Cart before the horse

"She wasn't the only one crying," he said. "There was a whole lot of white people crying."

Rev. Michael Pfleger, step right up! You're the next contestant on "I'm A Complete Idiot."

Another religious Obama backer has used his (bully) pulpit to spew racial rhetoric that is doing more harm to Barack's campaign. Personally, I'm not particularly offended by his remarks. I actually don't care what he said. I am, however, ticked off about his timing.

Wanna say something stupid? WAIT UNTIL WE WIN THE ELECTION!

Seriously. Folks like Pfleger and Wright can fan the flames of racism for all I care, but they should at least have the brains to wait until after Obama wins the election (hope hope). Then they can gloat all they want. "There's a new President in town, cracker, so kiss my black ass."

No problem with that here.

Enjoy it.

But you'll never get the chance if you keep doing this stupid shit. Obama needs to get all his supporters in a room and basically say, "When it comes to race or gender, NO TALKING!". Have them focus on the real issues, Barack, and stop letting these dumbasses shoot you in the foot.

Because you know what? This type of talk from black people (or people associated with black people; Pfleger is actually a whitey) scares the shit out of blue collar white people. You know, the ones Hilary insists you can't carry?

I realize there's no way Obama can make these poeple shut up. I mean, you'd think his distancing himself from Rev Wright would have given Pfleger a clear indication that the O Man was not down with this crap, but apparently Mikey didn't get the memo.

I would hate to think that yet another promising Democrat will loose the Oval Office because of stupid stuff that could have been avoided had anybody really thought about what they were doing.

Heartfelt campaign songs:

Various - Ghostly Swim
(Ghostly and Adult Swim, sitting in a tree...)

Goldfrapp - Felt Mountain
(I know what I would like to be feeling)

Amputated - Gargling With Infected Semen
(what more can one say?)

Coldworker - Rotting Paradise
(rooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrr)

Joy Division - Closer
(happy music for happy people)

A.E. cypherin' knowledge

I receive an online newsletter from the Knitting Factory detailing all the tasty shows they are putting on. They always start off the publication with a couple of quotes. Today's first Bartlettesque?

"A lot of people are singing about how screwed up the world is, and I don't think that everybody wants to hear about that all the time."
- Mariah Carey

While MC may have a point, KFactory countered with an even better quote that skewers Top 40 music pretty effectively.

"He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would fully suffice."
- Albert Einstein

Pretty awesome quote.

So good in fact that I looked it up online just to see it in context. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that this is only the first two sentences of a longer quote:

"He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would fully suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, senseless brutality, deplorable love-of-country stance, how violently I hate all this, how despicable an ignorable war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be a part of so base an action! It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder."

Wow.

From a snide (yet pointedly effective) putdown of the zombie masses that listen to Brittany (or whatever crap MTV tells them to) to a stinging condemnation of the nationalist, might-makes-right attitudes of some in this country.

Well done, Al.

"McCain = more war. Either Democrat = less war. Relatively simple, no?"


Promoting other senseless brutalities:

Kompressor - Krush Television
(bug eyed evil from Deutschland via Ohio)

Austere - Distance
(wide open, flat out, and gone)

Scorn - Anamnesis
(headspace pilots)

Bonechurch - BlackStatic
(ancient and evil)

Abstract Audio Systems - Poems For Innogen
(light, lilting, and lovely)

Suicidal tendencies

I'm amazed at the number of Hillary democrats who are saying they will either not vote or vote for McCain if Hillary doesn't get the nomination.

That's just spiteful and stupid.

Who in their right mind would think that McCain would better represent their views? Either way, I hope democrats haven't found YET ANOTHER way to shoot ourselves in the foot and lose YET ANOTHER election that should have been a goddamned cakewalk. Dumbya all but handed us the White House with his various fuckups and it would be a crime to waste such an opportunity.

Whoever doesn't get the democratic nomination should swallow their damned pride and accept the VP seat. Obama / Clinton, Clinton / Obama; either one should be a win. If not, democrats don't deserve the presidency and we might as well throw in the towel now.

Anger anthems:

Fall Of Because - Life Is Easy
(and people are stupid)

Napalm Death - Scum
(you suffer, but why?)

Nasum - Shift
(blastbeat bonanza)

Pantera - Vulgar Display Of Power
(walk on home, boy)

Immortal - Sons Of Northern Darkness
(icy metal from the frozen wastes)

A modicum of fame

I stumbled across a great website several months ago called Art Of The Mix. Wannabe DJs like me can post their mixes there for all to see. And while I haven't been able to get their "Upload Mix" link to work, I've been linking directly to my DJ Abstract site so that people can download my mixes. Anyway, I've posted a good amount of stuff, including Lilybies. Imagine my surprise when I headed to the site this morning and I was listed as The Mix Of The Week!

Booyah.

Seems "Guest Editor" g.a.b. likes it quite a bit:

A gorgeous lullaby composed & performed by the mixer.

This straddles the borderline between ''Sleep'' & ''Ambient'' and fits Brian Eno''s now famous definition of the Ambient genera to a tee: that a composition be at once be both Aural Wallpaper (background) OR take Center-Stage (the main attraction).

