Friday, February 6, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Digital Delay (delay....delay....)
I went to Seattle last week and went through a tiny sliver of my dad's immense accumulation of pedals and gear. I had some fun with space echos, analog and digital delays.
Our song Passionista has layered vocal and harmonies that I love love love to do, so the digital delay pedals were the most fun for me. I made some spooky, Pocahaunted style sounds that I love so much and pretended I was Laurie Anderson for a second. Then i sneezed for an hour from allergies. I'm not sure how a cat lives to be 20 years old....skin and bones that my childhood pet cat Bruce is now....but I'm just as allergic to his bony old man self as I was when he was a fatty.
On the way to the airport, my dad and I stopped at a pawn shop and grabbed a Boss DD-6 for me to mess with. One of us was able to bargain to $35 for the thing. Fine, it wasn't me. The pedal doesn't do as much as Champ's mount rack of effects, but we are spring cleaning in the winter time!! This is much more economical. Perhaps I will upload a sample of what I've done with it. Back to work!
Our song Passionista has layered vocal and harmonies that I love love love to do, so the digital delay pedals were the most fun for me. I made some spooky, Pocahaunted style sounds that I love so much and pretended I was Laurie Anderson for a second. Then i sneezed for an hour from allergies. I'm not sure how a cat lives to be 20 years old....skin and bones that my childhood pet cat Bruce is now....but I'm just as allergic to his bony old man self as I was when he was a fatty.
On the way to the airport, my dad and I stopped at a pawn shop and grabbed a Boss DD-6 for me to mess with. One of us was able to bargain to $35 for the thing. Fine, it wasn't me. The pedal doesn't do as much as Champ's mount rack of effects, but we are spring cleaning in the winter time!! This is much more economical. Perhaps I will upload a sample of what I've done with it. Back to work!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
WHAT IS DIY?
From the wikipedia article:
The DIY ethic (do it yourself ethic) refers to the ethic of being self-reliant by completing tasks oneself as opposed to having others who are likely more experienced complete them. The term can indicate “doing” anything from home improvements and repairs to healthcare, from publication to electronics.
DIY questions the supposed uniqueness of the expert’s skills, and promotes the ability of the ordinary person to learn to do more than he or she thought was possible.
In the punk subculture, the DIY ethic is tied to punk ideology and anticonsumerism, as a rejection of the need to purchase items or use existing systems or processes. Emerging punk bands often perform basement shows in residential homes, rather than at traditional venue, to avoid corporate sponsorship. The DIY punk ethic also applies to everyday living, such as learning bicycle repair rather than taking a bike to a mechanic’s shop, sewing/repairing/modifying clothing rather than buying new clothes, starting vegetable gardens, and reclaiming recyclable products by dumpster diving. Punk impresario David Ferguson’s CD Presents was a DIY concert production, recording studio and record label network.
Subculture
The term ‘DIY’ or ‘Do-It-Yourself’ is also used to describe:
* Self-publishing books, zines, and alternative comics.
* bands or solo artists releasing their music on self-funded record labels
* creating crafts such as knitting, sewing, handmade jewelry, ceramics, etc.[2]
* creating punk, indie, or hipster musical merchandise through the use of recycling thrift store or discarded materials, usually decorated with logo art applied by silk screen.[3]
* Independent game development and game modding.
DIY as a subculture arguably began with the punk movement of the 1970s[4]. Instead of traditional means of bands reaching their audiences through large music labels, bands began recording themselves, manufacturing albums and merchandise, booking their own tours, and creating opportunities for smaller bands to get wider recognition and gain cult status through repetitive low-cost DIY touring. The burgeoning zine movement took up coverage of and promotion of the underground punk scenes, and significantly altered the way fans interacted with musicians. Zines quickly branched off from being hand-made music magazines to become more personal. Zines quickly became one of the youth culture’s gateways to DIY culture, which lead to tutorial zines showing others how to make their own shirts, posters, zines, books, food, etc.
