Club Silicon

Grade A Inspiration: Queen

YouTube is a wonderful thing. I'm sure we're all saying that now but in browsing yesterday I came across the making of "One Vision" there, and let's just say I got inspired.

Anyone who doesn't think Queen is a great band should have their head examined. Really. Go get an MRI right now if none of their songs are your cup of tea.

It was fascinating watching Freddie desperately search for ways to tell Roger Taylor (the drummer) to play a specific rhythm. Since apparently none of the band had much knowledge of theory, they "just played" or sang, writing appeared to be a pretty funky process. And I got to see that Freddie Mercury is actually not perfect as a vocalist, he had a few "off" takes.

But, through it all, they made some of the best rock music in history. Compare what one might call "rock" these days whether it is Nickelback or Godsmack (or Limp Bizkit), I dunno... these young punks are doing something new, sure, but do they "rock"? Not as much as Queen.

Hope II, new single!

As you may or may not already know Jeanette released "Hope II" last night on www.alexanderbrandon.net. Check it out!

Hope was one of the first MODs I wrote quite a few years ago and I decided to write a few tunes in the midst of interviewing guitarists and vocalists for "Contention" for Jeanette's Jazzercise. It's harder than it would seem, to write a song that people can exercise to, but I'm trying to find a medium between what works for the class and what I like. So this is the first full effort along those lines. As a song itself I enjoy it and hope you will too.

Contention, the next studio album

I apologize for the lack of updates about the current music project. Life has a way of... getting in the way.

I just wrote up a schedule. See, Andrew Sega of Iris, who most of you probably know as Necros, said that either write electronic albums, or bit the bullet and start a band. Biting the bullet is right.

Challenges abound from getting the precision of MOD files into live recording, to actually getting my lineup solidified. Then, there's marketing more than simply an email blast, and while Club Silicon has exceeded my expectations in terms of its readership, I'd like this album to be somewhat mainstream for exposure, and that may or may not mean going with a CD Baby-like entity or the folks that can "get you into iTunes".

But the simple goals are still there. Write music I want to write, announce it to as many people as possible, and hope they enjoy it.

I won't divulge just what kind of music it is, except at this point you know there's live recording involved. In addition, while I believe I announced release this year, it ain't going to happen. But there is now a hard date. I will NOT be a Battlecruiser 3000 AD or a Duke Nukem Forever.

April 1st, 2009.

No April foolin'. Mark your calendars.

Answer me this

Now that my family is at last moved in to our new place in Moreno Valley I'll be getting more updates and genuinely cool posts. Sorry for the delay all. Suneel I will most certainly respond to your inquiry about the new album, which sadly was also put on hold, but is definitely still progressing.

I need some help in answering a question about budgets and taxes. We're all aware that gas prices are going sky high, however I keep wondering not only the reason for the hikes, but also where this money goes.

At a 7/11 pump near work I happened to notice a sign that said 18 cents per gallon goes to the state of California. In addtion, I also read in an Orange County paper that said all music programs were going to be cut from local elementary schools because the state was going to make a budget cut of 19 million dollars.

Let's do some numbers. There are 36 million people living in the state of California as of the 2006 Census estimate. Of these 36 million, let's assume only half drive. Most likely the number is more, but for the sake of this argument let's say 50%. That equals: 18 million people who drive. Of this 18 million, let's say 12 million commute on a daily basis, 5 days a week. Let's also say that this 12 million buys one tank of gas per week, or an average of 30 miles each way to and from work. Let's say an average tank is 15 gallons accounting for trucks and SUVs. Now, for the math:

12 million x 15 gallons x 18 cents = $32400000. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, 32 million dollars EACH AND EVERY WEEK. How much per year? $1684800000. 16 billion dollars.

And that doesn't even apply to state taxes. Our roads are jammed and in disrepair, which requires municipal responsibility unless it is a highway, and even highways are also jammed and in disrepair as well.

So answer me this: where is all this money going, and why can't some of it go towards musical education in California schools?

I for one am writing my senator and representative about it. I encourage you to do the same.