Light Construction "Notes from the Optic Nerve"

PORCUPINE TREE

2010-05-01T08:11:00.028-04:00

"Djalma with ticket signed by Wes"

The Incident in Charlotte

The air was right for the performance of the year in Charlotte, NC at Amos's Southend. A small club but a fun place to see a show just the same. As usual we went to the venue 2hrs prior to doors. Upon arrival we discovered there were several die hard Porcupine Tree fans that had the same idea as us. There was a couple who traveled all the way from Boston to see the show, a girl with Christian Dior glasses who had been there since 1pm, and another fan who claimed to have been from Philadelphia was there hoping for a pre show glimpse of the band.

Myself I brought the fan that traveled the furthest to see Porcupine Tree. Djalma came all the way from Sao Paulo, Brasil. He had planned to come mid summer for a visit but since this concert was announced for the end of April he decided that it was in his best interest to arrive in time to see this tour.

We were all huge fans standing at the door ears pressed against the metal to hear our favorite band doing the sound check. What a great sound it was coming through the doorway. Gavin was pounding out the heavy beats to the center section of Anesthetize, Steven was hitting the heavy chords, and the band sounded tighter than ever. Our excitement increased as we heard them playing a few short samples from the night’s song list.

Amos's Southend may be a small little dive of a club but one thing for sure is they know how to process the people and get them into the venue in a quick and easy fashion. The residents of a Blank Planet club were most happy about the fact they were going to let them in 15mins prior to the rest of us. Fair enough for those who paid that extra fee for this added perk.

Flash forward to the gig. The opening act was very good and Damon Fox of BigElf was enjoyable to watch with his top hat and keyboard antics. I really enjoyed seeing them play live. A mixture of ELP, Black Sabbath, Uriah Heep and early Deep Purple was their sound. Damon had some major keyboards on both sides of him and he played them much in the same fashion as Rick Wakeman. Their sound was good but at times a bit loud and distorted. However the band really did a nice set and was complimentary to the upcoming Porcupine Tree set.

After a brief set change “The Tree” took the stage at just after 9pm.
Prior to their appearance was a recorded announcement to please refrain from taking any photos or recordings of any kind. Cell phones, iPhones or Blackberry photos included. If you are caught you will be asked to leave the venue. Bummer for me I just got a little point and shoot to catch a few photos of the show. However I decided it best not to be asked to leave so I avoided an incident and watched "The Incident" in its entirety.

The boys entered the stage and from the moment they did you could feel the energy in the air. Steven greeted the audience letting us all know how much he has enjoyed our town. He also commented that we should feel free to hoop and holler with excitement however please save it for the parts where the band is rocking out. Fair enough I would say.....and the band begins....

They played the Incident in its entirety the full 55mins of Disc 1 which is the formal album. I would have to say that I liked seeing it performed in full live. It gave the album a new dimension,one that I had not gotten from listening to it before. For me this album has a lot of atmospheric elements, experimental sounds and some amazing controlled cacophonic parts that really come together during the live experience. Both Richard & Wes were prominent in the mix and I enjoyed this a great deal. I had a hard time hearing Richard's keys before on the “Fear of a Blank Planet” tour in Raleigh a few years back.

Steven was in full force playing his wild disconnected chords, heavy rhythms and some really incredible emotive lead guitar as well. He would often grab an acoustic to fill in the softer parts and Wes would move from supportive role to lead guitar at that point. Steven also did some amazing work on the keyboards too. I loved the keyboard he had on stage this tour. It reminded me of an old wooden roll top desk found in my grandmothers’ living room, converted into a keyboard stand.

For me the cornerstone of The Incident was the song Time Flies. The song seems to pay homage to the music we grew up listening to like Hendrix and The Pink Floyd. The song took on a beautiful visual and aural dimension live even with the makeshift tiny white sheet they had to use for the projections, due to the stage being so small. They made due with the limited space Amos's had to offer them. Both Colin and Gavin were hidden behind the PA system speakers from our balcony view.

After they finished the Incident portion of the show they took a 10min break which was timed by red LED countdown clock on the screen.

The band took the stage and with The Start of Something Beautiful they tore into the second set. I really enjoyed this song. Then they went into Russia On Ice which has some amazing Barbieri synthesizer going on. Both he and Wes were laying down the layers of sound on this one which made it quite beautiful. I am so glad they opted to keep that in this set list. I know they are changing around the second set to keep it fresh for each performance.

The next song was a bombastic version of the center section of Anesthetize! I turned to my friend from Brasil and stated "This is what I saw on the last tour!" Gavin was blasting out the beats on his drums and the band was really cranking at this point. Steven was playing a lot more lead guitar than I saw him play on the Fear of a Blank Planet tour. I was really amazed by how tight the band was this time around. They were tight before but seemed even tighter now.