Political action
With the rise of the modern multi-national corporation, North American and European DIY culture has increasingly become a social and political ideology as well as a hobby and fashion aesthetic. Similar to the Arts and Crafts movement of the 1900s, the modern DIY movement is viewed as a reactionary response on an individual scale to modern industrial society’s reliance on mass-production. In response to the perception and belief that these large multi-national companies exploit labor in developing countries, (such as Gap, Nike, and Coca-Cola), the DIY subculture has increasingly seen its choices as consumers motivated in part to not support such perceived cruelty and abuse. A common sentiment expressed in DIY culture is to “think globally, act locally,” meaning that support of multinational corporations supports exploitative labor and environmental practices, so to purchase goods and services made locally in effect boycotts these organizations. In addition, the making, recycling, or otherwise following a doctrine of “non consumption” as part of DIY subculture lessens the amount of sales taxes one pays, such taxes being viewed as similarly aiding such morally repugnant institutions as governments which wage war. This view of “consuming less as political statement” is not agreed upon in the subcultures it is found in, but is a motivating force for many of its adherents.
DIY culture is not limited to hand-making items such as clothing and housewares, but extends to choices of public transportation such as biking and bike repair, walking, taking public transportation, making electric, hybrid or bio-diesel vehicles and modifying existing vehicles, to avoid supporting traditional car companies, which are perceived to be amoral. Listening to and making community radio, pirate radio, and watching and making community television instead of advertising-filled traditional media is also common.
The DIY ethic (do it yourself ethic) refers to the ethic of being self-reliant by completing tasks oneself as opposed to having others who are likely more experienced complete them. The term can indicate “doing” anything from home improvements and repairs to healthcare, from publication to electronics.
DIY questions the supposed uniqueness of the expert’s skills, and promotes the ability of the ordinary person to learn to do more than he or she thought was possible.
In the punk subculture, the DIY ethic is tied to punk ideology and anticonsumerism, as a rejection of the need to purchase items or use existing systems or processes. Emerging punk bands often perform basement shows in residential homes, rather than at traditional venue, to avoid corporate sponsorship. The DIY punk ethic also applies to everyday living, such as learning bicycle repair rather than taking a bike to a mechanic’s shop, sewing/repairing/modifying clothing rather than buying new clothes, starting vegetable gardens, and reclaiming recyclable products by dumpster diving. Punk impresario David Ferguson’s CD Presents was a DIY concert production, recording studio and record label network.
Subculture
The term ‘DIY’ or ‘Do-It-Yourself’ is also used to describe:
* Self-publishing books, zines, and alternative comics.
* bands or solo artists releasing their music on self-funded record labels
* creating crafts such as knitting, sewing, handmade jewelry, ceramics, etc.[2]
* creating punk, indie, or hipster musical merchandise through the use of recycling thrift store or discarded materials, usually decorated with logo art applied by silk screen.[3]
* Independent game development and game modding.
DIY as a subculture arguably began with the punk movement of the 1970s[4]. Instead of traditional means of bands reaching their audiences through large music labels, bands began recording themselves, manufacturing albums and merchandise, booking their own tours, and creating opportunities for smaller bands to get wider recognition and gain cult status through repetitive low-cost DIY touring. The burgeoning zine movement took up coverage of and promotion of the underground punk scenes, and significantly altered the way fans interacted with musicians. Zines quickly branched off from being hand-made music magazines to become more personal. Zines quickly became one of the youth culture’s gateways to DIY culture, which lead to tutorial zines showing others how to make their own shirts, posters, zines, books, food, etc.
