Happy Vampires

A band or music artist at some point in their career will probably be faced with the decision of whether to enter a talent, vocal, singing, battle of the bands, composing, or lyric/songwriting contest. Your friends and family might be telling you how great they think you are and suggest that you enter. Possibly a teacher recognizing a talent, might be the push. Whomever it is, why would you want to and why should you enter a music competition?

In the USA, one of the biggest singing contests now of course, is American Idol, a televised contest where the viewers vote, and the finalist wins possible fame and fortune. Across the globe are Australian Idol, World Idol, Latin American Idol, Rockstar: Supernova, Superstar, You’re A Star, the list goes on for these hugely popular events.

Having your singing voice, writing skills, or instrumentation judged by a panel of industry experts is not for the weak of heart, but neither is the music business. The cash and the prize lists are sometimes enough of a temptation to enter, but think more along the lines of what is your ultimate music goal. Is it a career in music? Then the potential exposure that a contest may bring could be of far more value.

Your chances of winning, as long as you do have good musical skills could be better than you anticipate. Sometimes it just depends on who else enters, the category you enter, or that particular contest. Not to be skeptical, but it may not be that you are the preeminent singer, writer, or musician in the entire world, but you are the best that entered at that time. That being said, it still shows that you won!

What are the benefits of entering

Various contests across the globe offer a variety of prize packages, some with a lot of potential for the winners. Prize packages can include cash, recording contracts, a live showcase, radio play, publishing, career development, music instruments and gear, professional evaluation of your submission with feedback, computer software, music books, and cool online music service memberships.

Competitions can launch a career. Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and JC Chasez all made the cut in The New Mickey Mouse Club auditions. Fantasia, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, have all moved from American Idol winners to holding their own in record sales, touring and fame. Kelly Clarkson even won two Grammy Awards!

A song or artist may not be the ultimate winner of the entered contest, but in the judging process, a prospective stand out could earmark that artist for other opportunities. Something may not “win” the category it is in, but a savvy music expert may see the potential for use elsewhere and contact you about it.

An entry in a contest that wins, places or receives honorable mention is a good mark to add to your music profile. You are keeping your music profile online and newsletters updated with your latest exploits, right?

The validation that you won, your work was recognized by industry experts is a huge ego boost and confidence builder. Insert all those gushy Oscar and Grammy acceptance speeches here, but it sure does give you the warm fuzzies.

The publicity received could compensate the entry fee. Exposure can include not only the possibility of being seen by an accredited music professional judge and panel, but magazine, press, and online coverage no matter if you are the ultimate winner or not. Also, some contests do offer reviews on all entries, so that could garner some interesting feedback. Nonetheless, the process itself may add to the overall learning experience.

What might be the drawbacks perceived

There seems to be some ill-perceived notions about some contests, justifiable or not. Some people take the notion that competitions are rip-offs or “they are out to steal my music” mentality. The cost of entering may be a deterrence (the fee plus possibly postage, traveling, etc.). The thought of not a snowball’s chance in hell in winning, or even the discouraging thought of having your creation or talent rejected might be a hindrance to the music artist.

Low odds perceived? The motto from the lottery is “you gotta play to win”. Millions of people enter lotteries every day. Think about it, not nearly that many are entering contests, though American Idol lines may seem that long. In listening to music artists across the web, there is a general misconception of contests as scams. True, there are and have been some “competition” scams out there or some new contests that didn’t raise enough funding, thus destroying the integrity of all involved. Savvy musicians need to filter those out.

That’s why you RESEARCH. You learn what competitions are solid and exactly what you need to do to enter correctly. Watch for any wording in the TOC and throughout in the entry process that comes anywhere near saying that they will become the owner of the entry. Usually a contest that’s been around a few years and has proven industry sponsors, partners, judges and founders shows the commitment to excellence needed.

Check out online comments on particular contests. You may find a comment in a forum that is a bit off-color. Take that with a grain of salt, as a disgruntled “sore-loser” may have posted something based on his/her disillusionment, rejection or for not entering properly.

Entry fees are standard procedure for entering many competitions. The cost of advertising, organizing and promoting contests, let alone the prize money and gear offered add up. Staff for accounting, processing entries, booking and countless other business processes are needed. Possibly even the professional judges time may need to be paid for.

If a contest says $50K in prizes, read the rest of the text and know how that is split up. Be aware of any taxes due on cash on prizes won and the law applicable in your state or locality.