Next Steven announced they would be playing an old song that was not from any formal album. Stars Die was wonderful.....I hope that those of you who see this tour get to see that played live. From there he went into the song Normal and then Strip the Soul. I love this song it's so heavy and Steven really tore it up on this one.

The final song was Bonnie the Cat which comes from Disc 2 of The Incident. A very cool song, and again it has some very strange parts to it but this came across well in the live setting. Steven thanked us for coming out to make their first time in Charlotte a memorable one. The place was quite full and I am sure was close to the 1100 person capacity. He said they would be back to Charlotte again and next time with the full visual production. So maybe they will play the Fillmore next time round. It is a good bit bigger than Amos's and would lend itself better to their stage shows.

I am not sure where this actually happened but at one point Colin came over to Steven with the vacuum cleaner and started to vac his feet as he played. It might have been during the Encore portion of the gig. They did play two songs "The Sound of Muzak" & Trains. I know there are a lot of long time fans who have seen the band play Trains one too many times. But for my friend who came all the way from Brazil to see the band had never heard it live and they did a great version of it too. I think it was on Trains that Steven even forgot the lyrics for a moment. This was great because no one is perfect and even the fantastic Mr. Wilson is known to goof up. But he laughed it off and got back into the groove quickly.

After the show we waited out by the bus and eventually Wes came out to greet and sign some items. I know a performance as heavy as this might be hard and need decompression time afterwards so I was not expecting to see Steven. It was nice that Wes did come out though. He is so gracious and such a friendly person. Always takes time to make each fan feel as if he knows them. He posed for a photo with both me and my friend from Brazil. Wes also commented that he had been to Brasil twice himself and it was beautiful. This gave my friend hope that maybe one day Porcupine Tree would play in his homeland. I think they might be as shocked as RUSH was to see how many fans they have there.

Thanks to the Tree for the Incident! You made my day, my week, my month & my year by coming to Charlotte! Also a shout out to you all by Djalma from Brazil he says it was one of the highlights of his life!

Peace & Music in 2010!

Michael

Fabio Zuffanti's "Ghiaccio"

2010-04-17T20:27:00.003-04:00

"The Beauty is in the Details"

Fabio Zuffanti does it again. He is quickly becoming one of the new masters of music, with his extensive range of styles and techniques in the studio. His new album "Ghiaccio" translated as Ice is a wonderful work of art. The beauty here lies in the details. This is not an album you put on and rock out to one you put on the headphones and relax to after a long hard day at work. Let the music envelop and wash over you like the smooth waters of a gentle flowing river on a warm summer’s day. Lay back and bask in the beauty of this music.

Take note of the many layers, vocal treatments, percussion, beats, and orchestrations. Zuffanti is quickly becoming the master of many styles. His band Mashera di Cera is a wonderful exploration and continuation of the rich lush Italian symphonic progressive music. It harkens back to the 70's and the golden days of Progressive Music...yet it takes off from there and continues on into the new millennium.

But we are talking about his solo work here. Ghiaccio is a beautiful work of art that starts out simple and subtle and slowly progresses through the song list. As the album works its way into your mind you really start to understand its purpose. The lyrics here all sung in Italian and I am at a loss for what he is singing about but I don't even need to know. Each song takes on a beautiful life of its own yet the entire album works together as a cohesive unit. The way each cut starts out subtle, grows and flows and decays in rhythmic beats and electronics and voicings. There are some wondrous layers to this music and more will be discovered on the 2nd and 3rd listening, this I am sure of.

His multifaceted percussive beats know when to be bold and when to be tame. In ways it is similar to Hostsonaten another one of his other band projects. There are many beautiful works in that catalog to check out. However this music here delves more into the experimental micro ambient, electronic, beat genres and yet he tosses in some orchestrations for added flavor. This reminds me of the things that some of my favorites over the years have done to keep the music sounding fresh, new and transcend genres and cultural barriers.

I have only a slight criticism as a fan who is disconnected from the creation of this work. From the outside looking into the world of Ghiaccio my only desire was to hear a little more live percussion and some tasteful guitar. That would have given it the other .25 to be a ***** 5 Star for me....but with that said I give this a solid **** 4.75 and strongly suggest adding this work to your collection.
You can purchase it here. Directly from the artist himself!

Or if you are in the USA and are concerned about overseas shipping you should get it here:

Peace and Music in 2010! Michael A. Inman

The Power & The Glory

2010-04-15T22:40:00.004-04:00

"Of the Italian Symphonic Progressive band la Maschera di Cera."

There is something to be said for bands that play music like they did in the 70's but add a new flare. La Maschera di Cera has taken the old and mixed it up with the new and pushed it out into the cosmos with their new title: Petali di Fuoco which translated means "Petals of Fire".

For those of you who grew up in the 1970's you will really appreciate this lush music. It's nice to see bands like this emerging in the 2000's. They harken back to days of old and add in new styles for a nice progression into the new millennium.

