Next up from the Appliances-SFB video archives is "Washed Up". For any music geeks reading this, in this song we get a little fancy-shmancy with a meter of 5/4 for most of the song and switch to a sort of swung 4/4 during the choruses. I always found this song to be a lot of fun to play.
Some of you readers have commented that I don't need to make excuses for the audio quality. Okay, I hear you. I guess I just wanted to make it clear that this is an old recording and I did the best that I could with the source material. In my opinion, the bass is mixed a bit too loud relative to the other instruments and the keyboard and guitar not loud enough, and this is not my doing. This is just the way the show was mixed when it was taped how ever many years ago it was. I wouldn't want anyone to think that because I was the bass player I made it louder than everything else. So. Enough of that. I won't mention it ever again. Happy?
Washed Up...
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Tales of the Coffee Man
The school where Ms. Geranium teaches, which also happens to be our neighborhood school (both of our kids went there), does a monthly coffee fundraiser. Basically, parents, teachers and anyone else who wants to can order coffee from Just Coffee™, a local organic, fairtrade coffee wholesaler. The school gets to keep a percentage of the sales and people get to help the school by buying something they would probably be buying anyway. It's more or less a win-win situation. The only catch is that a) someone has to organize the whole thing (that would be Ms. Geranium) and, b) someone has to pick up the order, divide it up and deliver it to the appropriate places, mostly classrooms. That job usually falls on me, in large part because if I don't do it, Ms. Geranium will have to and she actually has a job. Even before I joined the ranks of the unemployed, I would usually take an extended lunch break to make the delivery, but now that I'm not working, it's that much easier.
Today was delivery day. I enter the school, sign in and start my rounds. Of course, first stop is Ms. Geranium's room, partly because it pleases me to begin and end at her room and use it as a base station for my operation, but also because many people don't fill in the "Your Child's Room Number" part of the form, and I can ask her "what room is Bizktrygdslynka Qlakwiczpgglfggl in?" (Many parents don't seem to have the knowin' of the writin' good these days.) I also enjoy saying hello to the kids in the school, some of whom were once in Ms. Geranium's kindergarten or first grade class and are now fifth graders. It's also nice to see the members of the staff who I may know as former teachers of my kids, or, in the case of one teacher, is a former band-mate of mine. The kids always greet me enthusiastically -- "Hi, Mr. Ed" or "Hi, Coffee Man." Sometimes they all crowd around saying "I like coffee! Can I have some coffee?" or "Are you Ms. G.'s husband?" Once (and I'm sure this made Ms. Geranium feel quite good) a kid asked "Is she your mom?"
As I was arriving with the coffee, one of Ms. G.'s kids ran up and said "I made a picture for you!" On the right, there is a tree with a monkey in it. To the left, there is a crocodile with a fox riding on its back. The fox is carrying bananas on its back and a book in its mouth. It all has something to do with a story about how the fox and the monkey somehow tricked the crocodile into carrying the fox somewhere to get bananas for the monkey. I suspect the crocodile probably intended to eat the fox and/or monkey, but that's pure speculation on my part. Anyway, I was quite touched.
One of the positive aspects of being un- or under-employed has been the opportunity to be a part of the school community, if only in a very small way. I always get a kick out of it.
Today was delivery day. I enter the school, sign in and start my rounds. Of course, first stop is Ms. Geranium's room, partly because it pleases me to begin and end at her room and use it as a base station for my operation, but also because many people don't fill in the "Your Child's Room Number" part of the form, and I can ask her "what room is Bizktrygdslynka Qlakwiczpgglfggl in?" (Many parents don't seem to have the knowin' of the writin' good these days.) I also enjoy saying hello to the kids in the school, some of whom were once in Ms. Geranium's kindergarten or first grade class and are now fifth graders. It's also nice to see the members of the staff who I may know as former teachers of my kids, or, in the case of one teacher, is a former band-mate of mine. The kids always greet me enthusiastically -- "Hi, Mr. Ed" or "Hi, Coffee Man." Sometimes they all crowd around saying "I like coffee! Can I have some coffee?" or "Are you Ms. G.'s husband?" Once (and I'm sure this made Ms. Geranium feel quite good) a kid asked "Is she your mom?"
As I was arriving with the coffee, one of Ms. G.'s kids ran up and said "I made a picture for you!" On the right, there is a tree with a monkey in it. To the left, there is a crocodile with a fox riding on its back. The fox is carrying bananas on its back and a book in its mouth. It all has something to do with a story about how the fox and the monkey somehow tricked the crocodile into carrying the fox somewhere to get bananas for the monkey. I suspect the crocodile probably intended to eat the fox and/or monkey, but that's pure speculation on my part. Anyway, I was quite touched.
