From: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org (ecto-digest) To: ecto-digest@smoe.org Subject: ecto-digest V5 #62 Reply-To: ecto@smoe.org Sender: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk ecto-digest Sunday, February 21 1999 Volume 05 : Number 062 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Today's your birthday, friend... [Mike Matthews ] TOUR DATE CHANGE -- TORONTO [meredith ] Jonatha Brooke (review) and ROCKRGRL magazine in Jane mag. [Songbird22@ao] Re: Bass Guitarists , and a question about live music at home... [Bill Ma] Ecto musicians [Songbird22@aol.com] Re: IQ's Ever/Guitarists [Bill Mazur ] Re: Bass Guitarists , and a question about live music at home... [Michael] Re: Altazor [Bill Mazur ] Re: Ecto musicians ["Robert Lovejoy" ] Re: Bass Guitarists , and a question about live music at home... ["Joseph] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1999 03:00:03 -0500 (EST) From: Mike Matthews Subject: Today's your birthday, friend... i*i*i*i*i*i i*i*i*i*i*i *************** *****HAPPY********* **************BIRTHDAY********* *************************************************** *************************************************************************** ******************** Linda Saboe (SABOE@UCIS.VILL.EDU) ******************** *************************************************************************** -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- - -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Linda Saboe Tue February 20 1951 aimless Teresa Ross Wed February 23 1977 pisces Michael Curry Fri February 24 1967 Pisces Paula Shanks Mon February 25 1952 Pisces Brni Mojzes Fri February 26 1965 the vanishing boy Pamela Pociluk Fri February 28 1964 Pisces Tim Steele Fri March 08 1963 Pisces Matt Bittner Thu March 12 1964 Pisces kIrI Hargie Fri March 13 1970 Pisces Bob Dreano Thu March 13 1958 Pisces Randall K. Smith Sat March 15 1969 Pisces Jessica Skolnik March 16 Pisces Alan Sodoma Thu March 18 1965 LuckyLurker Richard Konrad Sat March 18 1944 Pisces Barry Wong Thu March 19 1970 Merlin Graham Dombkins Fri March 19 1965 Pisces Ian Young Wed March 19 1969 Squiggol Jeff Wasilko Wed March 19 1969 Pisces Geoff Carre Sat March 20 1954 Pisces - -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1999 13:20:33 -0500 From: meredith Subject: TOUR DATE CHANGE -- TORONTO Hi, Some breaking news from the front: Veda's Toronto show has been changed from the Rivoli to El Mocambo. She will be on at 9:30 pm for one hour only. Please change your calendars accordingly. :) I now return you to your regularly scheduled day. +==========================================================================+ | Meredith Tarr meth@smoe.org | | New Haven, CT USA http://www.smoe.org/~meth | +==========================================================================+ | "things are more beautiful when they're obscure" -- veda hille | | *** TRAJECTORY, the Veda Hille mailing list: *** | | *** http://www.smoe.org/meth/trajectory.html *** | +==========================================================================+ ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1999 14:25:16 EST From: Songbird22@aol.com Subject: Jonatha Brooke (review) and ROCKRGRL magazine in Jane mag. Hey all, SO good to see Jonatha Brooke finally getting some recognition for her effots, especially since she's gone indie (sort of) now! :) The Live CD is reviewed in this month's Jane magazine, though I disagree w/t the reviewers comparison to Ani... Here's what it says: "Pretty is the word that best sums up Jonatha Brooke. Everything about her on this live CD i just that: her poetric lyrics, her acoustic chord progressions, her CD-cover-snapshots and-most of all-her feminine fairy-like voice. Although her folksinger sound isn't totally unique (she sings a lot like Ani Difranco), she varies it enough so that each tune is distinct. There are the sexy, a capella high notes of "In the Gloaming," the funky, electric tones of "Where were you," and the cello-enchanced sound of "Tencent Wings." Ahhh. This album is relaxing, peaceful, intimate . . . pretty." - 2 1/2 stars, reviewed by Esther Haynes Also, how cool is it to see ROCKRGRL magazine getting a little recognition?? :) There's a short-but-sweet blurb about this month's magazine w/t Claire Danes on the cover. It also mentions Sarah McLachlan and Tori Amos' live album are due out in April (though I believe Sarah's has been pushed back now)... ;) - -jessica http://adam.nettfriends.com/Jess (soundclips now online; join the mailing list! :) ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1999 