The lyrics on this album are all in Italian and somehow I do not seem to mind a bit. In fact I think there would be a lot lost in translation. The accent, the power, and the structure of the Italian language adds a dimension to this music that would be lost if translated into English. I am glad that Alessandro Corvaglia sings the lyrics in Italian they have much more power. And this is all about the POWER and the GLORY here. How can you NOT be moved by this voice....it's so rich and full of life! If I had not seen them live this past summer in Chapel Hill, NC at Progday I would still say the same thing.

The addition of Matteo Nahum on guitar is nestled nicely in the mix of Andrea Monetti on flutes and Agostino Macor the mastermind behind the rich layers of keyboards. Matteo's playing is often reminiscent of Steve Hackett in the glory days of Genesis. Tasteful yet not so overwhelming that it overpowers the song. Macor's keyboards are beautiful as well...he even adds in a bit of Keith Emerson's Classical style to the mix.

Andrea is without a doubt one of the best flutists in music today. He has the power of Ian Anderson which adds a Tull like dimension to the sound. And on the softer side he can make you float off into oblivion with his playing.

Let us not forget the amazing mastermind behind the band, Fabio Zuffanti on bass. Fabio's precise playing combined with Maurizio di Tollo's hypnotic style of drumming fills out the bottom end of the band. They are the glue that holds it all together. Petali di Fuoco is la Maschera di Cera in their prime here.

The opening track Fino all'aurora showcases Alessandro's dynamic voice. I heard that he was once in a Genesis cover band.... but listening to him sing here, he is doing much more than covering old sounds or rehashing old vocal patterns that even Peter Gabriel doesn't sing anymore. He brings LIFE to the music! People this band is not playing oldies or doing cut and paste performances of rehashed Genesis here!

They are taking elements of classic 70's music and mixing it with their life experiences and coming up with something New Bold and Dynamic. BRAVO to Mr. Zuffanti and the gang!

I could give a track by track breakdown here but I think that you should buy it yourself, put on some headphones and get ready for the music to take you away. I love many of the older Maschera di Cera releases but there is something about this new release that takes all of that, mixes it up a bit and comes up with what I would consider to be their swansong!

Get this new release and support this band they really are amazing and should be a lot better known around the globe than they are. If you don't believe me take some time and listen for yourself. You will be glad that you did!

Peace and Music 2010 - Michael A. Inman

You can get the new album here

POEMS

2010-03-13T09:36:00.004-05:00

First let me start by saying I never thought I was much of a poet. But through my studies in Art at UNC Charlotte I discovered a love for poetry. With it's many styles Poetry is an amazing art form. Here are a few Poems I created while attending UNCC.

"Lifeforce"

Teardrops fall
along the contoured landscape.
Wandering like a mountain stream
plummeting over the cliff
into the abyss.

Large flowing bodies
Surrounding masses,
of continental crust.
Fresh brine free origins
the scent of memories
rippling rapidly past.

A southward migration
contextual change
adds salt to the wounds
yet growth….
and then…

The healing begins
a new horizon.
A southward continental shift
and the evaporation of pain.
The cycle continues…

ahhhhhhhhh lifes sustaining force!

FREE VERSE POETRY

Definition: "Free verse is a form of poetry which refrains from meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical pattern."

See what you get from this Free Verse poem...Please comment below:

Feelings

Sight
Smell
Touch
Taste
Hearing

Feeling – anger of our role in Iraq

A visual catharsis?
Graven image toppling--
a choreographed sham
purging of guilt.
Skewing the worldview
momentarily.

Retinas transfixed,
simulacrum of an era past.
An olfactory whiff of
burning innocence deadens
the sound of victory.

Face flushes
Reddened capillaries swell,
steam rises--
WMD?

“The Morals of Morel’s”

Pacing slowly….
Gleaning downward….
Staring intently…

The forest opens
Sun shining on the fresh
Spring dew.

Elusively blending,
hiding…
their trickery eludes me,
like 4 leaf clovers.

Step back….
Refocus, unblend, stop looking!
It appears….a solitary one.
Springing into view
the forest floor unfolds.

Alluding at first
like a relationship’s search.
When you desire you cannot see.
When you find one many more appear.

Hundreds of them lifting out of life’s fog,
Waiting for your greed to take hold.
To be devoured or cast aside?
Which one to pick?
Their stems hold the key to their truth.

WHERE HAVE I BEEN?

