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Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Open Mic 30 Aug 2006
Bruce and I played a fun set tonight. (Bruce on bongos and vocals, me on vocals and guitar.) We showed up about half an hour early, and had half of dinner. Set list:
Lead vocal alternated from song to song.
Sketch of the Gazebo that houses Spook's New Open Mic in Freehold, NJ
Tags: music
There's That Song
Hypothetical Twist (ballad version)
When I Was a Monkey
The Rainbow Connection
Wild World
Lead vocal alternated from song to song.
Sketch of the Gazebo that houses Spook's New Open Mic in Freehold, NJ
Tags: music
Labels: music
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
"You're one to talk."
Embroideries, by Marjane Satrapi
Hoping for Persepolis 3, I found Embroideries, to be both disappointing and more of the same. The stories of women living in Iran are powerful, and well crafted.
Unfortunately, this is not new territory for Ms. Satrapi. These one-up stories of gossip, sex, and reactionary American ways read lke the out-take scenes from the masterful Persepolis books.
A fun read, like reading a book of lighthearted short stories by an important author.
books
To speak behind others' backs is the ventilator of the heart. --Marjane Satrapi
I don't intend for this to take on a political tone. I'm just here for the drugs.
--Nancy Reagan
Hoping for Persepolis 3, I found Embroideries, to be both disappointing and more of the same. The stories of women living in Iran are powerful, and well crafted.
Unfortunately, this is not new territory for Ms. Satrapi. These one-up stories of gossip, sex, and reactionary American ways read lke the out-take scenes from the masterful Persepolis books.
A fun read, like reading a book of lighthearted short stories by an important author.
books
Labels: books
Symmetries and Superstrings
The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory
by Brian Greene
Since the middle of the 20th century, the fundamental problem of physics has been finding the Theory of Everything: A theory that would reconcile Relativity, Einstein's theory of the very large; to live alongside of Quantum Mechanics, the paradoxical theory of probabilities on the subatomic level. Both worldviews have been proved, insofar as any scientific theory is ever proved. And neither will allow for the other to be completely correct.
Professor Greene (who disdains the title of "Professor" or "Doctor", by omission) explains the two theories very well, even to someone who has read about them innumerable times. (In particular, his explanations of Relativity are extraordinary well done.)
This incredible clarity of purpose and prose continues when he continues into string theory, quantum gravity, and M-theory, although it is dimmed a bit. The book is not math-heavy by any means, relegating such diversions to the endnotes.
(Unfortunately, there are also many fascinating historical explanations relegated to these same notes. Turning to an endnote, the reader never knows if they'll find an historical illumination, or a block of equations.)
Apparently, the world is composed of scores of vibrating, undulating loops of string, looped through dimensions beyond our perception. These explanations are are deftly written, and hold the readers attention well. When the narrative moves along to the five competing string theories, and to M-theory, the One Ring of that will unite modern physics, the story becomes a little difficult to follow. But this is a minor quibble.
When the author details his own small contribution to the field, it is downplayed, giving much credit to his collaborators. A sense of barely contained pride is present in the text simultaneously, giving a wonderful tension to this chapter.
Since string theory is unproven, the book can't help but end on a tenuous note. The author is hopeful that technology will advance to the point where it is possible to prove that superstring theory is more than a blue-sky physicist's dream.
books
by Brian Greene
My belief is based on the fact that string theory is the first science in hundreds of years to be pursued in pre-Baconian fashion, without any adequate experimental guidance.
--Philip Warren Anderson
Since the middle of the 20th century, the fundamental problem of physics has been finding the Theory of Everything: A theory that would reconcile Relativity, Einstein's theory of the very large; to live alongside of Quantum Mechanics, the paradoxical theory of probabilities on the subatomic level. Both worldviews have been proved, insofar as any scientific theory is ever proved. And neither will allow for the other to be completely correct.
Professor Greene (who disdains the title of "Professor" or "Doctor", by omission) explains the two theories very well, even to someone who has read about them innumerable times. (In particular, his explanations of Relativity are extraordinary well done.)
This incredible clarity of purpose and prose continues when he continues into string theory, quantum gravity, and M-theory, although it is dimmed a bit. The book is not math-heavy by any means, relegating such diversions to the endnotes.
(Unfortunately, there are also many fascinating historical explanations relegated to these same notes. Turning to an endnote, the reader never knows if they'll find an historical illumination, or a block of equations.)
