There are a number of thoughts, or obsessions, that have been going through my head for the past few weeks. The first being how the future will turn out: it's the internet. I decided that, or rather with the aid of some like-minded corroborators, we decided that. You can choose to deny the computer or embrace it. Embrace it: it leads to freedom.
2)Technology has only furthered our sonic capabilities; everyone now has their own studio and is not only a musician, but their own producer, engineer and promotional facilitator (due mostly to social media). As many know, l'éternèbre is a project that grey ghost and TAL started in October '10, that explored improvisation as the main structural form and slowly sunk into the waters of ambient, drone, lowercase and minimalism. When we wanted to continue this project (after I moved), the solution was to record improvised sessions separately, send the file and the recipient would then improvise to the recording. The end result was a similar sound and a thoroughly 21st century way of making music.
I see collaborations being easier than ever and I am welcoming any invitations and inquiries.
happy new year to all—though, according to this television-box my folks have on it is inappropriate to wish it after the 1st, proper. Luckily I am just rude enough to glaze over such courtesies.
It's 2012! We have a consciousness to shift and what better way to do it than with some sonic meditations; deep, soothing drones, beads and beats.
If it happened to slip under your radar, here is the freshest fresh from l'éternèbre.
We have discussed doing another release in 2012 and it is all looking good. More details later, of course, but for now enjoy and share this little ditty.
I should also start some whispers about this event: FreakFolk—happy, sky, party in Los Angeles.
The nip in the air and the suspiciously early time that the Sun sets can only mean one thing: the end of the year and the exploding of yule logs everywhere. While this time can be filled with the love of family and friends, the stress of your year-in-summary explanation can be quite daunting. To help organize my thoughts, let's take a magical journey through this past year-in-the-life of grey ghost.
songs to wake up to cassette
The year started off with excitement; PlusTapes had been in contact about releasing a grey ghost and l'éternèbre cassette, both of which were finished and scheduled to drop the first quarter of the year and they did. Songs to Wake Up to was the grey ghost release and, while short, was a pleasure to have pressed on slick cassette. It featured a clear tape shell with image imprint and was limited to a release of 100. To celebrate the release Sarah Zucker produced a stunning visual feast for the track "Hot Mess."
The self-titled released from l'éternèbre was released later on in the month and was greeted with welcome and led to many shows. One in particular in Ohio at an event called Cinesthetica, where several groups participated in a live film scoring event. From a bank of 8 or so experimental films of the 20's and 30's, the groups had to choose a film to add their own, unique twist to, via sound. Just before that fantastic event, I went to SXSW with my other, more pop-oriented group, Very Truly Yours. We played a series of character-building show on our way to Austin in St. Louis, Tulsa and Dallas. It was an experience that prepared us for the glory of IndieTracks in the Summer.
I had a couple of really great reviews for the grey ghost cassette here & here. I was also privileged to have my Chicago work space photographed by the wonderfully talented Billie Howard. Intermixed with playing lots and lots of shows leading up to July, when I would leave for Europe.
Through out this whole time I was working at art+science salon and helping them find their new face; help to re-energize them for this new millennium that has a focus and emphasis on sustainability and classic design. The process is still going on and I am less involved (as I am in LA), but from time-to-time I still feel compelled to add my $0.02.
Indietracks was the highlight of my year and right now, just 4 short months later, it feels like a dream. Perhaps it is the endless hyping I did in my head and having everything live up to expectation. It was truly magical to travel and play in Glasgow, Manchester, London, Nottingham and at the actual Indietracks Festival.
After returning from a trip like that, the feeling is incomparable. Sheer and utter fulfillment that can only come from life as a nomad: traveling a creating, selling your ideas and meeting wonderful people. However, back in Chicago life is getting stale, potential is there, but grander things are what i seek and so I decided, after some deliberation, that I would move to LA and so I did. September was spent in flux and stressed with the burden of a life's turning point. Business plans, long-term creative endeavors and planning for life as a musician/creative entrepreneur is exciting and thrilling, but certainly not without its fair share of tribulations. In the end though, it will all be worth it.
As I slip into the alcohol-and-food-induced coma prematurely, in anticipation for what is to come and the hootenanny that is sure to be my family at the holidays, I am pleased with how things are going but not complacent; excited but not delusional- well, maybe a little bit.
2012 is going to be great. Perhaps a few more cassettes from myself and l'éternèbre. Ideally several scored short films. Definitely an amazing Freak Folk February party.
Starting in the next couple month/early next year I will be starting to focus a great deal of attention on screaming claws. This project is an umbrella for fellow musicians who appreciate the texture in sound and have a common goal of changing the world through sound.
there is a new grey ghost tune that will be done soon; it's going to be sort of an introduction, I think. That is what it seems to be saying. Also continuing l'éternèbre work remotely with TAL and still working on getting an improvisational night going.
Also made lasagna.
After a week of driving, quite literally a solid seven(7) days I have arrived in California. Most of my studio is in boxes being shipped because of a spacial issue I have, but I can feel some juices flowing. Juices mixed with the all-too-familiar feeling of emptiness in an unfamiliar town and excitement for what sort of adventures might ensue.
l'éternèbre has collaborated with, video artist, Sarah Zucker to create a wonderful collage of sights to match the sounds. The song is part ofan evening with friends series that l'éternèbre has been doing with Chicago sound sculptor, Nicholas Davis (aka Passerby).
After a night in the local Hostel, complete with the white noise of a young girl trying to remove a lung, I was quite tired still. My feet were aching (fancy dress shoes) and for some reason I was concerned about the cleanliness of my bed. The morning was beautiful - a theme that the would be throughout the trip - and the walk to the train station was lovely. Got some coffee and, yet again, no one has a good cup of drip coffee: another Americano. The train ride was nice and I nodded off watching the hills crescendo to the sky and then we entered London. The roads were small and people were well-dressed (again). We dropped off our stuff at a friend's building and we proceeded to explore the area, during which I confused Switzerland for Sweden due to my lack of sleep and the Sw- sufficed to say: I put myself in a time out for being a fucking moron.
It was time to grab our stuff after some wandering and we headed to Brixton, a 45 minute bus ride from where we were. We arrived and then got the worst Chinese food I have ever had. But, it was but a few pounds and I ate it. The show went wonderful and no food poisoning happened so all was good.
Here is a video:
I am leaving this city. With its sparse trains. With its uninspired masses. With its segregated neighborhoods. With its beautiful Falls. With its work-to-live mentality.
I know this is not a place for me.
In thinking, perhaps it's because I never gave this town a chance. I came here knowing I would leave. Knowing how it would play out and, because of that, I never settled. I never accepted that this is where I am at right now and I never soaked it up. This was my working town. I came here to write(music), to find myself and not to experience Chicago. Not to give anything back to it or enrich its tapestry. I merely used this town, this husk of a city, as a means to enrich the national tapestry.
And I don't even know what that means.
But I'm leaving. Thanks, Chicago, for the memories.