One of the positive aspects of being un- or under-employed has been the opportunity to be a part of the school community, if only in a very small way. I always get a kick out of it.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Appliances-SFB: Mr. Ugly
This one was probably one of our most popular songs. What more is there to say? Call me Mr. Ugly...
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
End of an era?
Hard to believe, but he's finally gone. Hopefully the next time I post about the little criminal, he'll be on trial for war crimes, treason, etc., etc., but right now I just need to say one last thing about Li'l Criminal Bush.
For quite a while, as Bush approached the end of his term, people were continuously writing and talking about his "failed" administration. Those people who think he was a failure are fooling themselves, or just not paying attention. The problem is with the basic premise that Bush actually wanted the wars to end, or that at he wanted what was best for the country. The truth is, he never gave a rat's posterior for anything or anyone besides himself and his cronies. Failure? Anything but. The only thing I can think of that he failed at was privatizing Social Security. He succeeded at everything else he put his hand to, thanks, in part, to the complicity and cowardice of the Democratic Party. Failure in Iraq and Afghanistan? Endless war equals endless profits for Halliburton, Blackwater, KBR, the Carlyle Group and more. What incentive is there to end the wars when he, his daddy, Dick Cheney and their pals will continue to rake in the cash as long as we're pouring tax dollars into war. He succeeded in raping the Constitution and giving more power to Corporate America. He succeeded in diverting the wealth of the nation to the ultra-rich at the expense of the middle and working classes. Bailout of the banking system? The largest theft in U.S. history. A shrinking middle class and broken economy is yet another opportunity to consolidate power and wealth. The list goes on and on, and I haven't even mentioned the thousands upon thousands of innocent people he has killed or the lives he has destroyed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Everything he has done in his time as president has given huge sums of money and more power to the wealthiest at the expense of the nation as a whole. Failure? I really don't think so. I bet he's feeling pretty good about his accomplishments right now.
Many people are puzzled by the lack of pardons at the end of his administration. I figure it could be due to one or both of the following:
a) He doesn't feel he owes anyone anything and they can all go to hell for all he cares. Feed 'em to the sharks!
b) Remember those signing statements of which he was so fond? Maybe he doesn't need to pardon anyone; they're all going to be protected by some some act or other that he snuck in while everyone was paying attention to the search for WMD, trying to buy duct tape for their windows, or something.
I have a feeling that we won't know the full extent of the damage he's done for years to come, if ever.
I am now removing this photo from my sidebar. I don't ever want to see the fucker's face again unless it's at his trial.
For quite a while, as Bush approached the end of his term, people were continuously writing and talking about his "failed" administration. Those people who think he was a failure are fooling themselves, or just not paying attention. The problem is with the basic premise that Bush actually wanted the wars to end, or that at he wanted what was best for the country. The truth is, he never gave a rat's posterior for anything or anyone besides himself and his cronies. Failure? Anything but. The only thing I can think of that he failed at was privatizing Social Security. He succeeded at everything else he put his hand to, thanks, in part, to the complicity and cowardice of the Democratic Party. Failure in Iraq and Afghanistan? Endless war equals endless profits for Halliburton, Blackwater, KBR, the Carlyle Group and more. What incentive is there to end the wars when he, his daddy, Dick Cheney and their pals will continue to rake in the cash as long as we're pouring tax dollars into war. He succeeded in raping the Constitution and giving more power to Corporate America. He succeeded in diverting the wealth of the nation to the ultra-rich at the expense of the middle and working classes. Bailout of the banking system? The largest theft in U.S. history. A shrinking middle class and broken economy is yet another opportunity to consolidate power and wealth. The list goes on and on, and I haven't even mentioned the thousands upon thousands of innocent people he has killed or the lives he has destroyed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Everything he has done in his time as president has given huge sums of money and more power to the wealthiest at the expense of the nation as a whole. Failure? I really don't think so. I bet he's feeling pretty good about his accomplishments right now.
Many people are puzzled by the lack of pardons at the end of his administration. I figure it could be due to one or both of the following:
a) He doesn't feel he owes anyone anything and they can all go to hell for all he cares. Feed 'em to the sharks!
b) Remember those signing statements of which he was so fond? Maybe he doesn't need to pardon anyone; they're all going to be protected by some some act or other that he snuck in while everyone was paying attention to the search for WMD, trying to buy duct tape for their windows, or something.
I have a feeling that we won't know the full extent of the damage he's done for years to come, if ever.
I am now removing this photo from my sidebar. I don't ever want to see the fucker's face again unless it's at his trial.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Appliances-SFB: The Little Fella
One of our more "pop" numbers, The Little Fella. Enjoy. Or ignore. Your choice.