What you need to do

Thoroughly read all rules, criteria, Terms and Conditions (TOC), use of your name and music and understand in detail the process and what to expect. Any wording that states that your music will become the property of the contest, steer clear of. They should have the right to promote the winners list, play the song, use your name of course, as the writer/creator of the music as well as image - but you remain the sole owner.

Research which competitions would be a best fit for your level and experience, to enhance your career in music. Is the competition open to anyone, amateurs, semi-pros and/or professionals? Is it open internationally or locally only? Can you enter online? Does everyone get something out of it? Look for well established competitions that can prove and deliver what they state.

Correctly fill in your application form, and recheck your spelling. If filling out a form for several entries, fill in critical info and copy it, then fill in the individual entry sections.

Take notice of how the judging process works. Is the emphasis on the lyrics only or the recording? Songs or lyrics may be first judged by an “in house” panel if the piece passes and surpasses the criteria set for that category, it may then be passed on to the next level or round. Check out the judges panel, some contests have top names across the industry that could possibly listen to your work.

If you win or place well - get every ounce of mileage you can from the free publicity. Not only announcing it on your web page(s), bio page, online press release, but get local news coverage, school, TV, and radio. Make an announcement and soak it up for all it’s worth.

Where to find contests

Nearly every country, city, and many towns have some kind of music awards, competitions, contests or battle of the bands for any instrument played, singing or writing style. By searching online for any of those keywords will bring an assortment of results. Some contest are specified only to certain genres or instruments, while some are open year around and some open and close at different times of year.

Search music magazines, music stores, music schools, college music departments, and radio/television press. Some competitions you will need to be a member of an organization and some require that you do not. Many contests have early bird entry fees, or multiple entry discounts. Entry confirmation is something that should be offered.

Don’t enter a contest too early if you are an impatient person, as some contest cycles may take as much as a year from opening to winners announcements.

One gifted artist may have reasons for not wanting the limelight and frills of a competition; for another it may be a goal or milestone. The sheer volume of competitions available are a testament to some basic human need of acceptance within us all.

If exposure and publicity are desired to get your foot in the door, contests can be invaluable. A career in music is an ongoing process, filled with years of blood, sweat and tears. They can be tears of pain and rejection and tears of joy. Dream big and strive bigger, and may you hear one day as the envelope is opened, “And the winner is…”.

Artistopia - The Ultimate Artist Development Resource artistopia.com www.artistopia.com is an artist development service and community on the web providing indie and unsigned music artists, songwriters and bands all the tools needed for music business collaboration and networking.

The problems in Haiti are so disastrous that it seems hopeless at times. All the trees are gone, people are starving and the aid coming in is coming up with food shortages. Not to mention the 2007 Tropical Atlantic Hurricane Season is on its way and chances are we will not get too mild seasons in a row. Haiti simply cannot take a Category 4 of Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale in its current state.

Recently this was discussed at the Online Think Tank, as Mr. Shellito stated that he had a plan set up for a Haiti recovery to normality. “Haiti’s revitalization has to happen within the nation as opposed to from the outside or it won’t be sustainable. They need viable solutions to neighborhood revitalization and cell type invigoration but they, not me, said it was impossible.”

Well what do they say; “If you believe you can’t then you are Right!”

Still lets take a look at this plan, because it could be a component of a larger plan somewhere else? We could put that “PLAN” and those ideas on the Online Think Tank Website. After all Bangladesh and other places are literally at risk of being in the same boat. Haiti is not the only humanities disaster in the world? Maybe others will find this information useful?

Let’s get this information out too the world. Why waste your efforts and thoughts? The disparity there is outrageous, people starving to death, voodoo witch doctors, floods, and wealthy folks living on the beach loving life in what was a beautiful place once. Someone may find this plan and work to the ideas to save lives?

A Plan for Haiti might be difficult to implement, but could serve as a useful model for other nation states. I certainly hope this article is of interest and that is has propelled thought. The goal is simple; to help you in your quest to be the best in 2007. I thank you for reading my many articles on diverse subjects, which interest you.

“Lance Winslow” - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; WorldThinkTank.net/ WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for ourspokanemagazine.com/ Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

Poker is a popular card game, and it is expected that the number of people who play this entertaining and potentially rewarding game is bound to increase in the years to come. This game is popular among professional poker players, amateurs, and players who have only a casual interest in card games. There are different variations of poker, such as Stud Draw and Hold?em, and there is a sizeable following for each of these versions.

