All the Time in the World

All the Time in the World
01-The Alarm Clock's Set For "Om"   33:35
02-The Hundred Dollar Breakfast    73:32
03-Axioms of Extensionality    36:05
04-Bombay Saphire Stardust Memories   88:00
05-Totally Oblivious     75:10
06-A Sad Conclusion Called Reality    47:18
Total time     5:53:43

"The Alarm Clock's Set For 'Om'" is a drone which is played on/ looped from a 12-string acoustic guitar.  "The Hundred Dollar Breakfast" Only in America.  If you have been there, you know what I am refering too.  The ultimate in extravagance.  "Axioms of Extensionality"  I've become so consumed in the concept of infinity that I believe it to be completely false.  A poem I wrote called "Infinity" is included at the end of this album explination.   "Bombay Saphire Stardust Memories"  Ok, I'll admit it.  I was home alone, the wife out of town, I was drinking gin and tonic and watching Woody Allen's "Stardust Memories".  I don't believe it actually, or exactly fits, but definately inspired by.  (I've tried to get the connection watching "The Wizard of Oz" while listening to Pink FLoyd's "The Dark Side of the Moon".  I didn't get it.  But if when I watched "Skatetown USA" while listening to David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardus and the Spiders From Mars", it definately fit.)  "Totally Oblivious" is an extension of "Axioms of Extensionality."  More on the suject of infinity.  "A Sad Conclusion Called Reality" is a piognant end to the album, the acceptance that if life begins, it ends.  Face it.  Get over it.

Transmissions From The Machine Planet

Transmissions From The Machine Planet
01-Morning Prayers      62:07
02-Captive Sky       48:37
03-Detention Center      28:32
04-Cymbolic Jestures      59:52
05-Circling Clouds      66:52
06-No Cause for Alarm      8:19
07-Wheel of Fortune      18:33
08-Sleep No More      52:19
09-They Rock All Night at the Ballrooms of Mars   14:00
Total time     5:59:14

It's too bad that I already used the title "Songs of Praise and Torture".  I consider this to be act two.  The overt cynisism lies in the notion that we are the machine planet.  We have become the emotionless world that tortures it's captives.  The land that never sleeps, in which every inch is spoken for.  The society that makes a profit off of everything, including prisons, children, the sick, the disaster stricken.  It's not new.  In fact, it is so imbedded in our culture that we are numb to it's control.  The monster who will not obey, so to speak.

"Morning Prayers"  Imagine you are a small child, living in a place where before you go to school, you wake up with your father, bow towards Mecca, and say you morning prayers.  You don't know about things like politics, wars, invasions, dictators.  You play and go to school.  One morning you awaken to your city being attacked.  Total chaos is everywhere.  Buildings are falling from bombs falling from the sky.  People are yelling "The Americans are attacking!"  Your life will never be the same again.  This piece is dedicated to the most innocent victims, the children of Iraq.  "Captive Sky" uses electric guitar, sequencer and percussion software. The thought that even the sky itself is a prison.  "Detention Center" Again, sequencer and percussion software.  The life of the prisoner.  Solitaire.  "Cymbolic Jestures" Percussion software programming which is predominately cymbols and bells, with some electric guitar thrown in.  I was going for an asian theatrical dance piece.  "Circling Clouds"  Electric guitar and sequencer.  The sound of a storm approaching.  "No Cause for Alarm"  Oenyaw at the disco.  A short sequencer track.  "Wheel of Fortune" or "Spin the Wheel!"  In some places, it's the grand prize that awaits, in the world of tarot, it is not always a good sign. This particular wheel goes on and on like a torture device.  This piece was actually made with a mechanical rotating device.  "Sleep No More"  RIP.  What if there is no peace?  What if we no longer sleep?  You want eternal life, but under your terms.  The number of people throughout history on every culture that make a living telling others what they must do to achieve paradise after death is stiffeling.  They know what God is thinking, but they can't balance their checkbooks.  Eternal life would drive us to insanity within the first month.  "They Rock All Night at the Ballrooms of Mars" contains visions of an alien band with a highly emotionally charged singer.  Playing in a club on a desert planet, filled with smugglers, mercinaries, outlaws and the locals.  "The Ballrooms of Mars" is a T.Rex song, so one could consider this a hommage to one of my favorite guitarists.  This is also influenced by the alien bar scene in Star Wars.

Life Stills

Life Stills
01-A Picture of a Vase (with a crack in it)                    59:31
02-Drifting on a Methane Ocean                                 55:49
03-Leaves Reflecting On Ripples, Leaves Floating On Ripples    74:46
04-A Meadow of Allergens                                       59:31
05-Rear View Mirror                                            62:23
Total time     5:12:02

This is the second album of "sound deco", works that are intended to enhace a room as decoration, part of the interior design.   Please refer to "Fundamentals of Sound Deco" for an explination.  "A Picture of a Vase (with a crack in it)" is as titled, a picture of a vase.  There is a line in the Patti Smith song "Poppies" which states something like "she was lying still like a picture of a vase."  The crack in it is a pop of static electricity that I could not edit.  Mind you, I can edit out "anything", but this crack just wouldn't leave.  I'm actually not sure if it still there, because it only appears when listening on certian systems.  So if you are "looking" at the vase from a different persective, you will never hear it. "Drifting on a Methane Ocean" is a picture of one floating on a small boat, on an ocean made up of a methane, which becomes liquid at -182.5 c.   With "Leaves Reflecting On Ripples, Leaves Floating On Ripples", imagine looking at a water surface reflecting the leaves from a tree, as well as leaves floating on the surface.  "A Meadow of Allergens" is a track for everyone who suffers from allergies (I happen to be allergic to grass).  A very sleepy piece.  "Rear View Mirror".  Looking forward and looking back at the same time, in the same frame.

