10/11/07 New Beginnings
Happy Tenth Ten Ten to all. Congratulations to Matt Larson and our first 10/10 baby: Finnley Beckett Larson. Just two days prior, Juno Lecky Morales was born to Carlos and Morgan. And finally, welcome to the United States, Mulita Rosarito!
Good Luck to all who are starting something new, leaving something old, or just breathing differently.
There is no Slow Clap. But hopefully, all songs that were intended to be finished by Slow Clap will be completed and "released" by their respective authors. I'm starting to envision where my new material is going and am looking forward to completing and sharing the whole thing as a complete work. At the same time, I want to share the works in progress. I have disciplined myself quite well all year, but I feel this....thing...right now. If you don't feel it I hope you have...or will. If none-of-the-above, well, it sounds like this.
Finally, Happy Birthday Scott Shute, Nathan Bello, and Nathan Hoxie.
3/29/07 Noteworthy Tracks
OK, as I continue to work on new stuff that may or not be a part of the Russ/Scott/Dave thing, I thought I should get around to posting something.
I came across a disc in Kathy's cd collection called "Dave's Stuff." It was a collection of short pieces I composed on a program called Noteworthy Composer when I was 19. I haven't written 4-part music like this since. I always say I'm going to, but never get around to it. It was easier to stay motivated at that time because I was learning so much about composition and theory, as I was, at the time, studying music theory. I did not perform these pieces, I merely composed them.
F#m Unfinished is a simple piece that was supposed to be much more epic. Some theme and variation, use of triplets, Alberti bass, secondary dominant modulations, and I think a augmented sixth chord can all be found in this. This leads me to believe it was in my first year of theory that I wrote this.
Curtains was the first piano piece I wrote, aside from homework assignments and whatnot. I enjoy the dramatic modulation introduced early here. It's interesting to see how some of the tonal and rhythmic ideas have continued into more recent works. The use of the tritone in a natural minor is something that continue into most of the "circusy" sounding things. Also the simple syncopation towards the end is something that can be found in any of the "ska" things I've done or in other songs such as part of "Zing," "Mouthful," and "Hallelujah!" (I have not posted the last two yet).
Twelver was, in fact, a homework assignment. It is my first and only 12 tone piece. To many, this will sound like random notes or poorly written music. Just know there was more thought that went into this brief composition than probably anything else that I have EVER written. I am interested in doing another, and to a greater extent and duration.
Inexcusable was a track that seems to outline the begining of my fascintaion with minor seconds and, to some degree, odd metered music.
Railroad Cafe was a place in the Central Coast were local hippies and such got together and jammed on a random evening. Joel and I attended one night. There was this super hippe who busted out a "heart song." I flat out stole his alternating chord progression and made one of my first multitrack recordings. I also made my first ska song.
2/28/07 Mouthful
Kathy and I are officially engaged. Obviously, we're very happy.
My apologies for having no new music to share. I've been lazy when I haven't been busy. I think that's the curse of the 9-5 life.
Scott & Dave will be working with more of our friends in our upcoming work. Our music in the past was accomplished with the help of Cindi Rask (vocals), Ken Lyon (production), and Kathy Hannah (vocals). Newer stuff should include the help of many others, but more collaboratively with Russ Johnson. With this exciting addition, we can't really go by Dave&Scott, Hugheshute, or whatever your Ipod calls us. So there will be some name (bummer) emerging for the 3 person driven collective.
So the game plan is this. Scott & Dave are wrapping up (for reals this time - we are SO close) a collection of songs from the last couple years (more from recent months) for an EP to be "released" very soon. Russ, and possibly others, will be helping us make this happen. From that point forward, we'll be discovering how the three of us work together when buckled down and all new new material will be the work of a new collective. As Ken would say, it'll probably be a lot more "glorious folk songs".
Before the recent changes, Scott made a myspace page, so be a "friend."
12/05/06 All in a Day's Work
Stef Choi thought up the concept of the 24 hour art project. The theme, "consume" was announced at 7:00 pm last Saturday, and work was to be submitted 24 hours later. Here's what I Did.
11/22/06 She Likes It!
