Music Envy: No Words Can Describe This.
Wow. This drummer is just going for it. Darby is currently working on his best impersonation of this man.
Gear Envy: PANArt Hang Drum
I just came across this amazing performance Davide Swarup. He is playing on a Hang Drum from PANArt. I love non-traditional instruments. How long until I have one?
— Chris Darby
Music Video Envy: halfwaynorth sneak peak
Water, Glitter, Flowers, Flour, Chocolate and Feathers. These are the ingredients for a halfwaynorth video.
— Chris Darby
5 Things: iTunes Random - Chris Darby
1. Rush Different Stages Stick It Out
Let’s face it, Rush is an amazing power trio. Understandably it can be hard for some listeners to get past Lee’s guinea-pig-esque vocal delivery. This is not one of my favorite tracks but I grew up listening to Rush so their sound always holds a close link to my childhood.
2. The Beatles Past Masters Disc 2 You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)
I don’t think I have ever listened to this track, and I made it about 20 seconds, let’s move on.
3. The Hives Your New Favorite Band Die, All Right
The Hives are good at bringing some energetic three chord punk rock to the table. They have a hi-fi recording style which fits their gritty approach.
4. Foo Fighters Foo Fighters Weenie Beenie
By far this is my favorite Foo Fighters release. Maybe it is innocence of the song writing, or that Dave Grohl took the time to cut all the parts himself. Maybe it’s both mixed with a simplistic approach to the production but I can push play and walk away on this one.
5.Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers Moanin’ Warm Up
This is just a quick 35 second track of some dialog and instrument tuning before a session. However Art was a skilled instrumentalist and no drummer ever drove a band harder. He is one of my personal favorite jazz drummers to listen to. (The clip linked is a 10 minute jam session - which is just phenomenal)
—Chris Darby
The Making of Ghost Shuffle:
Darby shares his thoughts on aspiring to be the best opening band in America.
Music Envy : Album of the Week
The Shins - Wincing The Night Away
Song Highlight : Girl Sailor
My first exposure to The Shins was a review I heard on National Public Radio. Initially I did not like what I heard. I thought it was too college radio, too radio friendly — just another song tailored to appeal to the masses. However, I did manage to give the record a listen. During that listen my musical mind was taken over by the superb recording quality, clever lyrical content and the unusual vocal melodies. There was at least a 3 week period where the album was my companion while I spun my way to work on a ten mile bike ride.
Girl Sailor is one track in particular that grabbed me. I think it was the track’s placement in the album that had me hooked. It comes at the point towards the end of an album where the next track can either pull you back in or help fade the album into the background. Girl Sailor takes off with an exclamation from the rhythm section followed by smooth decay of the guitar. Once I heard the walk down scale, I was in. The subtle complexity of the instrumentation, particularly its well placed syncopation, keeps the songs moving. Again, the unusual vocal melody and delivery really sell this song.
Lyrically, The Shins are on another plain of existence. I often wonder exactly what they are trying to say but I somehow manage to find some parallels in my own life that give the songs a personal touch. I have often heard from die hard Shins fans that this is the worst of The Shins releases. Oh well, let them hate if it makes them feel better. For me, this will sit on my shelf as one of the heavy hitters in my arsenal.
— Chris Darby
5 Things: Darby’s Vinyl Playlist
1. Fugazi - Margin Walker (1989)
2. Fugazi - Repeater (1990)
3. Drive Like Jehu - Yank Crime (1994)
4. Fugazi - Fugazi (1988)
5. Fugazi - In on the Kill Taker (1993)
Margin Walker is probably my favorite Fugazi record. Combine this with their Fugazi release and you get the 13 songs LP. Next favorite is probably Repeater, this album takes me back to some long road trips with some great friends.
Fugazi should be an inspiration to every small band in America. They started their own label (Dischord Records), booked and supported their own tours, all while keeping ticket prices at 5 bucks or less. They still sell their albums for 7-10 dollars to your door. If you want to purchase a Fugazi record or merch please buy from Dischord and support the artist.
As for the Drive Like Jehu record, I just enjoy a loud noisy punk album once in awhile. It cleanses the palate.
