This City's Growing On Me...

St. Paul, MN//My New Home

   Well I was sitting up looking over some stuff for class, and thought I would write a new blog. Hopefully it can settle me down and get past the 2 rather large cups of coffee I have consumed. I wanted to write a post that had a different focus compared to previous trails of my thoughts.  Even thought I spend many days at my girlfriends, I always feel good when I return back to my apartment in St. Paul.  I love living in this place.  Luckily, I am pretty close to Minneapolis (may seem a bit obvious) so I can get my hands pretty much wherever I want.  I haven't been to a ton of major cities, but enough to know that the metro area is different than many others.  Sunny days can be completely up beat, but there are some parts of the cities that are relaxed almost all of the time.  I find that where I live, it is pretty relaxed with some groovy people around.  I like to know that I am not confined to one area (westbrook) and can go to basically any kind of place that I want.  The Twin Cities is a great place to be.  We aren't over-obsessed like a lot of west-coast places.  We aren't as driven and sometimes snobby as some east-coast places.  We're caught in the middle, but we'll always join you for a cup of coffee and a cigarette any time of the day.

McNally Smith College of Music//Excellent School

   I just wanted to leave something on the school I go to, I mention it so much I should address it a tad bit more than I am.  McNally Smith College of Music is a music college in St. Paul, MN.  It has 4yr, 2yr, 1yr, 3 semesters, etc. for degree's.  You can go for close to any instrument you love, and also can go for business and other fields not associated with performance.  This school has a great vibe.  Some of your classes may have ten people, other's twenty, and many other amounts of people.  It is easy to get along with the instructor's here.  They're all welcoming and quite a few are easy going, laid back musicians that make the class time a good time.  There are recording studios, practice rooms, and other types of musical area's throughout the school.  There is a cafe also, that has great food everyday.  The library is also nice because you can burn cd's they have onto your computer for free (just need a ID badge) and that is very nice.  This place is just great for anyone looking to join the music industry.  You can find your niche and meet some new people.  I have a good amount of connections I have made through this place.  Check it out if you are thinking about a career in the music industry.  

..just another city kid

...my fake plastic love

 

Here is the link to my first guitar review, hope to keep doing this when I get the time.  Wonderful job of editing, especially the creepy "eyes opening" intro. Oh well, hope everyone enjoys the clip.

   I have been working on some new music, getting better at chord progressions. I am very excited for guitar lessons next week, and my pedal is about ready to be sold so I decided I am going to get a Takamine.  In no way will Takamine pass Martin in my opinion, but they do have some fine quality guitars.  

   Songs for the week: I decided to start a playlist titled "2011" and as the year progresses, I will add the music that I am listening to most, hopefully add songs like every couple months or so.  I started the playlist, and will keep listing songs as the year progresses.  Anytime you see "2011" just know I am adding to the playlist bit by bit.

2011

1. Subterranean Homesick Alien

2. Exit Music (For a Film)

3. No Surprises

4. Lucky

5. 15 Step

6. House of Cards

7. Jigsaw Falling Into Place

8. Faust Arp

9. Nude

10. Creep

11. Stop Whispering

12. Ripcord

13. Vegetable

14. I Can't

15. Prove Yourself

16. High and Dry

17. Fake Plastic Trees

18. My Iron Lung

19. Black Star

20. Bulletproof...I Wish I Was

21. Karma Police

   So far it is just a vast amount of Radiohead.  They are blowing my mind so much lately, I am starting to love their music more than ever before.  I hope everyone can listen to some tracks off the playlist, and hopefully I keep adding to the list over time.  Cheers

  

christmas break creeps towards its end...well sort of.

          

 -This blog is dedicated to Mikael Akerfeldt and how much I've listened to his music lately-

   Well I knew this week would come, but I can say I am honestly satisfied with the christmas break I experienced these past weeks.  I attended roughly 4-5 christmas parties and also some New Year parties also.  I even had the chance to help out Anna with babysitting on New Years and just the thought of that night is fucking exhausting.  Besides a couple bad nights, I was a pretty satisfied person each day I woke up and realized I did not have class.  I was very excited for the 27 day break that I have been enduring and still am.  

