Ich Sein Nicht Ein Berliner

I shouldn’t be here right now.

I should be approximately 5,050 miles away, in Berlin. I should be staying at the Backpax hostel, preparing for a completely debauched and raucous celebration of the New Year. I should finally have a stamp in my new passport, the one that was supposed to be stamped in France earlier this year, on the trip I never ended up taking. I should be visiting the Bauhaus Design Archives, Checkpoint Charlie, the Gainsbourg Lounge, The Holocaust Museum, Karl Marx Allee, Potsdammer Platz. I should be taking notes on cool records shops, cafes, bars, and clubs in my Moleskine City Notebook that I got for Christmas. I should be buying a train ticket to Poland, for a trip through the Polish countryside into Krakov.

This year was apparently not my year to visit Europe though.

I’m disappointed for sure, especially since the reasons I couldn’t make it are so banal and stupid. But it just gives me extra reason to make my way over there during 2008. Look out…

Best News I’ve Heard This Week

I really hope this story is true. I saw the stage production of C.D. Payne’s Youth In Revolt back in Santa Rosa, after reading the book (multiple times). It was a tiny little show that only touched on the first chunk of the rather large and engrossing story, and the no-budget production with age-inappropriate actors didn’t exactly leave me thrilled. But  Michael Cera would be perfect for the part of Nick Twisp, so as long as there’s a decent director involved, this should be good. Hopefully Hollywood doesn’t fuck this one up.

Fear of a Black MacBook

IMG_4956, originally uploaded by successless.

I think that my first foray into the realm of Consumer Credit has been fruitful indeed. Merry Xmas to me.

Daedelus @ Nectar

When Daedelus came through town last year, on tour with Caural, he ended up playing a pretty sparsely attended show on a Sunday night at Chop Suey, and despite the lack of bodies in the room, he turned out an excellent, high energy set. I wasn’t sure how this show would turn out; the day before Thanksgiving, one of the worst travel days of the year, bitterly cold. There were plenty of reasons for people to skip out on this show, and it would’ve been pretty shitty for an artist as talented as Daedelus to play two consecutively undersold shows in Seattle.

I was pleasantly surprised when the main floor at Nectar started to fill up during the opening DJ set. I didn’t catch the name of the DJ, but his set of quirky hip-hop and electro was a nice intro to the evening. By the time AntiMC took the stage, the venue was getting to be well filled out. Sadly, AntiMC didn’t really keep the momentum of the evening going, with an uninspiring but mercifully short set of aimless hip-hop instrumentals

But the room was packed when Daedelus took the stage, armed with a  laptop, a controller keyboard, and his famous Monome prototype, a “machine that runs on good will, so make some noise, as the hip-hop kids say.”

Noise was certainly made. He kicked his set of with a reinterpretation of “Pure Imagination,” from the Charlie & the Chocolate Factory soundtrack, and then proceeded to burn through 45 minutes of loopy hip-hop built around samples from old movie scores, samba beats, acid bass, and assorted sonic detritus. It was a similar set to the one he played last year, but way more refined and confident. He’s got his Monome set-up down cold, and plays it like an old familiar instrument. It’s great seeing live electronic music performed with such gusto, and in a way that’s somewhat accessible, exposing some degree of the inner workings to the audience. Definitely cuts down on the “he’s just checking his e-mail up there” jeering from the rock kids.

We didn’t even bother sticking around for Busdriver. He’s good, but I don’t think he could have topped Daedelus that night (as one audience member yelled, before Daedelus’ encore: “I came for Busdriver, but I was wrong!”). And I wasn’t looking forward to hearing AntiMC doing the backing beats. Oh well, it was definitely a worthwhile show, even without seeing the supposed headliner.

The People’s Republic

I’m finally getting settled in (and leeching some wireless from the nearby Cafe Vitta) to my new home in the People’s Republic of Fremont…

Oh wait. I suppose I should back up and tell my loyal audience I’ve moved. That’s right. I actually signed the lease the night before the Maui trip, and finally moved in my bed and other possessions last weekend. It was the easiest move ever in terms of physical labor, in case you were wondering. And yet it was rather difficult in other ways.

You may have noticed I didn’t say “we” moved, or “our” new place. That’s because Serene is still living in our old place in Capitol Hill, with the erstwhile Freckles to keep her company.

Now don’t get your hopes up, potential suitors. Nobody broke up with anybody, and nobody’s planning to. Though the most common reaction is skepticism, we’ve embarked upon this experiment as a way to fix the parts of our relationship that are in need of a little fixing. It’s the “catastrophe keeps us together” school of problem solving, I suppose. And yes, it’s working quite well so far. Thanks for asking.

