SOME BULL MARKET

2011-01-30T02:42:00.000-08:00

I am a part of the first generation to be born into the live forever culture.

ROCK PHOTOGRAPHY

2011-01-05T12:26:00.000-08:00

Parquet Courts

Rarely is live music photography, and even videography, ever as engaging, entertaining, or informative as actually being there live. When I stumbled upon Richard Gin's flickr, I was totally impressed to learn that he is one of the rare few who captures excitement in his photography, regardless of what it sounds like on the opposite side of the lens. Rather than documenting the performance, he captures the essence of the subject, the performer.

Check out his photo stream - www.flickr.com/photos/richardgin/

richardgin.org

WINTRY MIX - 2011

2010-12-26T10:40:00.001-08:00

Wintry Mix 2011 - Side A by Austin B Brown
Bill Moss - Number One
Frankie & Robert - Sweet Thing
Marvin Gaye - Can I Get A Witness
The Four Tops - I Got A Feeling
Elvis Costello - Oliver's Army
The Sandwitches - Grey Wizard
The Rising Sun - Do What You're Doin

Wintry Mix 2011 - Side B by Austin B Brown
The Miracles - Shop Around
Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band - Diddy Wah Diddy
Blue Magoos - Tobacco Road
Ron De Voos - The Maid
The Modern Lovers - Government Center
King Tuff - Kind Of Guy
Speak Low - Thriller
Silver Apples - I Have Known Love
The Babies - Caroline

Download both sides

This mix is best when heard on headphones while laying in bed under wool blankets and wearing all of your sweaters

PARQUET COURTS

2010-12-17T11:12:00.001-08:00

Parquet Courts is maybe the newest band in Brooklyn right now. It is a collaboration between Andrew Savage of Teenage Cool Kids and Fergus & Geronimo, Sean Yeaton of Daniel Striped Tiger, Jarvis of Woods and Rear House Recordings, and myself. The music lends itself a noisy backdrop, oriented on the punk side of the pop spectrum. Parquet Courts is a portrait of the members' more avant garde taste in rock music.

The first performance is December 17th at Monster Island Basement in Brooklyn, and is a benefit for Showpaper.

CAFE

2010-12-07T20:03:00.001-08:00

HOME RUN

2010-11-16T16:41:00.000-08:00

NEVER SATISFIED

2010-10-07T18:55:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been playing guitars for awesome dudes/record duo Fergus and Geronimo, and it's been going great helping the Denton natives assimilate to Brooklyn life. We have some great shows coming up for CMJ, and a big highlight of the whole week is the Hardly Art Showcase. Hardly Art just put out F&G's "Never Satisfied" 7", and it's on sweet looking two-toned blue/white vinyl. Goes great with the artwork done by the Fergus of Fergus & Geronimo, Andrew Savage.

Fergus and Geronimo recently guest DJed on Nick and Nick, a show on East Village Radio which is hosted by two real cool dudes, Nick... and Nick. You can stream that episode here. A couple weeks later, they played some great unreleased Keepsies tracks. Including one that no one else has even heard, a cover of "Here Comes Summer Again." You can listen to that episode here. Highly recommend the show, an eclectic mix of great tunes. From 10pm to midnight on Thursdays, it's perfect for your pre-game.

CLOWN

2010-09-25T15:17:00.000-07:00

Laughter dies long after jest
The joker smiles no joke
A clown in a grave
Pranksters weep in Purgatory
Laughter dies long after jest
Joy
Bella, the memory of the heart
Yet the face of the joker is smiling no joke

- Gregory Corso, Part 1 of "Clown."
Read in mindfield.

PARTY HOUSE

2010-09-20T23:57:00.001-07:00

September 21 I am playing with long time pals Fergus and Geronimo at their first show as NYC residents. It's going to be at Santo's Party House. We are opening for Thee Oh Sees, who were easily my favorite performers of SXSW 2010 and also put out one of my favorite records of 2009 with "Help."

The lineup is solid gold, and will be heard through the best sound system in all five boroughs. Maybe Andrew WK will be there?

Fergus and Geronimo were featured as guest DJs on East Village Radio's show Nick and Nick on the September 16, 2010. Listen to the live stream here.

RAMBLE ON

2010-08-01T01:12:00.000-07:00

THE RAMBLER

For more on The Rambler's prolific career, close to 40 years of train car artwork and memorial, go here.

UPDATE

2010-07-06T17:30:00.001-07:00

At the beginning of this year, 2010, I made a list of things that may or may not be fulfilled within the decade. No resolutions, or goals, merely a list. Now that we are 5% through with the decade, I will assess what has 'happened' so far, not necessarily, or by any means, 'accomplished.'

DID NOT	1. Cut my hair
MADE A CALL TO	2. Pay for the Internet
WILL NOT	3. Hook up my stove
NEITHER/NOR	4. Replenish my savings account/Go to Las Vegas for the first time
TWICE I DID	5. Leave the city
STARTED TO	6. Write a book
SEVERAL TIMES I	7. Read a book
NOT SURE IF I SHOULD	8. Use more/less reverb
THOUGHT OF WAYS TO	9. Invent a life changing iPhone App
NAMED ONE	10. Start a blog

POEM 1:05PM

2010-06-25T10:04:00.001-07:00

"The American Haiku is not exactly the Japanese
Haiku. The Japanese Haiku is strictly disciplined
to seventeen syllables but since the language
structure is different I don't think American
Haikus (short three-line poems intended to be
completely packed with Void of Whole) should worry
about syllables because American speech is
something again...bursting to pop.

