Guitar/ Not Guitar... and No One Played Synthesizer...

I have always been obsessed with sound and making unusual noises using whatever tools I could find. Long before I owned a synthesizer my first introduction to "synthesis" was via stomp  box effects, especially delays. Those little colored stomp boxes on the floor in front of guitarists onstage that would make their instrument sounds like jet airplanes taking off (flangers),  doubled parts (choruses and pitch shifters), or perhaps my favorite, multi-part harmonies and spaced out swirling notes (delays).


All of this culminated years later when I did a series of shows and an album appropriated titled "Guitar/Not Guitar) where the idea was to pick up what looked like a conventional six string guitar on stage and have the sound the audience heard be anything but a traditional six strong guitar.  I used effects, a guitar synth, loopers, and even a midi guitar for parts of the set. A simple example of "guitar/not guitar" can be found here where I play Roland GR300 guitar synth into a delay and build the loop in real time. This was done in one take with no overdubs


But before I get to ahead of myself my exposure to doing this started years before I even knew what a guitar or delay was. As a good American teenager I listened to what is now considered "classic rock" radio stations and friend's record collections, etc and it was there I first heard the guitar pyrotechnics of Brian May from the band Queen.  Bloated AOR radio rock bands in a synth blog? you might ask? Well, yes there is a direct connection, please stay with me!

Casual fans might not be aware but Queen's first six albums (the initial ones with all their big rock hits) all had extensive studio wizardry with effects DIY amps, effects, innovative overdubbing, etc. In other words sound sculpting at it's most creative and finest. They were so proud of the work they put in they didn't want anyone to confuse the huge string and orchestral arrangements (done entirely on guitar) that they brazenly put the words "No One Played Synthesizer" on the credits of each of these records. Like their music or not, Brian May was always a true sound pioneer modifying his amps and literally building his main guitar from scratch to get it's wiring to do exactly what he wanted. He also used a series of delays to achieve his trademark sound and developed a way to reproduce his studio work live in real time on a single guitar. In this video he demonstrates one technique he uses combining two short delays one after another to make multiple notes play at once:

 

Seems simple enough (all the masters make difficult things seem simple) but with a little experimentation and practice you can try this at home with similar results. Now again, perhaps Radio Ga-Ga isn't everyone's cup of English tea (personally I liked their earlier "non synth" albums) but from a pure sound excursion level you can't argue with the technique and passionate drive to create new sounds. May's use of muted rhythm playing, echo, volume swells and more seeped into my teenage synthesist's brain and when combined with the other tools and artists I stumbled across better known for their guitar sound work (Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew, etc) I was off and running in my journey to explore and create.

As a coda to this post I'll add that there is a classic lost video of an Extremely young Adrian Belew giving a class on "How to Play Electronic Guitar". In the 80s instructional VHS tapes were all the rage and most taught budding fanboys how to shred like their latest metal hero or plays the blues. Someone thought it was a good idea to get a true wizard of bizarre noises to do an instructional video showing how he made his guitar sound like Seagulls, Rhinos, Spaceships, and more.

I suppose outside of the more subtle influences if there ever was a genesis of Guitar/Not Guitar Belew's VHS tape would be it. I've always loved the title was ELECTRONIC guitar not Electric guitar. Truth in advertising folks.

Strum and pick on!

New "Synthesizer" ...

This week while walking home I found a synthesizer on the side of the street put out for the next day's trash pickup. As Tom Waits once said when he rescued a broken Chamberlain from from surfer dudes who we selling it, I reached down and picked it up and whispered "I'll take you home now dear."

Once in the studio I cleaned it up did a little routine maintenance and reassembled everything. I dug out some of my circuit bent items that I built years ago just dreaming of this moment. And then I wired them up, turned on the amp, sat down and started to play...

