I Wish I’d Thought of This List
The Onion’s AV Club lists the Worst Band Names of 2007.-MJS
2 comments December 17th, 2007
Posts filed under 'Uncategorized'
Stomp Cakes
Here’s a site that has a few photos of cakes made in the shape of classic stomp boxes. You can get a idea of the size of the edible Ibanez Tube Screamer from the candy knobs. Are those Rollos?-MJS
1 comment December 17th, 2007
Posting Paucity Update
Well, I suppose I don’t have to mention that the posting has been rather light of late. Actually, I have been book marking various stories that I’ll start linking to in the next few days. Thanks for your patience. -MJS
Add comment December 17th, 2007
Beirut - The Flying Club Cup CD
Full disclosure is in order on this one: a year or two ago I helped Zach Condon, the young frontman for the band Beirut, upgrade his ukulele quiver. The fact that one of the coolest indie rock groups even plays a ukulele is interesting enough in its own right, but so is the finished product of their music: Beirut sounds like a cross between a Eastern European wedding band and Neutral Milk Hotel. Ukes, guitars, trumpets, accordions and Zach’s warbling voice create an intoxicating mix. The group’s new album, Flying Club Cup, is now available. And, in what has to be the second coolest move this year for an album release (Radiohead being first), they’ve created free videos for each of the new album’s tracks. Go to Flying Club Cup’s website, click away and check out the whole album. -JV
Add comment October 11th, 2007
Cassette Skull
This is just about the coolest bit of recycling I’ve seen. Brain Dettmer made a skull out of old heavy metal casettes. Check out the link to see photos of a complete skeleton made using the same technique.-MJS
Add comment September 20th, 2007
Beethoven’s Hair
Here’s a story about a company called LifeGem UK that has taken some strands of Beethoven’s hair and turned it into a diamond. Which they’re trying to sell for £500,000, or $1,004,257.49 at today’s exchange rate. You know, I just can’t tell anymore if things like this are a hoax or not.-MJS
Add comment September 20th, 2007
The Vegetable Orchestra
Fretted instruments, it goes without saying, are made from trees. So, I have to say I was quite pleased to find the Vegetable Orchestra making music from other members of the plant kingdom. The carrot flute and the pumpkin drum may not have strings, and the leek violin doesn’t have frets, but then again, you can’t make soup from your guitar at the end of a concert.-MJS
1 comment August 29th, 2007
Healdsburg Guitar Festival 2007: Toru Nittono
Harold says: “Toru Nittono’s highly crafted Telecaster-style guitars, reinterpreted with glued necks, fabulous finishes, hollow-carved bodies, and even nylon strings, were a standout offering.” Michael says: “Look closely at the sunburst guitar. At first glance it looked like a regular solid-body but notice that it has a floating bridge, a tailpiece and an elevated pickguard. This guitar is actually hollow and weighs almost nothing. As Harold mentioned, there is also a nylon string version, the natural finished one on the right, that weighs even less. The archtop is one of the first gutars in that style Toru built. Toru’s URL is www.nittonoguitars.com, but as of this writing it’s still under construction.”-MJS & HF
1 comment August 29th, 2007
The Unanswered Question
Or in this case, 529 unanswered questions. If you want to know how many roads a man must a man walk down, why do fools fall in love, will you still love me tomorrow or what’s so funny ’bout peace, love, and understanding, you won’t find it here.-MJS
Add comment August 29th, 2007
Healdsburg Guitar Festival 2007: Ken Parker
One one of the most visited benches at Healdsburg was Ken Parker’s. Parker was the subject of a New Yorker article a while ago, which created some buzz, but as you can see from the photos, even without the national press exposure, people would have been lining up to peek inside the unusual soundhole. Harold says, “The dauntless Ken Parker showed some examples of his current and past work, on the heels of a glowing article about him in the May 14 issue of The New Yorker. Never encumbered by history, Parker brought the ultralight “Olive Branch” archtop that the New Yorker featured. If you promised to mind your manners–and turn your belt buckle–you coulda tried it. The guitar is a first article, with great projection and sustain, and starts a promising next chapter in the saga of this unique builder, whom most know as the developer of the Parker Fly guitars.” MJS & HF
Add comment August 28th, 2007
