Category: [blog]

Cory wrote the following post; I’ll be continuing the conversation with questions and thoughts in the coming days.  -h

Recently, I was listening to Pocket Full Of Kryptonite by the Spin Doctors, who are from New York, interestingly enough.  I got to thinking about how there is a conjuction of properties of early- to mid-nineties pop music that isn’t really seen in any bands these days.  But in order to paint a better picture of what I mean, here is a short list of bands I have in mind:
Gin Blossoms
The Proclaimers
Blues Traveler
Collective Soul
Spin Doctors
R.E.M.
Alanis Morissette
The Smashing Pumpkins
Soundgarden
Goo Goo Dolls
Live
Counting Crows

Keep in mind also that some of these bands proceeded to make music that doesn’t adhere to the properties I’m about to describe, so when thinking of these bands and their catalogue, try and think of songs from 1990-1995 or so.

The early nineties were a time of a collective cynicism, it felt like; every popular band at the time had at least a slight grunge-sound, and it reflected a community of dissatisfied Gen-Xers fresh of the heels of 80’s music.  The lyrics presented this attitude of “it sucks being in your teens/early 20’s, growing up blows, but we’re kind of all in this together.”  It felt really paradoxical, because the music behind these lyrics was usually warm and uplifting.

Take songs like “1979” from The Smashing Pumpkins, “Two Princes” by the Spin Doctors, and “1,000 Miles” by The Proclaimers.  All of these songs were anthems for kids in their late teens, trying to find a community to be a part of.  These songs were catchy, mass-marketable, and musically optimistic.  The lyrics, however, contradict everything about the music.  “1979” was about teenage apathy that led to delinquent behavior and a “it’s like whatever” outlook.  “Two Princes,” while slightly more uplifting, was a song about two men pining for the same woman, one of whom will inevitably be rejected.  “1,000 Miles” is even weirder; it’s one of the most energetic, inspiring songs I’ve ever heard, yet the lyrics are all about an intense desperation for a girl.

Another song that exemplifies the early 90’s music perfectly is “Dreams” by The Cranberries.  You know: “Oh my life, is changing every day, in every possible way.”

It’s interesting to figure out what led to this short but prolific musical period.  Before the early nineties, you had the beginnings of rap (gangsta rap in particular) and cheesy metal bands like Poison and Motley Crue.  After the early nineties, you still had grunge, but after the death of Kurt Cobain, the only “alternative” bands worth listening to were bands like Foo Fighters, Superdrag, and Green Day, and these bands that were grungy AND popular were few and far between.

I don’t think that early-nineties alternative music was easy to do; bands now that try to emulate the early nineties usually end up sound really trite and cheesy (Puddle Of Mudd, Nickelback, Creed), even though they might’ve fit right in with Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam, aesthetically, even if without the same value.

Cory is preparing an awesome [blog].  In the meantime, read this;

http://www.pnl.gov/news/release.asp?id=204

As a nation, if we could switch over to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, we would take a big step towards A) energy independence from the Middle East (for the conservatives & liberals) and B) drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions (for the environmentalists & liberals).  The electricity is widely available, and it would create market pressure to start building greener power plants.

THIS is a serious energy policy; make it happen.

Musically, I am working with 5*C on demos.  Very exciting stuff.  -h

Listen, I haven’t told anyone this, but Cory and I didn’t use any pitch-correction (never mind auto-tune!) on Sally Ride’s new It’s A Trap.  That established, check out “How to make a pop star” on YouTube (and thanks Katy for the links).

How to make a pop star (part 1)

How to make a pop star – Enrique can’t sing

And in other music-related YouTubeness, watch & hear Aries Spears freestyling as DMX, LL Cool Jay, Jay-Z, and Snoop, in about two minutes flat.

http://web.media.mit.edu/~nvawter/thesis/index.html

I found out about this little guy via the NY Times’ “Year in Ideas 2006,” which has since slipped into the archives (damn you, TimesSelect!).

Noah’s invention “creates music from the noise all around you.”  The QuickTime demo at the site above probably doesn’t do it justice, but it’s pretty cool anyway.  I want one.  Unfortunately, no one is making them; it’s just a project at this point.  Still, check it out.

