After an age of silence on the dream-pop front, I am tickled to announce my latest CD! It just showed up on iTunes today.
This is the beginning of my collaboration with Alice Ishbel Watson. She’s been a fantastic muse and inspiration to work with, and I consider this CD a taste of what the band will be. Cover design, as always, by Clif. Hope you enjoy.
Digital: “Ancient History” on iTunes
Physical CD: “Ancient History” on CDBaby
This one is odd, I admit. But it’s fun. Or disturbing. Not sure which.
I put this music together a few years ago to help with the book promotion, with Cynthia von Buhler and Chris Cote singing. (Chris is known for his great work with The Upper Crust, among others.)
It probably makes a lot more sense on acid. Beware the enormous double entendre.
Alice just sent me this link to a fellow in Russia doing an “unboxing” video of his acquisition of the very first Splashdown release, a blue-vinyl 7″ of Pandora/Deserter. Hardcore! I haven’t seen one of those for well over a decade.
A couple thoughts on that record:
* The mastering on the 7″ version of those two songs is slightly different than what wound up on the CD. It was adjusted to fit the sonic range of vinyl. A bit more high-end in the EQ if I recall correctly.
* “Deserter” was the first Splashdown song. I’d had a long day at work, and I had yet to ever meet Melissa, but she was coming over later that night to try some writing with me (Cynthia had arranged the meeting). I remember sitting on the bed just before she arrived, holding the guitar, barely awake, thinking, “gotta write some music… gotta write some music…” And that’s where the chords for “Deserter” came from.
UPDATE AUGUST 2012: This individual, Valentin, actually came from Russia to Boston to visit with myself and Kasson! And a very charming fellow he is. It was a memorable lunch for me. The matryoshka doll he gave me has a new permanent home on my studio desk.
Digging up some photos. Here’s one for Anarchy Club people: taken during the sessions for The Art Of War, this is the control room of Catacomb Studios, in Mr. Kirkpatrick’s fly-ass house. In the foreground is Mike, who manages Catacomb and is a nasty guitarist. Behind him is Ernesto Longoria, who played drums on three of the tracks on The Art Of War and utterly blew doors off. He got a quick glimpse of the songs shortly before the sessions. Then, on the day he met us, he sat down behind the kit and played each song perfectly all the way through — on the first time. Terrifying.
Then there’s me, and to the right of me is Chris, whom I never knew was actually the founder, not just a member, of N’Sync. A delightfully roguish gentleman, he introduced me to the film “Dirty Sanchez”, which I can never forgive. To his right is Sam, Catacomb engineer.
Mike, Ernesto, Adam, Chris, Sam during sessions for The Art of War
Nobody knows how to throw a party like Cynthia, and last night was no exception. Here she is in her natural environment: a Manhattan bathtub.
Marvelous performances by Amanda Palmer and many other luminaries. Evening ended on a profoundly sour note however when Russell broke his hand — not cool at all. A speedy recovery to you, Russell.
At Cynthia's FREAKS costume ball, October 2, 2010
Cynthia von Buhler as a mermaid
The two lovelies in the background traversed the party in stilts. I was impressed. (Also in the background, in suit and tie, Mr. Lemony Snicket)
At Cynthia's FREAKS costume ball, October 2, 2010
And I also met Mike, who really knew his Splashdown. It’s possible that he’s more knowledgeable about the band than anyone, myself included. Rock on, Mike.
Mike & Adam at Cynthia's FREAKS costume ball, October 2, 2010
Adam von Buhler 