Not that it’s necessarily any of y’alls business. But there you go.

The new place though, is coming along great. It’s in a perfect location, with all amenities within walking distance. Neighborhood dive bar? Check! Coffee shop? Check! Indie grocery? Roger that! Eclectic video store? Loud and clear! All that, and my roommate and I are both an amazingly short distance from our respective places of employment. You couldn’t ask for a lot more from a home.

Anyhow. That’s the current events. Stay tuned.

Maui, Bitches

That’s where I’m heading. Flight leaves at 10:30. Got In Rainbows all up on my iPod and a bag full of swim trunks and beach towels. You can find me on the beach with a Mai Tai in my hand for the next 5 days. Peace out playas.

In Rainbows

I guess we finally know what’s up with the 7th Radiohead album. After a lot of speculation (are they still on contract to Capitol/EMI? When will it be released? Will “Big Boots” or “Nude” be on it?), the band have announced the impending release of In Rainbows.

Of course, leave it to Oxford’s boys to make a simple album release announcement a much more interesting affair.

The album appears to be self-released by the band. Odd enough for a band this large, but not unheard of (see: Prince for example). Strangely though, it will be released first as a download only, on October 10th, followed by a hardback book/2xCD/2xvinyl /bonus tracks and artwork laden $80US monstrosity in December. Even stranger: They mention that the Discbox is made to order. Stranger still: you choose your own price for the download.

So. No label. Digital only initial release with no fixed price. Custom, made to order physical format 2 months later.

This should get interesting.

Discontent

It feels like Seattle again suddenly. Meaning, of course, that the slightly damp, often gray film of precipitation that we live with for 2/3 of the year has made it’s return, almost immediately after a run of abnormally high temperatures. We’ve gone from sleeping with the sheets thrown off and the windows open, to huddled under a comforter in a matter of days. But on the upside, that means more excuse for afternoon tea and comfy sweaters. And scarves, soon enough.

So this winter has been dubbed the Winter of Discontent, for reasons I’ll leave alone. Though I will say that it involves a lot of tumult and discord and struggle, mostly in immediate social circles, but seemingly in the world at large as well. If I were into astrology, I’m sure I could point to celestial evidence of some great unraveling, puring entropy down upon us. I’m not, so I can’t.

Before we hunker down for a dark winter, there are some bright spots. Decibel Festival is this weekend. I’m not sure if I’ll end up as a volunteer again or if I’ll have to shell out for the festival pass, but either way it’ll be worth it. A little escapism will be nice, and the four on the floor beats and ambient soundscapes should provide plenty. Then there’s Maui. Soon, just a short little hop over and a how-you-doing, drinking Mai Tais on the beach before returning to the Seattle gloom.

Naturally, all of this is just preparation for an even colder and more far flung New Year. But more about that later. Layer up and keep your kettle ready, kids.

Labourious

Despite missing Bumbershoot entirely this year (and thus missing out on festival crowds and overpriced food, at the cost of missing the Wu-Tang Clan), I actually had a pretty good Labour Day weekend.

Friday started off on a tense foot, with our Southwestern friends going through an extended labour before bringing a beautiful baby girl into the world. And what better way to relieve the tension of waiting for those short little Twitter updates from the delivery room than to catch some improv comedy? And what goes better with improv comedy than PBR? Well, I can probably think of several things, actually. And I did hear two of the absolute worst pick-up lines ever. Thankfully, they were part of the show, and not directed at anyone in any seriousness.

Saturday found us picnicking at Discovery Park with some friends before heading out to Ballard for good Mexican food (a coveted rarity here in Cascadia) and cocktails. I have to say that the Hazlewood is one of the coolest bars to visit when you’re in the classy but not stuck up mood, and I’m sure I’ll be back there soon.

And then, for something completely different, Sunday was  the third birthday of one of the most adorable and fiercely independent girls I’ve ever met. Naturally, we followed up that wholesome cake-and-ice-cream affair with our second viewing of the decidedly unwholesome Superbad. Highly recommended. That and Knocked Up (from the same creative team) are the only movies I’ve seen twice in the theater in recent memory.

The extra day of weekend afforded to us in celebration of the American worker (and their ability to organize) was mostly squandered, at least by me. Although I did manage to finish up a remix I’ve been working on for way too long. But now the final file is off for mastering and should be out as part of a remix compilation soon.

Is it the working week again? Already? Well fuck me.

Champion

I’m sitting here listening to Graduation, the new Kanye West album and “Champion,” the second track is built on an awkwardly looped Steely Dan sample. It’s so insane that it totally, totally works.
It’s so insane I just had to stop and acknowledge it in writing somehow. As you were.