On Noah; “Engineer and musician Noah Vawter is best known for inventing Ambient Addition, the 1-bit groovebox, PSPKick and combyop synthesis. In each of these musical instruments, he combines math and design ideas to illuminate the situation around music, encouraging the democratic notions of freedom and cooperation. He is currently a Ph. D. candidate studying with the Computing Culture Research Group at the MIT Media Lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts. ”

On Ambient Addition; “Ambient Addition is a Walkman with binaural microphones. A tiny Digital Signal Processing (DSP) chip analyzes the microphone’s sound and superimposes a layer of harmony and rhythm on top of the listener’s world. In the new context, some surprising behaviors take place. Listeners tend to play with objects around them, sing to themselves, and wander toward tempting sound sources. With Ambient Addition, I’m hoping to make people think twice about the sounds they initiate as well as loosen up some inhibitions.”

I realize that It’s A Trap is just beginning to percolate through your collective consciousnes, as you get around to streaming/downloading/sharing it post-holidays.  But since it’s been out for two weeks! or something now, we’re already thinking about what we’ll be working on in the coming year.

Tape / echoes’ “Hiplife” project is an album of Africa-inspired music, the ideas for which I wrote while travelling there.  It will be half pop, coming from the local “hiplife” hybrid of highlife and hip-hop styles, and half drum rhythms as my response to the traditional music of the Ewe people.  I may start on this right away; I need the participation of several friends who may be moving in May.

Cory Kibler is working on a Cory Kibler full-length.  !!!

There will be a third Sally Ride project of frontier, cowboy-ish songs.  Seriously.  Still no drummer.

Over the Christmas break I jammed with Scott and Allen Gilbert for fun; hopefully GiLMO and Gilby tracks will result in one form or another.

I’m already doing demos and arranging songs for Fifty Bears in a Fight, my blues/metal/punk side project with 5*Matt.  We need a singer who can wail, and possibly some kind of lead instrument (lap steel, harmonica, guitar, organ…  hell, maybe even sax with wacky effects – we’ll know it when we hear it).

Ventura and my re-recording of signs are still happening.  I just don’t know when.  5*C has been my top musical priority for some time, and I’ve made a full committment of my energy to that endeavor through 2007.

So that’s what our new year might look like.  And if I run out of things to do, I’ll surely take the acoustic out to some open-mics and coffeeshops.  All our best, Mr. Furious

-h

Happy New Year, Friends of Furious!

When Lincoln Journal-Star’s “Ground Zero” entertainment writers L. Kent Wolgamott and Joel Gehringer published their year-end list, I knew they had hit the champagne early; there is no way that Ladyfinger (ne)’s Heavy Hands is not the local album of the year.

That said, congratulations to:

Eric, Lone Prairie Records, and everyone involved with Killers in the Nebraska Territories at # 3 !  (featuring Tape / echoes and Cory Kibler)

Robot, Creep Closer! for She Beeps! at # 11 !

Weird!  We’re happy.  Thanks, Lincoln music scene!  -howie and all at MFR.

It’s A Trap is an album about love in a time of war.  Lovers’ stories unfold in a military context (“Holy Moses,” “Back in the Fire”).  Caught up in a faceless conflict that is too big to fully comprehend but ever-present and immediate, we respond the only way we can manage; with small, personal gestures.

The record’s sound is a combination of traditional rock elements (electric guitar, verses, bridges, and choruses) and unusual substitutions (digital drums, slightly warped or incomplete pop song structure).  Sonic inspiration came from Kanye West (rhythm & drum voicing) and John Vanderslice (weird sounds integrated naturally), to keep up Sally Ride’s practice of not having a drummer.

Lyrically, these stories are some of the truest I’ve ever told.  Politically, I am tackled by the largest issue of our time (war – specifically, the Iraq War) and some of the related sub-issues (the “unitary executive,” domestic spying, net neutrality) that have haunted me this year.  Emotionally, I’ve never cut so deep in to my own heart, and I don’t know how I feel about releasing these songs – except that, to continue to be myself, I can do no other thing.  Sometimes the lyrics feel entirely too true to be singing – the joy of rock’n’roll bashing against my tiny keyboard’s stoopid drum sounds keep things in a kind of barely-hanging-on perspective for me.