   Through all the time I have spent with my own family and also Anna's family, I still made some time to learn new music and write some new riffs, lyrics, etc.  I started to learn a lot of Radiohead and by the heading of my post, lots of Opeth.  I purchased a bass effects pedal awhile back, and realized a new electric guitar is needed.  If my pedal sells, I will soon have a PRS SE in my possession.  It is a PRS SE and features a very groovy logo on it.  Now, if I was playing shows and "gigging" all the time, I may not buy this guitar just because I think too many people have a shallow frame of mind and would consider me a poser.  I am not playing live much, so for my own personal use this guitar is outstanding.  The features on this SE are far above any other SE's, and it even looks more professional in my opinion.  The sound, feel, and look of this thing will suit me greatly for many years.  I hope to have this guitar soon.

   I dedicated this post to a certain artist, one who is not as popular in the united states (yes i left that un capitalized for a reason) but is gaining popularity quickly.  Mikael Akerfeldt is the frontman for the Swedish progressive metal band Opeth.  I started listening to this group in high school & have been an avid fan for many years.  They really have a unique sound. My roots are in metal so that side of the band appeals to me but lately (the past year) I have dabbled into slower, more melodic music (often acoustic tracks) and that side of the band is simply phenomenal.  

   Mikael is into a lot of acoustic songwriters, and that sort of shows in a vast amount of the groups material.  So when I was to hear some low, evil growls with heavy guitars in the background I can turn on songs like The Moor or Moonlapse Vertigo. However, when I am in the acoustic/groovy melodic shit mood I can turn on tracks like Hope Leaves, Patterns In The Ivy, Benighted, Harvest, Still Day Beneath The Sun, Windowpane, and dozens more.  This group (and Mikael himself) really have a place in my musical "heart" and keep me going in my everyday life. 

   Anyone who reads my posts knows I always leave songs to check out (sometimes video clips) and this week/near future I suggest checking out some of these songs.  They can really relax you, and if you are into an out of body music experience, they can often seem even more appealing.  Besides the music, I have been spending time at my parents house hanging out with my family, and I plan to leave tomorrow.  I had a trip through a white, blizzardy, 50mph wind hell from Shakopee to Westbrook.  At one point, I got out to go to the bathroom and was wind burned after only 20 seconds of exposure.  It was insane driving through that weather, and of course when you get stuck behind other drivers who frankly are going too fucking slow, it drives you crazy.  Passing is obviously no option, so I suggest buying a pack of cigarettes to accompany your frustration.  I highly doubt the trip back to wisconsin will be as bad as my trek "down south" so I am pretty excited for the drive.  If I don't post in the next few weeks, I think it is safe to say my predictions were off by a longshot.  just a brief look inside the mind of another city kid.

   