The Temple Remains

The Temple Remains
01-Amon       13:45
02-Bes         3:04
03-Hapi        7:24
04-Khnum       3:27  
05-Imhotep    12:26  
06-Thoth       7:42
07-Tefnut      4:07
08-Nut        10:12
09-Serapis    19:06
10-Sebek       8:17
11-Sekhmet    16:41
12-Renenet    20:37
13-Hathor     34:40
14-Osiris     29:51
15-Buto       22:51
16-Geb        10:36
17-Min         3:03
18-Ptah        2:19
19-Shu        32:15
20-Meshknet   13:58
21-Khons      19:16
22-Shai       32:40
23-Anubis     12:24
Total time     6:04:41

The title "The Temple Remains" can be read in two ways.  First, there is an archaeological view that the Gods may be dead, but the temple remains.  The second is that the remains of the temple are the myths of the Gods.  The cover is a photograph of the Washington Monument, a monument which resembles the oblisques of ancient Egypt.  All of the titles are names of Egyptian deities.  The idea for this project developed after a visitation to the New York Metropolitan Museam of Art.  The bottom floor of The Met has an exhibit of Egytpian relics, one item being the entrace of a temple.  There is a photograph of the structure when excavated shows the battered, grafitti ridden stones amongst rubble.  The idea hit me that, even though no one on the planet actively worships these Gods any more, one cannot deny that at one time these Gods were real to the people and were a part of the society.  To believe that the Gods that are presently worshiped are real and that the Gods of the past no one remembers are false is total arrogance.  The Gods of the future will be comprised of Elvis, Marylin, and the beliefe in The Jedi.
All tracks are performed on electric guitar, except "Bes", "Tefnut", "Sebek", and "Shu which were performed on a pedal steel guitar and "Meshknet" which was performed on an electric fretless bass.  As far as the track "Hapi", the interesting thing about this piece is that no matter how many times I have tried to edit the word, the title always comes out as HApi, not Hapi.

If I could only remember my name...

That was a David Crosby album way back when.  I just spent 10 minutes trying to remember my e-mail and password for this blog.  Seems like a senior moment.

Anyway, I have been cursed by a quote that I myself once posted by Gustav Holst: "Don't compose anything until you can't not compose it."  The problem is that a while back, I had this idea for an opera.  I started writing the libretto and then put it away, hoping to forget the idea.  Well, it is taking it's toll on me, and I have accepted that after 2 "not bad" albums ("Lenore's Pet Raven Edgar" and "Water Deities"), 1 acceptable ("Transmissions for the Machine Planet" [which my son thinks is great]), and 1 painful album (let's just say that "A Round Trip" shows my Throbbing Gristle side), the opera MUST be completed.  The working title is "Excuse Me While I Talk To God".  I don't know what to do about the vocal part.  I can't sing worth a "wooden nickle."  I'll think of something.

Reitterating the Radio/Internet "Airplay" idea.

"It would be absolutely insane to expect anyone to play my music on their webspace."  This is what I wrote over a year ago.  Hour long tracks, 6 hour albums.  Just the announcement of "Oenyaw" would draw looks of horror from any radio program director.  The idea of having my own radio station is based on this principle.  Not as much total arrogance, just very different.  I take my music as works of art.  It is impossible for me to slice them up at the notion that when compromised, they will be accepted by a larger audience.  First point would be how to slice them up.  The second point would be what slices to dish out.  The thrid and main point is what larger audience?
Hidden withing the slicing up for mainstream (which is now manystreams) airplay, there is always the goal of producing an item that will be sold.  I decided not to sell my music to people who wanted to listen, rather make it free for those who will listen.  Therefore, the only logical way to make the music available is through a free site set up exclusively with my music, and totally free to listen and to download.
Anyway, Oenyaw will always be a working project.

Vertigo

Once again, I have been a victim of the dreaded condition.  After a two month bout, I think I am finally over it.  The odd thing is that when you deal with vertigo for an extended period of time, there is a bit of uncertainty that follows.  Am I really over it, or am I still dizzy?  I really hate it.  I kept telling myself that it wasn't that bad this time, but every time I though it was gone, I would lean over in a direction that would get everything going and everything would get going and I would be stumbling around for a few days.  This time, when I went to the ENT, I was thinking "Oh, it's not really that bad" even though I was walking down the hallway feeling like the wals were at an angle, the ceiling thinner that the floor.  I lied down with the doctor holding my head and I was on a roller coaster.  It's interesting when the feeling hits, and the little chrystals start moving through the inner ear canals like a high speed subway, I instantly, and instinctively try to go into a fetal position.  All in all, I'm much better now.

Now, it's on with Cubase LE5.  It's been a major pain in the ass getting the software registered.  Hopefully I'll get it figured out before the April deadline.

New album explinations are forthcoming.