The game of poker has been in existence for a very long time. According to a well-documented historical source that followers of the game often quote, card games were initially played in Germany (Pachen) and France (Poque) around the 17th century. This is believed to be the beginning of the poker game.

The basis of all poker games is more or less alike. Generally, players deal with hidden cards or a combination of covered cards and face-up cards. There are times when single players deal with hidden cards and face-up community cards. Traditionally, players used to play poker in a slightly different way. The hierarchy used to start with the royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, and straight. This used to be followed by three of a kind, two pairs, and, lastly, one pair. The betting used to be made in a large pot that was kept in the center of a card room and the money was awarded to the player with the best hand.

Since those early beginnings, the popularity of poker games has grown to a large extent and has spread to many countries all over the world. Poker continued to be a popular game after World War II but was not considered a great ?money-spinner? game in the casinos. Many people consider Benny as the man responsible for introducing poker in casinos and making it immensely popular. He opened a casino on Fremont Street, which is now referred as downtown Las Vegas.

There are websites that provide information on poker and the different types of variations of the game. Online poker that can be played on games sites dedicated to the purpose is gaining popularity among many players. It allows players to play this fascinating card at any hour of the day. Online poker has also made it easier for beginners to learn poker.

Poker-ontheweb.com Poker provides detailed information on Poker, Online Poker, Poker Tables, Poker Chips and more. Poker is affiliated with z-OnlinePoker.com Free Online Poker.

Sports Betting is a way that professional “smart money” gamblers make money. One of the most overlooked ways to make money from sports betting is by understanding the teams, and how they will play in different weather conditions.

Let’s look at an example of my analysis of a game where the teams were expected to play in a driving rainstorm:

Oakland at Seattle -7 This game presents a bit of a mystery since Seattle is playing without their #1 QB and without their #1 running back. This means that all the previous stats, etc., are pretty much meaningless in terms of handicapping this game. Generally speaking, I like to stay away from games like this because they are typically what I call “coin flip” games -that is there isn’t enough data to determine if the odds are in your favor or not.

However… this game may be an exception. Let me explain why.

First and foremost, Seattle’s defense took them to the Super Bowl last year, but they’ve stunk out the joint this year. In Seattle’s last 5 games, they’ve given up 35, 31, 28, 37, and 42 points. This may be the most stunning surprise of this season. And who did they give up this many points to? High-powered teams like Indianapolis? Nope. They gave up these points to KC, Minnesota, St. Louis, Chicago, and the Giants. Sure, these teams are decent, but keep in mind Minnesota could barely score against SF, and the other teams have been inconsistent on offesne all season -except when they played Seattle. In their two early wins the defense looked good, but keep in mind those games were against Arizona and Detroit.

Oakland on the other hand has played horrible all season on offense. They managed just 98 total yards against Pittsburgh, a team that’s been abused defensively all season. Oakland is averaging only 123 yards per game passing, which is really astonishing considering they’ve been in many games where they needed to play catch-up and still couldn’t manage to rack up many yards, even against other team’s prevent defense. It’s even more astonishing considering that they have Randy Moss to throw to. Moss should at least get some double-coverage which you’d think would free up somebody, somewhere in the secondary.

It used to be that classic games pitted the immovable force vs. the unstoppable object. This game is the exact opposite. It’s the inept offense vs. the inept defense. Oakland is ranked dead last in the NFL in offense. Seattle is ranked 29th in defense. Who know’s what’s going to happen?

Well, we don′t know exactly what’s going to happen in the game, but what we do know about is the weather. It’s pouring in Seattle today, and they’re expecting 2 inches of rain. The wind is at 18 mph, gusting to 23 mph. The field is covered, but it’s going to be VERY sloppy tonight and very windy. The rain is expected to get heavier by tonight’s 5:30 pm PST start (8:30 EST).

Now there are two schools of thought on this. The first is that the sloppy conditions will lead to more turnovers, and make it easier to pass because the receivers know where they’re going, but the defenders have to react. Plus, the sloppy conditions are going to lead to possibly more turnovers, etc. But this cuts both ways. The turnovers could easily come when a team is knocking on the door about to score as they could when they’re backed up near their own goal line. The other school of thought is that the weather is going to make it next to impossible to move the ball and score. This is why the o/u line is sitting at 36.

The o/u line is also sitting at 36 because Seattle QB Senaca Wallace has one of the most pathetic QB ratings possible, a measly 59.0. I say “one of the most pathetic” QB ratings because Oakland’s QB Andrew Walter has an ever worse rating at 49.0. This may be lowest combined QB ratings of any game in the NFL.