Apparently, the world is composed of scores of vibrating, undulating loops of string, looped through dimensions beyond our perception. These explanations are are deftly written, and hold the readers attention well. When the narrative moves along to the five competing string theories, and to M-theory, the One Ring of that will unite modern physics, the story becomes a little difficult to follow. But this is a minor quibble.
When the author details his own small contribution to the field, it is downplayed, giving much credit to his collaborators. A sense of barely contained pride is present in the text simultaneously, giving a wonderful tension to this chapter.
Since string theory is unproven, the book can't help but end on a tenuous note. The author is hopeful that technology will advance to the point where it is possible to prove that superstring theory is more than a blue-sky physicist's dream.
books
Labels: books
Friday, August 25, 2006
Pluto
Pluto is now a dwarf planet. Maybe. Depending on which news report you listen to. (The Washington Post has a good article on Pluto's status.)
What kind of a world do we live in where the first thing morning radio deals with is how this will affect horoscopes? Aargh... stupidity, stupidity. Of course, it is talk radio, but that shouldn't be an excuse.
Tags: Pluto
What kind of a world do we live in where the first thing morning radio deals with is how this will affect horoscopes? Aargh... stupidity, stupidity. Of course, it is talk radio, but that shouldn't be an excuse.
Tags: Pluto
Thursday, August 17, 2006
2006 Open Mic Tour
Have you always wanted to see me play, but didn't want to schlep all the way to my area for a 20-minute set and a cup of bad coffee? (Most cafes do, indeed, have terrible coffee. Which is why we must patronize the good ones, of course.)
In any case. From 25 August to 3 September, I'm going to be on vacation, mostly staying in New Jersey. My plan is to do an open mic set every night, or as close as I can come to that ideal.
Check the schedule to see what I've booked so far. It's all still pretty changeable, with one exception.
Need to figure out timing of local open mics? openmikes.org is an excellent site, even if they do get the name wrong. I'll get back to that.
Open mics change quickly -- a bar gets tired of smelly hippie folksingers, or a local cafe's upstairs neighbors doesn't like people playing loud 'till midnight on a Tuesday, or the chruch decides that music is the spawn of the devil. And the open mic has to find a new home. The good ones almost always do.
How to get in touch with me? If you don't have my email handy, use the handy contact page and put "open mic" in the subject so I won't trash it.
Why is it spelled "Open Mic", yet you can "mike the guitar" or "hand me a mike"? Because "Mic" is how "Microphone" is abbreviated on mixing boards. And you can't be micing a drum set or whatever. Unless you're proposing to it.
(With sue respect to Samuel Bayer, who has posted a rather long-winded explanation of why this is wrong, I think that current usage trumps in this case.)
Tags: music
In any case. From 25 August to 3 September, I'm going to be on vacation, mostly staying in New Jersey. My plan is to do an open mic set every night, or as close as I can come to that ideal.
Check the schedule to see what I've booked so far. It's all still pretty changeable, with one exception.
Need to figure out timing of local open mics? openmikes.org is an excellent site, even if they do get the name wrong. I'll get back to that.
Open mics change quickly -- a bar gets tired of smelly hippie folksingers, or a local cafe's upstairs neighbors doesn't like people playing loud 'till midnight on a Tuesday, or the chruch decides that music is the spawn of the devil. And the open mic has to find a new home. The good ones almost always do.
How to get in touch with me? If you don't have my email handy, use the handy contact page and put "open mic" in the subject so I won't trash it.
Why is it spelled "Open Mic", yet you can "mike the guitar" or "hand me a mike"? Because "Mic" is how "Microphone" is abbreviated on mixing boards. And you can't be micing a drum set or whatever. Unless you're proposing to it.
(With sue respect to Samuel Bayer, who has posted a rather long-winded explanation of why this is wrong, I think that current usage trumps in this case.)
Tags: music
Labels: music
Freehold: Spook's Open Mic on the Street, 16 Aug 2006
After stopping at the comic books store, Bruce and I arrived in Freehold at about 7:30, more like 7:40 after finding parking. We got some dinner, listening to music from the open-air open mic all the while. Jeff, our piano player from the old improv group, found us sitting at an outside table, as did Arthur.
Although Bruce's tomato with tuna fish was pretty unappetizing. I scarfed down a sandwich and left money for the tab, while Bruce (or "Fred", as Spook calls him) got something else to eat.