2010-03-12T22:54:00.007-05:00

I know it's been a while since I have written anything on my blog and I am sorry for that. First I have had to upgrade my PC to a new model due to a bad logic board and several other key components. However the Tax return check came just in time for this to happen. Sure am glad for that one! I have a brand new pc I had built at this great little store in Charlotte. I found them over 6yrs ago through a friend who built my last computer. Make sure to stop by and check them out here

I am posting some of the Adobe Illustrator designs I have created over the past few years. The process is very intuitive and it only turns out to be representational as it develops. I don't start with anything specific but rather create a singular shape....add outlines,color,textures and more. Then I rotate, duplicate, twist and turn it around till I see something I like. Often I create a shape and don't use it but come back to it later and use it in another design. Combining things to make something totally unexpected.

I love doing this kind of art because it is very reactionary in a specific moment in time. Nothing is too sacred but often times very spiritual things come from it. Often I see something in what I am designing and I develop it further and the end result "IS" very representational of a common object. This is only by happenstance that this occurs. I have never started out to draw anything specific but often along the way I see something and go with the flow.

Does that make sense? Does anyone else know if there is a name for this kind of thing? If so please comment:

For now here are a few more things:
(Make sure to click each photo so you can see it in large format)

Paper Cat

2010-01-09T13:07:00.010-05:00

The Paul Green's School of Rock Alumni do it again! Julie & Eric Slick (bass & drums) a brother and sister team who have made their claim to fame by being the glue behind the Adrian Belew Power Trio. Forge out into new territory teaming up with Eric Slick's Project Object bandmate Robbie "Seahag" Mangano for this new instrumental Power Trio known as Paper Cat. And a Powerful Trio they are......

With the Slick’s having just recorded their first album together with the elder Belew, it is evident that the rhythm section of this new trio Paper Cat, have really honed their chops. Doing so by gigging endlessly crisscrossing the United States, Canada and other assorted parts of the globe for the better part of four years now. Fresh off a recent Russian tour the Adrian Belew Power Trio has Playing in festivals and sharing the stage with the likes of Tony Levin, Eddie Jobson and his project U-Z, Umphrey's McGee and many more. As well as contributing their own precision elements of bass and drums to Belew's well orchestrated instrumental 5 part suite entitled "e".

The duo of Eric & Julie recently shared the stage with The California Guitar Trio contributing some powerful back end to their sets as well. But on to new projects ….this duo does not set idly by waiting for the next Adrian Belew Power Trio tour....they dive into studio for this new project with Robbie "Seahag" Mangano of Project Object on guitar.

Recently the new trio called Paper Cat played a live gig in the Philly area and recorded it and Julie made it available on a website called Band Camp. Julie Slick has not only toured with the Adrian Belew Power Trio for the past 4yrs but she has also completed a degree in music engineering at Drexel University (with honors I might add). Putting herself through college by part time waiting on tables at a local Philly establishment when not in school and on the road with Adrian Belew.

Eric Slick is just as busy as his sister, when not on tour with Adrian he has been doing gigs in Philadelphia, NYC and at Bonnaroo where he played drums for several grueling days and several shows a day with a belly dancing act? He also regularly sets in on live gigs with many well known musicians. He recently played NEARFest with Oblivion Sun the progressive rock band at 3pm and immediately following the NEARFest set he raced across town to do the set with sister Julie and The California Guitar Trio.

From reading various blogs on the internet I have discovered that Eric and Robbie were on an airplane and they created this hilarious version of a paper cat from the airline's vomit bag. Said Paper Cat… appears on the recent poster for their live set at the Kyber and on their new My Space Page Here

There you can catch 3 new tracks recently recorded at Studio Slick (Julie's studio) where she has also been recording and producing the music for her boyfriends band Cheers Elephant. But let's not forget the band at hand...Paper Cat. Take a listen for yourself to the 3 new tracks recently posted on the My Space page and it is evident that this new instrumental trio is maturing as we speak.

I love the sonic sounds the band has been creating in the studio. The first track titled Spider Song starts with Julie hammering out a nice bass riff......and Eric coming in on his drums....and then the attack is on Robbie comes in like a machine gun on the guitar.....and the trio is off and running on this progressive journey. Robbie's playing is very crisp and well planned...this is a band that is really thinking about what they do before laying it down in the studio. There are elements King Crimson in the mix but it's not a copy by any stretch.

Operation: Desert Storm starts out with some nice melodic guitar.....but you know there is an attack coming somewhere in the near future. The bass starts to brew up from the mix and the drums start marching in for the kill that you know is about to occur. And YES they launch into a total guns blazing attack, Robbie laying down some very sweet tones that remind me of elements of Mr. Jimi.....I bet this is a total hit in the live shows.
The dynamics of sound on the ending create the scene for this desert landscape. Slowly winding down into the sweet eternal oblivion, a place that can only be truly found in the calm after this desert storm.

