Arthur C. Clarke has died
Arthur C. Clarke has died in Sri-Lanka, at age 90. Now I’m by no means a big reader, I’d love to be, but I really never have the time. Still, from where I’m typing this I can count 25 books authored by Mr. Clarke on my bookshelf. His stories are an amazing blend of science fiction with facts or actual theory behind it. I was always a big fan of, 2001: A Space Odyssey, a flick my Mom first took me to when I was 8. The eerie (and accurate since there there is no atmosphere in space for it to travel through) lack of sound gave the movie its own unique character. Seeing the huge ship move through space without the usual roar of the engines sets it apart from the other films bogus atmosphere, and this sense of detail was pervasive throughout his writting. If pressed to pick a favorite, it would have to be Childhood’s End (with Randevous with Rama a close second). Each deal with the idea that while we’re the dominate force on this planet now, we weren’t in the past, and ultimately we won’t be in the future. We can only hope for more people as forward thinking. The New York Times has a fantastic writeup on his life, and accomplishments. “…The author of almost 100 books, Mr. Clarke was an ardent 
promoter of the idea that humanity’s destiny lay beyond the confines of Earth. It was a vision served most vividly by “2001: A Space Odyssey,” the classic 1968 science-fiction film he created with the director Stanley Kubrick and the novel of the same title that he wrote as part of the project. His work was also prophetic: his detailed forecast of telecommunications satellites in 1945 came more than a decade before the first orbital rocket flight. Other early advocates of a space program argued that it would pay for itself by jump-starting new technology. Mr. Clarke set his sights higher. Borrowing a phrase from William James, he suggested that exploring the solar system could serve as the “moral equivalent of war,” giving an outlet to energies that might otherwise lead to nuclear holocaust. [...] Mr. Clarke was well aware of the importance of his role as science spokesman to the general population: “Most technological achievements were preceded by people writing and imagining them,” he noted. “I’m sure we would not have had men on the Moon,” he added, if it had not been for H. G. Wells and Jules Verne. “I’m rather proud of the fact that I know several astronauts who became astronauts through reading my books.” So while 2001 (the movie and the book) was based on an earlier short story called The Sentinel, time will tell if Mr. Clarke served as a sentinel for us all as our species eventually finds it’s place in the universe.
Paul Raven dead of a heart attack
Wow, here’s an unexpected blast from the past, Paul Raven, bass player for industrial bands that I used to love like Pigface and Murder, Inc., as well as Killing Joke and Ministry contributer, has died in his sleep of a heart attack in France at the age of 46. “MINISTRY bassist Paul Raven was found dead yesterday (Saturday, October 20) in a private home in a small French village on the Swiss border after suffering an apparent heart attack. Raven (who is also known for his work with KILLING JOKE and PRONG) was in Geneva working with French recording artists TREPONEM PAL on their new release alongside drummer Ted Parsons (PRONG) and members of THE YOUNG GODS. Born in Wolverhampton, UK on January 16, 1961, Paul Vincent Raven established himself with his work in the seminal post-punk/industrial act KILLING JOKE after he replaced the band’s original bassist in 1982, recording and touring with the group throughout its most commercially successful period, performing on “Fire Dances”, “Night Time” and “Brighter than a Thousand Suns”. Throughout his extensive career, Raven participated in other collaborations, including PRONG, MURDER, INC., PIGFACE and GODFLESH. Most recently, Raven was nominated for a 2006 Grammy for “Best Metal Performance” for his work with MINISTRY’s Al Jourgensen, with whom he had begun collaborating in late 2005 on the MINISTRY release “Rio Grande Blood”. After a 2006 world tour with the group, Raven helped Jourgensen and PRONG’s Tommy Victor pen the latest MINISTRY CD, “The Last Sucker”, which is also the band’s final studio release.” While much of the industrial music I dug years ago (listed above, and bands like Skinny Puppy, Nitzer Ebb, Revolting Cocks and the like) haven’t stood the test of time, I need to break out the Murder, Inc. CD and give it another go. The combination of rhythm with Chris Connelly’s vocals made it a classic industrial record, with Paul Raven and the then current incarnation of Killing Joke.
