Well folks, after a painfully slow start (namely writer's block and all) I've been happily at work on my next album, the cover of which appears at the left of this text.
While "Guaranteed To Be 100% Free of Hit Singles" is all instrumental (as my recordings typically are, truth be told, I got tired of dealing with the vagaries of trying to force myself to write horridly forced and corny lyrics, plus dealing with the egos of folks who've contracted Lead Singer Disease) it still intends to be a rather sarcastic poke in the eye at the "music biz" and all its attendant idiocy. The only thing resembling "vocals" on this undertaking are voiceovers done either by me or specially invited guests. I guess even in the midst of an instrumental maelstrom, there is the commercial and psychological need for an occasional human voice, however droll. It also bears mentioning here that an old friend (known as The Jazzwhistler, also a very good pianist/keyboardist curently residing in Hawaii) suggested to me that maybe my next recorded effort (after the dark and spooky "Ghost of A Train") should have some more humor. I took him up on the challenge and I'm glad I did, I've never enjoyed myself more in the process of creating a musical document. While I am pretty happy with the end result of "Ghost of A Train", it's completion was a rather tortorous affair, marked by a nasty case of bronchitis and having just gone through a breakup with a girlfriend at that time. Hopefully, this new disc will be completed under far happier circumstances.
My progress so far?
1) "Sign With Disappearing Ink", a duet between classical guitar and a trombone that sounds like Charlie Brown's teacher in the old Peanuts cartoons. It can be heard on my My Space page: www.myspace.com/theowlsmusic
2) The infamous "Opening Announcement", a sort of tip of the hat to the late voice actor Paul Frees (Mel Blanc's only serious rival for being The Man of 1000 Voices) who among other places could be heard as either a character or narrator in MANY Jay Ward cartoons (Bullwinkle and Rocky, Hoppity Hooper, George of The Jungle, etc) , Walt Disney productions (most notably Uncle Drake Scrooge) and many other things.
3) "It Takes A Village To Raise An Idiot", with all tracks just completed 4 days ago, I'm now setting about mixing this puppy down. This may well be the album's centerpiece with a myriad of shifting time signatures, dense polychords, twisty melody lines, a little stomping funk and LOTS of musical sarcasm aimed at venerable institutions of immense intellectual endeavor like "American Idol", "Making The Band" and all other manner of star-making machinery and fakery throughout the ages. It's got a LOT of beats but only the foolhardy would attempt to dance to it (a'la Frank Zappa and his infamous "Be Bop Tango" piece on the 1974 "Roxy and Elsewhere" album). Commercial potential? HELL NO!!!!!! For people who like things a bit twisty and difficult, just what the doctor ordered!
1) "Sign With Disappearing Ink", a duet between classical guitar and a trombone that sounds like Charlie Brown's teacher in the old Peanuts cartoons. It can be heard on my My Space page: www.myspace.com/theowlsmusic
2) The infamous "Opening Announcement", a sort of tip of the hat to the late voice actor Paul Frees (Mel Blanc's only serious rival for being The Man of 1000 Voices) who among other places could be heard as either a character or narrator in MANY Jay Ward cartoons (Bullwinkle and Rocky, Hoppity Hooper, George of The Jungle, etc) , Walt Disney productions (most notably Uncle Drake Scrooge) and many other things.
3) "It Takes A Village To Raise An Idiot", with all tracks just completed 4 days ago, I'm now setting about mixing this puppy down. This may well be the album's centerpiece with a myriad of shifting time signatures, dense polychords, twisty melody lines, a little stomping funk and LOTS of musical sarcasm aimed at venerable institutions of immense intellectual endeavor like "American Idol", "Making The Band" and all other manner of star-making machinery and fakery throughout the ages. It's got a LOT of beats but only the foolhardy would attempt to dance to it (a'la Frank Zappa and his infamous "Be Bop Tango" piece on the 1974 "Roxy and Elsewhere" album). Commercial potential? HELL NO!!!!!! For people who like things a bit twisty and difficult, just what the doctor ordered!
4) "Did They Even Sing?", a taut largely piano driven contemporary jazz flavored piece which concludes with a vocal interpretation (by Lindsey Bentley) of a HILARIOUSLY stooooooooopid review of the instrumental title track from GOaT, and I quote:
This chicks view
This chicks view
Three things I like in a song.I have to feel the singer is putting the heart and soul in to it,does it get me going ,do I want to dance bang my head or cry. Last, would I listen to it agian. This song had none of it. One second I am relaxed and the next I jumped out of my chair scared to death. Some people may like this but it is not my cup of tea.All the bouncing around will get ya dizzy. Did they even sing?
So far, it's yours truly playing all instruments except for drums (done by Tom Scotto, Jim Dunn and the very mysterious Cass Eo)
So far, it's yours truly playing all instruments except for drums (done by Tom Scotto, Jim Dunn and the very mysterious Cass Eo)
Several other pieces are in varying stages of completion or being started at all ("Mime Doesn't Pay", "And Your Point Is--?, "Hydrogen and Stupidity", A Brew for Elliot Spitzer and The Minutemen"). Being a bit over-optimistic, I'm hoping to have the album completed by this fall and get it out on the Net by Christmas-time. We'll see.
Hoo Hoooooooooooooo
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