-howie

Cory Sez: Howie said it all concerning what the record’s about; I’d just like to add that I was extremely honored to be able to take part in this second Sally Ride record.  I feel like our co-writing and especially co-recording processes have improved exponentially over the past 5 or 6 years or however long we’ve known each other.  Since it’s just been 3 or 4 projects that I’ve worked on with Howie where he’s the main boss guy, I’m finally able to listen to a demo or whatever and think to myself, “yeah, this would work really well and I bet Howie would like it!”  Just like Howie knows that if he puts piano and weird BGVs on my stuff, I’ll be happy :)  What else… Oh yeah.  This album WAILS.  Pump your fists!  Speak up!  Sing like you mean it!

“Lookers” – “In 1978, Congress passed the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, permitting the government to conduct electronic surveillance on citizens in the United States if it first gets a warrant from the FISA court, which exists for that reason only. The FISA court rarely has denied such a request.  But the NSA has repeatedly conducted such surveillance without going to the FISA court for warrants. Every forty-five days, President Bush has been issuing Executive Orders saying that it is within his authority to bypass the FISA court. And he says he’ll keep doing so.”  (Brian Gilmore, “A Conservative for Impeachment“).  “Don’t look back at us!” expresses, in negative, the solution to the surveillance society; that We the People supervise the watchers, and watch back with our own cameras (concept from David Brin).

“Cause 2 B Uneasy” – So, I (Cory) write songs way differently than Howie.  When Howie writes songs, he’ll get a muse or an idea and just crank songs out until his inspiration is exhausted.  Although it’s a lot of effort, it’s a very natural lighting-strike process for him.  When I write songs, I have to conciously schedule that “Today after work, I’m going to make some coffee or drink a beer and write a song.”  I almost never pick up my guitar for fun, because just playing guitar by itself isn’t very fun for me; it has to be in the context of a song.  I can’t doodle.  So when I wrote “Cause 2 B Uneasy,” I consciously tried to write a Sally Ride tune.  I was also consistenly trying to rip off Spoon at that point.  Finally, the title comes from a chaper in C.S. Lewis’ book, “Mere Christianity.”  I just thought it sounded cool. 

“Holy Moses” – I had thought Sally Ride was a one-off band after Don’t Let Them Take Us ALIVE! but “Holy Moses” didn’t make any sense for months, until I realized that SR wasn’t finished.

Cory Sez: “Well my dear, what can I say?  Our misunderstandings cause real pain” is one of my favorite lines from any song, ever.

“Baby Bells on the Warpath for Profit” – I (Cory) was not so sure what to think of this song at first, because it’s so weird and kind of dark and this and that until the end, but this turned out to be one of my favorite songs on the record.  And listen to our f*cking guitars coming out of the breakdown thingy!  It wails!  WAOOOOOOOOOOAARRRRR!!!!!!

“Just Observing” – There’s a part of me that’s very cold, looking at my interactions with others as a doctor to a patient.  It’s unsettling, to say the least.  It’s not included in the song, but that metaphor also contains the possibility of real warmth (think Patch Adams).

Cory Sez: “Just Observing” was my favorite song when I first heard the demo versions of the record, and I still really like it, but it’s taken on a much darker tone for me.  Howie can get a little doctory with me, especially when he tries to “examine” me while he has his big long white coat on.  “Owie!” I say, but there’s always more pressure.  I probably expect Howie to edit this part because it’s inappropriate and has nothing to do with the song, and plus, it might even detract from the seriousness of the song, but I’m having a good time writing this.  Boner-Party Weiner-Sex.  There.  I said it.  Happy???

“Loose Lips Sink Ships” – The best-laid plans of mice and men…

“David S. Addington and Your Democracy” – Addington is VP Cheney’s chief legal advisor, and comes up with the legal justifications for all kinds of unconstitutional, unethical, and just plan ineffective policies Bush/Cheney decide they want.  He’s not very well-known, because when people find out about him they tend not to like what he does.  Now you know (and knowing’s half the battle).