Novembeard starts with Julie ripping in with some very in your face bass resembling the way that Tony Levin does in Crimson. While Robbie comes in with some sweet harmonic tones which you know are going to develop. Meanwhile Eric is not setting by doing nothing either...his sense of timekeeping is well planned out in the proper progressive instrumental fashion. But before you get too relaxed Robbie begins his guitar attack once again. This song has a nice groove to it and I really appreciate the various textures going on here. Julie is laying it on thick in the low end, her bass is constantly ripping and bubbling out of the background at times sounding very much like Tony Levin. Just as you wish this song would go on forever it is over all too soon and hopefully like me, you are left longing for more.

Well this band has certainly stirred my progressive soul and I am hoping for a whole album sometime in the very near future.

Peace & Music,

Michael A. Inman

Better Late than Never!

2009-09-13T09:37:00.006-04:00

Power Trio – Asheville review

Where do I start here! This was an absolutely wonderful show. From the trip to Asheville, the good food, friends from far away lands, and the culmination being at the Power Trio performance.

As usual I drug my friends to the show my excessive 2hrs before door opening time. This time my good friend was visiting all the way from Sao Paulo, Brasil. Talk about perfect timing on this gig happening while he is here.

The weather was gorgeous with billowing clouds, Carolina blue skies, and tiny rain showers lasting so briefly that you hardly noticed. We arrived at the Orange Peel venue about 5:15pm for a 7pm door opening. Usually there are people who arrive at least 1.5hrs early but this time no one showed for almost 1.45mins which I found quite strange.
I was hoping that the venue would not be lacking for attendees this night.

Adrian deserves a good gathering of friends to see him perform. I think that the final turn out was better than the Stella Blue gig last year though. While we were waiting in line several people started to show up just before doors. It was nice conversing with other fans that’s one of the reasons I love to go to concerts early. I often find that I am standing in lines with several whom I have met at shows past.

One of the attendants came out to check the ticket scanner and asked to scan my ticket to make sure it was functioning. All systems were a go and at that moment I decided to check on my camera being ok to bring in. I have been to many Adrian Belew shows in the past and cameras were always allowed. The manager or show manager said it was ok as long as it was not a pro lens. (mine was) I did some fast talking and got her permission to bring in the camera provided I did not use my flash. (fine by me I like natural stage lights)

Her name was Anastasia and she went by Stashia for short. She told us of her youth and traveling with the Grateful Dead and all she knew. I mentioned that my friend here is from Sao Paulo, Brasil. She told me that I would be getting a wrist band with VIP access to the front side of the barricade.

Finally we were let inside the venue and I quickly raced up to the stage to get the optimal photographic spot for the gig. Sort of in front of Eric and looking at Adrian from the right side of the stage. (less microphone blockage that way)

The warm up band was Nerd Parade out of Atlanta and they were incredible! It took me quite a while to realize that the bassist is Rich Schmidt also a member of the Adrian Belew Tribe yahoo discussion group. The drummer was great he was very cool to see playing. He seemed to love those Surf beats and the guitar had many styles. They were a great act for an opener and were most gracious to Adrian for allowing them stage space to play. I would like to see them perform sometime when they were a headliner.
Now enter….The Power Trio……seasoned by yet another year of playing on the road.
WOW what can I say here they were stellar! Eric’s drums were in perfect view of me from where I was. He was in a great spot to get a lot of good photos of him. Usually the drummer is behind his drums and is hard to get a shot. His kit was positioned side view for us on the right side.

Julie was playing her usual subtle stage presence but a monster of style and tone. Barefoot again and playing the hell outta her bass. I was able to get several decent shots of her over the course of the evening. I got to go in front of the barricade to take some shots which was extra special for me.

Adrian was in rare form as usual his playing was spot on that night! He is one of the most underrated guitar masters of this century. Such a joy to watch and so fun to hear him playing. I think he has finally found a guitar that he will use for the rest of his career as a musician. That Parker Fly Adrian Belew Model is one in a million with it’s wild interfaces build for the Line6 amps. He comments on how he never breaks strings anymore and how no matter how hard he uses the whammy bar it never goes out of tune.
After all he IS the Twang Bar King!

The Trio played several off the new album “e” and I can consciously say they played a,b,c, and e for sure and who knows but possibly they played d as well. The new cd is a 5 part song cd. a-e and e seems to be the culmination of the parts a-d. A very progressive instrumental jam it is starting out with a mellow acoustic sounding “a part 1” and building to the song e where all of the parts seem to gel together for a monstrous conclusion.

I do remember him playing The Lone Rhinoceros which he said has not been played before or in a long time anyway. I also remember Three of a Perfect Pair as well. The audience singing along at the top of our lungs. What a joy it was and such a treat for my buddy who came from Sao Paulo Brasil to visit.

After the show I was talking with Robin at the Merchandise table and Djalma came over in a frantic state saying come quickly! Stashia wants us to come backstage! How cool was that… we got to go backstage and visit with Adrian, Julie & Eric a bit before they came out front to sign things. Adrian was so gracious as always and he thanked Dj for coming from such a long way. He took time to pose for a photo of the two of them. This is something that will go down as one of the best times of Dj’s life I am sure. Not too often do you get the chance in Brasil to see people like Adrian Belew play so this was an extra special treat.

