I just finished watching an amazing film about 9 musicians who spent a week creating some great music.  Tragically, they were in an auto accident and perished.   A college student named Jordan Shipman purchased the master tapes and undeveloped 16mm film of their time at Dark Horse studio – at a garage sale for $5.00!   It took some time and work, but he, along with friends at some fake college, have fun in this fictional, documentary-style film.

Thank you so much Jordan and Co.  I am so grateful to hear this music.  I got quite emotional hearing the songs (in a good way), but soon realized that I had been had.  Still a fun movie to watch.

click here to watch the trailer

and here to see the video and hear the song “Bridges To The Sun”

www.avatarmovie.com

This is the kind of film that I will actually go to the theaters for.  It’s rare that one comes along, and I’m really looking forward to this one.  I might even see it more than once!

I suppose the next one that I may want to see in the theater for sure, will be the two Hobbit films coming out in a few years.

Earlier this year I was looking for new music, and a friend sent me this: Primitive Machines I like the track, “Always Thought the Sun Would Come”

Amoured Bear‘s Imagination was posted by a friend from Ireland, on her Facebook page.  Pretty mellow, but I like it.

 

Steve Vai’s Whispering A Prayer played with “FLO” from the Live At The Astoria DVD.  BEAUTIFUL!!  I love that he names his guitars.  They deserve it.

 

My intro to 70s Proggers Gentle Giant:  Playing The Game.  Not sure how or when I found this, but I recall it was the first song that really made me take notice of them, their eclectic style, and incredible talent.

 

 

And here’s how I found Jack Conte:  I was perusing the threads on Talkbass, and there was one in the effects forum on this pedal by Electro Harmonix, which Jack did a demo for.  I’m not sure if it was the first demo he did for them, but it’s definitely one of the coolest.  Click here for the VoiceBox Demo.

I know one of the guys in The American Professionals and they have this hilarious video showing what they do.  Check out some songs on their Myspace here.  I may go check them out (finally) Friday (11/20) at the Rockit Room in San Francisco.

Watch Les Claypool’s Buzzards Of Green Hill, with special guest Jimmy Herring, tearing it up on the six string.

Do you like my guitar?

Awhile back, a friend posted this on his facebook page, and I thought it was great.  This bass player John Montagna, who does a nice rendition of Paul McCartney’s Live And Let Die . Check it out.

Also, here is the isolated bass track of Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On played by James Jamerson – one of the greatest, if not THE greatest bass player’s ever.  The live version’s here: What’s Going On.

This is just cool!  It’s a demo of this Roland SH-201 synth that I have.  But I want to use it to do stuff like this: Jack Conte’s “On Planets“.  Can’t say I’ve used it a whole lot so far.

I went on Sunday and bought some music at Amoeba Records,  remembering a song from a prog podcast I had heard, but having no idea what song it was, I bought three CDs of the artist…  Yeah, that’s right, The Alan Parsons Project.  Funny enough, the movie I chose to watch on netflix tonight is Ladyhawke, the soundtrack of which – Alan Parsons scored.  So, without further adieu: The Ladyhawke Theme!

If you haven’t, and you like solid rock music, go check their new album out here:  Them Crooked Vultures consists of Dave Grohl on drums (of the Foo Fighters, and formerly of Nirvana, in case you didn’t know), Josh Homme (of The Queens Of The Stone Age), and Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones.   Pre-order here.  Grohl and Jones have got to be the best rock rhythm-section alive.  And they’re playing in Oakland at the Fox Theater next week!

 

Hey!

At the beginning of 2009, I started seeking out new music and found a lot through Pandora as well as a Talkbass forum thread on prog.  I’ve been exposed to alot of new stuff, including Battles (who have this incredible video for a song called Tonto), Spock’s Beard, Porcupine Tree, Jack Conte  and his compilation with Pomplamoose who do these things called Videosongs. 

I just discovered this band Frost*  , and really like them.  Newish Prog from Britain.  I first heard them the other day on Woody and Suzi Harris’ Soundscape – The Dividing Line Podcast (via itunes).  I liked them enough that I downloaded their first album last night, and managed to find a link to order their live cd as well.

They may actually be playing their last shows, which sucked to hear about, since they’re all in the UK.  Maybe you can make it?

Thursday 5th November – The Rainbow
160 High St, Deritend, Birmingham

Saturday 7th November – The Peel
160 Cambridge Road, Kingston, Surrey

Sunday November 8th – The Globe
125 Albany Road, Roath, Cardiff

 

I really could say more, but I’ll leave it short since this is the first blaaaaaahhhhhh ooooooooooooog entry.  Welcome to my world, folks.  I hope I don’t bore you too much.