Having been working on collaborations with Ken and Scott lately, I haven't had anything to share. After Ken came over a couple weeks ago, we were left with a finished song as the second installment of the Sarah Shouse Project, as well as a concept for the third. "No Reason (For Calling)" started after we beat on a dead horse for hours and hours. Finally, Ken thought we should record the freeway. That's where it started. We weren't sure if this dark interlude was the kind of thing Sarah actually wanted to include in this project (especially after the negative emotions suggested on the prior piece), but after seeing her this weekend she seems stoked on it. She's also given us some great ideas for part three.
By the way, that freeway sound is what my backyard sounds like. Less creepy though. Part three should be complete within the coming weeks, 2 months tops.
10/31/06 New Isis Today
Perhaps I was thinking about how the band Isis has an album coming out when I recorded this piece for a song to come last night. It's slow, loud, heavy, odd-metered, and minimalist (though written in four part writing). Again, this isn't so much a song as a documented thought of a part of a song to come - much like most of the things I share. And I'm really getting sick of using fake drums.
Ken's coming over this weekend and we plan to make some serious progress on the Sarah Shouse Project. Boy, we really take our time with things don't we? Speaking of lagging, Scott and I don't see Bad Ideas won't be finished until sometime next summer - but an entire album is actually forseeable and quite exciting. A final note on procrastination, I don't think How to Sleep is something I really want to share, so I'm starting all over with all that. HA!
If you like Halloween, then have a good one. If you don't, then don't tell everyone how you don't - it's annoying and rather selfish. Oh, speaking of annoying...I had too much wine last night.
10/23/06 Bye Gizmo! (1992-2006)
10/10 /06 Happy Tenth!
October Tenth only comes once a year, so make a point to have a beer and spend time with at least a friend or two. Whether you're bbq'n, jumping out of an airplane, working, on a cruise, in class, playing video games, listening to music, getting fired, starting fires, breaking your ankle, breaking your heart, building something, smashing televisions, shooting televisions, dancing, watching baseball, or sitting by a fire - make it a good one!
10/08/06 Just for Fun
We're all moved in. Plenty of work ahead still, but at least the office is up and running. With that, I've done a bit of recording. Mostly been working a great deal on a pop song for "Bad Ideas." I've scratched out a couple other ideas as well, but nothing presentable. I'm not even looking at the "ambient" thing right now - just been having fun. Here's something I thought I would share. This morning, I was tinkering around with a very random idea that sounded rather anxious, though at the same time quite quirky. The juxtiposition of Kathy's sweet grandmother made it something I thought you just had to hear. 444 Market
09/26/06 "Gotta Go to Work, Gotta Have a Job!"
With inspiration from my friends, I'm digging a tunnel out of the financial district. I'm ready to handle the rejection, headaches, and stress of trying to pursue something that I enjoy...whatever that is. Not ready enough that I'm quitting my current job...well, not yet anyhow.
On a whole other note, here's a shot of a man I owe a great deal of gratitude to. Russ, Lino, Joel, Rick, Scott, Dave Duarte and Dave Cosca can all testify that Dr. Marcus Engelmann is much more than a great teacher. It is not uncommon to hear people refer to the guy as a genius. Despite his intelligence and ability in the field, Doc never lacked the patience to answer the stupidest of questions. This actual picture was found on someone's myspace under the section where you are supposed to list your heroes. This person just put up a pic of Doc! Enough said. When I think back to all I learned in 4 semesters of theory, I wonder what I'm doing making folk songs and toungue-in-cheek music. Perhaps one day, I'll get back to four-part writing. Thanks again Doc!
09/13/06 Moving at Another Pace
I know, I know, the links to How to Sleep don't work. That's because the mastering proved to be more difficult than expected. It's on the back burner right now, as are most things music-related. Things will pick back up in a month or so. I'm excited about this break. Sometimes you don't realize you need one until after it's forced upon you.
Kathy and I moved to the outer East Bay Area. Our mailing address says Castro Valley, but we are out in the hills.
We have a lot more room to grow as artists (physically - the studio/office is much larger than our previous). We are still living out of boxes, so that may help explain the current hiatus as we have no computer set up at the moment.
We just got back from visiting Tony and Stef in Portland. As it were my first time in that area, I can't say enough about it. I'll try to sum it up by saying it was very real and very inspiring....and well, beautiful and chill. And needless to say, Tony & Stef are awesome people!
Tony and I each bought and learned the ukelele before he had to leave town in a family emergency. Get better Ana!
Dave & Scott Pope Friends Seriously
©2006 Dave Hughes. All Rights Reserved.