Cory Sez: Knowing IS half the battle.  And I didn’t know about Addington until recently.  He’s a d-bag!  He had his morals removed at birth.  I hear they are in a jar in the Oval Office, right next to the White House copy of “Future Love/Sex Sounds.”

“New Slow Sea” – Actually named before lyrics were written, it was the last song completed for It’s A Trap (“New”), is relatively mellow (“Slow”), and is in the key of C.

Cory Sez: This is my favorite tune off of the record, because I love sweet melodies and sad songs, and any well-written break-up song always snags me.  If you can do it well and without sound like you’re bitching, I’ll love it.  Howie knocked this m-effer out of the park.

“We the People” – America is built on public infrastructure, education, and the freedoms in our Constitution.  The economic elites who do not recognize the value of a level playing field, and the religious elites who would turn our free nation into a theocracy, are a serious danger to your children and mine.  But they can only win if we sit back and let them.  Our grandfathers and grandmothers, since independence, have managed to keep them in check and at this decisive hour we’re entering, I hope we will too.

Cory Sez: I loved yelling during this song.  YES THIS IS A CALL TO F*CKING ARMS!  WE’RE SERIOUS, GOD DAMN IT!!!!!

“Back in the Fire” – A sharpshooter falls for his target.

Cory Sex: Joel’s little blues vocal makes me smile every time.  Too much soul for his little body.  Also, the ending of this song (like with “The Last Song” off of DLTTUA!) always gives me goosebumps and chills.  I love everybody singing together.  So much hope.

Sally Ride – It’s A Trap
Lyrics by C. Howie Howard, “Cause 2 B Uneasy” by Cory Kibler. Thanks for providing attribution & a link when you quote/copy/cite!

“Lookers”

You’re bugged; we’re listening
You don’t quite know
We’d like to keep this calm
Don’t fret; we’re the Lookers
We’re NSA
Trust us. We’ll find the needles
In your email. “Just looking!”

By holy God, don’t you dare look back at us!
Don’t look, don’t breathe

By hell and heaven, don’t you dare look back at us!
Don’t look, don’t breathe, don’t think, don’t speak, don’t breathe!
Don’t look!

“Cause 2 B Uneasy”

Your face was a light
On a coast of new hope
‘Cause back then you had said
I could use you to cope
In the night of my day ’cause I lost my way and
The ship needed light from your heart just to guide me home

But your light it went out and
You were not about to come down on the rocks,
Raise your arms up and shout to make sure I was safe
I was fine, I’m OK
You were tired and afraid so your light it gave way to the dark, well uh-huh

Hey, I got something to say,
So won’t you please believe me?
Baby, I think we both have some cause to be uneasy
When the only thing I’ll ever love gets up, turns the lights out and leaves me
When I’m fast asleep I think we’ve cause to be uneasy

Your heart is a ghost, a cloud of smoke, a cost, a dream, a whisper, a scream, a warmth, a pain,
In the night it’s a flame that burned out in the black,
Only love turned to ash

Hey, I’ve got something to say…
You’re the only thing I’ve ever loved

“Holy Moses”

When you broke into free-fall, ‘fore I had steeled myself to hear you scream out,
“That is not what I’m asking!”
Well, my dear, what can I say?
Our misunderstandings cause real pain

Army ‘chutes over Navy seas
Separation came easy, and
I thought (so it seemed) from the outside these waters supported me
But no one claimed we could jump from love,
End up within a thousand miles of Abilene

The sky is empty; I’m trying to see you apart from the sea
But we both saw we were coming unzipped at the seams, well ahead of our splash landing

I can’t swim, but I do float
You? I don’t even want to know
What happens underwater stays there if you get home
So, holy Moses, where are you now?
If this man ever needed some dry land, he’s making his sound; “Holy Moses, come on, save me, don’t watch me drown!”

“Baby Bells on the Warpath for Profit”

Sit down, son, check this deft maneuver
The cutest thing you’ve ever seen
Let’s put our hand into your pocket
Let’s see if we can make you sing
We wouldn’t say this is dishonest
We just can’t leave it up to you
Who calls our lobbying intrusive?
We “want” a neutral ‘net-web too!

