Not much to report about. School’s going fantastically at the moment, but I’m still broke. But that is not the point of this post. I am just briefly posting to let you all know that I have a new song coming out sometime this week. It’s silly. That’s all I shall tell you for the time being.
Alright, tootles.
So, I’ve been in California since the 19th of December, which has been very nice, due to the opportunity to visit many of my friends and the surprisingly nice and cold weather. However, I have been without a guitar since that aforementioned date, which has, predictably, entirely prohibited my ability to compose music of any kind. This has been excruciatingly dreadful for me, as I have been yearning to write a new song or two ever since I abandoned the last album idea.
I do have many ideas, though. I feel like I’m starting to have a notion of just what kind of songs I’d like to write, which is exciting in its own right, but is also very annoying when I am unable to actually come up with these songs. Either way, I shall be in possession of an instrument very soon (a week from Monday, actually) and I shall start writing away. Of course, the day after that will be the start of my next semester of school, and I am going to be focusing almost all of my attention on my schoolwork, so the songwriting will probably be slow. But I do promise to release some songs fairly soon. Maybe.
I imagine that if you have been following me for some time, you might be aware that I am a college student. Being a college student, one could assume that I am currently enjoying my winter break. One would be correct to assume such.
Anyway, enough pompousness. A few months ago a group of friends and myself recorded some selections from the score of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and the Lord of the Rings: the Two Towers. These videos were originally only viewable by other friends of myself on Facebook. No longer! We have decided to create a YouTube channel in order to capitalize on our lulziness.
So, without further adeu, ladies and gentlement, I give you the Aquarium Club!
This is the same group with whom I recorded British Grenadiers, and most recently we recorded a cover of California Dreamin’ by the Mamas & the Papas. I must warn you: if you are looking for actual good covers, then please avoid this channel. The last thing I need is mindless flaming from people who don’t understand what we’re doing. The Internet is filled with morons, and I’d rather keep them away.
Alright, that’s enough from me for now. Tata!
Well folks, the last ten years buzzed by like a swarm of ferocious bees intent on defending their hive. Not the best ten years, by any means, but ten very important years nonetheless. Although I don’t expect the next ten years to be much better on a global scale (on the contrary, I imagine that we are now entering the 1980’s 2.0,) I at least am hoping that they will be much more enjoyable in every way possible than the last decade.
But with a new decade comes a new year, and with a new year come New Year’s Resolutions, and with those come inevitable disappointment. This year, however, I have set the bar low. Not only will I attempt to not shave my face*, but I shall also attempt to at least record twice as many songs as last year. In fact, seeing as I abandoned Mental Breakdown and instead released the Memories of Another Life EP, I think I’ll attempt to write a new album, and actually record it.
On an entirely unrelated note to music, yet related note to the aforementioned resolutions, I shall attempt to actually do well in school. It’d be a shame to get into debt in order to attend a private university only to fail out of it. This brings me to my next point: I’m poor. I need funding. More specifically, I need spending money. My university job only provides me with enough money to pay off my tuition, which leads to a vicious cycle of me having to take money out of my savings in order to buy food, clothes, and other things which prevent me from going insane/possibly doing homework.
If you haven’t noticed, I have a donation page. Also, you might have noticed that I’m giving away my EP for free. You probably have guessed what I’m getting at, but if you have not, I shall make it perfectly apparent: please donate if you like what you’re hearing. Please!
Alright, that’s enough begging for one post.
Tootles, and Happy New Year!
* I’ll still shave my neckbeard, as possessing one of those is foul. I also shall trim, so I don’t look homeless. You shall all thank me for this whenever I post a video, photos, or perform a webshow.
Yeah, I’ve been slacking. I’m sorry! But I have remastered the four tracks I already had released from Mental Breakdown, and I decided to release them as an EP instead of as part of the album. Huzzar!
Shiny, isn’t it?
Why the departure from the album? Well, I haven’t been focusing on music as much as I would like to, so I kind of fell out of the swing of the album. Essentially, I want to get back in the swing of things before I try releasing an album. Of course, this means that whatever album I do end up releasing will be much different than what Mental Breakdown would’ve been. Oh well.
But fret not, children! This EP is pretty great, in my opinion. Please download it for free! Right now! Replace your old MP3’s with these far superior remasters! Yay! Blessed are the meek!
Howdy folks,
I’m guest DJing on Team Debaser’s radio show, which is a part of Cal State Long Beach’s radio station, next Wednesday between 11:00AM and 12:00PM. I’ll be joined by my good friend Nick Houghtaling, along with the show’s regular hosts, Sammy Rothman (of Tubby Boots) and Alex Humphrey, my cousin. I encourage you all to tune in on your computers and support college radio.
I can’t believe that’s the extent of my update. I’m terribly sorry that I haven’t been posting as often as I usually do lately. I’ll be sure to upload a few more songs in the coming weeks. I’ve written one I’m certain you’ll all enjoy (as long as you have a good sense of humor.)
Alright, take care?
Howdy, folks. I’ve decided, for a variety of reasons, to expand the length of my album from seven tracks to ten. First, I’m not entirely convinced that seven tracks would really be enough to qualify this as more than an EP. Besides, if I were to charge people for this album in the future, I’d feel like I’m ripping people off by offering so little material. So, I’ve increased the length to ten tracks. Second, I’ve been recording phenomenally quickly. It only took one day to record Voyage of the Argo, and I’m already halfway through recording the next track on the album, which I started putting down last night. Third, the track order didn’t sit right with me. The first two tracks are remaining the same, but something didn’t feel right about having Monster so early on in the album. So, Monster has been changed to track number three.
I might as well give you an updated track list:
- Amber Skies
- Voyage of the Argo
- Starlight, Moonlight
- Mēnis
- Cosmonaut
- Nazi Sharks with Jetpacks
- Monster
- Raptors! Raptors Everywhere!
