[11/02/06] We acquired an accordion last year. It turns out the cats think it is a portable ultra-vacuum. They hate and fear it like no other object. (I wonder how they'd like bagpipes?) We'll need to have a look at the spectrum of the accordion soon.
My Oyster is released!!! The release party was a success, with several hundred in attendance. Until distribution is arranged, the album is available via mailorder from Pictoria Records
My Oyster was composed by Cory Cullinan and performed by Cory and a cast of dozens: it is a unique synthesis of classical, rock, and jazz styles (can you say, "eclectic" ?) which is likely to garner critical acclaim. (And sell a few copies...) This was an interesting project not only because of the musical content, but also because we recorded many of the instruments individually and often in remote locations. I learned a lot about micing techniques with instruments not frequently seen in the studio: bassoon, harpsichord, pipe organ, timpani, and tuba for example. I have become a proponent of hypercardioid microphones and M-S stereo recording.
My Oyster is getting radio airplay...keep an ear out for it! Specifically, listen to KPFA (94.1 MHz Berkeley, CA) , KZSU (Stanford), KPOO, KALX, and KKUP (San Francisco Bay Area); or you could call and request My Oyster.
Offbeats are working on a new CD. This time, we're doing a full studio production: lots of overdubs and double-tracking. It already sounds great and we're just getting started; stay tuned!!! If you see Doug Offbeat, bug him to get his keyboard parts going!
Right now, we're recording an exciting new Bay Area group featuring the songs of Mike London. London plays strong, guitar-based Beatlesque pop, reminiscent of Bad Finger, The Byrds, with a pinch of Sting, Peter Gabriel, and Tom Petty. Still, it has a distinctive London signature. This is going to be a big one, so watch this space for further details...We're done mixing and the album "In Dreams I Fly" turned out even better than we'd hoped!
[8/5/97] We mastered "In Dreams I Fly" at Fantasy Studios last week. Don't ever doubt the value of professional mastering. I thought our mixes were pretty darn good, but they really jumped out after a bit of dynamics and EQ! The graphics are nearly done, so we should have the CD within a few weeks.
[8/18/97] Just finished recording a CD project for Trivium Productions. Ever heard of Johannes Regis (d.1475)? Well, you might soon, as we recorded two masses with singers from Chanticleer in Stanford's Memorial Church for release next year on Lyrichord's Early Music Series. Some incredible sacred vocal music from the middle ages!
[10/9/97]
[6/30/98] Just finished recording, mixing, and editing a new release by Bay Area band Grendel: "The Shame Spiral". Nice combination of gritty guitar and pop vocals. We'll be mastering soon.
[9/25/98] Well, it took some time, but "The Shame Spiral" is released! Check Bay Area CD stores for the disc, Frintastic Label FR00012. Ask for it by name.
[1/8/99] So what am I up to now? I await the eventual release of the now-ancient recording of Regis masses and the upcoming release of Allette Brooks' new album Silicon Valley Rebel, which I helped mix. This will be mastered next week. Also, look for the recent CD from Debris, featuring Gavin Freitas...I recorded two songs for this project.
[1/14/99] We mastered Silicon Valley Rebel at Fantasy Studios and I was again amazed by the improvement mastering has made in what we thought were good mixes.
We also bought a new house and will begin building a new studio soon. Hopefully some new music will come from our new studio, eventually! Oh yeah, we're still thinking about finishing that new Offbeats CD!
[3/17/99] Silicon Valley Rebel is finished (although the printer is redoing the artwork to get the color right) and Allette will debut the album at the record release party April 25th at Luna Sea in SF. Also, I'll begin working with Debris tracking a new CD in the next few weeks.
[9/9/99] Allette is on tour in the midwest and having fun meeting new audiences and promoting her CDs. Debris is done with tracking and will soon begin mixing on CCRMA's new Mackie Digital 8-Bus console. A new musical entity War of Words has developed over the summer, consisting of songwriter/performers Tom Brooks, Linda and Jay Kadis, and Bill Nelsen with drummer Mark Resare. It's a rather eclectic blend of blues, rock, and pop and will be recording soon as well as playing live in the SF area.
[10/12/99] Finished a 6-song demo for Siddharth Kakodkar and his band School of Ruckus. Sidd will be shopping it and also selling direct at gigs. Will finish the Debris CD tomorrow. Gavin Freitas will be shopping it and selling it as well. Two cool projects that should both be picked up.
[9/8/00] Just finished another Debris CD "I've Seen 'Em On Gilman Street". Should be releasing it on Dexter Records in October. The Regis masses from 1998 were released on Lyrichord last month...finally! Offbeats are making headway on our latest CD, which better be done by Xmas...this year!!! Allette Brooks is still on the road promoting the Silicon Valley Rebel album. We're slated to start another project later this year.
[10/28/2000] "I've Seen 'Em on Gilman Street" is out in stores in the Bay Area. Get it while it's hot!
[9/12/2001] Had Allette Brooks' latest "Swim With Me" mastered yesterday. By far her best effort yet and a real pro sounding album. She'll be touring the US and planning a record release event later in the year.
[11/13/2001] Allette's record release for "Swim With Me" will be Friday, November 30 at the Noe Valley Ministry, 1021 Sanchez, San Francisco. Hope we'll see you there!