Above all, a Haiku must be very simple and free
of all poetic trickery and make a little picture
and yet be as airy and graceful as a Vivaldi
Pastorella."

Jack Kerouac

kind of want to eat
but maybe I should sleep
guess I will just lay in bed

"POEM 1:05PM" by Austin Bradley Brown 2010

SUMMER BOOM BOX

2010-06-15T16:05:00.001-07:00

GET IT SOON.

Available on Cassette or Digital Download

Want to blog about it? Then email - electricaustin@yahoo.com

NIGHT TRAIN (EXPERIMENT IN NON-COLLAGE)

2010-06-01T19:16:00.001-07:00

Uploaded by www.cellspin.net

VISUALIZE WATER

2010-05-10T12:32:00.000-07:00

I did this for at least an hour today. I just looked at water. I took this photo after about an hour when I realized what I was doing was objectively ridiculous. If you haven't taken the time to look at water, I highly recommend it. If you can work "thinking about living underwater" into your schedule, it is at least mentally, if not physically, rewarding.

HOOD FOOD PT. 2

2010-05-07T06:53:00.001-07:00

These photos are part of "Hood Food," a work in progress. More in the series were previously posted here, the entire set is on my flickr here, and more are coming soon. Bon Apetit!

TRUE STORY

2010-04-20T15:24:00.000-07:00

Matthew Volz created the artwork for the latest Showpaper. Matt Volz is an artist from Queens*, but more importantly a righteous dude that actually carries a switchblade. He is having a group show at Rare Gallery in Manhattan on June 24th. Matt Volz also does all the artwork for The Beets, and they are like, my favorite band. His artist statement reads,"Matthew Volz recently split up with his girlfriend Sara, He still really cares about her and is pretty bummed out about the whole thing. He is the son of a milkman from Corona and a writer from Brooklyn... His favorite wrestlers include Dusty Rhodes,The Dudley Boyz and Sabu. He does paintings,comics,writes songs,and does video projects all which can be seen at atticinthebasement.com." Matt is currently working on a book to be released by Captured Tracks, which a consistent source of great material, including none other than the Beets "Spit On The Face Of People Who Don't Want To Be Cool" LP, which Matt Volz did the cover for. Most of all, Matt Volz is a good guy who gave me a beer once, and wasn't afraid to take out his switchblade at a house party and get my back.

Showpaper is a one page newspaper print that you can find all over NYC that lists... shows. Exclusively interesting, mostly DIY shows. Showpaper is also an extremely credible not for profit organization, hosting some great shows where all profits go to printing of the paper. Showpaper also includes the most accurate horoscopes and a 'craigslist missed connection' style section for dudes and babes you saw at shows. They have some awesome volunteers that work for them as well. Showpaper is one of the reasons why I love New York City so much. I love it.

*I originally wrote that Matthew Volz is "from Brooklyn" based on the email I got from Showpaper. I have since been thoroughly corrected and I apologize. Turns out Queens residents are, although rightfully, very defensive about the misnomer.

I apologize.

But what is it to be "from" somewhere anyway?

WIND (EXPERIMENTS IN UMBRELLAS)

2010-04-19T16:57:00.001-07:00

More from my disposable camera series here.

I NEED YOU

2010-04-19T16:26:00.000-07:00

I was out in Soho on Saturday when I passed by the Recess Gallery on Grand Street. There was a sign out front that said "I NEED YOU." It felt right, so I went in. I was greeted hesitantly by artist Kara Hearn. Kara is the current artist in residence and I had the pleasure of being involved in a work in progress.

We talked about the reoccurring themes in my dreams, and I even learned some things about myself in the process. A prevailing theme in my dreams lately (night and day) has been utopia desert living. Often involving artfully constructed homes built into decaying architecture and landscape. Almost always with a single K9 companion, and more commonly without human contact. The scenario also involves a stereotypical one stop light, that I reach in a 70's era pickup truck, and a general store. The store is a gas station/grocery/BBQ restaurant combo. In a few dreams, when I go to the store I see people from my childhood: old school teachers, baptist church members, little league families... and almost always I pretend not to recognize them. Sometimes I will meet family members with disastrous consequences, such as: falling off desert cliffs, car crashes, or gun accidents.

I am excited to see a finalized product of Kara's project, and I am such a fan of her work to date. One of my favorite from the web is a drawing series titled "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts" which features all the hugs from season one of the television show 'Friday Night Lights,' which is based on a Texas high school football team and the drama throughout.

You can read about her current work in project entitled "Tremendous" here, on her website.

See her work here, and stop by the gallery and say "hello."

