Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Thursday, June 09, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Monday, February 07, 2011
Thursday, February 03, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Thursday, January 06, 2011
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Captain Beefheart's 10 Commandments of Guitar Playing
1. Listen to the birds.
That's where all the music comes from. Birds know everything about how it should sound and where that sound should come from. And watch hummingbirds. They fly really fast, but a lot of times they aren't going anywhere.
2. Your guitar is not really a guitar Your guitar is a divining rod.
Use it to find spirits in the other world and bring them over. A guitar is also a fishing rod. If you're good, you'll land a big one.
3. Practice in front of a bush
Wait until the moon is out, then go outside, eat a multi-grained bread and play your guitar to a bush. If the bush dosen't shake, eat another piece of bread.
4. Walk with the devil
Old Delta blues players referred to guitar amplifiers as the "devil box." And they were right. You have to be an equal opportunity employer in terms of who you're bringing over from the other side. Electricity attracts devils and demons. Other instruments attract other spirits. An acoustic guitar attracts Casper. A mandolin attracts Wendy. But an electric guitar attracts Beelzebub.
5. If you're guilty of thinking, you're out
If your brain is part of the process, you're missing it. You should play like a drowning man, struggling to reach shore. If you can trap that feeling, then you have something that is fur bearing.
6. Never point your guitar at anyone
Your instrument has more clout than lightning. Just hit a big chord then run outside to hear it. But make sure you are not standing in an open field.
7. Always carry a church key
That's your key-man clause. Like One String Sam. He's one. He was a Detroit street musician who played in the fifties on a homemade instrument. His song "I Need a Hundred Dollars" is warm pie. Another key to the church is Hubert Sumlin, Howlin' Wolf's guitar player. He just stands there like the Statue of Liberty-making you want to look up her dress the whole time to see how he's doing it.
8. Don't wipe the sweat off your instrument
You need that stink on there. Then you have to get that stink onto your music.
9. Keep your guitar in a dark place
When you're not playing your guitar, cover it and keep it in a dark place. If you don't play your guitar for more than a day, be sure you put a saucer of water in with it.
10. You gotta have a hood for your engine
Keep that hat on. A hat is a pressure cooker. If you have a roof on your house, the hot air can't escape. Even a lima bean has to have a piece of wet paper around it to make it grow.
An appreciation by Marc Masters
Monday, December 06, 2010
The Frozen Tennis Courts of Darien
I was once a young man here,
under different stars.
stone walls crisscross bare December woods
the industry of long-departed hands
dividing fields
creating boundaries
rendered meaningless over time.
centuries of toil
culminate in an inflatable plastic snowman.
under different stars.
stone walls crisscross bare December woods
the industry of long-departed hands
dividing fields
creating boundaries
rendered meaningless over time.
centuries of toil
culminate in an inflatable plastic snowman.
Saturday, November 06, 2010
Fourteenth Street Bus Barn Owls
the 14th street bus barn owls are: johnathan r. on drums, emily m. on flute and rhodes, gabriela s. (stereogab) on theremin and kaoss pad, and yours truly (Iburiedpaul) on guitar. the songs were recorded live one night in late October in a practice space across from an old trolley barn which is now a bus barn. 
Bus Barn Owls - Storm Night by Iburiedpaul
Bus Barn Owls - Superstar by Iburiedpaul
Bus Barn Owls - Suburban Jungle by Iburiedpaul
Bus Barn Owls - Storm Night by Iburiedpaul
Bus Barn Owls - Superstar by Iburiedpaul
Bus Barn Owls - Suburban Jungle by Iburiedpaul
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)