February 2006 Archives
February 1, 2006
WE NEED YOUR HELP!!
In his last blog entry, our keyboard player, Jam Malone, wrote, “For example, a song near the end entitled ‘Willie’s Swan Song,’ a nice ballad about the internal struggles and motivations of ‘Kelly Robbins”s disgraced fiancé, has one of the most bizarre bridge sections I’ve encountered in western music. Bear in mind, I have a Masters in music composition and arranging, so I’m pretty sure I have some idea of that which I write. There’s an irrational tritonic key change (from E major to Bb major), which at the end of the bridge resolves to B-minor. The most polite word to describe these changes, and the structure of this section of the song, is ‘ugly.’”
You know what, Jam? I said it to you in the studio, and here I’m going to write it out for all the fans to read: FUCK YOU MOTHERFUCKER!!! I think this is one of the best songs on the album, and I think it’s perfect the way it is.
But you know what? We’re here for you guys, the fans. That’s why we’re on MySpace; that’s why we made our website—so we’d have a way to interact directly with you.
So I’m leaving it to you guys: Click here to download a very rough demo version of “Willie’s Swan Song” and give it a listen. I’d recommend listening to the whole thing, to get the groove on, but the “ugly” bridge that Jam mentioned starts at 2:22.
WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!! How do the key changes sound to you? How does the song as a whole sound to you? Should we keep it as-is, or should I heed one of Jam’s suggestions on how to make it “good”?
Write a comment, send an email—whatever, we just want to hear from you. Recording has stalled as we argue about it.
Thanks,
Girth
Posted by Girth McDürchstein on February 1, 2006 9:24 AM
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Recording Girth McDürchstein's 'The Return'
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February 11, 2006
Tomorrow
Okay, guys, we’re looking forward to see you all at the Charnel House tomorrow. We took a break from recording the last week to re-stage and rehearse The Hedge. Was I nervous? A little, but I got back in the swing of things.
See you tomorrow,
Girth
Posted by Girth McDürchstein on February 11, 2006 10:42 AM
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Girth McDürchstein's 'The Hedge' -- Live!!
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February 14, 2006
The Worst Night of My Life
Sunday, February 12, 2006, was the fourth anniversary of my Fletcher Award-winning rock opera, Girth McDürchstein’s ‘The Hedge.’ As mentioned on this blog, to celebrate, we put on a special staged performance at a venue called the Charnel House, on Chicago’s South Side.
In the 10 days preceding the show, the band got together to rehearse and stage with some of our “extended family”—the various musicians who helped us with the touring company of The Hedge back when we were touring the show heavily, from October 2002 to late 2004. These musicians included people like Sammy Shapiro, Wade Valencourt, Bob Prescott, and a few of the female singer/actors (Lita and Bebe, who brought a couple of their friends to help fill it out). Other than this, no original cast or pit member (not even the original production team!) could make it. Sad, but maybe foreshadowing what was to happen on Sunday night…
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Posted by Girth McDürchstein on February 14, 2006 11:52 PM
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Girth McDürchstein's 'The Hedge' -- Live!!
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February 19, 2006
Personal/Personnel Changes
Let’s look at a week in the life, shall we? Or five days, more like.
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Posted by Girth McDürchstein on February 19, 2006 7:37 AM
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Girth McDürchstein's 'The Hedge' -- Live!!
Recording Girth McDürchstein's 'The Return'
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February 22, 2006
Home, Sweet Home
Monday night, Carl and I stayed in a California bordertown called Blythe. It’s a nice little town; I’ve stayed there on many occasions after cross-country trips. We got up bright and early on Tuesday morning to make the last leg of our trek. The ride was familiar, as often on trips or tours we end up taking I-10 back to L.A. Around Palm Springs, the Interstate widens and the traffic starts to build and build, and before you know it you’re suddenly in the metro area. The L.A. area’s unfortunate suburban-like sprawl allows the city to just creep up on you, and before you know it you’re hitting that bizarre 10-110-5-101 mess, and you know you’re home.
In addition to the apartment Margo and I share in Studio City, I have a small loft/workspace near Miracle Mile, so Carl and I headed there first with what little necessities we had. Carlos should be here by Friday with the rest of our shit, and then it’s back to the old Paint Shaker in Hollywood to resume recording. We’ll do that by day, and in the evening’s we’ll hit the club scene and try to scout for potential new players. If we can’t find anyone, we’ll post flyers for auditions.
I have a strange, wonderful feeling about this, the second rebirth of Abysmal Crucifix. I can’t tell you how excited I am about it.
For now, we’re just going to relax and settle in. Carl hasn’t spent much time in L.A., so I’m going to take him around a bit, show him my old haunts, the sites of all those bizarre celebrity murders, suicides, and drug overdoses—touristy stuff, but fun. Then we’re gonna hit up the House of Pies and eat them out of pie-house and home. It’s gonna be fuckin’ awesome!
Posted by Girth McDürchstein on February 22, 2006 2:16 PM
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Recording Girth McDürchstein's 'The Return'
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