Travel shot!

 

Pacific Bus Museum, Fremont CA 7/27/24. Looking east into Niles Canyon. If you desire to see old busses, this place will get you a fix. Near the Alameda Creek Trail. My mother remembers when it was a country walking path.

Random shot!

 

Tucumcari, New Mexico July 2015. A formerly mid-sized town that began to decline in the 1990's. Recent cannabis legalization in New Mexico has brought several dispensaries to Tucumcari, but its revitalization remains slow going. When this shot was taken I saw many buildings that were collapsing in on themselves. What must the United States do to turn that dynamic around?

The Last Days Of the Midnight Ramblers; Sarah Tomlinson, Flatiron Books 2024

 

When Disaster Amnesiac espied the copy of The Last Days Of the Midnight Ramblers at my local library branch, I figured it would be alright to take a chance on it, mostly due to my being a fan of the Rolling Stones. Its jacket cover makes it clear that this book is not about the Stones, but the Midnight Ramblers sure do seem to be a lot like Mick 'n Keith and the boys. 

The novel's central tension arises from the mysterious death of Ramblers founding member, Mal, in the Summer of 1969. Ghost Writer Mari has been brought in first by one of the inner circle ladies of the band in order to write this lady's account of her own fascinating life. Mari cannot resist circling over again and again to Mal's early demise, and goes so far as to act unethically in order to discover the truth of the matter, an act which gets her canned from the gig. Fortunately for her, she quickly winds up with a gig upgrade in the form of getting hired by the Midnight Ramblers suave lead guitarist, Dante. Deeply embedded within this new work dynamic for Mari is the unsettling presence of an East German manager named Sigrid, a fixer with the cold precision one would expect from a woman that had learned from and escaped the land of the Stasi. Many manner of intrigue ensues as Mari attempts to discover the genuine acts leading to Mal's passing, and this alone makes The Last Days Of the Midnight Ramblers a worthwhile read, especially for hardcore Stones fans. They'll surely enjoy this fleshing out of one of the important occurrences within that history, even as it's developed within a lateral, "fiction" style. 

Of even more import for Disaster Amnesiac however are the ways in which author Sarah Tomlinson treats the more deeply subjective issue for any and all humans as we navigate our mortal passage. Familial relationships and their potential and actual damages, feelings of alienation and loss, acts of tenderness between people that have loved each other, the reality of human passing; these Tomlinson has written about in ways that have brought me to tears, especially within the novel's denouement. The Last Days Of the Midnight Ramblers packs an emotional punch therein that will give sensitive readers much to ponder, and the emotional weight from that seems so much more significant than the show biz glitz which, for this reader anyway, enticed him to pick up the novel in the first place.

After their ends, and often during our actual lived lives, we can function as ghosts of one sort or another. Surely we also feel the presence of our own ghosts as we navigate our ways through time spent within this realm. The Last Days Of the Midnight Ramblers author Sarah Tomlinson does a brilliant job of imparting this insight. Find a copy and be moved by it.

Bong Watt-If It Works, It's Obsolete; eh? Records cassette 2024

 

An Open Letter To Disaster Amnesiac To Be Re-read In 2034:

