D

Lebowski is the yellow rider.

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7/22 The Lowbrow Reader Variety Hour

by: hhex65

Sun Jul 19, 2009 at 09:00:00 AM MDT

You're invited to the Lowbrow Reader Variety Hour, in celebration of the release of the new issue of The Lowbrow Reader. The event takes place on Wednesday, July 22, at Soho's swanky Housing Works Bookstore Café (126 Crosby Street between Houston and Prince.)

It starts at 7pm, sharp, and runs until about 9pm. The night costs $10 for the employed, or $5 for those unemployed or on worker's strike. ALL proceeds go to Housing Works, a great AIDS charity.

We are absolutely thrilled with the performers slated to appear:

  • The Fiery Furnaces

  • Peter Stampfel and the Ether Frolic Mob

  • Larkin Grimm

  • Comedian John Mulaney

  • And a reading by Gilbert Rogin (novelist, one-time New Yorker regular and former Sports Illustrated editor whose first piece of fiction since 1980 appears in the new issue.)

More info...

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Live from the Left

by: hhex65

Thu Jun 11, 2009 at 00:41:00 AM MDT


[From left to right:
Chicago, New Mexico, Texas]
Photo of Howling Hex Austin show taken by our dear friend Bill "Cardamon" (of the ginger family Zingiberaceae.) The next night at the hotel there were O'Reilly Motorsports crew, Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) members and crew, Grand Funk Railroad crew and possibly members-- all our fellow travelers. Hung out with my first rodeo groupie.

Remember me next time. Lonesome roads are the only kind I ever travel. Correct if wrong, but you can usually hit up our band if you want to drink for free. But as the paranoia increases they despair of saving themselves.

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BalkanBeat

by: hhex65

Fri Apr 03, 2009 at 11:53:17 AM MDT

We would hereby like to inform you that the second instalment of the BalkanBeat music conference is fast approaching. After a successful first instalment in December 2008, we return with another compact and relevant selection of panel sessions, workshops, and presentations.

BalkanBeat is designed to serve the needs of the professional music sector in South East Europe. It will give you a chance to:

- update your knowledge on contemporary movements and practises in the music industry

- come face to face with international experts and tap their experience

- meet and network with colleagues from around the region  

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Beograd

by: hhex65

Fri Mar 13, 2009 at 14:56:32 PM MDT

GRAD, centar za kulturu i debatu priprema izlozbu domacih umetnika koji se u svom radu bave i temom odrzivog dizajna.

Ovo ce biti prva izlozba u novootvorenom centru pa samim tim i dobra prilika za promociju novih ideja nasih umetnika.
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i don't know what this means, either

by: hhex65

Fri Feb 20, 2009 at 23:09:21 PM MST

SEWERS OF MARS #15
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Is There A 'Darwin Award' In Your Past?

by: hhex65

Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 23:34:57 PM MST

Maybe you have heard about that american idol contestant,  Joanna Pacitti, who was thrown off for being a long-term serial failure?--

"American Idol" boots off Joanna Pacitti-- Controversial "American Idol" contestant and former child star Joanna Pacitti has been booted off the talent show, apparently due to her past in the music business.

I'll admit I was pretty much not fucking interested in this story at all until I discovered that there is an important Sarah Jessica Parker angle:

Years ago, in 1996, at the age 12, Joanna Pacitti was chosen to star in the 20th anniversary revival of the musical Annie after entering a contest sponsored by the department store Macy's. Two weeks before the show was to land on Broadway, she became ill with bronchitis. She returned to find she had been permanently replaced. The firing generated a great deal of national publicity. Her family employed a public relations strategist to elicit opportunities with various media outlets.

More confirmation of SJP's genius.

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best movie

by: hhex65

Sat Jan 24, 2009 at 00:26:09 AM MST

original title of post: Oscar Nomination Predictions

Best Picture:

  • Pineapple Express

  • Wall-E

  • In Bruges

  • Speed Racer

  • Snow Angels


Bonus:
Best Director: David Gordon Green

...all the others I don't have any clue of.

[update: well, damn, I didn't know they already announced the real nominations. I thought it happened after the Super Bowl. Sorry about that. None of my picks were nominated, by the way, I suck at this.]

[update 2: Yes, I would have picked these no matter which movies had been picked 'in real life' so I'll just leave this up.]

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