So what’s this all mean? First, it means that Seattle has the edge because of Seneca Wallace. Wallace, unlike Walter, is like having an extra back in the backfield. Oakland’s defensive line is going to have problems with their footing, and when they do break into the backfield, Wallace is going to be quick to sprint forward out of the pocket and the Raider defenders are going to be helpless to react on the wet turf. Wallace stinks throwing the ball anyway so the wind isn′t going to affect him as much as it’s going to affect Walter, a more classic drop-back QB.

So the bottom line is this. I do NOT recommend even playing this game because there are too many unknowns. However, if you really feel like you must take a side on this game I look for Oakland to have trouble scoring, probably scoring in the single digits. I look for Seattle to be able to move the ball on the ground, especially with Wallace running the ball out of the pocket. With all this in mind, I look for Seattle to win 17-6.

What really happened in this game? Seneca Wallace, Seattle’s QB, had 49 yards rushing, including a key run of 37 yards. Seattle won 16-0.

David James is one of the world′s foremost sports handicappers. Not only does James have an uncanny knack for knowing who to bet on, but he also is one of the best at providing in depth explanations and statistics showing exactly why each pick meets his criteria. Click on this link if you would like to learn how to be successful at davidjamessports.com/index.php Sports Betting

Some offbeat oddities from the new novel The Witch of Greenwich Village:

- Meditation, acclaimed for its ability to clear the mind and promote creativity was, in primitive times, used for revolting purposes and is still employed by obscure cults for obscene rituals.

- There are sixteen chapters in the Old Testament that mention dreams.

Overall there are about seventy references to drams in the Bible.

- Plato and Aristotle thought dreams prophetic; Cicero was a skeptic.

- The oldest dream book extant is an Egyptian papyrus by Medineth, dated 2000,BC.

- There are eight documented cases of people who dreamed of the sinking of the Titanic before it happened.

- The night before it took place Lincoln dreamed he was going to be assassinated.

- Dickens dreamed he was going to meet a lady named Miss Napier and that she would be wearing a red shawl. Who shows up the very next evening, red shawl and all? – you got it – good old Miss Napier.

- In 1929 Edgar Cayce dreamed beforehand that the stock market would crash.

- The renowned psychiatrist Carl Jung believed that dreams foretold the future and put people in touch with “the collective unconscious of the human species.” Adler emphasized the “anticipatory and compensatory function of dreams.”

If you found the above interesting and if you liked Rosemary’s Baby, The Exorcist, The Other and Burnt Offerings please visit thewitchofgreenwichvillage.com www.thewitchofgreenwichvillage.com for a synopsis and an excerpt from The Witch of Greenwich Village, by Frank O’Donnell The book is also available on line as an E Book.

Frank O′Donnell is a produced playwright with a musical comedy (Robin for Good) a drema (Twistes) and seven one act plays to his credit.

OBSERVATIONS;

Who is my brother
a question to ask
a statement to make

When the question is asked
what limit shall I set
do I look to family only
or go beyond

My brother is
he who needs
no matter where he is
nor who he be
I shall be the one
he shall see

for this I am responsible
and so it shall be

==================

The true measure of a person
is not to be found in his possessions
nor in being recognized by his peers
nor in the fortune he has amassed

the true measure is judged
when in the mirror he looks
and there is no one on whom to affix
responsibility

Inquire of he who returns your gaze
‘Am I who I say I am…

=============================

The one who makes the loudest noise
is not always the one
whom deserves the credit they seek
So why do they strive so emphatically
for that to which they have no claim

============================

The places I have been, the feelings experienced,
the sights I have seen, the things done

Combine to produce the sum total of
the perceptions I hold,
no other may change them,
no other is responsible for them.

I am them; they are me
for through them I interact and react

Should I therefore not exercise great care in formulating them.

=============================

Individuality is expressed in many ways.
It is not judged by appearance
or other such changeable factors.
Encased in the pod of individuality is
thought process, feelings, and perceptions.

How are we to adjudge these without being the individual we judge.

==================================================

The most profound act on this earth
that a human can do
is not to give his life that
another might yet live.
It is the raising of our children
to be respectful of another
right to live.