I've played drums off and on for over 30 years. In the 90s I purchased the core of an electronic drum kit but it wasn't until the early 2000s I was able to put together the various pieces I had been collecting.  An electronic drum kit, even a sophisticated one, is a very different animal than an acoustic drum kit. Even the best rubber or mesh pads lack the feedback and immediate life of actual skins, resonant shells, or the variation of concentric rings on a cymbal. You can get different sounds by moving around the skin surface and constantly altering the pressure, angle, speed, and velocity of your playing on an acoustic kit that are just not possible with midi or pressure sensitive triggers that quantize their received input. 

But there are also remarkable similarities to using many of the electronic instruments I do play regularly. Modular synthesizers are "played" by starting with a simple basic building block and then adding to that, altering it in real time, and eventually putting it together with other "modules" to form a musical phrase or idea.  Rather than approaching drums as a simple all-in-one kit I have always deconstructed each piece and used the same technique as synthesis to create an overall beat or, even better, sound. "Real" drummers (for lack of a better term) often do the same I should point out and if' you've ever listened to an interesting drum solo they are basically putting together sounds and phrases within the context of a drum kit "interface". 

Similarly, electronic artists spend years working with various interfaces, controllers, and input devices to find organic ways to "play" their hardware, computer softsynths, or even smart phones. Therimins, DBeams, and gestural controllers all seek to incorporate human interaction in new ways to "play" a note, effect, or parameter. Modular pioneer (and no stranger to this blog) Don Buchla has spent a lifetime creating new ways to interface technology and music. 

The Buchla 222e MULTI DIMENSIONAL KINESTHETIC INPUT PORT

Even in the most removed and technically isolated instruments developers work hard to make screens and midi controllers intuitive and useful. Applying the same principle I approach playing drums and percussion as a means to an end in creating sound. It's ironic that I've found a "traditional input device" like a snare drum to be more expressive or flexible than my sample or virtual modeled drive drum pads but sometimes it's not about how many sounds you can get but what you do with the ones you have. I have also always been a sucker for mixing acoustic and electronic elements together so adding my circuit bent Boss PC2 or DR Pad with it's aliasing and self triggering patch bay to a bass, snare, tom setup just makes sense to me in a way.

Not sure where all this will lead but the next day I picked up some more "sound generators" in the form of broken and cracked cymbals. I'm sure there are some who would see these as useless and not worth using but for my purposes of sound exploration they're probably the best thing I could have found. Again, there is nothing quite like pinging around the edges and towards the center of a 18'-20" slab of tempered and tuned metal in real time. Think of it like opening a filter or adjusting the envelope of a synth and perhaps it'll make more sense. Much like my circuit bent work, there are unusual and unique sounds to be found in dead drum skins, loose snare bands,  and cracked (or worse) cymbals that are only hinted at in their former more polite life. The great grand daddy of bending himself, Reed Ghazala, once described circuit bending as finding the "alien life forms" that exist but are hidden inside the original items. How much more so with a broken abandoned traditional instrument then? 

Not sure how metal cymbals get bites taken out of them but I'm happy to explore them anyway...

So far I've just been practicing and experimenting with different combinations of the drums, electronic percussion, and unique cymbals I've accumulated. I imagine this will eventually manifest itself in some demos but I have a feeling the immediacy of this project will be better suited for live performance than recordings. For now I'm enjoying exploring sound in a  brand new (or very old?) way. 

Drum Beat on!

Studio Madness... quick pic

Candid surprise action shot taken by a friend visiting the studio of me playing the modulars...

Far left:  Frac system with Blacet, Metalbox, Paia, Bugbrand, Wiard, DAEDSound, etc. 

Center: Modcan A format system with Modcan, Cyndustries, DIY MegaOhm and DAEDSound modules. Includes converted Doepfer, Dotcom, Encore, and AS modules as well as Ian Fritz, Music From Outer Space, Flight of Harmony, and other source PCBs.

Right: Buchla 200E system with Buchla and DIY DAEDsound modules including Dotcom and Flight of Harmony modified modules

Patch on!

