Science gallery
Br-r-r-r-r-r … It’s froggy time again!
Flight of the Atom Bee cover art
I am happy to share with you the final art for the long-awaited digital release of the analog classic “Flight of the Atom Bee.” I will be posting some articles about some of the vintage analog instruments used on the cd, as well as some words about the songs themselves, over the next month.
I found this image on the website Mirabilia Images. The utterly charming couple, Luciano and Mira, whom I assume to be residing in Italy, do some wonderful work: perfectly matched, in my opinion to the music found on “Flight of the Atom Bee:” beautiful, strange, sexy, and otherworldly. I was so happy when I found the site.
I wrote to them about licensing an image, along with a link to the music and they wrote back with a yes, and very complimentary words about the cd, which I of course appreciate. So we came to an agreement on the license and they sent me the image and I spent some time putting in the Atom Bee and … here we are!
CD Master and artwork go off to the distribution center next week, to become available online everywhere within the next few weeks.
Free download—If I Was Sober (I’d Go Get Drunk)
This cost $18, so it stays. Sorry.
I recently got a very rude email about this song from some woman who (a) considered herself somewhat of an expert on the blues and (b) actually believed I might possibly care about her ramblings. She asked me if I had ever listened to Robert Johnson. Actually, I think she asked if I even knew who he was …
She basically said that “If I Was Sober (I’d Go Get Drunk)” was fake blues, because (a) I can’t play blues guitar (b) it is a silly song and (c) … I forget … To all of this I wish to respond … normally, I take criticism with a grain of salt: I have no false modesty about my work; I know what I put into it, even songs like this. But sometimes, no. Make that always, it is the duty of the artist to confront such egregious asininity head-on.
Dear Ms. No-Boundaries:
Of course the song IS silly; there are thousands of silly blues songs. I mean, read the damn title for Christ’s sake.
What do you mean I can’t play blues guitar? You mean like, say, Eric Clapton? Well no, but I play from the heart and this song comes from real-life hurt (I still remember how it felt when I figured out what that girl was up to! Luckily I was still drinking and that helped a lot.) and therefore it is a real blues song, dumb ass.
And lastly, as some old blues guy said if it hasn’t been hocked, it can’t play the blues. Well, if that is the criteria, this guitar is Lucille, Jr. and I am BB King’s bastard son. Word.
Your truly,
K.B.
And for the rest of you:
Click here to download If I Was Sober (I’d Go Get Drunk) and feel free to write me about it! I care!
Every artist needs a muse
And to be amused.
Meet Maia and her daughter, Sophia. Muse and amuser. Some of you know my song “3 Seconds Before Maia Smiled.” (original instrumental on Deus Sex Machina, reworked with lyrics for Pop Down The Years. Yes, both are still available on iTunes and Amazon!
I recently wrote another Maia song, “Maia, It’s You,” which may very well be on the next cd of original songs, as yet untitled. It’s quite nice, with a potentially anthemic chorus which could easily be stretched out a la “Hey Jude” or that Arcade Fire song – you know the one. I’ll probably just keep it classical guitar, acoustic piano, lush strings and white noise. Yes, white noise is coming back to my music just as soon as I get the Roland Jupiter 6 with the Europa mod from my friend Gus.
It is my plan to release a cd of acoustic love songs, covers, mostly from the sixties and seventies, next. And after that, I am thinking that I will release a very odd mixture of music: mostly acoustic vocal tracks, mixed with some very electronic instrumental works. Who knows?
It occurred to me that I take pictures of four things with my iPhone: my cat Baby for her blog babysnohelp.com, Maia and Sophia, my instruments, and the occasional flower I pass on the street.
Alright, here are the girls.
With the machines, March 2009
Early Sunday morning pictures
Ellroy and me on his new book, “Blood’s A Rover”
My new guitar
A thing of beauty is a joy forever — John Keats
So it goes full circle and I am back where I began, with a simple and beautiful nylon-string, classical guitar.
I have forgotten the pleasure of holding and playing an exquisite instrument. Many years I spent making music with machines, some of which I truly loved (and still love), for some of them are quite quirky (my handmade Serge Modular for example), and computers, which I value for the power of creation: I can’t hire an orchestra, but I have one in my Mac Mini. And don’t get me wrong: I still love electronic music!
But we must go where the Muse takes us and it seems that my path, ever since the release of the very electronic and orchestral Pop Down The Years, has been back to my early days of learning songs, practicing for hours, with just one lovely guitar.
This one is certainly the nicest guitar I’ve ever owned. I have adorned her with LaBella Argento Silver strings, very expensive jewelry, and they shimmer and sing!
Okay, enough time at the computer. I must play. We are getting acquainted, she and I. And like a great woman, she only gets better with the passage of time.
Interview with Live, Love, Health Talk Radio
On Friday, August 31, a short interview with yours truly aired on the Life, Love, and Health show, part of the Health Radio Network. Christopher Springmann, the interviewer, is former photo-journalist, an ace raconteur, and a thoroughly charming gentleman. I’ve listened to the interview a couple times (the first time was the broadcast and I was in a bad-reception area, so it was cutting out). I am not thoroughly embarassed.
Video interview for OakBook magazine
Test post with pic from my iphone
One Man’s Opinion Of Moonlight
Pop Down The Years
