I have a hard time with animate objects, so I shower my love on things that give me pleasure without asking for anything in return. Quite often those things have to do with producing or re-producing sound. My grandmother Nancy always spoiled me, even when some of those expenditures weren’t the most financially prudent. I don’t remember when or where we bought these speakers, but I do know that from the day I got them they have been a pair of loyal friends.…
»So, I’ve decided to give screen printing another try. I’ve tried and failed to make a screen once before, but I’ve become a much more patient fellow in the intervening years. I have a lot of ideas for t-shirt designs and I’d also like to be able to make some cheap shirts for 45AD. Anyway, it’s always seemed like a cool project. As an aside, the last manual labor type job I had was about 11 or 12 years ago working in the shipping department for a t-shirt factory over in Dumbo.…
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»I tend to write songs as polemics, personal attacks with back beat. Here’s my latest. This was especially satisfying to complete as the title has been kicking around in my head for months. As usual, the mixing is too loud and a bit too squished, but I’ve already spent too much time on it to start over. Try to look past it and enjoy! Shabby On The Inside (You) got Debbie Harry’s glamour with a heart made out of stone (You) got no room for clothing ’cause your closets always full of bones you’ve sewn pain and anger in the lives of everyone you’ve known you talk about yourself so loud just so no one can hear the moans…
»I’d like to cook more often, but I wind up eating out more often than not. Being a vegetarian from the age of 15, I’m most comfortable ordering from vegetarian or vegan establishments. I do eat food from normal restaurants, but I’m always paranoid about the random inclusion of meat ingredients in things like sauces or even salads. You’d be surprised how often I’ve been told that an item is vegetarian only to find out that it contains chicken or fish.…
»I’ve loved Johnny Cash’ recording of the song “Nobody” for years, but only recently did I check for the composer’s name. It turns out it that the song was written by Egbert Williams, better known as Bert Williams. He’s the gentleman on the left. It’s always a shock to confront the casual racism that was once so prevalent in this country. Imagine a talented black songwriter, singer and clown being forced to war blackface to make a living!…
»Brentwood, Long Island (founded as the anarchist utopian village of Modern Times) is my home town. Hip Hop pioneers EPMD are from Brentwood and they even released a song called “Brothers From Brentwood” as the B-Side to their hit song “Crossover”. Erick Sermon (the E in EPMD and noted producer) went to North Elementary School, just as I did. He even gave the speech at our high school awards ceremony way back in ‘95.…
»I mentioned last year that my band, 45 Adapters had broken up. I also mentioned that I “play in a band” in my post on performance enhancing drugs, but I never went into any detail. Well, for the non-detectives among you, consider this the official Pickabarland announcement: 45 Adapters are back! We’ve played about three shows so far with our new guitarist [Knighthawk][5] and our sound is really starting to come together.…
»Anyway, Tug was also a veritable quote machine. Here’s a possibly apocryphal quote about what he intended to do with his salary: “Ninety percent [of my salary] I’ll spend on good times, women and Irish Whiskey. The other ten percent I’ll probably waste.” – Tug McGraw Clever turn of phrase. Anyhow, the quote popped into my head one day while I tried to make something Celtic sounding. I didn’t succeed.…
»Power may justly be compared to a great river. While kept within its due bounds it is both beautiful and useful. But when it overflows its banks, it is then too impetuous to be stemmed; it bears down all before it, and brings destruction and desolation wherever it comes. If, then, this is the nature of power, let us at least do our duty, and like wise men who value freedom use our utmost care to support liberty, the only bulwark against lawless power, which in all ages has sacrificed to its wild lust and boundless ambition the blood of the best men that ever lived.…
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