=============================

When a man turns his back
on his fellow Human Being
what in reality is he saying?
Are we so caught up in ourselves,
our situations, and our aspirations
that we no longer care for our brothers plight
Have we become so cold to all but personal gain?
I hope not,
for if that is the case
woe be unto us oh mankind
for as our children see us do,
so in kind will they.
With this thought, oh man, will you sleep well tonight

========================================

The various methods that are employed
in planning for the future,
should include at least
two episodes of reflection on the past
So we do not repeat the failures already done.

==================================

The efforts expended by the few
for the benefit of the many
so that the one in need should receive
are often overlooked
in favor of the acquired results.
Even this is as it should be,
the effort should not be forgotten.

=============================

For one to assume
that personal responses are correct
for any given situation without consideration
for the causative factors,
suggests total ignorance of the eventual outcome,
and therefore condemns the person to re-experience the same situation.

======================================================

Within the realm of possibilities,
lies the area of Human dreams.

In this zone of untold potential
resides an aspect of humanity
left long untouched.

It is this wellspring of strength
that in times of great stress or strain
allows us to survive.

The use of this tool is all to infrequent.
But when it is needed
it never fails to respond

It is our Self-sufficiency

When you press your eye to the viewfinder of your camera, a blank canvas is placed before you. Similar to more traditional artists, you can paint a vertical shot or a horizontal shot. That’s your first decision in basic composition. “Is my subject up and down, or does it go side to side?” If your subject is up and down, you should be holding your camera in a vertical position. Too often people say, “oh, they can crop that later.” Yes, they can. But why let them? This is your masterpiece, why hand them the brush?

Second point to consider . . . how big a print do you want? You do realize of course that different size prints have different proportions. In other words, if a group of ten people just barely fit in your 5ҷ print and then someone asks you to make an 8⻪ print; someone will be missing or cut in half on the larger print. Giving your subject room on either side so that you can enlarge later is NOT the same as letting the lab make up for your mistakes.

Third point to consider . . . where on the canvas is your subject going to be? Centuries ago, Greek Artists discovered the eye tends to focus on certain points in any given picture. If you divide your picture into thirds both horizontally and vertically, the points at which those lines intersect are the points where most people tend to focus comfortably. This approach is more interesting than a “Bulls Eye” type snap shot. This is commonly referred to as the “Rule of Thirds”.

If you get a nice shot, what usually happens? You frame it and put it on your wall. Why do you frame it? Because it draws attention! In the children’s story “Charlotte’s Webb”, Charlotte concludes that people believe what they see in print. Likewise, people believe if something is framed it must be important. So why wait? When shooting, framing means something in the foreground that sets off, or “Frames” your main subject. Framing helps create a sense of depth by creating opposition. Start framing your shots, while you take them.

The last point in basic composition is . . . if it doesn’t add to the shot, get rid of it! Get closer. Don’t stand twenty feet away and say you’re taking a portrait. If your subject consists of one or two main subjects, they should fill up 80% of that viewfinder, not 20%. This takes us back to the beginning. If you’re shooting one person standing and the camera is in the horizontal position, you’re wasting 80% of your shot. Turn that camera up on edge, step closer, and fill that frame with your subject. Simply put, shoot from the beginning how you want it to look in the end.

This Article Written By: Tedric A. Garrison Cedar City, Utah

Tedric Garrison has done photography for over 30 years. In college he was an Art Major,
and firmly believes that “Creativity can be taught.” Today as a writer and photographer
he shares his wealth of knowledge with the world, at: betterphototips.com betterphototips.com

Learning to count cards and calculate odds isn’t always a welcomed skill at the poker table, but still, having a basic grasp of poker hand odds can separate the good players from the bad. Learning how to master the skill of calculating poker hand odds on the fly can be a little tricky though.

Calculating poker hand odds will depend on certain variables in a game. These can include:

· Number of cards being used. Calculating poker hand odds will obviously depend on what cards are being dealt. Some games call for a full deck, jokers and all. Others only rely on the basic cards, leaving the wild ones for other games. Having an idea of the number of cards can help a person calculate poker hand odds.

· Number of cards dealt. Figuring out the poker hand odds for a game of five-card stud will be different than in Black Jack or even seven-card stud. It’s important to understand how many need to be dealt or calculating the poker hand odds will be impossible.

· Number of cards already played. Figuring out poker hand odds will also depend on how many cards have been placed on the table between a full shuffle.

· Number of players. This will impact the number of cards left to deal. Whether it’s two, four or six, the number of players can impact the poker hand odds greatly.