Old band, New Life...

Most of my musical "Career" has been mixing things up and going with what interests and inspires me at the moment. For anyone looking for pointers I can say that is probably the worst way to present yourself commercially but it might be one of the most rewarding in terms of expressing yourself or just having fun. Of course being successful or popular need not be in contrast to being an artist but they certainly are a delicate balance if you want them both together.

Some of my biggest inspirations where people who circumvented the art/commerce world by simply supporting themselves in other ways and using those funds and their free time to do exactly what they wanted and critics (and sometimes fans) be damned. The great American classical composer Charles Ives lived most of his adult life as an accountant boldly stating "I will not let me family starve because of my dissonance." Hear hear!

I've always been a fan of Long island based sound/noise/industrial/whatever pioneers Controlled Bleeding and was even more intrigued by their no compromise highly varied output and their dedication to having one foot in the "real" world and two ears in the musical when they wanted. After the passing of long time members and a period of transience founding member Paul Lemos has resurfaced with a stripped down version that he feels captures the spirit and earns the Controlled Bleeding moniker. Eschewing the scat and operatic voices (actually skipping any  vocals whatsoever) he's brought Controlled Bleeding back to it's more free form avant/Jazz live playing roots and has done some intriguing shows the past few years with just guitar, drums, and some minor loops and samples. As with all their other output it sounds nothing like any other version of Controlled Bleeding but then again, isn't that the whole point of creating sometimes?

Here is a great recording of a live set with the current lineup in early 2012:
https://soundcloud.com/liveatsheastadium/sets/controlled-bleeding-live-shea


For those shocked and awed by the "new" direction don't forget there are shards of this in a lot of their earlier and later live shows as well. Through the miracle of you tube here is a set with the mighty Joe Papa and one version of the full band live in NYC:


As a special treat, fans of the really out there might want to check out Paul and Joe Papa's side project under the name The Breast Fed Yak who's album "Get Your Greasy Head Off the Sham" prompted Amazon reviewers to write:

"imagine a naked, 350-pound superhero scatting like Ella Fitzgerald having an epileptic fit "

and

"Picture the scene in Gremlins where the gremlins are smoking, drinking and playing cards. Now, imagine that they are also on meth and have broken into the band room of the local high school. The resulting chaos might sound like this CD"

Bop on!

Welcome Back Analog (and then some!)

Synthesizer enthusiasts and musicians in general tend to love gear. Guitarists are notorious for lusting after a specific year/make/model of a Gibson Les Paul, Fender Telecaster, or even some more esoteric out of production cheap Japanese pawn shop special that captured their heart or imagination years ago. We tend to collect gear like baseball card enthusiasts collect their favorite teams or an antique dealer collects tea cups.  Part of this is for the different features, interface, or  sounds a particular instrument makes but if we're honest a lot has to do with the phenomena of simply wanting to try *that* or the thrill finding some rare piece has. There's even a tongue-in-cheek term for this illness, Gear Acquisition Syndrome (or G.A.S.  for short in internet speak) and it's only half in jest someone (usually a significant other or friend who doesn't understand the draw of a 1981 Ibanez Tube screamer with the original JS chip) throws their hands in the air and comments while rolling their eyes.  Yep, he's got G.A.S.

Online forums and mailing lists dedicated to esoteric analog and other synthesizers (read GEEKS) are ripe with decade old arguments of which synth is "better", why "X" is overpriced, how someone should just reissue a "holy grail" type long lost piece and why/how that will never be done, or was done, or was done but it wasn't quite *right* and the original is better, etc etc etc. Thank you Internet.

If  we were to push aside many of the minor conversations revolving around pure taste and opinion I believe  most of the complaints by gearheads come down to "I want one and I can't find it" or "it's so rare/vintage if I do find one I can't afford it."When you have G.A.S. common sense doesn't always drive your decisions and thus we get outrageous price tags on instruments only which a few years earlier were selling for 1/10th this week's cost.

