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December 21, 2006
Grass Boots
Here's a video hyping the Nevada City scene, with many dear friends featured. I pulled it off the Union's site (local newspaper). In the background is some music from the Grass Roots Record Co.'s "Family Album" comp which I recorded at Brighton Sound recently (Casual Fog, Them Hills). The sound is a bit crap, but hey.
The original article is here. (registration required)
I've become a second-citizen NC-ian over the last few years - it's been rad to be involved with that scene and record so many good bands and good friends. That involvement has led to the ground-up construction of my new studio, Station To Station, in Grass Valley/Nevada City. Brighton will be closing up shop and I'm-a moving er' thing up to the hills. Maybe a bit scary, but mostly pretty exciting. Really my only reservation is the commute and that's not a big deal when yr riding a motorcycle at top speed, grinning like a Cheshire Steve McQueen. Oh, check me out, I've got blueprints:
I'll have a new Station To Station website focused on my misadventures in engineering/production, with pics and song clips up soon. Framing starts this week - I have sessions booked for the first week of January, so I'm suitably stressed. All at once, everything all the time, all at once.
Parallel to the NC thing, we went to see our friend Joanna play at the Great American Music Hall in SF on Tues. The lady had sold out three nights! Crazytown. Noah Georgeson opened, and man, I hadn't realized Noah was such a great balladeer, really nice set from a solid dude. Anyway, Jo's set was mindblowing as well. Truly, wonderfully unlike anything I've seen at what is ostensibly a "rock" show. Crazy to see all the duders up there, with such intensity and focus. Good on them and cheers. Afterwards, I kinda had an internalized anxiety freak out in the densely crowded backstage, so apologies to anyone if I bailed early. Tangent! Part of the reason I think I react the way I do is that I've seldom liked the immediate aftershow backstage social frenzy or whatever - my own shows or otherwise. I always wanted a little space to chill out in silence for a minute or two. Wipe the sweat off and breathe. Collect a few semi-rational thoughts. Moodmaster, what can I say?
The "scene" at the GAMH? Lots of moccasins. Beards of all magnitudes (myself, no exception). A shade of haughty indie Pitchforkiness and pretense in your peasant-shirt ruffles and carefully attuned Allman Brothers couture, mayhaps? Aw, it don't matter, totally let it slide, 'cos the performances transcended. I'm proud of my friends.
Back to work,
DANA
Posted by dana at 10:20 AM | Comments (1)
December 15, 2006
So into this right now...
Posted by dana at 11:07 AM | Comments (3)
December 10, 2006
Sorry, that last hand nearly killed me.
Just saw the new Bond and it's so good! A welcome distraction from all the madness that has sprung up this December.
Been on a big, escapist, Netflix-fueled Bond kick. Tis the season, I suppose. Fleming once said he wrote the Bond novels to help him with his own insecurities and raw nerves.
Eh.
So, I've suddenly found that a very close relative of mine has cancer. She goes in for surgery just after Christmas. It's undetermined as of yet how far the cancer has spread, although it hasn't reached her vascular system, which is good. Dunno why I'm writing this here, other than to awkwardly and publicly give voice to my frustrations and fears. Yeah, I'm afraid. I know she'll be alright. I've seen two of my friends go through cancer. One didn't make it. So it's scary. But my lady is a tough old bird and she's gonna be fine. It's not her time yet.
Have you ever talked to someone 80+ about death? I don't think I have ever opened the subject up with any of my older family without the strained, blanketed fears and all the little denials or false comforts. Well, that's a really powerful talk. We had a short talk like that last week after we went together to her doctor's appointment. I had a difficult time not breaking. She views life and death as analogous to a garden, with it's brutal cycles and chance beauty, which to me, although I don't entirely accept the perspective, is a simple and brave way of looking at it - no gods or after-worlds or revelation - when you're gone, you're simply gone.
Anyway, during this conversation (which was surprisingly direct, and maybe less sweet than bitter), it became clear to both of us, following the garden metaphor, that dying things leave seeds, of course. She said to me that some seeds grow better than others, and some stay in the ground a while. I think she was trying to tell me not to be afraid.
Can a post be more f'd than this? From 007 to mortality and existential dread. Christ. Just rolling the dice here. I'm gone before the EMO escalates.
DANA
Posted by dana at 12:27 AM | Comments (4)
