May 2012
1 post
MCA
Adam Yauch, man.
The first album I ever bought was License to Ill, on cassette, at a Wal-Mart in Abbeville, Louisiana. I was in the fourth grade. My mom asked if there were any dirty words on it and I said I didn’t think so. I played it on the living room stereo that night while we ate dinner. My mom said it was ugly music. I was hooked.
I brought a boombox to school the next day and...
January 2012
1 post
Paul Manske, 1954–2012
The first gig I played after moving to Minneapolis was with a band called 40 Watt Bulb, which at the time had a somewhat temporary lineup that included Paul Manske on bass guitar. The club (which should remain nameless, but it was the 400 Bar) had tried to stiff the band on both our time slot and our pay, and in both cases it was Paul who somehow talked someone into letting us play and get paid....
December 2011
2 posts
I found this today while doing some rough mixes on...
August 2011
1 post
Well said, Bonny Vair →
I’ve had some swirling thoughts about the VMAs and it wasn’t until I read this that I figured out what I’ve been thinking.
but can i just ask, the reader, us, we … as non-rhetorically as possible: don’t we seem dumb? didn’t MTV lose the fight against themselves? Didn’t Rock’n’Roll STOP? Why are the lights so bright? isn’t our talent as...
July 2011
2 posts
These are the isolated drum tracks from...
June 2011
1 post
May 2011
3 posts
How the music industry is killing music →
A recurring theme these days is, “musicians should give away their music for free, and make money through touring and selling merchandise.” But I have trouble with the idea that the music business is now going to be sustained primarily by things other than music itself:
This is the position in which our musicians now find themselves. They’re expected to multitask in order to succeed. Their...
Spring, Revisited
One of the most amazing things about spring in Minneapolis is how quickly it sets in. One second, you’re trying to figure out where you’re going to put this new foot of snow on your sidewalk; turn your head and—blammo—there’s grass and leaves and couples walking their dogs and flowers and pollen.
Of course, I’d probably enjoy the miracle of spring a little more if I was...
April 2011
2 posts
“The amp is a very important tool especially for rock music the more the amp is...”
– words of wisdom from a fan
“Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in...”
– Gustave Flaubet
(I don’t know if I even agree with this quote, but I know that I have sort of a regular and orderly life, so it’s reassuring to know someone has recommended this as a lifestyle.)
March 2011
1 post
February 2011
2 posts
WatchI am so amazingly proud of this record. Carl’s a great guy and a fantastic musician.
January 2011
4 posts
Anonymous asked: What is up with the teddy bear in all the photos?
The Backyard Committee →
I’ve been enjoying this album by my new friend via the Alternate Routes, Mike Sembos. Visiting the Bandcamp link above allows you download the record for free, yet somehow no one goes to prison and Mike actually encourages it. So, you know, go get a free record.
Eleven
I spent the night before the new year in a friendly forest (our nickname for the Creative Workshop studio in Nashville, TN). I’m in my old hometown once again, this time gearing up for a short run with the Connecticut-based Alternate Routes. We’re headed into the ocean to play a four-day cruise-type-thing called the Rock Boat, which should be a ton of fun and a much better way to spend...
November 2010
3 posts
“Don’t bother trying to jog to this album. I tried recently, and instead of...”
– my favorite review of All Birds Say so far
“One foot should be investigating the past; the other one shouldn’t know...”
– Jeff Watts
October 2010
3 posts
Solomon
I learned today that Solomon Burke died. I had the chance to meet him some years ago at a festival I was playing. He was funny, engaging, and in a lot of ways the character you’d expect to meet if you’d read about him or his amazing life.
His 2002 record Don’t Give Up on Me changed the way I think of and approach music. A lot of that had to do with the beautiful production by...
Work is Personal →
I came across this on kottke.org the other day.
As a creative person, you’ve been given the ability to build things from nothing by way of hard work over long periods of time. Creation is a deeply personal and rewarding activity, which means that your Work should also be deeply personal and rewarding. If it’s not, then something is amiss.
Your muse can only be treated as the secretary of a...
Keep it to Yourself →
Speaking of records, my friend Erik Koskinen just released his latest, Keep it to Yourself. It’s got some great musicians on it, cool songs, and Erik’s totally unique, J.J. Cale-meets-Daniel Lanois guitar work. If you find yourself in Minneapolis on a Wednesday night, you should go check him out at Nye’s, where he plays weekly with Molly Maher.
September 2010
3 posts
Autumn
Summer is drawing to a close, I’ve worn a sweater for two days in a row, the leaves are piling up and the question of whether I rake them or mow them looms—all the signs of autumn are showing up and this means it’s time I type something into my little website.
There are a few great albums making their way into the world. My good friend Carl Broemel has just released All Birds Say, an...
“There is a very fine line separating the worlds of art and employment. Do you...”
WatchWhile in Nashville last week I had a few friends play on Dave Olson’s upcoming record. Recorded upstairs at Barrio East on my iPhone.
June 2010
1 post
“That sounds terrible! I love it!”
– Teddy Morgan, about five seconds ago at a session I’m playing with Tim Warren. Woo hoo!
May 2010
2 posts
April 2010
2 posts
“If a player is operating at the far frontiers of his or her ability, pushing the...”
– John McNeil
March 2010
4 posts
Piedmont →
Check it…Davina just got signed to Piedmont’s talent roster. She’s bad, and now nationwide. I’m going to have to buy a bigger suitcase.
Last night I watched Joe Henry at a dinner/jazz club called the Dakota here in Minneapolis. The venue took a little while to get used to—I am a little weirded out by music needing dinner to make it an event—but once I settled in the show was really amazing. I’ve been really into Joe Henry as a producer for years but never really listened to his work as an artist, and now that I’ve seen...
Spring
So…lots going on in the still-cold-but-slowly-defrosting-in-the-teasing-rays-of-Spring city of Minneapolis lately.
Along with the sunshine comes a slew of albums I’ve been working on the past few months…you can check them out here if you’re interested. Jim’s (aka the Mad Ripple) record was particularly fun as I showed up to the studio at 9 p.m. and by midnight we had the entire...
February 2010
3 posts
Hello
“What is the deal with the new website?” you ask, wondering what the deal is.
So the deal is I really enjoy designing and coding my own web stuff, and had big plans for a redesign of my old website, which was getting sort of clunky for me to keep updated.
…which is all well and good, but as things go my big plans got swept away in a sea of Other Things, and so now here is a Tumblr site where I...
I made this little mix a few months ago while...
September 2009
1 post
March 2009
1 post