BLUE FISH

2010-04-13T15:36:00.001-07:00

SELECTION OF THE DISPOSABLE SERIES by AUSTIN BROWN

SKIN FRUIT LIFT

2010-04-11T13:05:00.001-07:00

ANONYMOUS

2010-04-08T13:13:00.000-07:00

Brilliant street art of Mark Jenkins

HOOD FOOD

2010-04-08T12:50:00.000-07:00

Click to ENLARGE

RUMBLE

2010-04-03T14:13:00.000-07:00

Saturday, April 3 – I DJ with my favorite DJ Jonathan Toubin and DJ Drumpelstiltsken the Rumble dance party at the Outpost Lounge. I'll be spinning some psycadelic twist and shout to go with the non-mandatory dress code of “your finest fifties/sixties kitsch. Leather-Rocking Greasers. Prom Queens. Retro Nerds. Sassy Housewives. Outsiders. Rebels without a Cause."

GO OUTSIDE

2010-04-01T12:46:00.000-07:00

I can say I'm a proud proponent of not believing the hype, but in the case I can't help myself. Gorilla vs Bear and Weekly Tape Deck have teamed up to create Forest Family Records. Their inagural release is by a daringly lovable group, Cults.

Their logo is designed by one of my favorite people - awesome dude/Hooded Deer Will Bryant (also of Porch of the Mystics)

FLASHBAXX

2010-04-01T12:42:00.002-07:00

FOTOS DE DISPOSABLE Y SPANGLISH

2010-04-01T12:11:00.000-07:00

Photos from my disposable camera series. Currently in progress - found here.

MEZCAL

2010-03-28T14:23:00.000-07:00

Monterrey tequila will drive you up a horse and in a saddle
You'll ride, you'll ride, you'll ride

Gravel, cobble stone, concrete
Needle nose pliers will pull you apart

Towering, narrow, burnt, and never blowing over
Like a pigeon you'll stand
Strong.

The fall is all that will steal, towards the bottom you'll find the grain
Nothing but shade, hay, and kays that rain

Brooms that fling you out and pull you back like those staffs shepherds carry with the hooks when you lose or booed or spent.

Eleven cents, eleven cents, eleven cents is what you'll get

No sense is where I stood watching
Whistling under my breath in a bario of crooks and cooks
- But who's to say where that even is,
Not even safe from itself, Monterrey.

WRITTEN ON MARCH 19, 2010

2010-03-19T08:59:00.000-07:00

SXSW started early for me in 2010. This year, I arrived in Austin on Sunday, and although it allowed me to slightly prepare and orient myself for the week, I also used the phrase, "wait, what day is it?" more than once a day, daily.

The most best, rowdiest party of the week was The Day Before the Mess Fest with The Beets, Beach Fossils, and Air Waves at the House of Guys and Thee Oh Sees (who were clearly the stand out act at SXSW) at the 21st St Co-Op which is commonly referred to in one way or another as a "tree house," but it is more like a "maze" to me.

Favorite shows of SXSW -
The Vivian Girls at Club Deville
Ringo Deathstarr at Club Primo's
Flosstradamus' 'Oldies Night' at the Brixton
Thee Oh Sees at the Longbranch
Julianna Barwick at the French Legation
Thurston Moore at the French Legation
Fergus and Geronimo in a parking lot
Hunx and his Punx at Chain Drive
Andrew WK at the 21st St Co-Op

also -

Food Party Premiere at the IFC House

Saturday morning at 6:00AM, I headed out of Austin to Monterrey, Mexico via the Greyhound Bus.

SOME MORE NOTHING

2010-03-16T01:53:00.000-07:00

I found this on YouTube this evening, a bit from the Tuli benefit at the Bowery Poetry Club. I appear around 1:36

Here is Part 2 of the series that was previously posted.

SPRING X SOUTHWEST

2010-03-15T15:25:00.001-07:00

I arrived in Austin, TX on flight #420 around 4:30pm, despite 175mph headwinds, to be greeted with sunny 70 degree weather. My clothes unfourtunately did not make the trip, because of circumstances beyond my knowledge or control. My washed, dried, and folded clothes will be trapped at the laundromat until my return.

My Sunday evening was spent with Elliott of Ringo Deathstarr, drinking Shiner Bock, chat roulleting, and awesome portobello burgers grilled on the patio.

Monday, I replenished a bit of my wardrobe at the Blue Hanger, a Goodwill Outlet, which is in the same lot as the Blue Genie. If you were at SXSW a few years back, you may remember the Blue Genie as one of the many great parties to be shut down almost immediately, subsequently changing the experience to what it has become today.

The Blue Hanger is 'the last stop before the incinerator' for clothes. Piles of garments are strewn on tables in a warehouse for you to pick through at your own discretion. Each piece costs $1.25 regardless. It's an exhausting process that will test the limits of your psyche and determination. I had to step back from the process a few times to maintain focus, and to take my mind off of the occasional dirty diaper smell. I did pick up a few good finds that, paired with some white tees picked up at Target, will suffice for a wardrobe.

So far, I have lost one pair of exclusive sunglasses, and broken an heirloom 35mm camera. For now, I squint and use a Kodak 'Fun Saver' disposable.

SXSW has the strongest chokehold I've seen yet on unofficial parties and shows. However, I've seen an unexpected amount of support and excitement on the US side for MtyMx.

NYC X MTYMX

2010-03-13T12:48:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I take a bus from NYC To Phili, fly to Austin, TX for the week for SXSW. On Saturday 6AM I take a Greyhound bus to Monterrey, Mexico for the MTYMX Festival.