Jazz drummer extraordinaire, Max Roach dies 83
Hard bob pioneer Max Roach died last week at 83 in Manhattan. His contributions to Jazz are immense, as he likely played on far more Jazz recordings than I knew about, over 70 in all. He’ll always be one of the top Jazz drummers, and someone I’ll listen to for the rest of my days, since his recordings touched so many classics. There some great background on his life and achievements out there, here are some select highlights. He got his first break at, “…age 16, filling in for three nights in 1940 when Ellington’s drummer fell ill. Roach’s performance led him to the legendary Minton’s Playhouse in Harlem, where he joined luminaries Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie in the burgeoning bebop movement. In 1944, Roach joined Gillespie and Coleman Hawkins in one of the first bebop recording sessions.” He was a giant in the jazz world, and seemed to play with all of the others during his lifetime, an amazing legacy. “On his way to becoming known as perhaps the greatest jazz drummer of all time, Roach collaborated with what seems like all of the budding superstars of the insular jazz world at the time, including Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie (who he joined for one of the first-ever bebop recording sessions), Miles Davis (Roach played on the 1949-1950 Birth of the Cool sessions), Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, Bud Powell and Charles Mingus. In 1952, he and Mingus founded Debut Records, one of the first musician-run labels. One of the short-lived outfit’s most notable recordings was a Toronto performance featuring Roach, Mingus, Parker, Gillespie and Powell. Roach formed a “hard bop” quintet with trumpet player Clifford Brown (ed- and Richie Powell) in 1954“
Elliot Smith “New Moon”
I’ve been reading a bunch of reviews about Elliot Smith’s new release, New Moon while playing it on the iPod. It’s a compilation of mostly acoustic bsides and demos from his fertile period between 1995-1997 when he recorded for Kill Rock Stars, and includes gems that folks familiar with Elliot’s music will enjoy uncovering. As a whole, most reviews point new users away from this one, but highly recommend it for those familiar with his music, and I’ll agree there. If you’ve heard/seen Elliot before, pick this up, if not, go buy Either/Or and XO first. This is the second release from Elliot since his death (queue the Tupac or Sublime jokes), but the last was the finishing up of the glorious From A Basement On A Hill, and this is simply a collection of seldom to never heard tunes from the period, so it’s hardly the rehash you usually see. Regardless, this set replaces crummy mp3s that I have of some of these, while putting them in perspective with their brethren. I wish he could have seen it through, but like all artists their true measurement of their comes after their lives. Gentle voice, familiar minor chord changes, brilliant writing, it’s here for all to hear; thanks Elliot. Close your eyes and enjoy the view of the new moon…
Silkworm drummer Dahlquist killed in car crash
UPDATE 10/31/2007: “Jeanette Sliwinski of Morton Grove was found guilty of three counts of reckless homicide with mental illness, as a grueling two-week trial concluded in the Skokie courthouse. Her sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 26, where she could receive up to 10 years in custody, prosecutors said.” Full coverage
Also, a fellow poster on digg.com shared a link to a memorial site for the victims here: http://www.dougjohnmichael.com/
NOTE: I originally posted this to my old blog, July 19th, 2005, but have reposted it here after receiving an email about a Silkworm documentary in the works, with an accompanying trailer that gave me goose bumps. It reminds me of just how much their music meant to me, and how glorious they were live. I’ll post more on them in a bit, first I need to re listen and take them in again (you should too). Now playing, Silkworm “It’ll Be Cool”.