17:08:30 -0800 From: Bill Mazur Subject: Re: Bass Guitarists , and a question about live music at home... Robert Lovejoy wrote: > How many ectophiles are musicians? How many have at least quasi-regular > access to live music in their own home? Since I've begun jamming regularly > I'm finding more enjoyment in listening to recorded music as well. Just > wondering how many others here are blessed with regular live music at home? Bob, You make a good point. When I am able to play music on a regular basis it increases my enjoyment of all music (both recorded and live). My musical partner, Katheleen, underwent a difficult surgery and has been in recovery mode. So we haven't been able to play any music together for awhile now. I have been trying to organize some musical get togethers at my place with some old musical partners on mine and also with a new friend that I recently met. So I hope to be blessed with live music in my home again soon. I too am curious about ectophile musicians. I have been reading off and on, as time permits, in the Ecto archives. I have been reading in the '91 archives where some of the the founding Ectophiles were talking about doing a collaborative musical project. The logistics seemed a bit daunting to me. I haven't gotten far enough in my reading to find out what the outcome was of that endeavor. In particular, I would love to hear from Bay Area ectophile musicians and about the projects you are involved in currently. I love hearing live music from local bands, that is, if I enjoy the music. For the last five or six years, due to my being immersed with my work in the hi-tech internetworking arena and my recent recording studio work with Katheleen, I've lost touch with what is going on in the local Bay Area musical scene. In reading BAM Magazine off and on, it doesn't seem like there is that much of interest, again to my tastes, going on. I did have a brief and enjoyable correspondence with Cyoakha, who posts to Ecto. I like the music that I heard on her web site that she has recorded with her Portland band, Land of the Blind. She mentioned that she is in the Bay Area now with a new band. I will be interested in seeing her band in a club setting. Thanks, Bill ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1999 20:26:17 EST From: Songbird22@aol.com Subject: Ecto musicians hey all, > I too am curious about ectophile musicians. I have been reading off and > on, as time permits, in the Ecto archives. I have been reading in the > '91 archives where some of the the founding Ectophiles were talking > about doing a collaborative musical project. The logistics seemed a bit > daunting to me. I haven't gotten far enough in my reading to find out > what the outcome was of that endeavor. I'm an independent musician... released an EP of original material last year and it's doing really well but I'm ready to record another one :) Anyway, I think it'd be way cool if there was some sort of ecto-music compilation CD that this list put out... or at least a tape and maybe we could tape tree it... covers or originals might be cool... just a thought. I know it'd be $, but ... ? Jessica http://adam.nettfriends.com/Jess ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1999 18:38:45 -0800 From: Bill Mazur Subject: Re: IQ's Ever/Guitarists Tim, It's been a busy week for me. I'm just now able to respond to some of this week's posts. I know that this thread is getting long. Sorry everyone! However, I don't want to edit it because things will get confusing. Please see my responses below: > >I just recently bought "Starfish". This is a CD that I have wanted for a > >long time and just never got around to buying until recently. The Church > >are a wonderful band. > > If you want to hear *fantastic* Church guitar, Starfish is not actually the > place to look (Reptile being the exception), as the songs are fairly > straightforward (that's a good thing in many ways, though). Priest=Aura is a > much better example, the guitar lines truly weaving out of each other > beautifully, very psychedelic and emotive. One song, Chaos, is a nine minute > song built out feedback, while the closing instrumental, Film, is just a > jawdropper - one of the most powerful pieces of music ever. Hologram of Baal > is similarly brilliant, the sounds they make with the guitars are amazing, > but the melodies are beautiful in a similar way to Starfish. I have heard good things about Priest=Aura in the past. I will have to check it out as well. Thanks for the recommendation! :-) > >That is a beautiful