The MtyMx Festival is an amazing step for contemporary counter culture. A non corporate festival, held in Monterrey Mexico at the same time as the suffocatingly corporate SXSW, about 8 hours away, an equivalent distance of most other US cities to Austin. There's not much I can say about how positive and this is that you can't deduct for yourself, so I will qoute a few statements on the website www.toddpnyc.com/mtymx.

"The conventional wisdom on the U.S.A. side of the border is that Mexico is a third world country, with hopeless problems of crime, chronic lack of education, and crooked government. Anyone who has traveled extensively within Mexico, or has looked at actual statistics, knows these perceptions of Mexico are deeply incorrect. Mexico is a modern, growing nation with industry, free press, modern art, world class universities, and rich culture and history. MtyMx aims to encourage U.S. citizens to travel to Mexico and see Mexico for themselves."

"The U.S. has strict visa restrictions in place to curtail Mexican immigration. To obtain a tourist visa for travel to the United States, a Mexican must provide proof that they have held a job consistently for 5 years, show that they own substantial property, and show they have maintained a stable address for 5 years. Many creative people in the U.S. or Mexico would find these requirements hard to meet. The policy effectively locks out all but the most established Mexican bands and artists from touring or showing their work in the United States - particularly playing or attending SxSW. MtyMx seeks to reverse this disenfranchisement, by bringing the best of SxSW across the border to play with bands and in front of audiences that have been effectively shut out of the party. There is valid, informed modern art and intellectual music being made in Mexico and Mexican artists deserve their place as part of the international conversation."

TOKYO 2 OSAKA

2010-03-13T12:28:00.000-08:00

Tokyo to Osaka Teaser from John Murillo on Vimeo.

Here is the trailer for the documentary featuring some great dudes riding their fixed gear bicycles from Tokyo to Osaka, made by the same folks as Piece by Piece.

There is also a short version available which was made for GOOD Magazine.

MORE ABOUT NOTHING

2010-03-13T11:40:00.000-08:00

March 6, 2010 I played a song I wrote for the Fug, Tuli Kupferberg at the Bowery Poetry Club as part of a gala benefit for the man himself. The evening was curated by friend Cary Abrams, and was very well done. The room completely full for the duration, with both people and positivity. I went on last, and played to a very warm reception for such a young person who is a bit abstracted from a scene in which most of the artists lived in. My performance was a true testament to how far the influence of a few punks in New York City in the 60's can reach.

Here is a great video of the first part of the evening, and the latter parts should be uploaded soon.

Tuli Kupferberg Tribute A Little More Nothing Part 1 from Thelma Blitz on Vimeo.

BUNK BED BEETS

2010-03-13T11:07:00.001-08:00

I am directing a modest film project, part one of a series, with this episode featuring Brooklyn band The Beets (www.myspace.com/thebeetsbeat and www.capturedtracks.com). The loose concept project to film bands performing where they sleep while on tour.

Currently editing the first episode, and headed to SXSW to film many more.

ACE OF BASS

2010-02-12T12:03:00.000-08:00

I have been DJing frequently at the Ace Hotel NYC lately. Follow me on Twitter (via twitter.com/youngdoctor) for a heads up on when I will be there. Spinning a mix of rare funk/soul/rock and roll.

LOOK AT WHAT THE LIGHT DID

2010-01-28T13:38:00.001-08:00

You can't beat death, but you can beat death in life.

THANKS FOR NOTHING

2010-01-28T13:21:00.000-08:00

I had the immense pleasure of seeing John Giorno at White Columns gallery as a part of the Ecstatic Peace Poetry Journal readings. He performed Welcoming the Flowers, Just Say No to Family Values, and Thanks For Nothing.

NIGHT TRAIN

2010-01-24T23:37:00.001-08:00

Uploaded by www.cellspin.net

WHITE COLUMNS NYC

2010-01-23T19:08:00.001-08:00

As a part of the annual Ecstatic Peace Poetry Journal release White Columns hosted a series of events and readings in which Thurston Moore performed a piece, and with different guests for each event. This evening he performed a piece with Kim Gordon and a keyboard player. The lyrics were written by Tuli Kupferberg and is called "Street Fuck." An armage to the Beatles' "Why don't we do it in the road."

Uploaded by www.cellspin.net

LIFETIME VAMPIRES

2010-01-16T23:50:00.001-08:00

My morning commute today lasted the length of a New Yorker article about the Vampire Weekend beginning their professional music career. It tells a tale of ambitious, privileged college grads embarking on a naive evolution into the corporate universe of music/marketing. Climax with a bizarre marketing pitch from Tom Delonge, yeah, that Tom Delonge, now completely devoid of hope and totally concerned with entertainment dollars. A qoute from one member of the 'Weekend saying, "that guy is only 7 years older than me." It's a biz out there, so be careful.

WWNOFXD.

Here is the abstract. Subscribe to read the full article.