It's ultra rare a company recognizes the small but vocal minority who want their vintage products. In many cases the synth went out of production for very good reasons with some being poor sales, it was too difficult/expense to mass build any more, or even it was a complete commercial failure upon it's release and only found new life in a new context years later.

I'm happy to report this week at NAMM (the National Association of Music Merchants) three old, long out of production products are being re-introduced to the general public. What many gearheads once only dreamed of is become a reality.  Three completely different manufacturers are selling  three classic, amazing, and highly sought after synthesizers for the first time in decades and all are being made available again in close to original specs. Each was lovingly and painstakingly (perhaps even fetishistically) reproduced by teams paying special attention to what made the original special and they have spent time and money over and above to "get it right". None of these are a quick and dirty clones or cash ins on hype.

Of course there will always be some who criticize and aren't satisfied but in looking at the initial reports of these items I'd say this is a DAMN fine time to play synthesizer and prices for NEW versions are infinitely more affordable than buying an ornery and perhaps delicate original which is also a huge plus.

Let's meet some of the class of 2013, all of who actually graduated a far back as the early 1970s shall we?

1. Korg MS20 -



The Korg MS20 is an odd duck in older analog monosynths. Moog had their buttery bass MiniMoog which even the most casual synth nerd (and most guitarists) knew about. Arp had the Odyssey, Sequential Circuits had the Pro One and all of these were sold by the boat load as lead, bass, sound effects instruments. But Korg went a little left of center and came out with the semi patchable, dual screeching filter MS20. Compared to the other synths of it's time it was... well, Weird.

Perhaps it's precisely it's unique design and sound that helped make it a favorite of  alternative bands from industrial to indie rock. The MS20 was never the good looking kid in the class but it's attitude won creative folks over from Skinny Puppy to  Richard James (Aphex Twin) to Portishead.  Korg has amazingly brought back this synth in all it's analog glory for a fraction of the price vintage ones go for. They're proud of this legacy and in an honorable Japanese tradition even rolled out the original designers for input in it's resurrection.

What does it sound like? Well it can be smooth or fluid but it's forte is processing external sounds and it's insane dueling resonant screeching filters. For a good example of it's sheer power check out my 1990s track "Night Nurse" where it builds menacingly  into a crescendo of sweeping freaknoise. Thank you Korg!




2. Cyclone  TT-303 Bass Bot

The TB303 "Computer Controlled Bassline" was an absolute failure by Roland Corporation standards upon it's release. It was supposed to substitute for a live bass player for one man bands and provide realistic low end accompaniment for lounge acts. It's infuriating programming and nontraditional sound made it more like a space age silver bleep box than a heavy four string guitar player. Which, as it turns out, is exactly what it became when poor techno musicians began scooping them up in pawn shops for pennies back in the 1980s. These re-appropriating  DJs soon figured out the quirks that made it fail as a bass guitar made it ideal for a new type of music that relied on repetitive beats, squelchy leads and basslines, and outrageous swirls of filtered and accented pulses that made your head spin. ACID was born and while some it it went the polite Acid House route, plenty of raw, rubbery, and downright dirty and fast recordings were made. The 303 made hardcore Acid possible and it became the DIY Punk of the techno world with all the good and bad that entails.

Over the years few electronic instruments have been as revered, hated, over used, and perfectly well adapted as the TB303. Used prices soared and literally dozens of clones were made over the next few decades. One could spend months researching and discussing the various good and bad points of all this but bottom line, the TB303 has a rabid following and without exception all of the various third party versions were *different* moving the quirks of it's sequencer, filter, or design around with "improvements" which left purists wanting. After a few years in the making it seems a true clone (down to the design, buttons, programming, and knobs) is emerging. The Cyclone TT-303 is a thrid party instrument (not a Roland product in any way) which has garnered praise from 303 experts around the world. Is it the new TB303? Regardless of where you come down on that decision it's amazing to see such a labor of love working to make this iconic instrument available again in all of it's glory.