Beyond learning to watch what’s been played and count how many cards have been used, there are some other things to take into account when learning to figure poker hand odds. The reality is actually counting cards is against house rules in many locations, but there are other cues that can be used to figure poker hand odds. These include:

· Bets. The bets that come across the table can help a player calculate poker hand odds. The more confident other players are about their hands, the more likely it is the poker hand odds are in their favor and not yours. This is, of course, unless you have a very good hand.

· Poker faces. Figuring poker hand odds this way can be very important. This is especially so if some of the players are natural bluffers. They might poker hand odds and decide to go for it, tricking you into folding when in reality they have nothing.

Learning poker hand odds to the letter might not be possible, but doing a rough estimate when it’s time to decide on betting or folding is a good idea. The odds of pulling off a royal flush are slim, but pulling out a good hand might not be. The more a player learns about poker hand odds the more likely that player is to pull out a win or 20.

Milos Pesic is a professional poker player who runs a highly popular and comprehensive poker.need-to-know.net/ Poker web site. For more articles and resources on Poker related topics, Poker tips and tricks, Texas Holdem, Poker strategies and much more visit his site at:

=> poker.need-to-know.net/ poker.need-to-know.net/

With a recent article in the La Times, Star Wars has gone political. George Lucas has attended a Capital Hill meeting for Democrats.

“Star Wars” filmmaker George Lucas joined House Democratic leaders at a town hall meeting on Capitol Hill to roll out an “innovation agenda” that aims to prepare the next generation of technological entrepreneurs.

Star wars has always been in our collective unconsciousness since its inception after Lucas read Campbell’s Hero with a Thousand Faces. But has this movie entered the political arena?

Students asked Lucas what he meant by the line from “Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith″: “So this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause.” Lucas answered that when Rome, Nazi Germany, and after the French Revolution, “In all of those countries, a democracy fell through nefarious manipulations behind the scenes, and the people didn′t seem to mind.” Is he pointing the finger at us, the american public with our crossed messages. Support the troops automatically means you are for war, in this mixed up country it is not sure. Also strikes the cord is Anakin’s line to Obi Won, :”If you are not for the Empire, you are against it!”

Further more Anakin is persuaded by the Emperor, vaguely disguised as a rising Senator much like the younger Bush Senior, to bring in a reign of terror and death to bring safety to the Republic. Another one nudge for the French Revolution and our modern Freedom Fry eaters on Capital Hill. For true Patriots like Samuel Adams, Thomas Paine, and Thomas jefferson; today would be called terrorists. For indeed if they lost the war, history would of gone to the victors and they would of been called so.

In olden days we might walk away from a Myth like Star Wars or the Matrix, and know that some how it pertained to our real lives. But for too long now, media such as TV and the movies have been art for art sake. No longer do we hear the words of Pinnochio or Plato’s Cave and find our lives informed on a better way of life. Or do the papers offer a voice to the workers and the people. This has been replaced by the tabloids on cable and the check out line. Maybe we should go back to believing in our myths handed down for thousand of years throughout the world, and give incredulous glances to the tv news and newspapers. For Myths worked for us since we crawled out of the ocean, of our minds!

So what is this latest episode of the famous trilogy trying to tell us. Or how does Lucas emphasize this by going to Capital Hill. Watch the movie again and see what springs to mind!

Christopher Jon Luke Dowgin is propietor of

These guys came to California on the way back from their east coast tour. They were heading back to Japan after a few days in San Diego to catch the sun, visit Tijuana and record with Maquiladora.

Listening to their tour disc you get the sense of torture and pain the band feels. The drummer, Koji, also drums with Acid Mothers Temple. This disc has three songs on it. Two nine minute pieces and one 5 minute song.

You feel the ideas of Mimi within the first song, Sorezore. The singing in Japanese is very emotional like a dosed out Roy Orbison or something. The timing moves around like many of the great noise bands from Japan. The tones on the guitar and singing often range in the high register.

Kind of like early CA surf music and then the pedals come on to give it the more modern Tokyo sound. The lead guitar and drums battle through timing and verse breaks. Then, the sweat and energy of Kawaguchi’s voice hits you and a steady song progression comes on and it sounds more recognizable to American ears. This recording was done live in Tokyo before their US tour in early November.

If you want to hear the true psychadelic underground sounds of modern Tokyo you should check this out. Be prepared to have your brain go for a workout in a true avant style of freedom. They play regularly in Tokyo.

Also check out their full length Orange Garage.

Blog San Diego is an online resource for blogsandiego.com/” target=”_blank live music reviews, cd reviews, blogsandiego.com/” target=”_blank music news & features.