The Carnival Comes To Oakland

Dad and I hit the local carnival a couple weekends ago here in Oakland. We roamed around staring at all the rides (but didn't actually go on any of them), soaked in the colors, lights and sounds and shot a bunch of pics. I ate pink carmel corn and Dad had a corn dog. Games are up to $5 now, insane. I think the last time Dad went to a carnival he said they were a quarter. Last time I went to a carnival I could still stomach the tilt-a-whirl, but I sat this one out and opted for a photo session instead.



Along the way we both plugged a couple of rounds with the bb-gun rifles. I'd actually never done it before. I missed some of that red star on the target paper but I almost got it all. Good to know I can focus on a mark without my glasses on, whee.

I also made this silly slideshow with a free online thingie
It's got quite an annoying sound loop... you may want to hit 'mute' if it starts making your brain spin, but I couldn't help myself, it just needed something playing while the images rolled. This tool doesn't let you use your own sounds, unfortunately.

I uploaded all of the photos HERE if you want to see them individually (they're much larger and without the annoying sound loop).

Z'EV USA Tour / April-June 2007 *updated*

*Updated with latest tour dates*

Just added:
Z'EV will be doing an exclusive workshop with Dean Suzuki in the Music Department at San Francisco State University on May 1st.

Here are details:

Z'EV Percussion/Sound Workshop
TUESDAY MAY 1, 2007
6:10PM - 8:45PM (break in middle)

Creative Arts Building
San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94132

MAP OF CAMPUS: http://musicdance.sfsu.edu/contact/contact1.html

Radon presents:

Z'EV
"Ex-Patriot" Tour - USA / April-June 2007
w/ support act: SIKHARA

More info: www.radoncollective.org/

The following dates have been confirmed (more will be announced shortly):

* No Sikhara this show
^ No Z'EV this show

APRIL

SAT 14: NYC @ Project Room w/ David Linton *
SUN 15: Rochester, NY @ A/V Space w/ Khate, Deciduous vs. Conifer
MON 16: Toledo, OH @ Mickey Finn's Pub w/ Venomed Mind, Vertonen and Jason Zeh
TUE 17: Cincinnati, OH @ Skull Lab w/ Vertonen, Burning Star Core, Realicide, Iovae
TUE 17: delayed broadcast of live in-studio @ WFMU www.wfmu.org
WED 18: Chicago, IL @ Enemy w/ Illusion of Safety *
THU 19: Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle w/ Vertonen, Magic is Kuntmaster
FRI 20: Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club w/ Mouths
SAT 21: Minneapolis, MN @ Memory Lanes ^
SUN 22: Minneapolis, MN @ The Church
THU 26: Eugene, OR @ Diva w/ Moe! Staiano, Warning Broken Machine, Noah Mickens
FRI 27: Boise, ID @ TBA w/ Moe! Staiano! *
SAT 28: Portland, OR @ Rotture w/ Moe! Staiano, Daniel Menche, Nequaquam Vacuum
SUN 29: Seattle, WA @ Vera Project w/ Moe! Staiano! (CD RELEASE PARTY) & Noah Mickens
MON 30: Sacramento, CA @ Fool's Foundation

MAY

TUE 1: radio broadcast @ (No Other Radio) KPFA-Berkeley CA (11:59PM-1:30AM, PST) www.kpfa.org
WED 2: radio broadcast @ KFJC-Los Altos Hills CA (2-5PM, PST) www.kfjc.org
THU 3: Oakland, CA @ Orbis Nex w/ Dark Muse, Aixela
SAT 5: Los Angeles, CA @ Il Corral w/ Hop Frog, Dog
SUN 6: Los Angeles, CA @ Dangerous Curve *
WED 8: Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Testing Laboratories
THU 10: Oklahoma City, OK @ The Conservatory
FRI 11: Tulsa, OK @ Mooch and Burn w/ Thee Girls ov ctephin
SAT 12: Houston, TX @ Super Happy Fun Land
SUN 13: Austin, TX @ TBA
WED 16: Atlanta, GA @ Eyedrum w/ Black Meat and Mr Natural
THU 17: Knoxville, TN @ The Pilot Light
FRI 18: Johnson City, TN @ Heather's Hideaway w/ Glasspack, Blade The Ripper
SAT 19: Murfreesboro, TN @ TBA w/ Bumble Beast
SUN 20: Hickory, NC @ Chez Marque w/ Clang Quartet
TUE 22: Chapel Hill, NC @ Nightlight w/ Clang Quartet
WED 23: Charlottesville, VA @ Tea Bazaar
THU 24: Washington, DC @ Warehouse Next Door
FRI 25: Philadelphia, PA @ Ars Nova
SAT 26: Manhattan, NY @ Pussycat Lounge w/ James Plotkin, Mark Burch
SUN 27: Cleveland, OH @ Parish Hall
MON 28: Pittsburg, PA @ Frick Fine Arts Auditorium University of Pittsburg
TUE 29: Bloomington, IN @ 401 South Rogers w/ D.B.H.
WED 30: Lincoln, NE @ The Chatterbox w/ Sixes

JUNE

SAT 2: Denver, CO @ TBA w/ Boyd Rice, Sikhara vs. Experiment Haywire

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

FURTHER Z'EV USA 2007 TOUR INFO:

Several artists from the recently released WOMEN TAKE BACK THE NOISE compilation (UBUIBI) are featured along the lineup for the Z'EV/Sikhara 2007 USA "Ex-Patriot" Tour, at Z'EV's request.