For extra credit here's an amusing short documentary detailing the fall and rise of the invincible 303:



3. Buchla Music Easel -

Perhaps the most astonishing "reissue" product is the one no one ever thought would happen. Actually no one ever thought anyone would WANT it to happen! The Buchla music easel is a portable collection of  analog synthesizer modules with a touch control key like interface that boldly went where no instrument when before. While Robert Moog was designing instruments for traditional musicians Buchla went so left of center he created a Non-instrument instrument for sound freaks and true pioneers with input from forward thinkers like Morton Subotnick. Apparently only 30 or so were ever made and over the years it's legend has grown to mythic proportions with some prices creeping up over $20,000 if and when one ever showed up on the market.

Buchla  re-emerged in the 2000s with a new line of equally intense boutique synthesizer modules and took his legacy into the 21st century with the 200e system featuring unique oscillators, sequencers, and many pieces that simply defied categorization (his "filter module the 291e can also be a sequencer, oscillator, and amplifier for example). With the 200e and his unique interactive and spatial midi controllers like Thunder and Lightening  Buchla moved on and on with each new piece surprising designers, academics,and hardcore modular freaks at every turn.

So it was shocking in all these circles this week when the newly formed Buchla Electronic Music Instruments (BEMI) announced a full scale reissue of the original "Music Box" complete with touch pressurized keypad, original programming cards (solder your own resistors to make your patch kids!), and faithful reproduction of all of the components. For synth nerds the Music Easel is the Holy Grail and the rarest of the rare. Add to that it was just so damn esoteric and non commercial it's new life would seem a bit of a puzzle. But times (and tastes) have changed and, again, it's a good time to enjoy odd sounds.

So now, apparently, the Music Easel  will be available not only again but truly - for the general public - for the first time in mass production. Price is not cheap as it's rumored to be around $4000 plus extra for the new interface add ons (Blue tooth and Ipad interfaces will apparently be made available - for a 50 year old synthesizer!!!).

Still amazingly BEMI seems poised to be moving forward even as they look to the past. The man has done it again.

Here's  the obligatory tacky interview and a description of the 2013 Music Easel:

So there you have it. Three entirely different companies in different countries with different structures making odd instruments that were so ahead of their time it's taken over 40 years for some of them to be in demand.  Who knows what the future will hold for these designs (or their offspring)? Perhaps this signals a renewed interest in hardware instruments VS VSTs and Apps? Maybe the tactile user interface and features that have stood the test of time will once again dominate the electronic music world (or at least happily co-exist in it)?

But such discussions will be around and are for another day.  This week, let's simply enjoy the bounty that these new classics offer and all together... Bleep On!

Ultra Niche... all about "bending"

One of the great parts of being a weird underground musician and artist is you get to meet other weird underground artists and collaborate a bit.  A few years ago I was roped into Woodshop films bizarre talk show Ultra Niche when they did an episode on my hardcore geek interest circuit bending.

Host Wang Newton did an admirable job bringing the geek to the masses and a few of my pieces and videos from DAEDSound.com were used. I also got to sit down with the magnificent Wang and act like an idiot. Great fun all around.

Woodshop films has been creating alternative media for years and does fabulous work including the brilliant Scrapple TV and more. Wang Newton is well known in NYC, Phlia, and the world wide and always a treat to see.

Watch on!

Happy Vintage Holidays...

Proving that analog is much more than synths and psychedelic is much more than stoned guitars or TB303s I present a 15 year old recording that pushed the limits even for an underground band. Overdrive Date Master   was an indie rock/experimental psychedelic (that's what rock guys called Noise back then) band. we had a loud and sordid career throughout the 1990s playing the usual circuit of rock clubs in town and a few extra shows as here and there. We started with synths and guitars into a pile of effects along with some older drum machines and tape echos and usually ran everything into a wall of a half dozen or so tube amps we lined up onstage so we wouldn't have to use the pa. As we discovered more odd instruments (Casio saxophone, 8RPM record players, Library of Congress for the Blind pitch shifting tape recorders) we piled more delays and effects on the mix and kept pushing the reverb and vibrato on those Fender amps. 