Hey, dude, how've you been? OK, I hope, and I trust that you're still enjoying lots of different types of music. You always did, so it would not be surprising if that's still the case. This is just a friendly letter to you from the year 2024. Do you recall all of the craziness that's transpired in this year? Totally wild. Things you did not expect to occur have occurred, and, really, as I sit here on a July day in Tucson (by the way, where are you residing these days?), it seems as though many more crazy events will transpire before Western Civilization begins the year 2025. Anyway, to the meat of this letter (oh, and are you still practicing a plant-based diet? hope so): I just wanted to remind you to take a fresh listen to If It Works, It's Obsolete by Bong Watt Collab #3 on eh? Records. You still have your copy, right? Sure do hope so. As you listened to this work from three guys who've amassed, at this time, like 150 years' collectively within the creative music scene, you've found intriguing blends of Electro-Acoustic Music that has struck you as being of a quite hermetic nature. Yes, you have struggled a bit to find ways with which to describe the sounds that Walter Wright, Mike Watt, and Al Margolis have conjured up. Hell yeah, it's VERY abstract, the entire thing! It's music that a listener must listen to, and preferably without distractions such as cell phones, art magazines, or baseball games on the tube. Well, maybe an art magazine would be alright. You could contrast whichever article you're digging on with the sumptuous cover art which adorns this cassette. Wright, Watt, and Margolis draw from their respective lengthy individual experiences in order to cook up sounds that are deep and mysterious. At times you've felt almost as if you've been watching a group of people do yoga together or something. This can be a daunting process, but, you'll recall that there were long stretches of time during the Summer of 2024 when you didn't have much else to do. Hopefully you look back with ten years' distance and recall the sublimely abstract sounds that are documented within If It Works, It's Obsolete. Again, if you struggle to do so, I trust that you've still got your copy and it's easily accessible. After all, it's got the kind of sounds that remain interesting for weirdos such as yourself. You are still weird, right? I hope so. Guys such as the players within Bong Watt have retained their groovy weirdo status, and so can you, Disaster Amnesiac! It's absolutely a good thing, even for a dude in his sixties! OK, go and dig up that copy of that great tape from Bong Watt and rediscover its strange contours! Ciao homeslice.

Live shot(s) #134!

 Photos taken at Wooden Tooth Records on Congress St., Tucson 7/19/24

Above: Blunt Objects. The romance and jagged edges of a life lived. Roots back to Glitter era. Is it a simulacrum if the singer is live yet the band is virtual?

Below: Wanda Junes. Evocative of distinct vibes and places for this listener. Find their music and let it take you to your own such. 

 

During the wait for the music to start, Disaster Amnesiac perused the large, beautiful coffee table book about Estrus! Records. Please mail me your copy when you're done with it. 

Live shot #133!

 

Laptop musicians, Godwaffle show at Noisebridge Hackerspace, San Francisco circa 2017. I can't recall the name of this duo, but do remember that they were kind of "name" type dudes within the scene.

Live shot #132!

 

Nihilanon, with fans and digital anomalies. The Palms Restaurant, Twentynine Palms CA 4/6/2024. Night set at Wonder Valley Experimental Music Festival. Los Angeles-based musician.

RIP Shelley Duvall

 

Shelley Duvall has passed away from complications brought on by diabetes. For me, it's kind of a Goodbye 20th Century moment, in the sense that the Shining is a quintessential 20th Century film. Her performance within the Shining was shamanic at best and completely insane at its most harrowing, if that makes any sense at all. Additionally, she broke the mold for established female beauty within Hollywood, and that makes her a kick ass person. As she aged, she let herself age. Again, kick ass. Farewell Shelley Duvall, you were a beautiful woman.

Ricardo Arias//Violeta Garcia-Anagazas, Estratagemas, Jugarretas y Tretas; eh? Records #124

 