description! Rothery's solo on Easter is amazing. > >His solo on "Dry Land" is another one of my favorites. > > I'd also pick Heart Of Lothian, White Russian and the second solo in This > Strange Engine (heartbreaking!) Agreed! :-) > >I'm not familiar with Kevin or this band. Please tell me more. > > My Bloody Valentine's last album, Loveless (1991), represented both the > pinnacle of shoegazer music, and also what could be done with guitar. Layers > and layers and layers and layers and layers of guitar intermesh and mingle, > both beautiful and deafening. I think one reviewer described it as floating > down a river of molten lava. Then, suddenly, one beautiful, clear hook will > burst out of the noise and enrapture you. I consider it an essential guitar > album. Forgive my ignorance please, but what is "shoegazer music"? This sounds interesting. I will have to search out some Real Audio or MP3 samples on Music Blvd or Borders.com. > >Again, unfamiliar. > > The Chameleons were a powerful but atmospheric post punk band during the > eighties. Sort of like the mid-point between The Cure, Echo And The Bunnymen > and U2, but better than all three IMHO. Early on they're signature style was > to juxtapose a harsh, cyclical low riff with layered, beautiful, atmospheric > guitar lines, but as they went on they became both more atmospheric and > accessible, until on their third and last album, Strange Times you get long, > beautiful epics like Caution, and a song like Swamp Thing, which has four > different sections, all of them powerfully catchy and eerily beautiful. They > sort of foresaw dream-pop while retaining their post-punk energy. Also they > had a really good knowledge of how to use atmospheric keyboards subtlely and > effectively. Actually, now that you describe them to me they sound vaguely familiar. Were they once called The Chameleons UK or something like that? > >I have seen mention of them here on Ecto (possibly by you). Again, > >please tell me more. > > The main discussion earlier about Kitchens of Distinction was over the fact > that the singer, Patrick, happens to be gay; a thread which surprised me > because by far the most distinctive aspect of this band was their sound. I > suppose you could say they were the midpoint between The Smiths and My > Bloody Valentine, although they are actually most similar to The Chameleons! > Plus hints of The Church. With all those links you can see why I love them. > They could write a perfect pop song (see The Third Time We Opened The > Capsule, Prize, When In Heaven, Smiling) and then layer it with so many > shriekingly echoey guitars that it was eventually left up to the bass lines > to carry the tune. They were also capable of brilliant long songs like Gone > World Gone and Mad As Snow which would deconstruct their sound and put it > back together again. I strongly recommend their third album, The Death Of > Cool. I will have to find some Real Audio or MP3 sound samples to hear what they sound like. > >I watched her performance on "Hard Rock Live" on > >VH1. For some reason, it made me nervous to watch and listen to her. I > >read a line from a critic that said something like "Ani DiFranco's > >singing and playing is like guerilla warfare". > > Actually not all of her songs are like that. Many are beautiful, slow > ballads, played with as much delicacy as anyone else. Perhaps if you heard > some of those (and they work so well in concert), you'd be able to get into > her more. Thanks for your response. I am always willing to keep my mind open when it comes to music. I will give you a perfect example of me changing my mind on an artist: I read a description of Genesis in Circus Magazine (an early 70s US music magazine) many years ago that prompted me to go out seeking "Nursery Cryme" when it first was released. I was very much into The Moody Blues, Yes and ELP at the time (I still am for that matter). Anyway, the description of Genesis being like those bands piqued my interest and curiosity. I bought "Nursery Cryme" and listened to it several times with my good friend at the time. We both decided that we liked the music, but neither of us could get into the vocalist (some guy named Peter Gabriel). I gave the album to my sister, Pamela, who originally turned me on to Yes. She loved the album and bought Foxtrot as soon as it came out. She told me "Bill, you have to listen to this album". I listened to it twice and it didn't make an impression on me. The third time I listened to it I was blown away and completely hooked. Why did it take me so long? I don't know. But, I fell