The area restaurants have a lot more people! Spook is getting a bigger crowd than two weeks ago. I sat on the street with my guitar and listened to some more songs. Eventually, I went on stage (on gazebo?) and did a set:
There's That Song
Here Comes The Sun (cover)
Woke Up on the Fourth
Coming Into Los Angeles (cover)
She Told It To Me Twice
From the Beginning (cover)
I had realized that the 15th, 16th, and 17th of August are the anniversaries of the three days of the concert at Woodstock, in 1969. So I wore a tie-dye shirt and picked a song that was played there, in the summer of drugs. Coming Into Los Angeles is also about smuggling drugs on airplanes. "Don't touch my bags if you please / mister customs man" is pretty topical now. Arlo Guthrie, better known for Alice's Restaurant, probably wasn't thinking about anti-terrorist screening against yesterday's threats when he wrote the song.
Whenever I play my song She Told It To Me Twice, I'm always pleasantly surprised that people like it. All I can hear is the high-school lyrics. But it's a nice bouncy rhythm (in 13/8 swing time) and a simple, cheery story of romantic rejection and futility.
Tags: music
Although Bruce's tomato with tuna fish was pretty unappetizing. I scarfed down a sandwich and left money for the tab, while Bruce (or "Fred", as Spook calls him) got something else to eat.
The area restaurants have a lot more people! Spook is getting a bigger crowd than two weeks ago. I sat on the street with my guitar and listened to some more songs. Eventually, I went on stage (on gazebo?) and did a set:
There's That Song
Here Comes The Sun (cover)
Woke Up on the Fourth
Coming Into Los Angeles (cover)
She Told It To Me Twice
From the Beginning (cover)
I had realized that the 15th, 16th, and 17th of August are the anniversaries of the three days of the concert at Woodstock, in 1969. So I wore a tie-dye shirt and picked a song that was played there, in the summer of drugs. Coming Into Los Angeles is also about smuggling drugs on airplanes. "Don't touch my bags if you please / mister customs man" is pretty topical now. Arlo Guthrie, better known for Alice's Restaurant, probably wasn't thinking about anti-terrorist screening against yesterday's threats when he wrote the song.
Whenever I play my song She Told It To Me Twice, I'm always pleasantly surprised that people like it. All I can hear is the high-school lyrics. But it's a nice bouncy rhythm (in 13/8 swing time) and a simple, cheery story of romantic rejection and futility.
Tags: music
Labels: music
Saturday, August 5, 2006
Electronics
Ever since installing a pickup into my guitar Millicent, I keep getting comments on the preamp. It looks like this, but less blurry:
Noticable on stage, to say the least. From farther away, the electronics look larger relative tot he soundhole. (This is a close up picture, not a zoom, and the perspective is a little distorted.)
The story is that you need to have the preamp here so you can reach through the soundhole and adjust the gain and balance between the mic and pickup. With a screwdriver. The battery at least is harder to see, the black thing to the left of the seagull logo sticker. And it's an ordeal to change the battery, even with the strings out.
Tags: music
Noticable on stage, to say the least. From farther away, the electronics look larger relative tot he soundhole. (This is a close up picture, not a zoom, and the perspective is a little distorted.)
The story is that you need to have the preamp here so you can reach through the soundhole and adjust the gain and balance between the mic and pickup. With a screwdriver. The battery at least is harder to see, the black thing to the left of the seagull logo sticker. And it's an ordeal to change the battery, even with the strings out.
Tags: music
Labels: music
Wednesday, August 2, 2006
02 Aug 2006 -- sweaty, humid open mic
Played a fun open mic tonight. Spook Handy's new open mic is outdoors, in Freehold, NJ. It was hot and humid tonight, I sweated all over my guitar after a 20 minute set.
Eyes up Front
Woke Up on the Fourth
Mood for a Day
From the Beginning
There's That Song
I think I did well, particularly after not performing for a month (bicycle injury) and using a new pickup in Millicent, for the first time in front of real people. And new brands of picks and strings. I'm happy! (And sweaty.)
Need to learn the words to the monkey song, and need a new cover.
Tags: music
Eyes up Front
Woke Up on the Fourth
Mood for a Day
From the Beginning
There's That Song
I think I did well, particularly after not performing for a month (bicycle injury) and using a new pickup in Millicent, for the first time in front of real people. And new brands of picks and strings. I'm happy! (And sweaty.)
Need to learn the words to the monkey song, and need a new cover.
Tags: music
Labels: music
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