I’d seen the band Silkworm (from Missoula, MT, then Seattle and later Chicago) since 1993, and anytime a drummer strips down to his shorts and then puts on oven mitts before playing…well, you know something good is going to happen. This was my introduction to the artful sounds of Silkworm, combining rock with an experimentation that I haven’t heard before or since. I stayed up with them, buying their cds as they were released and going to see them when they were around. I remember seeing them play Cicero’s in St. Louis in 1994, in a room with a capacity of 250, Andy’s guitar stack was taller than he was, and he is tall! Two friends I was with left the room and went upstairs to escape the volume, but my girlfriend (now wife) Mary and I stood our ground at the front and center table, drinking our Old Style, totally enthralled by the band, and Michael’s crazy, powerful drumming. I remember seeing them play Liberty Lunch during Sxsw 1997, and instead of playing all of their ‘hits’, they just played all the songs from their (then new) cd, “Developer” in it’s entirety, a bold, ballsy move I thought, and one I appreciated. It’s how they created and shared their art; they always did it their way. The last show I saw was at Sxsw 2004 with a friend who had never heard them before, and they were as great (and loud) as always. I always love sharing bands with others, but here was this established band of over 13 years with a history few bands can brag about, doing what they’d always done, playing their new songs. I have plenty of ‘favorite’ bands, but this was a really great one. The news of how he died makes this even more senseless. Here, reprinted from Punknews, is a complete writeup of the tragedy. “Yesterday, Silkworm drummer Michael Dahlquist was killed in an auto accident 
in Skokie, Illinois. Dahlquist and two companions — John Glick, guitarist of the Returnables and Doug Meis, drummer of Exo and the Dials — were stopped at a traffic light and were intentionally struck from behind by a 23-year-old woman in a failed suicide attempt. Dahlquist, Glick and Meis were all killed in the crash; they were 39, 35 and 29, respectively. The woman was not seriously injured. Silkworm bassist/vocalist Tim Midgett confirmed Michael’s passing on the band’s earlier today. There is also a thread mourning the loss on the Electrical Audio message board, where Dahlquist was a contributor. Silkworm’s last release was 2004′s Touch And Go-released It’ll Be Cool. Their last show was April 30 in Coumbia, Missouri. Midgett has since told the Chicago Tribune that the band is officially over. To those unfamiliar with the group’s music, you can stream a song off their MySpace page, and find three MP3s at their Touch And Go page under the “Featured Clips” tab. Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Mr Dahlquist, Mr. Glick and Mr. Meis. A more detailed story has been posted online by the Chicago Tribune. You can view it here. ” Wtf, how sad and senseless.
Kurt Vonnegut dead at 84
Writer Kurt Vonnegut has died at age 84. “Kurt Vonnegut, whose dark comic talent and urgent moral vision in novels like “Slaughterhouse-Five,” “Cat’s Cradle” and “God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater” caught the temper of his times and the imagination of a generation, died last night in Manhattan. He was 84 and had homes in Manhattan and in Sagaponack on Long Island. His death was reported by Morgan Entrekin, a longtime family friend, who said Mr. Vonnegut suffered brain injuries as a result of a fall several weeks ago. Mr. Vonnegut wrote plays, essays and short fiction. But it was his novels that became classics of the American counterculture, making him a literary idol, particularly to students in the 1960s and ’70s. Dog-eared paperback copies of his books could be found in the back pockets of blue jeans and in dorm rooms on campuses throughout the United States. Like Mark Twain, Mr. Vonnegut used humor to tackle the basic questions of human existence: Why are we in this world? Is there a presiding figure to make sense of all this, a god who in the end, despite making people suffer, wishes them well? He also shared with Twain a profound pessimism. “Mark Twain,” Mr. Vonnegut wrote in his 1991 book, “Fates Worse Than Death: An Autobiographical Collage,” “finally stopped laughing at his own agony and that of those around him. He denounced life on this planet as a crock. He died.” Not all Mr. Vonnegut’s themes were metaphysical. With a blend of vernacular writing, science fiction, jokes and philosophy, he also wrote about the banalities of consumer culture, for example, or the destruction of the environment.” Viewed as a whole, his writings are timeless.
Painter Sol Lewitt dead at 78
Sol Lewitt, a great American artist whose work covered minimal and conceptual abstract expressionism, died Sunday morning in New York City at 78. “LeWitt is one of the key artists of the 1960s. His work bridges Minimal and Conceptual art, movements that abandoned the emphasis on psychological content and gestural form typifying Abstract Expressionism in the 1950s. In a seminal text in written in 1967 titled “Paragraphs on Conceptual Art,” LeWitt emphasized his view of art: “No matter what form it may finally have it must begin with an idea,” and, “When an artist uses a conceptual form of art, it means that all of the planning and decisions are made beforehand and the execution is a perfunctory affair. The idea becomes a machine that makes the art.” Chrissie Iles, a curator at New York’s Whitney Museum, which produced a LeWitt retrospective in 2000. “His early work established the new languages of both minimalism and conceptual art, and his `Sentences on Conceptual Art’ [a list of 35 statements he published in 1969], became one of the iconic artists’ texts of the 20th century. His wall drawings re-defined the parameters of both drawing and painting, whilst his structures epitomize the abstract serial form that came to define art of the ’70s. … His work continues to exert a powerful influence on the younger generation in its deceptive simplicity and power.” Good stuff, here’s some images of his work, plus most major museums have pieces of his you can checkout in person. Back in the day when I worked at the gallery, I framed and installed a few of his pieces.