some thoughts over a snowy, brisk winter break

  i am sitting in a warm house all alone, just woke up a couple hours ago. last night theresa, emma, anna, and i went to Hudson to see Black Swan.  the previews intrigued me to a certain degree, so i was pretty excited to see the film.  it was an amazing film no doubt, the scenes were as good as the score.  i was blown away by the film and highly suggest everyone to go out and see it.  i have my classes set up for spring semester, and i am very happy with what i will be taking.  i am not taking as many classes as last semester, so i decided to throw in some 1 on 1 guitar lessons with a great instructor.  i am not really aiming to "shred" even though i would like to be able to play like that, instead i am going to try build up my composition & songwriting chops so when i sit down to write, the process goes a lot smoother.
  i do not believe that songwriting can be a completely "easy" task, there are always going to be factors standing in the way when you try and write songs.  however i do believe that grounding yourself as an artist and finding a "system" that works for you is what helps out the most.  in my head, i always have tons and tons of ideas going around, but i don't really have a way to put those thoughts in order, all too often i come out with random lyrics, chords, riffs, etc. that do not have true substance & do not relate to the other thoughts very well.  i am excited to start relating what is in my head, and molding them into a unique sound that is all my own.  i am also starting to back away from comparing & trying to be/sound a specific artist i like.  i think one of my biggest struggles as an artist is i listen to someone and then think i need to be at the level they are at.  that is a huge block for me, and ends up frustrating me because what i come out with doesn't compare to what they write. now that i listen to what i say more logically, i often wonder how fucked my thinking can be. i have been writing for only a couple years, and unless i am extremely gifted in the same ways other artists are, i am not going to have that certain sound.  i am trying to dig into what Evan Madson sounds like, not what someone else sounds like.  i am trying to get more order into my thinking and production as an artist, and i think that lessons will benefit me substantially.
  i start school on the 13th of january, and i am pretty excited for that because when i go back i will only have one day of classes.  i am taking two business classes and one economics class.  not many classes but the credits add up to be enough to get me by.  add on the lessons and i am good to go.  i really hope i can find some part time work, because my class schedule is designed around good working hours.  i am not saying i 100% want to work, being unemployed is actually kind of nice.  i just really want to start having some cash flow so i can save for a new guitar! i don't think i will ever stop looking :)  other than that, i am just spending time with the people i love and trying to make these last couple weeks as fun as i can.                               

                                                                  
                                                                                                
 

if you get some time, check out this video.  #41 is my favorite song by Dave, and this is a great performance.  it really shows how Dave's emotion outweighs perfection in his playing.  i am not saying he doesn't play things perfectly, but more so with his voice you can tell he is lost in the moment and even when he doesn't hit the notes perfect, he doesn't care because the moment is everything to him.  in my opinion, he is the most emotional, talented musician of our time and i just can't get enough of his music.
..just a small look inside the mind of another city kid.