Yeah, we’re coming (paying, scheming, praying…)
Yes, it’s true.
No; we’re faking! We’re with you!
(Really, the Congress sold you out!)

We’re gon’ a-storm the gate and hold it;
We Baby Bells and Company
Give us a corner on the market,
Don’t make us practice what we preach

Yeah, we’re coming…

We claim the title on your ground; we’re taking over.

“Just Observing”

I burned a knot instead of pulling
Stemmed the flow from ends of ropes
I never said (I couldn’t say)
You shouldn’t ask what’s in my blood

Your science taken apart, your heart examined
Laid out to light in harshest blue
I am not a judge, I’m just observing, but
You won’t last my loving view

You’re on your own,
So take some time; something good will come of us
(It won’t be you)
But never mind
Crippled child of broken trust

“Loose Lips Sink Ships”

Whisper; I have something to share
I imagine a thousand disasters
Stay back! You don’t want to hear what I’m thinking
It’s a terrible start
You could have an accident
Your magazine isn’t up to code
Selfish; I’m a gene machine; I’m in orbit
You fall in love with who’s close

Please take your leave – we’ll sail and sink
I slipped; I warned their fleet

Broadsides. Prints and images. Little pieces
That’s what’s left of us after our
Misadventurous flirt with intrigue
This whisper started a wave
Flattened the shore where we lay

And I wanted to make believe their arms were on our side
I thought the war could end, we’d go home
I’d live in your eyes
How did I end up in my own trap???

Please take your leave…

“David S. Addington and Your Democracy”

Lawman don’t care for the Constitution
He thinks he’s a righteous force, and
I don’t care what I’m doing to you
Leaving without a sound, without a word
Lawman’s paradigm made this war seem right, and I’m off

Hey, this city sleeps until the alarm
We’ll come back in our time

Lord, there’s a crisis in our city
Barmy Lawman brought the Marshall to town
Love, we’re alone and fighting a coterie
Now, friends, we take the Lawman down
His “New Paradigm” made this war seem right, and we’re off

Hey…

“We’ll wake up in our own sweet time
Nothing wrong with hands over our eyes
This hasn’t been on TV! It’s too early, we’re asleep!”

“New Slow Sea”

It’s been so long, it’s good to see you home
I’ve missed those arms, been restless in my bones
Walked up and kissed me
For a second I was whole
My anima, my ex. I woke alone

Baby, we never learn

Asked I a thousand times; you never said
What moved you on, who keeps you from my bed
Did you discover I’m a broken man? Or worse?
You breathe the irony so deep it burns

Someday we’ll lay in our dreams (saved for the kids’ return)
Sail upon a new slow sea (showing the same concern)

“We the People”

We all cruise along the Interstate
We’ve all been through Mrs. Quinn’s class
We’re all living like this dream our fathers bled is gon’ a-last
Watch me dive into the roses
Love, I’ll set one in the sky
But now the darkness come, singing “War + Freedom!” and we are blind

There’s a few who would be kings and lords,
High priests of the red, white & blue
There’s a People who won’t stand for it
My kids will have a country too

I don’t put my faith in the President
And I don’t trust in CEOs
Give me space to live and love as I believe, give me soul
Lady Liberty, you’re sleeping
Medicated to the gills
Wake up! And hold ol’ Sam’s feet to the fire!

There’s a few…

Yes! This is an accusation!
Yes, this is a call to arms!
They don’t deserve the Oval Office!
Yes! This is a call to f*cking arms!

“Back in the Fire”

There I was in confession, asking grace for sin of war
Fighting battles of love with faith that I can win by force
You know it’s ammunition that I’m looking for

I’ll see you again, one more time
The way you move in my sights
Speak some truth, let me lie, I’ll be here awhile

By a death that is hot as hell and lying in the mud
That’s how I found you, darling,
Don’t you see that’s good enough?
See the fog of combat left you in my blood?

I’ll see you again…

There’s no need to be single; there’s no need to be fair
There’s no need to crawl back in the fire

And like a foxhole believer,
You get your hope where you can
I’ll take you out

There’s no need to be honest; there’s no need to be scared

There’s no need to crawl back in the fire