Are you looking for documents of Improvised Music that have emerged from the South American region? If so, you will want to seek out the new release from Ricardo Arias and Violeta Garcia, Anagazas, Estratagemas, Jugarretas y Tretas on eh? Records. This cassette comes with a cover that features some kind of jellied specimens, or at least that's how it looks to Disaster Amnesiac. As for its sounds, the listener is provided with a five-part piece of music produced by the cello sounds of Garcia blending with the bass balloon kit of Arias. If one wonders what that latter instrument is, one would be correct in concluding that it is indeed comprised of elastic membranes (balloons) that are rubbed. Ricardo mentions "much more" methods of preparation for the bass balloon kit, although whatever that entails is not summarily described. Suffice it to say, as will be further elucidated, that "much more" can clearly be heard throughout Anagazas. Side A has two parts, the longer Argucias-Allegro and Artimanas-Allegro ma non tanto. Tons of stuff happens within the former. Disaster Amnesiac has heard tenor saxophone, drummed parts, grunting feral animals, fingers sliding across membranes, sub-bass tonalities, creaking doors in conversation with other creaking doors, lasers, undulating sphincters,  fighter jets in flight, and flutes. I've also heard the occulted melodies always inherent within musical dynamics that utilize extended techniques. Leave your reactive mind out of the experience, and you'll hear them too. As for the latter, there's a very "Spanish" feel that arises for this listener as its thick, band-like interactions brings up visions of galloping horses from the cello bowing. And, please tell us how a set of balloons can be made to sound like piles of collapsing firewood in Arcata? This, plus a really lovely droning retard section to close out the side. On the flip side, Ardides-Molto adagio-Andante comes out with a bit more of a traditionally melodic statement from plucked cello strings. It's quite active within its spaciousness. Multi-phonics divide into discrete elements and percussive, fireworks-like sounds burst out. Patranas-Alla marcia, assai vivace brings more creaking and tape hiss sound (not from the tape, the release is mastered really well by Ricardo). Metallic pipes are heard to resonate as they are dragged across paths which eventually lead to big caverns. A shaman shakes his rattle and then address the listener. How to respond? Anagazas concludes with Subterfugios-Allegro appassionato wherein quickened phrases are played and the balloons sound like a drum kit being caressed by delicate brushes. This one's short and sweet, so make sure and pay attention as Ricardo Arias and Violeta Garcia wrap this hastily arranged session, produced right before "it all collapsed" in March, 2020, up. Anyone that's survived said collapse, and is seeking contemporary sounds from within the rich, international field of Improvised Music, will do well to find and hear Anagazas, Estratagemas, Jugarretas y Tretas. It's wonderful, and it makes Disaster Amnesiac ponder what other delightful oddness of sound production is going down at the Bogota matik-matik venue and in Violeta's native Argentina.

Random shot!

 

Pacifica CA, 2018. Looking north towards Marin County.

Live shot(s) #131!

 All photos taken at Wooden Tooth Records, Tucson 7/5/2024.

Above: Julio Lopez. Mirco-tones, Classical Voices, drones, abstractions. A very lovely solo set. 

Below: Ross Wightman's Fiddle Henge. Angelic choirs summoned from robotics, 3-d printing and circuitry. Perhaps a bit too short of a set, but then again Drone and Noise sets are often that way. On tour from New Haven CT.

Above: Maiiuwak. Continuing their astute duo dynamic interplay. Neon chakra pathways, desert clouds, mountains, metal machines, bliss.......

Another awesome evening in Tucson.

Random Independence Day shot!

 

Western Wyoming, July 2020. Today is July 4th, also known as Independence Day. That's the name of the holiday. So many get that wrong on this day. Independence is a word that a lot of people do not want bandied about too much. Please, on this day, ask yourself why that is the case, and then maybe act accordingly. One can still do that, despite what we've been told for so long now.

Eloine-Moldy Cushions; Flag Day Records, 2024

 