as the water drips through your fingertips, you can feel me in every drop

     well i am not sure which post this is, but i feel i have established myself to the point where i do not need to add un-necessary parenthesis or poor attempts at jokes.  although, the jokes will somehow find their way into what you will be reading, hopefully soon.  i have officially finished my first semester at this wonderful place in st.paul where i attend college frequently.  i have dipped my nose into the music business much more than ever before, made great friends, and already experienced some interesting & life adjusting situations.  i am so happy i can finally say i truly know i chose the right school to attend, it is often easy to think that before a semester has been finished, mainly because you are focusing on the excitement, excitement with a vast lack of experience.  now that i have some minor experience from my classes and the school in general, i honestly have made a small place in my heart for McNally Smith College of Music (god it looks so good in capital letters doesn't it?) so now that my first semester is done, i am happy to have a three and a half week break.  all the chaos that finals week transitioned nicely into a good sized break, and i am glad to have an open schedule for awhile.  i still have not seen my grades, but i feel good with the work i brought forward to each mind-boggling assignment i completed, and on average at 5am each morning.  too many pots of coffee and smoke breaks.  now i finally have the time to do all those things i told myself to do in the middle of whatever class i was in, and now i find myself frantically looking up new bands, guitars, etc.
     it is also nice to finally have days with the love of my life, and just sit around talking about whatever is the 'hot item' of the day (mamaJ) now that all the christmas plans are taking effect, both anna & i find two giant pulls, each 4hrs away from each other.  it is not easy planning with our family situations, but somehow we have found a decent system to our planning process, and in my opinion it is working out just fine.  anna's older sister AMANDA came to minnesota, i still don't understand why she left that beautiful california weather for this shit. all bullshit aside, i am very happy she hopped on that plane at six a.m. and blessed us with her humor, stories, and most of all her wonderful presence.  she really is unique, and the great thing about the five amazing girls in that family is they all differ from each other (cliche i know, but i am getting to my point dammit) in a very unique way.  on one hand, they are very similar. sometimes you could swear there are no differences (i know, i sound counter-productive here) but then when you take a tiny step back, you start to see all the differences and wonder how there can be so many beautiful qualities in each of these girls (that was totally not intended to be an insult to alan or theresa) but i truly am glad i was finally able to meet Amanda, she is very fun to be around.  so the christmas 'festivities' so far have been very fun, i have ate way to much food, and had some really fun times so far.
     to let you in a little on what i am doing musically, i am sorry to tell you that i am not filling my role as a bassist for Vaudeville anymore.  i don't want to get into it, all i will say is i am flying solo again.  this is not a completely bad thing, i am still listening & playing a lot of the music i did with the band, but i am 'attempting' to strum the chords and hopefully hit the vocal parts over the guitar.  it has been very fun for me, and i hope i can start writing my own material more frequently.  i often find myself writing songs, but not sticking to it enough.  i know there are some interesting and creative things inside my fucked up head, i just need to pull them out.  i have written about five songs in the last (3/4??) of a year and i want to get those perfected the best i can, and start writing new music.  theresa & i were talking the other day and she said she found a producer with a studio in a town she lives close to, so i am hoping that will be an option.  i am just really trying to push my voice and build that up as strong as my guitar playing, that is a big goal for me.  and as counter-productive as this sounds, spring semester i am going to endure guitar lessons.  i am not looking to become a 'shredder' or a 'wowza' type guitar player, i just want to strengthen myself in chord progressions, and just be able to write beautifully composed acoustic songs, and truly make the entire process a much more consistent process.  i am really digging into Thom Yorke of radiohead and his musical approach.  songs you should check out this week (by the way) are Bulletproof....I Wish I Was, Fake Plastic Trees, and Black Star by Radiohead.  splendid tracks, i hope you all enjoy them if you get the chance to listen.  i have already started to pick up some new techniques, and who knows, maybe some of them will carry into my own style, but still keep me as original as i can be.  all in all, i just want to be someone who provides people with beautiful music, never lets the dark deception of money rain down on my path as an artist, and offers people the music that has changed my life in a unique way is all i could ever ask for. i'll play bar's and coffee shops 'till i am 70 as long as i stay true to that thought.  and i think enough shit has gone on lately that i can stay true to hopes & intentions much easier than previous points in my life.  not too much else is going on in my little life, i hope what i have shared has given you a sense of humility and slowed your day down just a tad...nothing is more important than the moment we wander hopelessly, clouding our vision with thoughts that keep us from seeing the beauty of life in its purest form, so don't keep your eyes down the road too far. just lie down and breathe in the moment that is about to pass you by.
just another look inside the mind of another city kid.

the one after the first..

hey everyone. well, i thought i would enter another entry, hopefully it is something that brightens up your mind on these gloomy, cold days here in minnesota. today was my first day of classes for the week, and overall it was pretty good.  nothing too hectic, pretty relaxed day.  i put up an ad the other day on craigslist as a bassist looking for an alternative band, and today i received a call.  the call was from a guitarist who plays in a group called Vaudeville. they are local, but really have a good reputation.  they have recorded quite a few albums (check iTunes) and recorded in Nashville.  they also have played with bands such as forever the sickest kids, meat puppets, and we the kings. they have a really good sound, lead singer chris has a strong but not too over-powering voice. they do a good RATM cover (killing in the name of) and a great "rendition" of Closer by NIN.  when i saw they did some NIN, i was pretty much hooked.  i would compare them to have a broad range of sound, everything from NIN to Muse.  i have a bass audition thursday in minneapolis and am so fucking excited i can't stand myself.  i might add a second bass to my setup, and today on craigslist (so helpful) i found a Fender Aerodyne jazz bass for $350.  that bass normally runs at $800 new.  great deal in my opinion.  so that is a little of what is going on. i am kind of sad, mainly because i am not going to be spending a night in new richmond.  i am use to being there on school nights, but i should probably sleep in the place i am paying to live at. haha sounds funny when you see it staring back at you on a computer screen.  anyways, i want to start something on this blog and that is a "song of the entry".  i will post a song i think you guys should check out, and if it doesn't fit your mood just turn it off.  that is all i have for this entry. take care
SONG: DOWN IN IT-NIN


just a small look inside the mind of another city kid.