So take a break from the work-a-day Pop/Rock-n-Roll...and enjoy the drift.

Not to bad, eh?

Further down the sound:

Blackfilm - Blackfilm
(orchestral meets downtempo in creepy deliciousness)

Coldworker - Rotting Paradise
(rip off head, do bad things with it)

M|A|R|R|S - Pump Up The Volume
(to all my homeboys out in Bronx... this one's for you)

Saint Etienne - Foxbase Alpha
(hippy powers... activate!)

The Sisters Of Mercy - Some Girls Wander By Mistake
(Eldritch from the depths, as usual)

Dreaming in stereo

Friends of mine just celebrated their daughter's first birthday. I'm a relatively cheap guy, so I figured instead of going out to Babies-R-Us and buying them an armor plated stroller or some such, I'd throw together a mix for Lily (their daughter). So I stepped into both my composer and DJ shoes. All the tracks on the mix were written by me under my Abstract Audio Systems guise. The object was to create a lulling mix that would put the little tyke to bed softly. Hope it does the same for you. Take a listen here.

Lilybies
1 Rain And Sea
2 Beside The Evening Sea (For Harriet)
3 Aedon (Sigh Mix)
4 Gossamer
5 Host Of Fireflies
6 Dulcinea
7 Wispre
8 The Dandelion Clock
9 Evergone

Walking like a panther

I believe I briefly mentioned that I was working on the soundtrack to a pair of workout videos. Well, they have been completed and are now available for purchase



Catwalk Confidence includes:

Bold Backside 30 minutes - An intense workout incorporating a unique combination of strength and balance exercises to challenge shoulder stabilization, hip strength and ankle stability. This workout will leave you standing taller and stronger...

Crunchless Core Training 15 minutes - The intensity does not stop with this 15 minute core workout designed to challenge pelvic alignment and core control. Targeted muscles include the transverse abdominals, internal obliques and gluteal muscles.

Fierce Feet 10 minutes - The first ever workout designed to help women strengthen their feet and ankles. Strong feet and ankles are the foundation to walking confidently in stilettos. Learn simple exercises that can be done everyday!

Learn how to prevent injuries associated with wearing stilettos by increasing proper body alignment, postural tone and ankle stability.



Stiletto Recovery is a unique combination of yoga, active-isolated stretches and myofascial release targeting tight hip flexors, lower back muscles and foot and ankle stabilizers. Get your body back in balance with Stiletto Recovery!

- Realign the body after hours in stilettos

- Relax overworked muscles

- Alleviate foot and leg pain

The sounds on both DVDs are courtesy of your's truly, so definitely check 'em out.

Shades of gray

My brain is continually fed music from all types of sources. I tracked down Royksopp because of a Geico commercial (thanks, Cave Man!); got into Negativland after hearing "Christianity Is Stupid" on WKDU (not to be confused with the evil swill that is KTU); and discovered Nine Inch Nails when they opened for The Jesus And Mary Chain. Point being, it all comes pretty fast and furious. There are times, in fact, when I remember the music, but forget the source.

Case in point: The Veils.

I don't remember which movie I was veiwing, but "Vicious Traditions" got played during the ending credits. I immediately went into "search and acquire" mode and was fortunate enough to find The Runaway Found on Emusic.com. The entire album is great, but "Vicious Traditions" is still the standout track for me.

I told you that story so I can tell you this story.

I broke out the tune again a couple of days ago and like some sinister moss or creeping vine, a mix began to grow around it. Note that this is not a happy song, nor is it the type of track I usually use in my mixes, so I knew right away that this was going to be a) tricky and b) probably weird.

It's both.

This particular mix is strange and introspective enough (not to mention oddly personal) that I decided to forego the usual DJ Abstract XX: The Something Mix dubbing and simply entitle it Grayside Tales.

This is some bleak stuff.

Not exactly sad, just... unsettling. There are a couple moments of lightness, but for the most part there's an emptiness and desperation to it.

Not to mention the fact that it ends in a crushing, fifteen minute Swans track.

01 A.O.S. - History Repeats Itself
02 Jarboe - Lavender Girl
03 Einsturzende Neubauten - Blume
04 Dome - Cruel When Complete
05 This Mortal Coil - I Must Have Been Blind
06 Michael Andrews - Mad World
07 The Young Gods - September Song
08 The Veils - Vicious Traditions
09 The Jesus And Mary Chain - Just Like Honey
10 Cranes - Driving In The Sun (Dimitri Tikovoi Remix)
11 Area - Filled
12 Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Modern Romance
13 The Cure - In Your House (Holland 1/80)
14 Sonic Youth - Secret Girl
15 Swans - Helpless Child

You can hear it in its entirety here.



I've no idea where this came from, because it's not like I've been miserable or anything. But this thing randomly birthed itself and I just went with the flow.

Mood lighteners:

Various - Grayside Tales
(ok... not so light)

Various - Future Jazz
(harder bop)

Big Black - The Rich Man's Eight Track Tape
(places no respectable man would be seen)

ShadowVox - Zero*Zen*Terminate
(by the elusive M Furgeson)

Madvillian - Madvillian
(beware the metal faced one)