The photos gracing Eloine's new CD, Moldy Cushions, appear to be close ups of mushrooms or spores of some other form. Were they taken with some very advanced gear that photographer Holly Wilson has access to? Or, are they enlarged bits of data snapped with a mere iPhone or some such other? Either way, they fit really well with the sounds on Bryan Day's solo project and its new physical output (of the digital realm, anyway; we all know that Day makes fascinatingly formed instruments for his own and artistic patrons' use too). The term has been over used, and by Disaster Amnesiac as well, but I just keep coming back to "granular" as a way of assisting in the word visualization that accompanies listening to music that has been submitted for review over here in the Land of the Devil's Breath. Granular spaces are the spaces in which Eloine finds its unique voices. There are not stated melodies as such, although there has been at least one occasion, as I listened to Cushions, in which as very definite melodic form arose from this masterfully done Musique Concrete. There can be no doubt that Day is after sounds that are in variance with traditional notions of melody, but, equally, this writer has no doubt that Bryan would not be averse to that phenomena arising, either. He's just not that kind of guy. He is a very creative guy, and I've seen him thinking really intensely, even when it's just, you know, bumping into him and Holly at a local thrift shop. True story! But back to Cushions. Eloine has an arsenal of sounds, ones which have been crafted both by Bryan Day and some of his co-creators (International Division), and from them the listener can hear imaginary cities of mammoth proportions being constructed. Did Day see a lot of this in India and Brazil? These are both BRICS nations, so presumably, there is a lot of "development" happening within them, what with being allied to China and Russia and all. Eloine makes visualization so accessible from organized sound! Put your phone down while you listen. Grab a chair by a window and watch the world's drift match those of Eloine. You'll hear theremin sounds, stately electronic sounds, percussive sounds, post-production effects, cybernetic atmospheres and so forth. Formal structures are indeed presented within Moldy Cushions. They are ones very specifically composed by Bryan Day under the moniker of Eloine. No two mycological specimens can ever be the same ergo why should so thoughtful a person as Bryan make the same music as everyone else? Can you believe that that's still an issue? Sadly, it is. For an antidote to group think, proceed immediately from reading this post to Flag Day Records and show your support. Years from now, you can count yourself amongst the supporters of a genuine American artist as he was making deep strides within his body of work.

Tony Oxley Quintet-Angular Apron; Corbett vs. Dempsey Records, 2024

 

More good news for appreciators of the late Tony Oxley's drumming comes in the form of Angular Apron, a documented live set from 1992 in Germany. The quintet that made this long form composition was pieced together from multiple regions and generations, and this rather polyglot method serves the Improvised Music milieu within which all its players worked quite well. Bass player Sirone was involved within the Free Jazz scene of NYC at one of its busiest periods. Oxley's roots went back to roughly the same era but within somewhat different philosophical perspectives. Pat Thomas was working quite often with Oxley at that time on piano and electronics. Before hearing Apron, Disaster Amnesaic had never heard the sounds of woodwinds player Larry Stabbins or the trumpet and flugelhorn of Manfred Schoof. As regards these last two, it just goes to show that the Jazz and Improvised Music scenes are bottomless wells for enthusiastic listeners; one will always be able to hear "new to them" players from them. 

As for the playing on Apron, it's exquisite, as to be expected from Corbett vs. Dempsey product. The group thrashes out five piece unit structures at times, while at other times breaking off into more discrete duo, trio, and quartet zones. All of the players show remarkably honed instincts as to when to stay silent or when to dive in to the instrumental fray. Sirone's bass solo may be the brightest spot of the entire thing. One would be hard pressed to find a better bassist of the upright variety. The man had skills that many others hadn't even, or wouldn't even, consider. One of the bright lights of the post-Ayler contiuum, no doubt about it. Of course, Tony's playing is a delight to listen to. His fascinating drum kit, with such different timbre from the standard Jazz one, is always a treat. On this disc the listener is treated to the man during a period in which he was one of the most singular leaders within the forms. Given that he'd worked with Oxley a lot already by this point, Thomas sounds particularly locked in with his partner. His electronic washes add nice, surreal boosts at various points. Stabbins scrawls and squeals, Schoof's brass is juicy in an almost Trad way at times, along with going inward and outward of course. 

Despite Angular Apron consisting of only one track (64 min.), the ways that the Tony Oxley Quintet interacted on that date in Bochum will assure that the committed listener of free improvisation will not be bored as they interact with its nuances. Sporting a couple examples of Tony's abstracted visual art and really great post-production, this one should be a prized score for anyone that's a fan of or even curious about Improvised Music in general.

Live shot #130!

 

Milo, Chuck Dukowski Sextet. Vitus Bar, Oakland CA 2012.