Eventually we decided to just drop the guitars and any semblance of songs all together and did a show of just   playing and processing esoteric records, found tapes, and toys. We called this our "holiday party" and set up Christmas lights, put a Santa hat on the clapping monkey, and had Tomy robots running into the audience delivering Christmas cards and holiday treats. Perhaps it was because of the spectacle or maybe people just didn't mind the noise as much as we thought they might but the show caught on and eventually as other obligations and bands took hold Overdrive Date Master slept most of the year only to come alive for the one show a year which grew from small clubs to larger venues and eventually out of town festivals. 

Instruments would sometimes creep in but only if they didn't do anything musical. That wasn't too hard when the mandolin met stereo rack mount processors and more amps started showing up.

Vinyl played a big part in the proceedings and everything from "Songs of the Humpback Whale" to "How to Think by Steven Allen" and Chipmunks tunes played on 16 RPM (try it; the voices are "normal" and music is, well. appropriately possessed) had their turn. "Now Playing" placards adorned either side of the stage to announce to the audience what was being deconstructed before their very ears. Instruction records such as how to be an actor or even my favorite a "Do It Yourself Psychoanalytical Kit" fought with distorted and manipulated Holiday tunes while I hit the "Habanera" preset and we set our sites for the heart of the Sun. 

The mess always ended with various bleeps, bloops, echos, and holiday cheer balancing out ringing ears. It might not be what one expects from "Electronic" or ?Experimental" or even "music" but it always got us through another year.

Now for the first time in 15 years you can relieve the mayhem of the show that started it all. Free Download with inserts and additions for all.

"You can clap if you want to."

More "Live" with Dan Deacon...

I have a number of other more geeky and philosophical posts brewing but reaction to the last post on some off-the-beaten-bath live electronic music performers has promoted this quickie which I just HAD to share. Baltimore MD's own Dan Deacon has been a fixture for ages doing circuit bent opuses which build like a concerto in their emotion and intensity. With man handled Casios, 8bits, and wires Deacon is a true artist and he even writes with the same intensity. Here's his patriotic manifesto on America no less.

He's also been consistently dedicated to bringing the pings to the masses live as seen here in this 2012 SXSW concert set. Note TWO live acoustic drummers and vocals feature prominently (who says glitch can't meet human?).  Special note this was posted by NPR who does a LOT more than Big Bird folks.  NPR rocks as much as Deacon. They're both geeky, free wheeling, and magnificent. Bleep and Support on.

Kids Today!

I've been making electronic music and merging it with indie rock at various points since the late 80s.  Back then the divisions between genres and "Rock and Roll" VS  DJs or pre-recorded  parts were more of  a jumble. Hip Hop had made turntablism an art and of course the whole British synthpop movement brought out this new technology to the masses and bands evolved from "punk" to "new wave" and then some. As things crept on there was a merging of man and machine as bands started to incorporate drum machines or sequenced synthesizers into their live performances. In the late 70s we had groups like Suicide who somehow made dirty and frightening rock and roll with a Cha-Cha drum machine and cheesy organ. In the 80s technology hit top 40 radio with bands like the Cars and Devo and in the 90s the underground industrial movement with everyone from Psychic TV to Ministry  were pressing ""start" and then blasting onward.

Every step of the way there were vicious verbal battles by old school "musician" stalwarts who declared using prerecorded or sequenced backing tracks or arpeggiators and drum machines "cheating".  Jabs and diatribes were everywhere mocking hardware laden bands who "couldn't play an instrument" or "simply stood there". If  I had a dime for every time a self appointed manly guitar player made an effeminate reference about a synthesizer I could buy you a vintage Minimoog or '56 Les Paul.