We also got to give Julie some jewelry that Dj brought from Brasil. There were a few bracelets and necklaces made from seeds by South American Indigenous people. She was most gracious about this and shared with her mother at a later time. In the excitement of it all I forgot to get my photo taken with Adrian so during the signing I asked him for the preverbal photo op. He said that it is not too often that the photographer gets to have HIS photo taken. What a great guy he is as he always takes time to make each fan feel like they were appreciated individually.
This was truly the best Adrian Belew show I have seen to date as they keep improving with age like a fine wine. If you have not yet had the opportunity to go see them play live please treat yourself to this experience. You deserve it!
Here are some photos I took at the show.

Peace,

Mike

"e" is to the Power Trio what Fahrvergnugen is to Volkswagen

2009-07-30T22:22:00.015-04:00

"driving pleasure"

Adrian single handedly introduces us to “e” with “a” which is a rather captivating coming attraction, that not only inspires us to listen through to the end, but captures our desire to do so, by the tail.

This is the first studio album that Adrian uses his band mates Julie Slick on bass and Eric Slick on drums. As we get our first glimpse of this trio together in the second track it harkens back to sounds reminiscent of Neurotica. Not enough to be pastiche but just enough to gather King Crimson fans together for a thorough listening of Adrian’s favorite new project.

A personal favorite of mine is the way that Eric makes use of the most simple drum kit yet together with Julie on bass they drive this trio like the force of a thousand elephants storming across the African plain. There is something animalistic about this group they seem to capture my attention at every twist and turn of this journey called “e”.

This studio recording of Adrian’s really captures the spirit of the live shows. The way Eric rattles around on the edges of his kit and Julie fills out the bottom end of this with her fierce definitive style of bass. It really gives one a sense of just how cosmically talented the other two thirds of this trio are.

Eric often enters into the layers of Adrian’s guitar with a bombastic drum riff and out of the blue Julie soars onto the scene from the bottom end of the spectrum. The true talent of this lineup of The Adrian Belew Power trio is heard for the first time in a studio recording and what a recording it is.

Sometimes the music has a very cerebral quality and cannot be properly put into words. It is for those moments that I will leave it up to your brains to decipher. At times the entire band is going completely off the wall with its organic fractalizations and just when your mind feels it cannot escape the madness, Adrian goes off into some very beautiful Soundscapes. This completes the equation which puts your weary mind at ease.

There are moments in this journey that have a very chime like quality and touch just a bit on the 80’s King Crimson. He also seems to pull out some of his old tricks here with sounds that remind me of the songs of whales in the deep blue sea. Only this time I think they are being analyzed by some alien beings from outer space. Check it out…..

In interviews I have heard Adrian talking about this being an entire cohesive piece arranged around “e”. I love these rather up and down scale like themes it has a sense of adventure about it and piques my curiosity as to what will come next! Meanwhile Julie and Eric are creating the glue that keeps this entire piece welded firmly together. This is probably why for me; this is the most interesting of Adrian’s project oriented albums. He obviously let them work out their own parts and share the limelight with him and boy do they ever!

Adrian’s playing has always been monumental in my book but he has finally found the other two pieces of the puzzle. With Adrian as a base and Julie and Eric as the other two sides of the triangle Adrian has found a Synergy in this band, which means that the sum of the whole is greater than its individual parts.

I love the way he uses the scales to build up a theme and then all of a sudden all chaos breaks loose with the rest of the band. There are so many intricate themes going on here and Julie is really playing some amazing things on this release. The trios’ interconnectivity is stellar; the changes in this are beyond amazing! Eric is crackling around like fireworks on the fourth of July on the rims of his drums. Adrian is pulling out all the stops with his solos in latter parts of this album. This album is definitely about the journey and the destination is “e” and boy oh boy what a destination “e” is.

This final track “e” is the culmination of everything on this album coming together to create the final composition. The percussion is crisp and the bass is ferocious! There is a power that only this Trio could show you. If you have not gotten this album yet please do you will thank me!

You can get your copy over at Adrian's website and even get it signed by the trio!
www.adrianbelew.net

Peace,

Mike

ADRIAN BELEW POWER TRIO - Does it again!

2009-06-27T00:05:00.007-04:00

This is a Rare CD….NOT to be missed!

I am listening to the 13min long version of Beat Box Guitar right now and the sonic attack of the trio surpasses all other past live recordings. When I first saw this I was a bit skeptical because I have heard so many versions of live recordings over the past few years. Often times with this same or similar song lineup. But there is something about this night that set the world on fire!