- The Memories of a Past Life
- Black Hole
It’s closer to the original version of Mental Breakdown than the previous iteration was, but it retains the concept and feel of the last one. It should be great. It should also be out before I go back home for Winter Break, seeing as I keep getting my dorm to myself so often and I’ve been recording so quickly. I’ll be posting each track as it’s completed.
Also, I edited the recording of Voyage of the Argo, a song that I’ve mentioned quite a few times already. I suggest re-downloading it if you already have.
Also, I have a Facebook fan page now. I also suggest checking that out. A link is provided in the sidebar. Okay, tootles.
As previously mentioned, I’m feeling nostalgic for northern California. I’m actually heading up to the San Fransisco Bay area sometime this January, which I am super-awesome-excited for, especially because I’m going with the three lovely folks who joined me for the British Grenadiers video. Anyway, I’m not feeling entirely as wordy as I was when I wrote the original spiel on Southern California, so allow me to express my nostalgia for Northern California briefly.
Northern and Central California contain a few of the most beautiful locations in this country. Be it the majestic and breathe-taking forests of Yosemite (which I highly highly highly recommend visiting if you have not already, as very few places in North America contain as many truly beautiful natural landmarks) or the exceptionally planned, and thoroughly entertaining boardwalk of Santa Cruz, Central California is definitely one of the best places to visit if one wants to have a truly positive experience in the state.
Northern California is one of the only places in California that you will find well-planned cities, such as San Fransisco and Sacramento, as well as a few exceptional towns and smaller cities, such as those in the Sonoma and Napa areas, as well as Berkeley. These cities are also home to a refreshing art and music scene, and are worth visiting for the entertainment alone.
Okay, this is all starting to sound like an advertisement. I love Northern California. I love the fog that rolls through the beach cities and I love the nature and man-made structures. Almost everything about the place is so much better than the southern portion of the state. A+ highly recommend, ja.
I promise to post something more intelligent and satisfying to read soon.
This time I decided to try my hand at a cover. I think the results turned out well enough (vocals excluded), especially seeing as I’ve felt like vomitting for the last two days (today included.) So, please join me in appreciating the lesser-(and I use that word in the least powerful sense) known works of John Lennon…
Love – John Lennon
If you are reading this blog, either 1) you know me personally or discovered me on YouTube, Twitter, etc. during an early stage of my online presence, or 2) I’m already Internet-famous and you’re stalking me by reading back on my old entries. If the first situation is the correct one, then you obviously know that I’m from California. If the second is the situation in which you are reading this then hey, guess what! I’m from California! You learn something new every day!
Now, as of this writing I am attending school in Tacoma, Washington, which clearly means I left California. But, if you’ve read the previous post of mine, I’m feeling kind of nostalgic. The weird thing is, I’m not feeling nostalgic for Southern California at all; instead, I miss Central and Northern California. Now, if you aren’t from Southern California, or California in general, you might not really understand the distinction between the three parts of the state. I’ve provided this handy-dandy map to show you the areas that I currently long to visit again versus the part of California I’d rather avoid for the majority of my remaining life:
As you can see, the area marked with an “X” is the part of California I designate as Southern California (although anybody familiar with the geopolitical boundaries of this state will remark upon how Southern California is much larger than that, and includes Ventura County, which I have roped into the upper portion of the state. To those people, I say, “Fuck off.”)
You may wonder I why I demonstrate such hostilities towards Southern California. There are quite a few reasons, actually, but I’ll only hit upon a few of them.
1. Los Angeles
Fuck Los Angeles. Los Angeles is perhaps the worst city on the entire West Coast (unless you include Tijuana as part of San Diego, which it is, but even then at least Tijuana has a significant lulz factor that places it above Los Angeles.) The city is an endless mess of entirely unplanned communities with no green-belts and a river you can’t even swim in without risking infection. You can’t even see the North star at night due to the immense light pollution, and, oh yeah, the smog is so intense that you can’t even see the giant mountain range that is right next to the city.
Bullshit.
2. Water?
People in Southern California love water. And why shouldn’t they? Water is the reason we’re all here, after all. It keeps us cool when it’s hot outside, it keeps us alive when we’re dehydrated, and it keeps us comfortably warm when we shower in the morning. It seems perfectly logical to love it. Problem is, there is no water in Southern California. Well, at least there’s no naturally occurring water. We steal all of our water from Colorado. We’ve been in a drought for years and yet the people of Southern California continue to waste water as often as possible, whether it be through watering their Hummers or filling up swimming pools in every backyard despite the fact that nearly everybody in the state lives next to the largest ocean on the planet. Imagine how the people in Colorado feel.
Seriously?!
3. Nobody Should Be There Anyway
This kind of ties in to the previous reason, but Southern California is a continuation of one of the largest deserts in the country. The Los Angeles metropolitan area, which spans from around Ventura County to around San Diego/Tijuana is the second highest populated area in the nation. And nobody should live there in the first place. There is no naturally occurring water. It’s a desert. Why the hell is everybody there?! And I mean everybody. Actors, musicians, socialites, corporate figures. Everybody. It. Doesn’t. Make. Any. Sense.
Now, that’s enough of my bitching about how terrible of a place Southern California is. Why do I miss Northern and Central California? Well, I’ve been to Central quite a few times in my life, and I lived in Northern very briefly (if you’ll recall, I mentioned in my last post that I lived in Sacramento.) The culture is just so much better than this rampant consumerist car-based community that has taken over the South. It’s honestly really difficult to put into words why exactly I miss the upper parts of the state. I suppose I’ll dedicate a separate post to it later. Yeah, this just ended up being a rant. Oh well. Tootles.