KHATE (Rochester NY - April 15)
DARK MUSE (Oakland CA - May 3)
AEDRIA HUGHES w/ctephin (Tulsa OK - May 11)
EXPERIMENT HAYWIRE (Denver CO - June 2)

* * * * *

Since the 1970's, the currently Uk -based text/sound artist Z'EV has been at the forefront of the movement that became known as "industrial".

A precursor even to Neubauten, his brand of scrap-metal/found object percussion originates in intense musical training and background. Beginning with his days at the California Institute of the Arts, Z'EV has studied techniques such as Balinese Gamelan, EWE (Ghana), Tala (south India), and Vou Dun (Hati).

Incorporating these traditional methods into his distinctly personal musical vision of sound, Z'EV has consistently produced vital examples of his craft for a host of noted labels including Soleilmoon, C.I.P, Touch and Die Stadt and a commissioned piece for John Zorn's "Radical Jewish Music" series on Zaddik. His record "Bust This" was chosen in 1988 by The Wire as one of the greatest 50 percussion albums of all time.

Z'EV has graced the stage and created installations for an immense variety of venues in Europe, the US and Japan. The list of his collaborators over the years includes such luminaries as Keiji Haino, David Jackman, Francisco Lopez, KK Null, Stephen O'Malley, Charlemagne Palestine, Genesis P 'Orridge and Chris Watson.

In 2007, Radon presents 'Bust This', the premiere full-on American tour by Z'EV. These appearances will be his first state-side performances (excluding NYC and LA) in well over 20 years.

The concerts will occur in a mixture of conventional venues as well as delving into underground contexts which few artists of Z'EV's history and stature have explored. The return of Z'EV to the United States is highly anticipated in the wake of his recent activity. A new generation of listeners have come to the realization that much of what they consider to be the original wave of avant garde music, owes a huge debt to the creative pathways forged by Z'EV.

We luv our UbuWeb...

ASPEN: The multimedia magazine in a box
This is a web version of Aspen, a multimedia magazine of the arts published by Phyllis Johnson from 1965 to 1971. Each issue came in a customized box filled with booklets, phonograph recordings, posters, postcards — one issue even included a spool of Super-8 movie film. It's all here.

All the issues are really great. My personal fav is #9 for obvious reasons.

Women Take Back The Noise - Alterati Interview

Wes Unruh did a rockin' interview with me a couple weeks ago for the brand-new ALTERATI site.

That place is really shaping up to be a very interesting zone of goodstuff for eyes, ears, and other chakras. Check it out if you haven't already. So far lotta interviews with interesting creative folks and eventually I hear there will be plenty of video to chew on. Not your ordinary stuff there.

Interview: Women Take Back The Noise and More: Ninah Pixie
by Wes Unruh

Podcast/interview: The G-Spot Episode #3
by Wes Unruh

The Art of Mark Bryan

This painting is really freaking me out, but I can't stop staring at it...

Voice comments (testing...)

Hey, anyone wanna test this thing out? I'm considering adding it to the sidebar and playing around with its possibilities.

It's a free phonecall, just click the button that says Record By Phone and it gives you a number to dial (from almost anywhere in the world). I'm not sure how long the time limit is but the quality is pretty good. I'm thinking this might make a good online compilation project.

*UPDATE* It's in the sidebar now...

Goodbye Blue Monday...

Kurt Vonnegut
1922-2007

Noise from Finland

Music video for the piece entitled Norsun Sydän (which, roughly translated to English means "elephant kernel"). This piece was an exclusive track by Finnish experimental girl-group Hertta Lussu Ässä created for the Women Take Back The Noise compilation back in 2006.

The group are also part of a larger ensemble known as Kuupuu (with artist Jonna Karanka at the helm), who are in the midst of creating a new website, but further info can be obtained via their Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/kuupuu.

The Book Of Dreams

"... A surreal parade of images and ideas. An online rave or Mardis Gras where you are completely free and encouraged to express yourself..."

ENTER



Gorgeous stuff in here.

and be SURE you visit THIS ONE

omg, who ARE these people? This stuff is fantastic. Enjoy the RIDE

Eye

Earth Intruders (new Bjork single)

*UPDATE* The entire song is now available, and you can download/hear the .mp3 once again, via Shameless Complacency

hmmmmm...

The weather must be really good all around the planet right now or something. It just seems like a great big hush has fallen over the bloggy-sphere and everyone's out and away from their box and enjoying life outdoors (which, imho, is a good thing).

Since I'm stuck indoors at the dayjob, I decided to take a random surf break and go poking around for tidbits to post. Haven't really come up with much, because I think lately I've just not been feeling much blogging gusto, but I did run across a very short excerpt of the new single due for release by Björk, from her upcoming new album, Volta (due for release in May 2007).

The single is called Earth Intruders, and features the incredibly catchy beats supplied by super-producer Timbaland. You can hear the excerpt HERE (courtesy of Shameless Complacency)

L'il Bendy

I absolutely love my L'il Bendy which just arrived two days ago in the mail. Definitely well worth the $10 (postage paid) and very hard to stop playing with once you start. It has a nice range of bent-sounds possible with the combinations of buttons and contact points. Runs on two AA batteries. You need to modify with your own line out if you want to plug into your mixer/effects, but this thing is totally RAD.

If you order one, be sure to tell Jacob that the Noise-Pixie sent ya.



Here's a sample from the website:

lilbendy1.mp3

mp3 of the Li’l Bendy in action– first, solo, then with another Li’l Bendy, then with whistling accompaniment. name that tune!

I just love my dad...

Happy Birthday Mickey!
Celebrating all 68 awesome years of YOU.