I cannot believe this song Eric is blasting away on his kit and Julie is bubbling up like a Mt Vesuvius about to erupt! From here they blast into A Little Madness and let me tell you. You will understand the name of this song after hearing the first 15 seconds of it. This is pretty ferocious guitar, bass & drums. We are not talking a lot of fancy ass drums that take up the entire stage here. We are talking just the most basic kit. Yet it sounds like the wildest drums you have ever heard. And Julie and Eric are still talking between themselves. They have a musical brother and sister bond, its some sort of language they use when playing. Like the kind of cerebral language only twins can speak and these two are not twins.

I cannot say enough about the quality of this release. I bought the version off Amazon because I want the mp3 files, I prefer the lossless files found in Flac but these will do in a pinch. However, I must add that this sounds like a physical disc here on my headphones. The band is in full tilt mode at the 4min mark of this song and building up towards a sonic explosion ending. This music is NOT for the faint of heart but if you LOVE good music then you will not be let down by this recording. Like I said, having heard numerous live bootlegs and all of Adrian’s recordings but I have never heard anything quite like this before.

Drive starts out with the engine of a car starting and driving off...and then Belew comes in making his signature whale sounds and layering his notes over each other. I have had the pleasure of seeing him perform this three times now live. I love the textural qualities of Adrian's playing the way he builds sound on sound live. It is not a lot of gadgetry or trickery it's layering and layering in a live setting. It starts to envelope your brain and before you know it you are in a rocket ship headed for the cosmos.

The music breaks at the 3min mark and feeds into a special tribute and if you don’t know the song I am talking about I won’t spoil it for you George…what a beautiful segue. As gently as it feeds into this song it gears itself back into the main drive. It’s like rolling through the countryside with the top down on a warm spring day. I have heard this song before but yet once again Adrian is otherworldly tonight. He is playing on and on with this and it has just really developed nicely from the first days of hearing it. And all of a sudden he breaks into a very Frippian attack.

Neurotica is a total assault on the senses. I have loved this song for many years since I first heard it on the album Beat. The lyrics have always floored me so make sure to Google the lyrics for this song. The music is like a swirling palette of aural colors mixed together and at times splattered with the intensity of a Pollack on the lyrical canvas of life. Julie and Eric’s playing here is very supportive of Adrian and adds a lot to the mix. This song was played originally by more musicians and as a trio they have really broke it down and fit it into the trio format. Yet it is not lacking in any way musically. It is as full as if the double trio were playing this.

Of Bow and Drum starts out with Adrian shredding along in his signature Twang Bar King way. The song explodes and then fades back into the chorus. The drum parts are filled nicely by Sir Slick whom I have dubbed “The Percussive One” and the bass is performed so effortlessly by the Barefooted Priestess of Cool & Her Collective Consciousness. As usual Adrian is releasing the signature sonic guitar but as stated before there’s intensity and a maturity going on with The Trio that I have not heard before. They are becoming a Unit......hmmmm. Go figure….maturing like a fine wine!

Frame By Frame ahhhhh another of my favorite King Crimson classics. This song feels so natural you almost forget it is Adrian Belew Power Trio playing and not King Crimson. Although I might add that Robert in the mix would be quite cool too! Maybe a guest spot at the Orange Peel in Asheville on August 23^rd might be in order. Robert?

And then here is a song that is so special to me. First lyrically I love this song and second it is special for me because this was the first King Crimson tour I ever saw. The Trio does an amazing job on this. You guessed it…..Three of a Perfect Pair!

Keeping it new and fresh, yet holding to the original in a way that compliments. Adrian's lyrics have always been so inspiring to me they are like poems rather than the usual top 40 inspired lyrics that are as far away from actual poetry as you can get.

Well anyway I will leave the last song up to your own interpretation. I really hate these blow by blow reviews but for some reason tonight felt that I must digress and do just that. But I must add that originally Bruford was amazing on these Crimson songs! However.....if you listen to Eric playing this you will not be missing a thing in fact Bill is probably impressed with this boys playing style. He does often remind me of Bruford or Bozzio if I had to toss in a comparison.

Oh and let me say this in closing! YOUNG LIONS RULES on this recording! Check it out buy it today you will not be sorry! I am completely and utterly speechless now! The ending of Thela Hun Ginjeet is killer!

Thanks again to the Trio and Julie for using her many talents and getting this recording online and on Amazon!.

(click on the word Amazon to download this wonderful new disc by Adrian Belew Power Trio)

Peace,

Mike

Power Trio "e" Coming to a town near you!

2009-06-21T15:03:00.008-04:00

I am so excited about the recent news that "e" is out soon!