in love with Peter's voice and lyrics on that third listen. "Supper's Ready" was the piece that captivated me. Peter Gabriel is one of the most important artists that I have ever of had the pleasure of hearing. So there you have it. Now I find it extremely doubtful that Ani DiFranco will ever have that effect on me. However, I think that my opinion can definitely be swayed toward having a positive view of her performances and music. > >On your synth question, I listened to the song "This Strange Engine". I > >also listened to "Just For The Record" off of CAS. "White Russian" > >doesn't have any of the same type of playing. "White Russian" does have > >one of those awesome Rothery solos though! :-) > > Sorry, I meant Just For The Record, not White Russian! > > >Both "This Strange Engine" and "Just For The Record" have the same type > >of synth solo and the same type of synth sound. "Incommunicado" also has > >that same synth sound. They sound like classic mini Moog solos to my > >ears. Hopefully a keyboard player here on Ecto can help to confirm this > >for us. > > Yeah, I thought it was a moog, but I couldn't be sure. :-) > >I get the feeling that Martin Orford was very much influenced by Tony > >Banks. So yes, I think that his approach is similar to Tony Banks' > >keyboard approach. It is interesting to me that Banks started as a piano > >player. However, he is well versed on other keyboards as well. He plays > >the organ, mellotron and syhthesizers equally as well as piano. > > I was just thinking of the keyboard work in Firth Of Fifth (discounting the > prominent piano part), and how much that is similar to Orford's work on the > first album. I definitely see what you mean. > >"Radiation" is a very modern sounding recording. I have read that some > >of the band members are really into Radiohead. "Radiation" seems a bit > >of a departure, but I like it a lot. > > Musically some of the subtlety is gone I think, as they play either *really* > loud, or *really* soft, and also the emotional pieces are quite stripped > back (and hence no beautiful keyboard solos really) but I really really like > the album. It has so many new facets that its like looking at an inverted > picture of the earlier music. Besides, it's a definite improvement on This > Strange Engine IMHO. Very interesting observations. I tend to agree with your statements here except for one. I really like This Strange Engine, especially pieces like Estonia and Memory of Water. Out of curiosity, what don't you like about This Strange Engine? I have seen that other Ectophiles like Marillion. I would be interested in hearing their comments on this as well. > >Fish is a creatively potent and clever wordsmith. I too highly admire > >his lyrics. They can be difficult to listen to at times though. Some of > >his lyrics from the Marillion days were very dark and bitter. > >Hogarth/Helmer write some beautiful lyrics that may be simple, but as > >you say they can also be very effective. I believe that lyrics in > >"Easter", "Season's End", "Dry Land" and "Estonia" are all very > >beautiful. > > I find his lyrics especially on Fugazi to be very over-the-top, but then > Clutching At Straws is such a beautifully introspective, understated album > (with a *very* dark theme!) that all is naturally forgiven. I've found his > solo work to be generally lyrically inferior in this regard. Some of the imagery in Fish's lyrics on "Fugazi" are brilliantly poetic. However IMHO, Fish shows too much venom and bitterness towards women, or at the very least to one particular women, in his lyrics on "Fugazi". I find many of his lyrics on "Fugazi" to be unsettling and they rub me the wrong way. I too prefer Fish's lyrics on "Clutching at Straws". Talking about self-destructive alcohol abuse and how it affects everyone around the addict is, as you state, a *very* dark theme. The other issues that are addressed in a song like "White Russian" are also extremely powerful. "The silence never louder than now, how quickly we forgot our vows, this resurrection we can't allow". These are a few of the many poignant words in that song that talk about how the evils of Nazi propaganda infest our society to this day. It also addresses the fact that most people turn a blind eye to this happening today. Take care, Bill ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1999 21:37:23 -0500 (EST) From: Michael Colford Subject: Re: Bass Guitarists , and a question about live music at home... > Robert Lovejoy wrote: > > > How many ectophiles are musicians? How many have at least quasi-regular I was