Of course the evolution of mixing classic rock and punk with electronic instruments was much more nuanced and complex but if you'll forgive my gross simplification and go with me that sequencers, drum machines, and guitars, bass, and drums started to merge in live music more we can all proceed.

Still with me? Good.


For better or worse we have now grown into an age where complete live performances can (and are) done on a single laptop or with looping software and virtual instruments. I've attended Power Electronics as well as  techno shows where the "band" consisted of a singer and his ipod and in some cases, much to my surprise,  they rocked.  These required a certain suspension of the traditional view of what "Live music" is but you need not go further than current critical and indie darlings like "The Kills" or "The Submarines" to see what can be done with a guitar, macbook, and some feedback and good old reckless abandon.

I suppose I still hearken back to my roots of playing sweaty rock clubs with broken PAs and I like hearing live bass guitar and drums as much as I like to hear all the new things we get with wacky synths and samplers. What I find fascinating is when a young band who never knew about the past's arguments  mixes it all up and spits it out focusing entirely on what's been important throughout this technological revolution; the Music.

This past week I was flipping through internet TV channels on my Roku (how futuristic!) and came across a rebroadcast of a show that offered live in studio performances by various bands called "In the Basement".  I immediately went to one episode that demonstrates the ultimate in old school rock performance -  a concert with the reunited Iggy Pop and the Stooges. But in the best of the old school booking traditions this show mixed up bands and not only had the quintessential rock gods The Stooges,  it also had a younger band that played multiple synths, guitars, prerecorded percussion/sound, and live drums. And they had a dedicated charismatic live singer. And they rocked.

From Brasil of all places C.S.S.  (http://www.subpop.com/artists/css) blew the roof off the studio even after The Stooges.  The playing, arrangements, and songs were great but what got me was the feedback drenched 100% live transition between their two singles and the gleeful grande finale noise crescendo at the end. Seeing these younger musicians do that that reminded me what music is regardless of the instruments used. I first heard their album tracks on the GREAT indie phila. radio station WKDU a few years ago.  I liked what I heard but this performance took the recordings  and went to that *other* place where inspiration, groove, energy, and what makes us play music mix into a good sloppy and spicy stew. In other words, a LIVE performance.




The video clip is  about 9 minutes long and I highly recommend watching it in it's entirely to see the magic unfold right before your eyes. CSS would be the first to admit they aren't the most advanced players or tightest musicians but they are great at what they're doing and enjoying it which, in this case,  counts for just as much. The simple yet intriguingly intertwined guitar parts have that special something as do all the fun and creative synth and sound lines. And their unapologetically mined Disco beat turns what could be retro and stale into fresh and youthful again. Throw in some irreverent lyrics and almost a half dozen girls and boys swapping instruments and musical hooks and you've got a party that shows new can come from old. Especially if you remember why you're doing it in the first place.

Rock on.

Ridiculous...

I recently found an old cassette tape my friend Kent Williams had sent me back in the 1990s. You know when "tape trading" was all the rage and long before CDrs let alone digital recording. Well, to be fair I think DAT was the high end studio bees Knees.

Anyway those were the days when I'd pick up two cheesy analog pieces and do a "jam" twiddling knobs like a monkey not really knowing what I was doing and then declare I had written a "track". I guess in some ways not much has changed.

Anyway this is a silly two bit piece with the lowest of the low drum machines (a Boss DR55) and Roland SH101 monosynth I remember buying from a Pawn shop in south Philly during my lunch break from work. I set the drum machine to "Velveta" and threw a few note sequence into the SH101 and, well, recorded a track. And then promptly forgot about it forever. Until I found it on the ass end of a cassette tape this year.



What do we learn from all this? Perhaps a little about enthusiasm and youth and how friends make it all worthwhile. Or maybe just twiddling analog stuff is good clean stupid fun.

Either way, bleep on...