CANCIONES ELEGIDAS

2010-01-13T14:45:00.000-08:00

VIA the genius boys at http://porchofthemystics.wordpress.com/

ART WHAT YOU DO, DO WHAT YOU ARE

2010-01-13T14:07:00.000-08:00

"If a Martian came to Earth and tried to understand what human beings do just from reading most literature published today, he would come away with the extraordinary impression that we basically spend our time falling in love, squabbling with our families, and occasionally murdering one another. But of course, what we really do is go to work"

When discussing our "motto's for 2010," a friend had the honesty that only a friend can give to tell me that "do what you love and love what you do," which is what I said, was essentially, bullshit. I mean I don't think it's the most profound statement, but it's a great way to survive a work week.

Reminding oneself that they are in fact, a personality, and not a robot on a time clock or commission, is the most liberating concept to adhere. To know that you are capable of creating art everyday in how you live and what you do will keep you free.

BALLER'S EVE

2010-01-12T14:34:00.001-08:00

Love catching up on Baller's Eve playlists.

WILL BE ROAST BEEF

2010-01-12T13:51:00.001-08:00

Uploaded by www.cellspin.net

DEAD WEATHER

2010-01-12T13:34:00.001-08:00

Uploaded by www.cellspin.net

THEY SAID IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY

2010-01-09T15:30:00.000-08:00

The first thing I did on my birthday, was write and record this song.

they said it was my birthday from Austin Brown on Vimeo.

FOR MICK

2010-01-06T14:12:00.000-08:00

Blood Brother Mick Weldon recently went on a worldly bicycle adventure spanning the entire West Coast from Mexico to Canada traveling up and down a few times in between, and also from Tokyo to Osaka with a crew of other awesome dudes. This is a plea via song and video I made for him to come to NYC.

For Mick (Live) from Austin Brown on Vimeo.

This is the documentary of the guys riding in Japan, from Tokyo to Osaka - http://www.tokyo2osaka.com/

GONE IN 60 SECONDS

2010-01-05T13:51:00.000-08:00

by Claire L. Evans

PRODUCETIVITY

2010-01-05T12:57:00.001-08:00

Through the rigors and self-induced stress of recording albums and singles and being generally creative, it is important to stay productive and organized. This is a photo of my tablecloth at Egg in Williamsburg. I organize my to-do lists alphanumerically by day. Yesterday it was 'B', so I did things like go to the BANK and wash the sheets on my BED.

FINALLY, ET CONTACT IN 2010

2010-01-03T11:27:00.001-08:00

Uploaded by www.cellspin.net

THINKING OF 2010

2010-01-02T16:12:00.000-08:00

ITS A NEW DECADE

2010-01-02T15:34:00.000-08:00

THINGS I MAY OR MAY NOT NEED TO DO THIS DECADE

1. Cut my hair
2. Pay for the internet
3. Hook up my stove
4. Replenish my savings account/Go to Las Vegas for the first time
5. Leave the city
6. Write a book
7. Read a book
8. Use more/less reverb
9. Invent a life changing iPhone App
10. Start a blog

These are in no way resolutions or commitments, just a hypothetical list of paths I am considering taking towards an ultimate goal which is yet to be decided.

MUSICA E SE CHOVER

2009-11-06T10:10:00.000-08:00

MISDEMEANORS

2009-09-19T06:31:00.001-07:00

NO COMMENT

2009-09-01T07:20:00.001-07:00

BUT NOT FOR ME

2009-07-08T01:30:00.000-07:00

WRITING A THESIS

2009-05-04T17:21:00.001-07:00

Chicago

2009-04-21T14:58:00.001-07:00

Uploaded by www.cellspin.net

2009-03-09T01:13:00.001-07:00

Uploaded by www.cellspin.net

I AM POSTER BOY

2009-02-04T07:10:00.000-08:00

Poster Boy Is Caught, or Is It a Stand-In?

CLOCK DEBT

2009-02-03T21:25:00.000-08:00

Daniel Temmet, an autistic savant, created his own language out of his desire to describe his passion for language and numbers. There simply aren't words in other languages to describe things like "kellokult", which means something like "clock debt."

Clock debt would occur in a situation in which you are running late, and you need to make up that time in order to be on-time. By making up the lost time, you would be paying your debt to the clock.

OUR INNER ARTIST

2009-02-03T21:18:00.000-08:00

"The premise of Dutton's work is that this instinct for art isn't an accident. Instead, he argues that our desire for beauty is firmly grounded in evolution, a side effect of the struggle to survive and reproduce. In this sense, a cubist painting by Picasso is no more mysterious than the allure of a Playboy centerfold: Both are works of culture that attempt to sate a biological drive."

The Washington Post.

HOW FREE IS PROFITABLE

2009-02-02T00:36:00.000-08:00

I caught this link on Pitchfork. The whole thing reminds me of TMZ, which I accidentally watched earlier tonight. To summarize, Jona of YACHT in this interview admitted to using pirated software by this software developer (who's name is contrary, is it supposed to be?). They got pissed and thoroughly trashed the guy in this blog. Jona apologized, offered to pay for whatever, and then the blogger became even more disillusioned. Insinuating that he could somehow black ball YACHT from getting a gig or a magazine cover or something. He thought this would be a much greater punishment, maybe to punish operators of pirated software everywhere, make an example or something, it's really hard to follow his logic.

