Monday, May 30, 2011

Free?!

What do you play? Whatever I want. Its hard to get away from time, rhythm, playing drums, the trap kit is a trap if you don't want to mess with time, no time, "rag time to no time", there's much to be said for just a drum.........people do all sorts of beautiful things with vibrating membranes drums skins, specialists in texture sound using dowel rods bows rosin on things you can get lost in that world.....you get some cymbals up and add some toms and kick and have a certain feel there's no escaping pulse so what can you do? I like to do everything as it happens, I don't mind repeating repeating repetition or playing time swinging pulse or make friction happen with any number of implements on surfaces static noise void and cluttered rhythm cymbals bouncing all over the place.

Its really a lifelong journey to figure out this thing. The kit as instrument. Going where others have gone and taking stealing changing rearranging evolving the thing that you do. There are walls that get in the way that will always be scaled knocked down however you see it. For me so many things have done this from Milford Graves to Billy Mintz to damn near every drummer I've heard to honest with you. I'm not looking for a name or fame or you or anyone knowing who I've played with or where I've been. I intend to lose myself in the process each and every time and if this happens to be in the public context then that's sharing what others have shared with me, that thing, whatever it is, sorta like you're leaving you're body and watching the music happen you're watching yourself channel this sound action from somewhere.............maybe it can be seen as mystical too far out hippie dippy freakatoni this is how it is I just go on and keep playing at some point I may be old if I am there I'll be playing whether anyone listens or not.........

As I sit here sweating damn boy its hot here in Philly and the humidity makes it sticky my drums are behind me and are fairly in tune I might just go play them with a pair of mallets make some music for the room and the moisture!

For Ed Blackwell!!

Friday, May 20, 2011

Oh yeah, its raining!




riverrun, past Eve and Adam's, from swerve of shore to bend of bay, brings us by comodius vicous of circulation back to Howthe Castle and environs...........................................................

Sunday, May 15, 2011




A thunderstorm rolled in last night late and rumbled shook the windows the house woke us up.

Drove to Mt Penn today in search of a cymbal my son asleep in the back now I have a headache even though we ate a whole pizza at Mad Greeks and another thunderstorm threatened.

So I rolled on up to the 3rd floor where things are in transition things being fixed cleaned and lots of light air sounds bounce around just so perfectly.

A moment captured, its not much, really its not, but maybe you get the point.