(I’m on bass)

(scott keil on the drums)

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Well, wrong speed more like it.

Sonic Youth has released a series of records on their own SYR label, many of which consist mainly of improvisations recorded in their studio during rehearsals or between and among album sessions. Most if not all of these releases are labeled in languages which are not English. The reasons for this are obscure…

I own two of these releases (#1 and #2, I believe …) and I like them quite well. I’ve had #2 for longer and played it more often, so last night I got out #1 to listen to while reading a short story by Irvine Welsh (which mentions heroin only briefly so sppbt to his reputation … we’ll see how the collection progresses, but so far the writing is really solid good and I would recommend it, the book is called The Acid House).

The Sonic Youth record was mellower than I recalled, pleasantly droning and pulsating, and after a minute or two a little light went on in my brain and I realized it was one of those increasingly-common large-sized 45rpm releases, which I was playing at 33&1/3.

I let it go. It sounded good. I will listen to side two today in the same manner.

It has become typical that I prefer those large-size 45rpm releases when played at the wrong speed. This first came to light during Marc Cantlin’s visit to Los Angeles back in the spring of 2009… said visit documented here:

Right around that time I had purchased a record by Akron/Family called “Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free.” I sat down to listen to it and was really enjoying it a lot, really into it … and it took me half of side one (of four) to realize I was listening too slow. Or rather, the record was moving too slow. Perhaps I was listening too fast.

I returned the album to its intended speed and started over … to my great dissatisfaction. It was weak, lightweight, affected, even silly!* (On the other hand, I had discovered afro-grunge.)

For a taste of this madness, dig this video (both videos were taken by Volita Pearl and are posted from her you-tube page):

Since that time I have found in my collection also a record by Omar Rodriguez Lopez called, I think, “Please Heat This Eventually” with guest Damo Suzuki which I’ve been playing on the wrong speed for years and never realized. It’s better that way, trust me.

* To be fair to Akron/Family, who are a worthy group, the album sounds pretty good, especially sides 2-4, if you have not just listened to it at the wrong speed first. Contrast is, in this case, everything.

did I mention I was in a Dave Matthews video? as a guitar-playing extra… it doesn’t embed, but here’s the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD9CrZODlNA

you can see me for about half a second roughly 3 minutes and fifteen seconds into the video. Enjoy!

Not so often I get to play with a really good band to a packed room of muy enthusiastic dancing fools. This was a highlight of my musical life, so I’m passing on to you THE ENTIRE SET, in no particular order. If the footage from Boyd’s camera, whenever it turns up, has better sound, I will post that as well (or instead or something). Z took these. Enjoy!

…

and here’s a picture or 3:

pics of me by AJW, band pic by Daiana Feuer

This was fun. A lot.

Basement Jamz from Zlicious Productions on Vimeo.

5-Track guitarz, Amanda Jo Williams drumz, Crooked Cowboy keyz … September 17 2009 in Amanda’s basement, Echo Park, Earth

Paul Johnson showed up at my doorstep, banjo in hand … He lives in Austin anymore so I don’t see a lot of him, but we used to play together a bunch when we both lived in Seattle. I introduced him to Amanda Jo while I was at her house trying to remember how to play the guitar so we could do a show (been out of town, minor lapse in personality integrity) … It was a solid connection and the sounds were great, so Amanda invited Paul to sit in for the duration of the next night’s show. He did, and it was a mad blast. Here’s a representative highlight:

This concludes the video survey of Marc’s adventures in Los Angeles… Herein are two final segments of the BRUCE performance at the place called Where.

Lest there be confusion: the music in these two videos is entirely different - there is no overlap - they just happen to look similar. Both of them feature 5-Track on guitar and singing, Marc on bass, and Scott “Mallets” Keil on the drums. Enjoy!!

BRUCE: Live At Where (part last) from Zlicious Productions on Vimeo.

Marc Cantlin (bass), 5-Track (guitar, singing), Scott Keil (drums) … the last bunch of jams from our June 5th performance at Where in Silverlake, Los Angeles, California, Earth. Jym “The Snake” Fahey, guest harmonicat. Video mainly by John Boyd, with some digression by various Where personnel (Danielle!!).