— Chris Darby
Gear Envy: SJC Custom Drums
What is it? SJC specializes in hand-crafted, innovative, built to order drum kits.
Who is it for? Drum fanatics who are looking for killer curb appeal.
Why SJC? : Plenty of companies offer the option of making custom kits, SJC takes customization to the next level. Beyond the basics of shell material and shell dimension, they up the ante with choice of vibrant colors and custom paint jobs. In addition to shell options they offer personalized badges and snare ports. Add the finishing touches with truly unique hardware and easily set your style above the rest.
— Chris Darby
Gear Envy: Skull Slick Nut
What is it? A drum nut secures the cymbal to the cymbal stand.
Why do I want them? The part that makes this drum nut hot snot is that it is quick release. Traditional nuts have to be screwed on and off. This is time consuming. Quick release only needs a push of the button. Also, SKULLS.
Where to get them? It is available online at Drum Bum.
— Chris Darby
It’s been a long time coming.
I’ve been playing guitar in bands for the last 14 years. From “The Search for the Yetti” to “the breakup? album” I’ve enjoyed creating music in the studio. I’ve always hesitated at the idea of playing live because of my shyness. In 2003, I played my first live show in the 2nd floor of an old church on Ashland Avenue, but it hasn’t been until the last few months that I have really begun to enjoy it.
I think the best way to share this is to breakdown a clip of hwn doing our thing. The song is called “Mesmerize” and was filmed at hwn’s last show of 2009.
Reasons why I love this clip :
1. (0:07 seconds–0:12 seconds) The WOO!
About an hour and half before showtime, the band was sitting in the green rooms warming up. I received a text from my father saying “Your aunt is coming.” I was happy that she was coming this night because we were playing her favorite song, “Mesmerize.” I looked to my right and saw Darby (our drummer) smiling wide. Hesitantly I asked him what he was thinking. He just laughed and said “Well, we can all expect a big ‘WOO!’ during the first break.” At the time I just thought he was being silly, but sure enough the first break hit and out came a “WOO!” It’s really the crowd interaction that makes being on stage so much fun. For future reference, we encourage all woos.
2. (2:39 seconds) The Stand-Off!
I didn’t notice this during the show, but the audience sure did. At about 2:35 Joe decides to conquer Eug’s bass world and promptly struts over. I think it’s Joe’s body language that really gets me. His chest puffs outward and says “I am rock.” It’s like watching a nature show. The cheers make me think that the audience agreed with him. It is also quite possible that the cheers are for Eug since we all know Eug is everyone’s favorite.
3. (3:00 seconds-3:37 seconds) The Solo!
I can only tell you how inspired I am by Joe’s guitar playing these days. But at 3:00 he really just lets it all hang out. The next 22 seconds is balls to the wall, fret-melting-solo perfection, and just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, Joe shows us level 11. The guitar goes up and over while the knees drop down. Who can top that? I try to show some love @ 330 with a little bow down hand dap.
4. (2:15 seconds-end) The Rhythm Section!
Mesmerize was born in the studio amid synthesizers, acoustic guitars, and a wall of effects. The transition from album to live was not an easy one. We struggled to find an arrangement that gave the song the credit it deserved. It wasn’t until Darby found the fine line between keeping the groove going and funking up the beat that we were able to make the leap. But what I want to focus on is the energy the rhythm section provides in the vamp out. Joe and I are really able to let loose during this section but this wouldn’t be possible if it were not for Eugene (who is beast on bass) and Darby (who brings the thunder). It is really the energy of these two that pushes and pulls us through 2 minutes of guitarmageddon.
Although I haven’t yet reached my goal to perform flawlessly on vocals I think this performance stands the test of a few months time. Learning to appreciate the energy and interaction between the band/the audience/the music is what makes performing worth it.
Thanks for reading. We hope to see you out at our next show to kick off Twenty-Ten.
hwn’s Rock’n’ Roll Bailout show
— El Presidente, Jason Abraham
Gear Envy: PANArt Hang Drum
5 Things: iTunes Random - Chris Darby
It’s been a long time coming.