In Jona's reasonable response, he admitted, even as a musician, to not paying for music in the past four years, as well as unaffordable and reasonably priced software. This is reasonable and common, and if software dudes don't see that, it is in part to their own ignorance and part to an outdated business model.

When I was first learning to drive I asked my dad the difference between the regular and premium gas at the filling station. He wisely told me, "Premium is for people who don't think they pay enough." Music, most software, "information" in many capacities, by this point, can be downloaded for free. Anyone who would rather pay for it, are the same kind of people who buy premium gas.

The Analog Industries blogger tried to use an analogy about stealing a candy bar instead of paying for it, offering that it is easy to steal but it is still not morally right. This doesn't work for a couple of reasons. For one, candy bars do not cost $500. Also, there isn't a place in your home where you have access to unlimited free candy bars. In most cases, it is actually more difficult to buy something from the internet than to get it for free. But really, theft is not the issue. It's a much more a matter of conforming to contemporary social mores and norms.

When Metallica was at the forefront of shutting down Napster, the band and record labels actually suffered more than the developer. They were clashing with social mores. It wasn't an issue of, "How can we as Americans stop the profit loss of musicians and record labels?" It became, "How will musicians and record labels deal with the inevitability of consumers never paying for music ever again." When nearly everyone does it, it's not wrong, even if it may be technically illegal, which in the case of music, I don't even think it is.

In the case of the software plug-in being taken for free, Analog Industries should be thanking Jona for dropping their name. There is nothing better for a software developer than to have as much publicity as possible. In reality, developing small time software plug-ins is not the means to an end, but rather the means to other means. The ends of a developer is to become more desirable to a larger company to affiliate with, or to further their own company's productions through more innovative and desirable creations which is supported by a loyal clientele. A clientele which was developed from the popularity of their plug ins, which is due to well known artists being happy, productive, and successful with them. YACHT would be a great example of an artist like that.

For music,the best thing to happen to music ever is the internet. Anyone willing, has access to all kinds of music and information where previously they would have to rely on magazines, television, and the radio. The latter haven't been a reliable source in my lifetime. I feel at my age I was lucky to be able to see what it was like before the internet, and was still at a developmental age when downloading music began it's early evolution. In all of my foresight, music will never need to bought again, and that couldn't be better for music.

It is now entirely possible for music for art and music for commerce to be separated. The indie, DIY, underground, youth, and idealogical culture has gotten stronger, and at the very least more prevalent in the past ten, even five years. You can avoid commerce in music if you'd like, and have access to a much closer relationship with the artist.

No one ever talks about painters suffering from the internet. Or what about sculptors, photographers, performance artists? It is so painfully obvious to me that there is nothing but benefit for the people who are giving art for free on the internet and the actual arts as a whole. In this case, commerce is actually fostered through the free product.

When you get a product, you enter a mutual relationship with the producer. As a producer, you then have the advantage of a clientele, a major factor in development. This is why many smaller, less corporately affiliated producers, like YACHT, can become so successful, profitably tour the globe times over for years, and will be able to continue to have mutual contact with their constituency for as long they maintain desirability, which is entirely up to their competence and talent as a producer. This is how the artist and the art maintain the most true form of sustainability.

Only if you are such a large producer of art that you no longer seek clientele, but rather efficient profit do you suffer from giving a product for free. This is why major record labels failed and have had to subsidize to into specialized smaller producers, which will not, and have not been able to compete with the already existing smaller producers who have been focused on quality for the love and the sake of it since their beginning.

The Analog Industries blogger was trying to tell Jona of YACHT that even though he easily surpassed the law, he was not above it. To quote the blogger, "you live in the United States of America, which is a capitalist nation. As such, most people that create things choose to charge for them, given the option to do so." One major staple of capitalism which the blogger may not be paying credence to, is efficiency. Essentially, getting the most for your investment. Meaning in any case, the ideal investment would be $0. There is no one more capitalist in this equation than Jona, the artist, who took something for nothing and made a profit. In my open letter to the Analog Industries blogger, capitalism is a philosophy, not a governing law. In reality, governing law is modeled after and in some cases contingent on social mores and norms. In this case, Jona wasn't even breaking any laws- he got something for free that you can get somewhere else for a $50. Therefore, I would say that Jona was not acting illegally or immorally.

Some of the best advice I have ever received has been from bathroom walls.

I feel it is necessary to mention that throughout the writing of this, I was downloading Adobe's Photoshop from a torrent, and didn't even realize the irony until later.

PERSONAL

2009-01-27T02:47:00.001-08:00

I've been living at home, my father's home that is, for 49 days now. I should have been out of here at least a week ago. Now I'm starting to feel the gravity of living at home.

The initial trajectory had me set to use the gravity of my hometown to sling shot myself to New York City with enough money for 3 months of rent, some new clothes, and some more books to add to my mental catalog; like what Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, and that other dude did in Apollo 13 with the moon.

Remember that scene when they're all doing the math by hand because I guess NASA couldn't afford calculators or something? That was really inspiring to me when doing math homework for about a week after I saw that movie, I would just pretend I was an astronaut. That's how I discovered there's a lot more fun things for astronauts to do than math.