Morrissey chooses final resting place
While certainly putting the cart before the horse, Morrissey has chosen where he wants to be buried; Los Angeles celebrity cemetery Hollywood Forever, right next to Johnny Ramone. “I like that cemetery. I stumbled across Johnny Ramone’s stone and thought it was very nicely placed,” he told The Daily Express. “I sat there for a long time and I felt quite good about it. It was nice his bones were under the soil I was sitting on. So yeah, that’s my spot.” He says he doesn’t want a big memorial, as neighbor Johnny has, “I want nothing other than name, birth date, death date“, and then leaves a perfect quote for my Morrissey collection “Death is a serious thing, certainly not to be sneezed at.“
Lester Borchardt, Cheerios inventor, dies
When I was a kid Cheerios were my favorite cereal, hell, I remember ~10 years back eating them at night after my wife and I would get home from bars, and I still eat them off an on to this day. Any parent is going to have a personal relationship with them since it’s one of the best first foods for infants, plus the ones that hit the floor are easily picked up by the dogs! The ‘inventor’ of Cheerios has passed on, but what a subtile legacy he left; certaining making the world a better place in his lifetime. I think it’s especially cool that he 
lived to 99, who knows, maybe it’s the cereal, we can only hop. “Lester Borchardt, a Minnesota physicist who developing the technologies behind Cheerios and Kix breakfast cereals, has died at age 99. Borchardt, who died Sunday in Minneapolis, is credited with revolutionizing the breakfast cereal industry, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported. The newspaper said Borchardt’s inventions during his 36 years at General Mills included a device that could measure the moisture content of kernels of wheat, a new way of closing cereal bags and a process for treating materials under a high vacuum. He also played a key role in developing the process to fortify milk with vitamin D. The process used an electrical charge to convert ergosterol — which is part of the membrane of fungal cells found in milk — into vitamin D.“
James Brown is dead
While it’s old news now, legendary soul singer James Brown passed away early in the morning on Christmas Day in Atlanta. He was 73. I found it funny that there was an article out yesterday stating that James Brown may ultimately have been more influential than Elvis. Uh, *may have been*? WTF, think about which artist brought his own sound, his own moves, his own songs to the people, and then re-ask that question. His 103 singles on the R&B charts can speak for themselves as well. Pitchfork has an awesome writeup of his life, including many early details that would shape his life. The self-proclaimed Hardest Working Man in Show Business kept to it, as days before his death he was handing out toys for charity, with a New Year’s Eve concert scheduled. Speaking of bringing it to the people, here’s a rather comical but informative write-up about viewing Brown’s body as it laid in repose at Harlem’s legendary Apollo and the ensuing environment that surrounded it. For now it’s time to slap 1963′s LP Live at the Apollo on the iPod for a reminder of his greatness. For more complete coverage, Star Time is in order. James Brown, rest in peace (and make it funky).
R.I.P. CBCB
Not much to say on this one, while it’s shame it closed, I sure am glad it opened; it changed a lot about rock, giving bands like Television, Talking Heads, Blonde and (of course) The Ramones, a 
fighting chance against Disco and Donnie and Marie. “It was the final last call at CBGB last night. The legendary New York rock club closed its doors yesterday (Oct. 15), after Patti Smith played the venue’s final show. Smith, a veteran of the original CBGB scene that featured bands such as The Ramones, Blondie and Television during their formative years, closed the club down after it lost a protracted legal battle with its landlord over back and future rent. Bar owner Hilly Kristal, now 75, will pack up as many
memories as he can salvage from the venerable punk Mecca — including many of the walls and stage — and move the club to Las Vegas. He eyes a 2008 grand opening for CBGB’s new incarnation.” The New York Times has a good coverage of the last night, including shots of the inside of the bar, with a slideshow showing fans and staff watching the last show.
