The Bass Geek

I think I got a little too caught up in the book stuff for the past few weeks. It’s the only logical reason for me to ignore the new episodes of “Trapped In The Closet” sitting on my DVR for a few weeks, and the episode of Metalocalypse from Sunday. It’s unforgivable, and I know it. Those matters were rectified this evening - I’m not sure they lived up to the anticipation, although it was good to see Mike Keneally in the vocal credits for a cartoon that allowed a metal band to turned crazed criminals loose on the world after a fireworks-show-cum-execution.

That sounds a little more disturbing once I type it out.

I’ve also got the new Meshell Ndegeocello disc sitting in my hot little hands, taunting me with unlistened potential. Ndegeocello might be the one artist I’ll buy every album from for her entire career - beyond the exceptional musicianship and songwriting, there’s an unpredictability to each recording. Click the website link for a quick visual example; you’ll never be able to click on her past. From New Jack (Jill?) Swing to funk rock to Mitchell-esque acoustic to hip-hop and go-go to straight-up jazz (and that’s just the solo career - don’t forget about the math-jazz of Steve Coleman), she’s experimented and succeeded with so much. I’ll post a more in-depth review tomorrow if I get the chance to give it a good listen. The only thing I know for certain is that I’ll be reaching for the bass more often this week - she’s that inspiring.

I did a cursory check around the house and office, and my earplugs are Really and Truly Gone™. Luckily, Dawn at earEverything still has the molds from a few years ago, so I should be able to get a new pair fairly soon. I’m fairly sure my life would be much worse without this little things in it - not only do they help in the traditional loud places like clubs, bars and steel foundries, but they’re about the only way to get through the fairly consistent fire alarms at work. Seriously, the alarms are ear-piercing, and I’m fairly sure they’d do more damage to your ears than the normal metal band. Maybe not to your psyche, but certainly your hearing.

Also, the podcast book is done (and on deadline, believe it or not), so look for a November release date - just in time for your intrepid podcaster’s holiday list. I mentioned before that this book was a little different in that I had to put together some multimedia work for the book’s accompanying disc. The last part was a promo drop for book readers to use in their podcast, and it took me back to the days when I had to put such things together for the student radio station. And since I’m going back to the old alma mater for a football game (and will no doubt tune into the radio station to see if they’re still playing that one Ween song), I’d like to take this opportunity to link to WGRE, the student radio station in question. Fire up the Real Player and see what you find.

Finally, I haven’t had the chance to watch the new Metalocalypse yet. Don’t tell me about it.

While the billions I predicted may not have appeared (I’m hoping the recount comes closer to my earlier estimate), it was still a big day for Fountain Square. The place was littered with artists and musicians trying to find an appropriate place to craft their entries for the Masterpiece in a Day contest, and overall the results were good. It was a bit bizarre to see my elderly pug intimidating a much larger dog and then daring to investigating a solid-looking-yet-totally-docile pit bull. The Fab 4 Less exhbition was good, too, although it was a little weird hanging out in someone else’s apartment and trying to explain all of the renovations they did without the artist being there. I didn’t even try to sit on the couch or any chairs, for fear that they’d arranged everything with their practiced eye, and I’d be disturbing come carefully crafted balance.

Jennifer walked out of the place with a new purse bearing the spray-painted image of Jim Kelly, which I highly endorse.

There’s also another mural behind the house. We’ve volunteered our fence and garage door for the next effort, which should take place next spring.

I managed to sneak the new bass in for some repairs that hopefully won’t take too long. It rested here for such a brief time that I’d like it back as soon as possible. I’d also like my custom earplugs back as soon as possible, but the location of those is a little more fuzzy. I’m going to check around at work, but I fear I’ll be calling Dawn at earEverything for a new pair soon. My night out with regular foam plugs just didn’t cut it now that I’m used to the custom molds. They cut down the volume without cutting down the balance of the frequencies. Not only does it save the hearing, but it makes the mix anytime I’m playing sound so much better - I just can’t live without them, unfortunately. Which is why they enjoyed a position of honor on my keychain. Alas, no more.

Hopefully the Steelers will mollify my pain with a win this afternoon, the new Metalocalypse won’t fail to blow me away, and the earth will continue to turn.

This time, the bass porn comes from a new addition to my collection. A friend of mine was selling a 70s P-Bass, and I had to give it a good home.It’s not a stock instrument - sharp eyes might notice the active EMG pickup, and there are a few holes to file and a thumb rest to replace. I may even have the neck refretted and get the beast painted black, not sure yet. So it’ll never be a collector’s item, and that’s the way it should be. Instruments are meant to be played, not tossed into a glass case and gazed at. If classical musicians can routinely play shows on instruments worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, you can take your vintage guitar out and pluck around a bit. Collectors, I’m speaking directly to you.

Anyway, I hope to have this one up and playing out soon. It sounded fantastic last night the first time I plugged it in, and that was with gunky strings. Clean it up and change the strings, and I’ll have a beauty on my hands.

There’s a new podcast up at Indianapolismusic.net - out 109th weekly episode, to be exact. That makes us Methuselah in the podcasting world, I believe. Subscribe or download directly. There’s a hell of a lot of metal in this episode, too. Tr00 and kvlt, to be sure.

From there, I’m off to the most magical weekend in Fountain Square ever. Literally billions of artists congregate in a two-block area (we stack well on the SE side, you know) for the chance to win prize money for their works in Masterpiece In A Day, exhibit their wares at the Fountain Square Art Festival, and get ideas on how to decorate their humble abodes at the Fab 4 Less exhibition at the Wheeler Arts Community. Following the event, they’ll probably have some coffee and/or dinner (depending solely on how they did that day in sales/competition) and then proceed to Radio Radio for the Early Day Miners/Marmoset/Creepin’ Charley and the Boneyard Orchestra show. Satiated by the day, the billions of artists (stacked slightly looser than earlier in the day, but still manageable) shall shamble back to their appointed part of the world, waiting to return next year (or sooner, should the desire for tasty coffee or falafel or something similar strike them).

I’ll be wading my way through the hordes to execute my appointed duties as judge for the MIAD music contest and some kind of volunteer for Fab 4 Less. I probably should have asked what exactly my volunteer duties entail - I ended up in a dunk tank last time.