I would apologize for the weird audio quality, but it's beyond my control. That's public access television for you, I guess. I tweaked the audio as best as I could without spending oodles of time on it. If I had more time, I may have been able to fix some of the dropouts 'n' stuff, but that opens a whole 'nother can of wax. Er..., ball of worms. Or something. In all fairness, I'm sure the engineers had their hands full trying to get decent sound in a live situation, particularly with a group that liked to play as loud as we did. It's not as if there was a large production budget. It was basically set up, play, and hope it looks and sounds okay. So, there you have it.
I would apologize for the weird audio quality, but it's beyond my control. That's public access television for you, I guess. I tweaked the audio as best as I could without spending oodles of time on it. If I had more time, I may have been able to fix some of the dropouts 'n' stuff, but that opens a whole 'nother can of wax. Er..., ball of worms. Or something. In all fairness, I'm sure the engineers had their hands full trying to get decent sound in a live situation, particularly with a group that liked to play as loud as we did. It's not as if there was a large production budget. It was basically set up, play, and hope it looks and sounds okay. So, there you have it.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Folk Ball, 2009
We interrupt our regularly scheduled program of shameless self-promotion to bring you..., ummm..., more shameless self-promotion, I guess.
Folk Ball 2009 is rapidly approaching and, if you live anywhere near Madison, WI, or need an excuse to visit, the weekend of 1/23 - 1/25 would be a very good time.
Folk Ball runs from Friday, 1/23 through Sunday, 1/25, but, if all you care about is "when will Ed be playing?", then Saturday, 1/24 is the date to put on your calendar. Early in the evening (second on the list of bands), I will be playing with Veseliyka, who play traditional Bulgarian music. Finishing off the evening, I'll be playing with The Reptile Palace Orchestra, who play, ummm, traditional music in a non-traditional manner. Also on the schedule for Saturday night are Orkestar Bez Ime and Sloboda, both of which are worth the price of admission all on their own.
Just because I'm plugging Saturday night for my own personal reasons, don't think that it won't be worth your while to attend Friday night's dance concert, too. On Friday you can groove to the sounds of Tri Brodovchedki, Cajun Strangers, Yid Vicious and Izvor Orchestra in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union. All of them rock. Seriously. Or, if your tastes take you elsewhere, there will be contra dancing to the music of Duck For The Oyster in Tripp Commons. But that's not all! There will also be a Hungarian Tanchaz (village-style "dance-house") with music by Százska in the Beefeaters room of the Memorial Union.
But, wait! That's not all. In addition to the Friday and Saturday night dance parties, there will be workshops on Bulgarian/Balkan dance by Yves Moreau, Cross-step waltz by Jeannette Watts, Métis Traditional Dance by Dennis Grove, Serbian Folkdance by Michael Malich, Family dance with Duck For The Oyster, African Drumming with Eku Emmanuel & Atimevu Drum &
Dance, West African Dance with Abu Muhammed with Atimevu Drum & Dance, and A Capella Singing with Tri Bratovchedki & Friends.
Folk Ball 2009 is rapidly approaching and, if you live anywhere near Madison, WI, or need an excuse to visit, the weekend of 1/23 - 1/25 would be a very good time.
Folk Ball runs from Friday, 1/23 through Sunday, 1/25, but, if all you care about is "when will Ed be playing?", then Saturday, 1/24 is the date to put on your calendar. Early in the evening (second on the list of bands), I will be playing with Veseliyka, who play traditional Bulgarian music. Finishing off the evening, I'll be playing with The Reptile Palace Orchestra, who play, ummm, traditional music in a non-traditional manner. Also on the schedule for Saturday night are Orkestar Bez Ime and Sloboda, both of which are worth the price of admission all on their own.
Just because I'm plugging Saturday night for my own personal reasons, don't think that it won't be worth your while to attend Friday night's dance concert, too. On Friday you can groove to the sounds of Tri Brodovchedki, Cajun Strangers, Yid Vicious and Izvor Orchestra in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union. All of them rock. Seriously. Or, if your tastes take you elsewhere, there will be contra dancing to the music of Duck For The Oyster in Tripp Commons. But that's not all! There will also be a Hungarian Tanchaz (village-style "dance-house") with music by Százska in the Beefeaters room of the Memorial Union.
But, wait! That's not all. In addition to the Friday and Saturday night dance parties, there will be workshops on Bulgarian/Balkan dance by Yves Moreau, Cross-step waltz by Jeannette Watts, Métis Traditional Dance by Dennis Grove, Serbian Folkdance by Michael Malich, Family dance with Duck For The Oyster, African Drumming with Eku Emmanuel & Atimevu Drum &
Dance, West African Dance with Abu Muhammed with Atimevu Drum & Dance, and A Capella Singing with Tri Bratovchedki & Friends.
Admission is free, although it is through generous donations that this event is made possible. Come on down and dance your brains out.
Here is a clip of The Reptile Palace Orchestra playing at last year's Folk Ball:
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