Adrian Belew Power Trio is:
Adrian Belew - Guitar
Julie Slick - Bass
Eric Slick - Drums

Adrian Belew has a new album that is due out soon! The is the first album with Julie & Eric assisting in the development of the final product! AND.........they are coming to Asheville August 24th at the Orange Peel. YAY!!!!!!!! That is one day after my good friend arrives from Sao Paulo, Brasil and two days after my Birthday. This is a great present for both of us actually! Bands like King Crimson, Adrian Belew, The Bears and such just don't make the trek too often to Brasil.

He did get the chance to see Robert Fripp open for the G3 tour in Sao Paulo but that is the closest Dj has ever come to seeing King Crimson or Adrian Belew live. The last time I saw them was a couple years ago now in Asheville at Stella Blue a small club in comparison to the Orange Peel. At the time I made this poster for the show (on my own not a commissioned poster) and took a few copies to the gig to have them signed. Eric, Julie and Adrian all signed the 3 copies I had printed and I was going to send one of them to the Slicks mother Robin as a gift. I left it with Julie and something happened on the way to the forum it got lost in the shuffle of gig traveling.
But hey it's the thought that counts anyway and no harm no fowl.

"Typographical poster is at the top of this post"

I may have to come up with something for this gig too! Anyway .....I am excited by the news that they are coming to my state this time around. If the Adrian Belew Power Trio is playing anywhere near your town make sure go RUN to see them do not miss it!

Peace,

Michael

The Great Debate

2009-06-18T11:23:00.003-04:00

What is art? Is Photography art? Is Graphic Design an art form? If the artists hand never touches the piece is it still considered that artist’s creation? If they conceptualized it, visualized it, conveyed it to a group of facilitators or apprentices who in turn labored over the physical piece, then wasn’t that still art created by the artist?

It seems this debate has been going on for eons. Back in the caveman dwelling days I am sure there were those who did not agree with the cave paintings. Saying things like they were childlike in quality, the wrong blood was used to draw that buffalo, you needed to use buffalo blood but instead you used antelope. Well maybe there was a reason for that, like antelope blood had a better lasting quality on the rocks than did Buffalo, or maybe the viscosity was easier to paint with? Then there is the debate, of which tools were used to etch into the rocks, or the etchings were too animalistic leaning toward the hunter side and not enough was done to document the gatherers. Can you see where I am going here?

I however hearken back to my early college days when one of my professors posed this question and expressed their opinion on what made something art for them. They said, if you like it, if it evokes and emotion which is satisfying to you as an individual even though you may not understand it, even if it evokes an emotion that is unsettling to you it is still a work of art, even if the artist never touched the piece themselves. Many printmakers create works that they have the pressmen produce. There are many artists from long ago whose signatures appear on a now famous panting, but may have had apprentices put brush strokes on the canvas. Is it still a painting by that artist?

I think that good art should evoke some sort of response from us. If it is visually appealing or if it causes you to discuss this with another individual or group then it may have served the purpose that the maker was trying to convey. One of the professors in the University I attended used to look at each drawing his students would bring in and no matter how good or bad the quality was, he would first find the good in it. Even if this was obviously a rushed or unfinished piece, he would comment on their use of negative space, the quality of their mark making, comparisons to other artists who often had unfinished work. He would always say something positive and then give criticism.

His mindset seemed to be one of encouragement, building of their individual character, and finally teaching them to look at other artists who did similar work to encourage further exploration. I don’t think he had a single demoralizing bone in his body. In his more advanced courses he was a tough critic but that is justified at that stage of artistic training.

In my not so humble opinion, what is art and what is not art is very difficult to define. I think that if it is art to you then it works, if not then so be it. There was a time in my figure drawing course where we had discussion over one individuals drawing of a female form. This woman was crouched down and in almost a fetal position. The drawing was beautiful in my eyes, the lighting, technical quality, his use of various mark making, yet to others it struck a nerve that caused anger, feelings of abuse, demoralization of the female species. It was the lighting, the colors were muted and dark a little bit eerie. It was not his intention to upset anyone, it was a drawing of his girlfriend and both of them loved it. What happened here is it stirred up emotions of each person who viewed it, based on their own life experiences, the time and place it was viewed, and the moment in history where it was seen. All those things had to do with how it was perceived.

As you can see this discussion could go on and on and it should! I love hearing people’s take on things, the good, the bad and the ugly!

Hope you find yourself in a pleasant state of mind today!

Peace,

Michael

Theory of Light Construction

2009-06-16T22:52:00.010-04:00

"Butterflys of Egypt"

The world around us is made up of light visualized through our optic nerve sent spiraling to our brains. My love of music, art and photography were the things that I wanted to display in this blog. Over the coming weeks I will enhance its visual qualities, exhibit artwork inspired by my favorite music and spill thoughts from deep within my brain onto these pages.

Welcome to my world......it goes as far as the mind can imagine. Over time I will take you on a trip from the depths of your minds eye soaring across the universe to unknown galaxies. I hope you will grab hold of my extended virtual hand and follow me on this magical journey.

Peace,

Michael