Austin musician Don Walser dead at 72
From Austin the sad news comes that Don Walser has died at 72, from complications from diabetes. “Walser, who turned 72 last Thursday, was a country music icon in Austin. He had the fortune of a late-life career revival. He was a regular performer at Jovita’s, The Broken Spoke, the Continental Club. And he was also famous for bringing country music to Emo’s. He attracted a unique fan base, often opening for the Butthole Surfers. He’s also known for keeping western swing alive by performing the music of Bob Wills and Eddie Arnold.
A reviewer for Playboy magazine once referred to Walser as “the Pavarotti of the Plains.” Another writeup goes on with, “Don Walser’s career didn’t really get off the ground until the late 1980s. … [his] biggest success came at age 64 when he signed with Sire Records, the label of Madonna and the Ramones. He debuted at the Grand Ol’ Opry in 1999 but was most interested in exposing country music to new audiences, the Austin American-Statesman reported Wednesday. Walser opened for rock bands like the Butthole Surfers, introducing younger crowds to
Western classics like “Tumbling Tumbleweeds” and “Cherokee Maidens.” “He loved it when some kid with a ring in their nose would bring their parents and their grandparents,” Kalish told The Associated Press. “It was part of his genuineness that came across.” Walser’s career didn’t really get off the ground until the late 1980s, when he began playing small venues after spending 45 years with the National Guard. In 2000, Walser was given the National Heritage Award in Washington. He is survived by his wife Pat and their four children.”
My connection with Don Walser‘s Pure Texas Band starts in Spring 1994, when I first visited Austin with my friend Scott. We saw them play at Babe’s, in part because his backing band consisted of steel guitar player Jimmy Day, a famed steel guitarist who had played with Hank Williams Sr., Lefty Frizzell, Elvis Presley, Ernest Tubb and Willie Nelson (among others). The musicianship of all of the players amazed me, and Don’s singing fit perfectly. It was especially impressive since I’d never experienced that type of traditional country music, and certainly not in some small room off 6th Street in Austin. The next day I picked up an early cd of his. Years later, while living in Austin, I saw Don and the band play a handful of times, including a stint at The Broken Spoke, South Austin’s old country dance hall where young and old alike did the two step waltz; a Texas memory I’ll keep. As the years have gone an I’ve always meant to buy more of his cds, but still only own that one; still, it’s the only cd I have of the genre, and I break it out anytime I want to hear the sounds of old time West Texas swing, accompanied by Don’s signature tenor yodeling. Give a listen to some clips of his music from his site.
Walser set a fitting tribute to himself in an interview where he stated, “If you think of me 20 years from now after I’m gone, with some of music, I’ll feel good about it. But it’s got to earn it like those old songs that I’m singing, you got to earn it.”
Sleater-Kinney to hang it up
Sleater-Kinney is breaking up, or going on ‘indefinite hiatus’, but either way, this is disappointing news, especically since their last release, The Woods, was their first on big label, and so well recieved by critics (not to mention making my ‘Best of 2005‘ list). The posting on their site tells it all, “After eleven years as a band, Sleater-Kinney have decided to go on indefinite hiatus. The upcoming summer shows will be our last. As of now, there are no plans for future tours or recordings. We feel lucky to have had the support of many wonderful people over the years. We want to thank everyone who has worked with us, written kind words about us, performed with us, and inspired us. But mostly we want to extend our gratitude to our amazing fans. You have been a part of our story from the beginning. We could not have made our music without your enthusiasm, passion, and loyalty. It is you who have made the entire journey worthwhile. With love and thanks, Sleater-Kinney” Rats. Oh well, makes me all the happier that I saw them in Saint Louis last year, they put on a heck of a show too. Here’s hoping for the best for each of them, they took a long road and accomplished what most bands only dream of.
In memory of Martin Luther King Jr.
“…I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor’s lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with a new meaning, “My country, ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.” And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California! But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee! Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” “
Imagine
Today marks 25 years since the death of John Lennon, he would have been 65. Here’s hoping that his message of peace will continue to ring true for all time.
Hi, I'm fak3r and I've been online for over 15 years, blogging for 10. I work with open source software, various hardware and whatever else that I can hack on. I enjoy learning by doing, painting infrequently and listening to more music than the law allows. Feel free to follow me and comment on my thoughts and ideas; we're all in it together kid.