Political action
With the rise of the modern multi-national corporation, North American and European DIY culture has increasingly become a social and political ideology as well as a hobby and fashion aesthetic. Similar to the Arts and Crafts movement of the 1900s, the modern DIY movement is viewed as a reactionary response on an individual scale to modern industrial society’s reliance on mass-production. In response to the perception and belief that these large multi-national companies exploit labor in developing countries, (such as Gap, Nike, and Coca-Cola), the DIY subculture has increasingly seen its choices as consumers motivated in part to not support such perceived cruelty and abuse. A common sentiment expressed in DIY culture is to “think globally, act locally,” meaning that support of multinational corporations supports exploitative labor and environmental practices, so to purchase goods and services made locally in effect boycotts these organizations. In addition, the making, recycling, or otherwise following a doctrine of “non consumption” as part of DIY subculture lessens the amount of sales taxes one pays, such taxes being viewed as similarly aiding such morally repugnant institutions as governments which wage war. This view of “consuming less as political statement” is not agreed upon in the subcultures it is found in, but is a motivating force for many of its adherents.
DIY culture is not limited to hand-making items such as clothing and housewares, but extends to choices of public transportation such as biking and bike repair, walking, taking public transportation, making electric, hybrid or bio-diesel vehicles and modifying existing vehicles, to avoid supporting traditional car companies, which are perceived to be amoral. Listening to and making community radio, pirate radio, and watching and making community television instead of advertising-filled traditional media is also common.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Economizing The Band
In the next few days, we are going to experiment with our set-up and try out playing our songs in different ways.
Anyways, last night was a great show at the Echo with Infinite Body, Hecuba and High Places whom we both love wand respect with high regard. We went to see the show with Andrew who is so happy that High Places lives in LA now, he danced like there was no tomorrow. Olrayts!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
5...4...3...2...Fun!
Last week we made our way up to Santa Barbara. We played on the local college radio station, KCSB 91.9 FM and made some new friends! I have to say that this trip helped make me bliss; exploring! creating! and sharing music!
We drove up Thursday night and played on the radio show 5...4...3...2...Fun! with radio host Josh from the band Watercolor paintings. Josh is a rad guy who always welcomes bands onto his show each week.
We played just over a half hour set and gave a one hour seminar about our political and socio-economic beliefs. It was really fun!!!!
We didnt have much of a plan, but Josh was nice enough to let us crash in his living room. We woke up and made our way to a beautiful butterfly preserve. It's the season for Monarch butterflies to migrate through the area, particularly, a Eucalyptus field. You walk inside, stand still, look around and begin to see swarms of butterflies emerge from the shadows, fly out of mossy logs and rest on blades of grass blowing in the breeze.
Gabe and Katya met us on the beach just in time for sunset. We ate some mediocre sushi and went to see Josh's band play at a house party at UCSB. It's a great community of people and bands, definitely worth checking out!
Soon enough, it was time for us to go home. Traveling and experiencing other people's creations is the best. Next time we can stuff you in our trunk and take you along with us...
We drove up Thursday night and played on the radio show 5...4...3...2...Fun! with radio host Josh from the band Watercolor paintings. Josh is a rad guy who always welcomes bands onto his show each week.
We played just over a half hour set and gave a one hour seminar about our political and socio-economic beliefs. It was really fun!!!!
We didnt have much of a plan, but Josh was nice enough to let us crash in his living room. We woke up and made our way to a beautiful butterfly preserve. It's the season for Monarch butterflies to migrate through the area, particularly, a Eucalyptus field. You walk inside, stand still, look around and begin to see swarms of butterflies emerge from the shadows, fly out of mossy logs and rest on blades of grass blowing in the breeze.
Gabe and Katya met us on the beach just in time for sunset. We ate some mediocre sushi and went to see Josh's band play at a house party at UCSB. It's a great community of people and bands, definitely worth checking out!
Soon enough, it was time for us to go home. Traveling and experiencing other people's creations is the best. Next time we can stuff you in our trunk and take you along with us...
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
"Spooky Snow" For All Of You.