Well I'm no physicist, but if I don't get out of here soon, there could be an alternate ending, like being catapulted into outer space, burning up in the atmosphere, or blowing all of my money on a 1,000 ShamWow towels on an impulse after too many Bombay and pineapple's after work. You see, I've had to switch to liquor from my usual beer drinking because of my esophageal condition. I was recently diagnosed with Achalasia, rather than what was previously considered severe acid reflux. This is a 1 in every 100,000 people kind of disease. You can take that for whatever it's worth. One good thing about being at home is how supportive my family is. That is one thing the Apollo 13 guys didn't have. Their family had to watch on TV, and not even in color. It has been great to hear my family all offer to help with whatever they can, although it does rattle me a bit to think that this is actually a big deal. It is a 15cm vertical incision down my esophagus after all. I hope my voice doesn't change to sound too weird.

With Achalasia comes a few dietary restrictions. For instance, the less obtrusive only soft foods after 4PM, staying clear of hard to digest foods like lettuce, raw vegetables, blueberries and raspberries, and corn to name a few. Then there's no carbonated beverages or caffeine, which would be fine, except I drink beer 'on the reg' so to speak. So, this has got me drinking liquor, which has led to several terrible decisions in my life, and at this juncture I am very sensitive to bad decisions. I don't even drive anywhere in fear of getting pulled over and going to jail for a warrant I probably have in several hypothetical counties. And the longer I stay here, the more likely I am to pay for my crimes with the money I need to get out of here.

The surgery required here is a Heller Myotomy. It's going to be a non invasive laproscopic surgery, so the recovery should be quick- two days in the hospital and back to work in two weeks. It's also a part of my personal requirements that I be given enough drugs so that I don't notice a catheter. I should be asleep for most of those two days. I've been preparing a list of films to pick up from the library or NetFlix or whatever is available in the Southeast Texas FEMA hurricane entertainment-rations for those two weeks to catch up on Spike Lee films. After that I'll probably start on Woody Allen, something I've been meaning to do for a while.

All of this to say, I'm really nervous about something I've never had to be
nervous about, my health. I've never had any surgeries besides minor dental work, and something like catheters I figured I wouldn't have to deal with for another twenty years. Or it would happen in some kind of traumatic event and it would be in me before I could grieve about it. Now I'm looking at about a month of catheter dreams and mullings over.

I passed out in the doctor's office when he was describing the surgery- I have a genetic history of dropping blood pressure in mortal situations. I'm thinking I'll probably puke before the surgery starts, like that other dude in Apollo 13. I've just got to keep NYC in the window, and use the gravity of this situation to propel my ass out of this black hole of a town (not to mention my mental state). And whenever I get there I can say, "it wasn't so bad."

In Apollo 13 they never got to the moon, which was where they planned to go. I only say that to say that NYC may not be the place that I will end up, but I know it's where I need to be right now. If it doesn't work out, I can always use it to catapult me somewhere else.

All life lesson's can be learned from Apollo 13, the movie. I remember very specifically seeing it in the Phelan 4 Theater. It was a daytime showing, my Dad took me and one of my best friends growing up. When I walked out I said, "I guess I won't ever be an astronaut when I grow up." That's because space is scary, and you can't breath, and I have to get out of here.

PIPE DREAMS

2008-11-30T23:20:00.001-08:00

Why is this more entertaining than watching actual musicians?

POPULAR TELEVISION

2008-11-20T11:09:00.000-08:00

The listed info on you tube for the above interview reads, "Lou Reed, very Tyler Durdenish."

Tyler Durden at first sounded to me like a character in the popular psychological thriller of a novel and film, Fight Club, orginally written by Chuck Palahniuk. I was almost certain that this would have to be referring to someone else. An early punk rock figure from the late 70's was my first guess, an anti-Vietnam war Yippie protest leader, or an independent film actor on a mix of anti-depressants and booze. But in all of Wikipedia all I could find was the guy from Fight Club.

I wanted to write a thesis and turn this into a popular culture commentary, or at least something slanderous about Chuck Palahniuk, but then I realized I was criticizing what someone wrote about a video on You Tube, and if I wanted to do that I would have to start with something like this.

WHAT IS ART & TRICKLE DOWN SOCIONOMICS

2008-11-12T00:47:00.000-08:00

A while back, whenever I was young and confrontational, I remember getting into all kinds of obnoxious arguments about art/politics/religion/what Thom Yorke really meant in How to Disappear Completely, and I tend to avoid these sophistic, rhetoric poetry slam jam sessions these days, but I feel like maybe that has worked to my discredit.

I generously consider myself a connoisseur, and others (my family) may seem to think I'm weird or ambiguously gay at best. Once on a road trip for a wedding to BFE, Louisiana with my cousins, we got into a conversation about dirty south rap. I felt like my personality was sort of defined by what my cousin said to me, "How is someone who looks like he plays in the Strokes lecturing me about Pimp C." Which is a pretty legitimate question, and honestly I don't know why I know so much about the Screwed Up Click, and equally the same about Radiohead. My brain just glues itself to that kind of information. I'm thinking it has something to do with the fact that information like that can be the second most kind of useful.

Can apathy be intelligent?

This is repost something I wrote a while back. Now that I am writing again, I thought my old writing would be stupid and outdated, but I was actually kind of into it.