in a new wave/punk/pop band in the early 1980's that played all the local clubs in the Boston area. The band was called Psyclone, and I played bass guitar and keyboards. Our line-up changed over the years, but we always had a female lead vocalist. Our originals were in the Pretenders/Go-Go's/Robin Lane & the Chartbusters vein, or some combination of the three if you can imagine it. We never released anything except for a few tapes for college radio play. It was fun, but I don't do much playing anymore because I sold most of my equipment. I still have an acoustic guitar, a mandolin and an electric piano that I still fool around with every once in a while. It's fun. Michael n.p. Heart - Bebe le Strange (!) - -------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael Colford | Reading Public Library Head of Technical Services | Reading, Massachusetts colford@noblenet.org | *North of Boston Library Exchange* - -------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1999 18:46:39 -0800 From: Bill Mazur Subject: Re: Altazor Neile Graham wrote: > > Sorry, Bill, it doesn't look good. All I could find was a Spanish language > record store that listed them, but unfortunately only as "out of stock". > > Their label is/was in Emeryville, California, so maybe some Californian > ectophiles could check around their local used disc stores for you. I can't > remember where I found my copy of their first one--Portland Oregon, I > think, but that was several years ago. > > --Neile > > At 12:55 PM -0800 2/14/99, Bill wrote: > >After having read about it on The Ectophiles' Guide, I am interested in > >getting a copy of Altazor's (the band) _Altazor_ album. > > > >Searches on the Web were not too successful regarding "Altazor" or > >"Redwood Records". > > > >Any info would be greatly appreciated; thanks. > > > >- Bill. Bill and Neile, I live in the Bay Area. I did some calling around last week on Altazor. Redwood Records doesn't have a phone listing in Emeryville or the surrounding area (Berkeley area). They appear to be out of business. I also called a few CD stores that carry used CDs and they don't catalog used CDs in their computer. The next time I am in one of those stores I will try to remember to keep my eye out for that CD. Bill ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1999 22:01:36 -0500 From: "Robert Lovejoy" Subject: Re: Ecto musicians Jessica notes: (yes, a musical pun or 2/3 of one) >Anyway, I >think it'd be way cool if there was some sort of ecto-music compilation CD >that this list put out... or at least a tape and maybe we could tape tree >it... covers or originals might be cool... just a thought. I know it'd be $, >but ... ? With ectophiles scattered all over the world, perhaps we could do it like one of those stories people add to. What if we picked out a few songs, then say, someone with access to good equipment (the rub?) could start a DAT with a musical sketch. Then the tape could be passed from musician to musician, each laying down a track over the original. It might work, but it would take some organizing! Perhaps we could arrange for a time to meet on the ecto IRC channel and discuss it or other ideas as a group. At the very least, we should get a count of who plays what! I play bass. Let's see if this flies... Bob Lovejoy ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1999 21:28:57 -0600 (CST) From: "Joseph S. Zitt" Subject: Re: Bass Guitarists , and a question about live music at home... On Sat, 20 Feb 1999, Michael Colford wrote: > > Robert Lovejoy wrote: > > > > > How many ectophiles are musicians? How many have at least quasi-regular As many know, I'm in an avant-garde vocal trio named Comma. Not much like ecto music :-). See the ecto-eye view at http://www.smoe.org/ectoguide/guide.cgi?search/comma&type=all&for=comma&errs=0 We now have MP3s at http://www.metatronpress.com/ and a rather noisy RealVideo clip at http://www.poetryvideo.com/ (BTW, for those in the Metro area: we're performing (with several other Piece" at 8 PM on the 26th,27th,&28th at the Experimental Theatre on the University of Maryland capus at College park. It's definitely the strangest performance I've ever been in, and that's saying something!) - - ---------1---------1---------1---------1---------1---------1---------- |||/ Joseph Zitt ===== jzitt@humansystems.com ===== Human Systems \||| ||/ Maryland? = <*> SILENCE: The John Cage Mailing List <*> = ecto \|| |/ http://www.realtime.net/~jzitt ====== Comma: Voices of New Music \| ------------------------------ End of ecto-digest V5 #62 *************************