We finally finished a new EP of home recorded songs that we have been working on. Its been fun trying to learn and experiement with "production techniques" and all that chu-chu. Gotta admit, I'd still prefer just pressing record and playing the whole song through but this was good for us to make something different more based on concepts for recorded material instead of just songs to be played live which for me have always been two different art forms. Except for one song, most the songs weren't originally intended for us to be played live. We made most of it with a lot of additional instrumentations and had fun with effects pedals during recordings. But perhaps we might reconfigure some of it and transpose it to our live sets or if we can find people who wouldn't mind playing small but crucial parts in some songs. Who knows? Anyways, the little EP is called "Spooky Snow" and its our little winter album for all of you. You can get it from our shows or through Paypal for 5 bucks. All the proceeds will go to funding for zines that we will be making. Anyways, if you have nothing to do on Thursday at 10 pm, we'll be on air in KCSB 91.9 UC Santa Barbara's COllege Radio. If you want you can give us a call and we can play requests for Mariah Carey and Carpenters covers. Thats all for now. Get "Spooky Snow".
Friday, January 9, 2009
Two Thousand Nine.
We just made several new songs this week which we a re excited to play. Its been a really crazy Holiday and too much partying since Kwanzaa. Rhea is kinda getting sick and losing her voice, hopefully she'll be much better next week because we'll be heading to Santa Barbara to be on 5432Fun, which is a radio show on KCSB hosted by the other half of Watercolor Paintings, Josh. The other half is her sibling, Rebecca, who plays the harp. We've been listening to previous episodes of the show online and really dig the songs he plays in the show. This will be our first time on the radio so it will be fun especially since its kinda out of town and in a college radio. We've been wondering what kind of set-up we're gonna bring but i think we agreed to just play with keys and drums. We are hoping to stay in Santa Barbara until Saturday and hope to find some fun things to do. Maybe we can go to a show or play some impromptu house party or just have fun. We are also looking forward to the Echo Curio show on the 19th. Our great friends The Health Club will play first then us then Billygoat. We also went to The Smell last night to check out Campfire, Sun Araw and Pocahaunted. Rhea wasn't feeling so good, especially after swimming in a sea of noise and drone so we had to leave early -she was getting sick. There were still a lot of people on the streets though it was very cold and foggy. I realized it was because of the Downtown Artwalk. Anyways, i hope you are smiling hard in reading this, lone reader!
P.S. Rhea has been doing the Only For The Open-Minded zine which you can find at some local venues and i've been getting busy in making the Smile Hard zine which i have made available online and some local venues like Pehrspace, The Smell, and soon Don's Records and The Echo Curio.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Shoe Fo' Sho The Nu Yeah!
Looking forward to this show at the Echo Curio. Apparently, Luna Is Honey cancelled because not all of thema re available on the date. It would still be a fun show with all these amazing bands.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Biology Or Physics?
Its raining like crazy in LA today. Would have been a great day to stay in bed under the blankets but gotta make some dough. Anyways, the Pehr Space Craft this weekend was a blast. We met a lot of cool people: crafters, bands, zinesters and others. We also made two new songs this weekend which is really very minimalist than the ones we have before. Less is indeed more. Check this out.
http://www.srcf.ucam.org/~lj237/BoP/
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
FUN TIMES IN SEATTLE.
We spent a couple of fun times in Seattle last week. Went to the Urban Craft Uprising and checked out a lot of DIY arts and crafts that people are doing in that part of the country.
Also stopped by the Vera Project where they also had some kind of fair. Rhea got her shirt printed and i got the back of my hoodie too. The place is an awesome all ages DIY space. We met with some of the volunteers there and they seem very nice. I gave a CD to the guy at the front, Dustin. It was the 5-song EP that we recorded as Magick Bitches. We also went to a lot of other awesome venues, namely the Josephine in Ballard where i saw this band called Love Tan rock the house. We also went to a gathering of DIY labels around Seattle/Olympia area at The Healthy Times Fun Club over at Capitol Hill organized by people from Hollow Earth Radio. The bands were done when we got there but we met some awesome people especially Ross, from Bicycle Records. They release mostly folk and electropop music -should be worth checking out. He is also in band called June Madrona.