2008-11-12T00:44:00.000-08:00

I'm still letting November 4th soak in, and after talking to a friend about what it was like to be there in Grant Park when it all went down, I realized I'm no closer to understanding it than I was when it was happening.

THE SEARCH

2008-11-04T00:56:00.001-08:00

I leave for Chicago in a few minutes. Getting there is going to be a problem.

SO DECATUR

2008-03-24T00:31:00.000-07:00

Is it dead in the dirty 3rd? I sure hope not... This guy has got the right idea though.

Everything from the beat, the rhymes, the video... its what we need right now. You can tell by his shirt he knows whats up.
Honestly, I don't even know who this guy is, and if I wasn't a connoisseur of dirty south rap that wouldn't be a big deal. And even though I am a connoisseur it still isn't a big deal because we're going to need a lot more than someone I've never heard of if the dirty 3rd is going to overcome Akon and his micro korg.

TRAFFIC

2008-03-07T20:09:00.001-08:00

Traffic happens, and it sucks. I have always wondered in one form or another, with more or less profanity, how it happens. Well some folks in Japan have given us an idea of how this happens.

BICYCLE RACE

2008-03-03T23:32:00.001-08:00

SHADES OF GREATNESS

2008-03-03T15:46:00.001-08:00

So a friend of mine pointed me towards this video. Not only do I consistently get, "Has anyone ever told you that you look like Thurston Moore?" But now Baby Jesus will get, "Has anyone ever told you that you look like Thurston Moore's dog?"

WTF IS A MEME?

2008-03-01T11:58:00.000-08:00

British scholar Susan Blackmore theorizes that the evolution of memes occurs outside of human beings' capacity to control it.

Humans Are Just Machines for Propagating Memes

Not sure what I think about this yet...

PRISONS VS COLLEGES

2008-03-01T11:50:00.000-08:00

"For years now, educators have been warning that U.S. society might soon be spending more on prisons than colleges."In five states, that moment has arrived, according to a report released Thursday by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

STILL MISS YOU

2008-02-26T22:20:00.001-08:00

Had to post it.

Here's a follow up. Took me a while to really deal with this, but here's some stuff to remember the Pimp.

The last Pimp C track, Three 6 Mafia feat. UGK

The last Pimp C performance
with Too Short in L.A.

Lil Flip - RIP Pimp C

This is a hot track.

Bun B talking about RIP Pimp C

Still can't believe he's gone, Pimp C and Big Moe in the same year...
"it went from free to rest in peace Pimp C."

COLLABO

2008-02-25T20:49:00.000-08:00

RZA - Something I Want (For Real) feat. Vincent Gallo

When this song come on in the club they gonna be like damn that's hot...

NYSEE THIS

2008-02-25T14:22:00.000-08:00

Hunter College Open Studio.

Evan Gruzis

Robert Soto

Grab a peak at Mike Ley's blog. It's all good.

JACKIE CHAIN

2008-02-21T13:55:00.000-08:00

These alley cats get more crucial than Ron Paul's fact checkers. Check out last year's.

CAST AWAY

2008-02-21T07:39:00.000-08:00

This is the most fuck the world interview I've read since Lil Wayne in Complex.

Vice: Is it true you play over 80 different musical instruments?
Anton Newcombe: Easily.

What's the weirdest instrument you can play?
I don't know, just weird shit that I make up. Give me a five-gallon bucket of water and I'll tie it to the ceiling with a rope and then play it with another bucket. I make instruments.

Did you make any of the instruments used on your new album?
We used a toaster oven. It looked really cool. I put it in a real handsome Samsonite toothpaste case. It was pretty good.

Really?
Do you know what this building that we're sitting in was? It was the headquarters of the OSS, which was the CIA before they changed their name, and they invented Scientology. Bingo! We're in the fucking temple. And see that park across the street there? That's a fucking Masonic burial ground. You see those obelisks? The big boner-looking things? There are people buried in those. Creepy shit.

What did you think of all that Da Vinci Code crap a couple years ago?
Amateur hour! Fuck Tom Hanks. I'll kick his ass in a second. He's probably licking Steven Spielberg's butt right now. What's that movie where he falls in love with a volleyball?

Cast Away.
Yeah that's it. They probably thought that one up when they were 69-ing each other.

Thanks to KARLEY SCIORTINO at Vice for this gem.

AND NOW WE IN THE CLUB LIKE

2008-02-20T17:36:00.000-08:00

This is pure sex.

Flashing Lights Remix feat. R Kelly

Colin Munroe - I Want Those Flashing Lights

WHAT AM I?

2008-02-20T13:21:00.000-08:00

Thao will be at Lola's in Fort Worth on April 3 with Xiu Xiu.

THIS IS ME

2008-02-19T21:52:00.001-08:00

And my dog, Big Baby Jesus. I'm 22 years old right now, and currently residing in Denton, TX, but it's really hard to say I'm living there. When I'm not swangin and swervin on my bicycle, or blazin up at the local library, or ruling the Madden 07 tourney, you can find me at home perusing the internet, headphoning my day and posting savory intellect morsels, here.

I GOT HATERS ON LOCK UP

2008-02-19T21:09:00.000-08:00