[5/23/2002] After years of work (not full-time), the new Offbeats CD is done. For a little taste, listen to:
[9/23/02] Here's a little demo from Jay's Garage in 1981. Recorded to Tascam 80-8 with SM-57s and SM-54s only. The drums were bounced to mono. This clip was remixed on the Mackie D8B.
[1/10/03] Finally! The second Offbeats CD is here! Check Offbeats for purchasing details. Also making a couple of recordings with Gavin Freitas for a Green Day tribute album and starting to work on some new songs with Linda Kadis for recording this spring. After a successful gig the day after Christmas, it looks like the band with Tom Brooks and Linda Kadis may be getting off the ground. Several other musicians, including a horn section, are interested. Will also be recording another record with Cory Cullinan later this year.
[3/14/03] So you thought political protest songs were passe? These songs were recorded to DA-38 using an Ensoniq MR-61 for drums, P-bass direct, and guitars went through a Roland GP-3 direct (no amp). Vocals were C-535EB/Ghost/RNC. Mixed on Mackie D8B with Lexicon 224XL reverb. Only me: writing, performing, recording, sentiments.
At one time, religions made positive contributions to civilization, but they have been subverted and manipulated by unscrupulous political influences to the point where they are a threat to rational thought.
I wrote this as a reflection on the Clinton impeachment fiasco, but it appears to be more widely applicable.
[7/29/03] This one was recorded to my 80-8 back in 1989, using LinnDrum and the rest me, recently remixed on the Mackie D8B:
It would seem things are more like they were than ever.
[9/11/03] Some new demos from Linda Kadis. These are works in progress, as we're hoping to make real recordings at some point. Written in summer of 1999, the arrangements are still open to change. All home recordings.
[11/25/03] A new CD from Ozzie Kotani and Steve Sano is done. Remembrance is a collection of Okinawan and Japanese songs arranged for two guitars.
[6/18/04] Finished mixing a CD for Dale Boyle and the Barburners, a rock-a-billy/blues band from Montreal. Produced by Dan Levitin, it's a CD of solid blues guitar and vocals, covering a wide array of roots music with a little Hendrix for good measure.
[3/16/05] A new recording project is underway with Dan Brusseau, Linda Kadis and me. Sort of a resurrection of Urban Renewal with all new material. Linda and I are also working on a jazz/blues standards project for playing live. Tim Boomer is the bassist and Mick Berry will hopefully add drums. Mick is also working with Offbeats and may spur the band to gig again real soon now.
[5/30/05] Recorded some music for Gavin Freitas' cartoon Dave Karrot and Ketchupboy . Hopefully will be shown by Nickelodeon in an upcoming animation contest. [Nope, too "adult" for them!]
[2/3/06] Recording work's been a bit slow recently, in part due to the renovation work on the Knoll, the home of CCRMA and the studio on which I've begun to depend. Dan Brusseau and I have expanded his work into a second solo album project that's really hot! Linda and I have been devoting our time to playing standards in a live project that should soon begin to work. Offbeats are threatening to resume playing on a regular basis. Should be a good year.
[6/16/06] Just so it doesn't look like I've given up songwriting:
[8/8/06] Misanthropes, those old farts from the '60s, are playing at the book release party for Bruce Tahsler's book "The San Francisco East Bay Scene: Garage Bands From the 60's Then and Now" on Sunday, August 13 at the Saddle Rack in Fremont, CA. I have also finished the project with Dan Brusseau, entitled "I See Faces". Stay tuned for more info as it gets replicated and released!
[10/17/06] Dan Brusseau's CD "I See Faces" is now out. Featuring guitarist Steph Burns, vocalist Linda Kadis and some rhythm guitar from me, the project is a tight rock album with vocals, bass, keyboards and drum programming work from Dan.
We're also finishing Linda Kadis' record "So Long Ago-Go", music from the '80s that never got released. We're excited about this because the songs have already stood the test of time and are still fresh-sounding. The mixes are strong and the music, reminiscent of Blondie and Pat Benatar, is New Wave/World Beat with a bit of a punk edge.
[11/02/06] "So Long Ago-Go" is being replicated. We'll be sure to let everyone know where to get a copy in a couple of weeks.
[12/04/06] "So Long Ago-Go" is back from the replicator. It rocks! It's a vinylCD, so it looks like a tiny record and plays like a CD. Check it out at CD Baby, iTunes or PayPlay.
[3/9/07] I just realized I invented the blog! That's what this is and look at the starting date... Anyway, digging through the archives I found a couple of old recordings y'all might like:
And the all-time favorite, Numbskulls. This is the only thing I've done that brought in money from airplay.
[6/05/07] So Long Ago-Go is playing on Old Wave Radio.
[7/30/07] Misanthropes will again play for the second edition release party for "The San Francisco East Bay Scene: Garage Bands From the 60's Then and Now". It will be held September 9th at the Saddle Rack in Fremont, CA.
[2/08/08] Working on a new record "Blaze" with Allette Brooks. We recorded the basic tracks in September and are now mixing. We hope to have the first song up on her web site soon. Also working on a new project with Dan Brusseau.
[4/08/08] Both Offbeats CDs are now available at CD Baby! Clicking on the album cover will take you there.