Anyways, we went to lot of other places, ate a lot of good food, vegan and seafood..even raw. We were loving the weather and made sure to keep warm by imbibing booze at every stop (almost!)Our friends Bre and Katya were such great fun to hang with. It was just great to be away from LA and checking out Seattle. Our decision to change our band name has a lot to do with the wonderful people and the amazing experience we had over there with their all-ages DIY community -i hate having to explain it over and over again. M_A-G-I-C-K-O-R-C-H-I-D-S!
We are just happy to be back and glad to be in time to be able to experience an amazing mind-blowing Wilderness show last night at The Echo...If you never heard of Wilderness...you should!
and btw, guess what Rhea brought back with her from Seattle...
CLUE: bleep..ngoorkk..bzzzt...teeet...pffft...zooom...
YOU GUESSED IT?
Also stopped by the Vera Project where they also had some kind of fair. Rhea got her shirt printed and i got the back of my hoodie too. The place is an awesome all ages DIY space. We met with some of the volunteers there and they seem very nice. I gave a CD to the guy at the front, Dustin. It was the 5-song EP that we recorded as Magick Bitches. We also went to a lot of other awesome venues, namely the Josephine in Ballard where i saw this band called Love Tan rock the house. We also went to a gathering of DIY labels around Seattle/Olympia area at The Healthy Times Fun Club over at Capitol Hill organized by people from Hollow Earth Radio. The bands were done when we got there but we met some awesome people especially Ross, from Bicycle Records. They release mostly folk and electropop music -should be worth checking out. He is also in band called June Madrona.
Anyways, we went to lot of other places, ate a lot of good food, vegan and seafood..even raw. We were loving the weather and made sure to keep warm by imbibing booze at every stop (almost!)Our friends Bre and Katya were such great fun to hang with. It was just great to be away from LA and checking out Seattle. Our decision to change our band name has a lot to do with the wonderful people and the amazing experience we had over there with their all-ages DIY community -i hate having to explain it over and over again. M_A-G-I-C-K-O-R-C-H-I-D-S!
We are just happy to be back and glad to be in time to be able to experience an amazing mind-blowing Wilderness show last night at The Echo...If you never heard of Wilderness...you should!
and btw, guess what Rhea brought back with her from Seattle...
CLUE: bleep..ngoorkk..bzzzt...teeet...pffft...zooom...
YOU GUESSED IT?
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
A NAME IS A NAME IS A NAME...
after much thought and reflection we have decided to change our name from magick bitches to MAGICK ORCHIDS. hell! we might even change it whenever we feel like it or in every project we work on just to avoid branding . but bitches, magick or kids? i meant orchids? -a name is a name is a name and our name for now is MAGICK ORCHIDS.
ORCHIDS???
Orchids are renowned for their charming, captivating colors and unexplainable magnificence. Orchids are one of the most greeted flowers by flower enthusiasts around the world. “King of fragrant plants” is the term often labeled for this flowers due to it’s outstanding aroma.
• Orchids are among the most ancient of cultivated plants. The ancient Greeks believed orchids enhanced their sexual powers.
• Orchids are the largest group of flowering plants in nature. There are more than 25,000 identified species. A new species is discovered almost every day.
• There are more than 130,000 artificially created orchid hybrids, all officially recorded by the Royal Horticultural Society of England, the international registrar, and thousands more that have never been registered.
• Members of the Orchidaceae family grow on every continent except Antarctica. Orchids are found in every color except black.
• Two of the tallest orchids are Grammatophyllus speciosum, found in Malaysia, Sumatra and the Philippines, reaching heights of 25 feet; and Sobralia altissima, an orchid from Peru that can grow to a height of 44 feet, topped with clusters of six-inch flowers.
• The smallest orchids are from one genus: Platystele halbingeriana from Mexico and Platystele jungermanniodes from Central America. This flowering plant fits on a thumbnail.
• Orchid fragrances attract specific pollinators. The scents include coconut and chocolate, mentholatum and new-mown hay, as well as the most foul odors.
• Charles Darwin wrote one of the first major works on orchids, “On the Various Contrivances by Which Orchids are Fertilized by Insects.” It was written prior to “The Origin of Species.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
