The Outward Spiral

"Money Talks" Interview

2009-10-29T01:55:00.002-04:00

Back in September, I did an interview with Alison Hinson from the "Money Talks" show on WMPG, based in Portland, ME. If you missed the show, weren't aware of it at the time, or would otherwise like to listen to it, you can click here for a direct link to the audio file of the show. It should play right in your browser, or you can download it. On a PC, you right-click and choose "save as." I don't know how you Mac people do it. There is a couple minutes' or so worth of lead-in stuff that you can skip through.

The general topics of discussion involve the financial aspects of being a musician. In retrospect, one point that I wish I made clearer is the idea of balancing income with creative output. Unfortunately, performing music that makes money, more often than not, doesn't coincide with performing music that satisfies you as an artist. So there's a balance between doing the "money gigs" and doing things that you really want to do. Your "money gigs" could be anything from playing weddings, sessions, etc. to any old day job that may or may not even have anything to do with music. That's what pays your bills and allows you the freedom to pursue other musical interests that satisy you creativly. That's not to say that I don't necessarily enjoy playing a dinner or wedding gig, but that's not the type of work that inspires me further into a career in music, and there have been many occasions where I've found myself on the job feeling like a musical prostitute, saying to myself: "just think about the money..." In short, the idea is that there is some give-and-take between doing what you have to do to make your income happen and indulging your creative vision, and part of the musical journey is bringing those two sides together as much as possible. Then again, it depends on what you seek to achieve as a musician. I know people, for instance, who are more than happy to play weddings almost exclusively. That ain't me, but to each his own. Music is a wide-open field. All-in-all, though, I have to say that even the "work" aspect of being a musician beats the 9-to-5 rat race.

Thanks to Bobby for calling in. I just wish I had been able to hear what was being said at the time. If you happen to read this, thanks buddy.

Have Some Floyd

2009-10-22T16:37:00.002-04:00

Remember when Paradigm did our Pink Floyd tribute on Halloween last year? That was a really fun show. In fact, you can stream it online or download it right here thanks to Brent Stober.

If you love Floyd as much as I do, come down to Headliners in Louisville this Saturday for the Golden Road Music and Art Festival. While the festival is mainly focused on the music of The Dead, Myron and myself from Paradigm will be joined by Matt Thomas of Thirteenth Sun and members of the Merry Pranksters to perform a set of Pink Floyd. It's gonna be really good. Worth it for the Floyd set alone.

Here are some flashbacks to the Paradigm show from last Halloween to get you in the mood. There are bunch more videos from this show over here.

Mother (featuring Teneia Sanders on vocals)

Fearless (featuring Jamie Barnes on banjo on vocals)

Money Talks...

2009-09-15T22:43:00.004-04:00

...but it don't sing and dance, and it can't walk. Or so Neil Diamond says. Anyway, "Money Talks" is the name of the radio show on which I will be a guest tomorrow night. If you happen to live in Maine, you can tune in to WMPG 90.9 FM at 8pm EST. Anywhere else, you can listen online at WMPG.org. Click on the "listen" link for streaming options. The topics of discussion will be the financial ins and outs of life as a professional musician, how the business works, and what challenges potential musicians can expect to face.

And now for something completely different: snakes are growing feet? That's just what we need.

Who Wants A Piece Of MJ?

2009-09-02T01:56:00.003-04:00

Apparently everybody does, even after his death. I can't believe how ridiculous all of this is. No wonder he lived like a recluse in the later part of his life. That much spotlight is just too much for one person.

Anyway, to start off, apparently MJ's nose is missing? I don't think it's any surprise that Michael had image issues. I guess he had some surgery done on his nose that left it badly damaged. Apparently he wore a prosthetic nose, which I didn't know. To be honest, with the media in this country, who knows if it's actually true or not. At any rate, it seems that at some point the alleged prosthesis went missing, leaving, according to a morgue witness, "a small hole where the singer's nose should have been." I'll leave out the obvious "got your nose" joke. It leaves me wondering if some psychopath working in the morgue actually stole it. How disturbing would that be?

Furthermore, MJ was buried without his brain. This is one at least makes some sense, because the brain was apparently kept for the purposes of an autopsy. The linked article says this procedure is somewhat common. Since it's MJ, though, it's obviously part of some perverted scandal.

This last one is the best. MJ's hair will be turned into diamonds. Yes, some company is taking a lock of MJ's hair, which was scavenged during his Pepsi commercial "incident," and is somehow reducing it to carbon, which can then be turned into diamonds. They say they successfully created diamonds from Beethoven's hair as well. Is that even possible? We have the technology to turn hair into diamonds? I thought diamonds were so rare and valuable because of the millions of years of intense heat and pressure required to form them. And we can make them out of hair, just like that? If someone wants to give me a bag full of diamonds, I'll shave my head right now.

Man, even in the after-life people can't seem to leave MJ alone.

Conversations with Beck

2009-08-20T17:39:00.004-04:00

Ever wonder what a conversation between Beck and Will Ferrell would be like? Or how about Tom Waits? Now you'll know.

Catch my band The Pass, along with Heavy Hometown and You're My Density on the rooftop of the Glassworks building on Market St. in Louisville tomorrow night. Details: show starts at 8pm, $7, all ages, cash bar, rockin' tunes.

New Radiohead Tracks

2009-08-17T22:33:00.002-04:00

Radiohead has two fresh new tracks available for download from w.a.s.t.e., their merchandise website. One is completely free, and the other isn't, but it's for a good cause.

"Harry Patch (In Memory Of)" is dedicated to a recently deceased UK veteran of the first world war. Patch was the last living UK veteran of that war, and died at the age of 111. The song can be purchased here for the price of 1 British pound, which equals around $1.63 in US dollars, and the proceeds will go to the Royal British Legion.

On the free side, "These Are My Twisted Words" can be downloaded here, and comes with some artwork as well. Very cool, sort-of ambient tune with a hypnotic beat. Well worth putting in your ear holes.

Some Squarepusher Action

2009-08-11T02:42:00.003-04:00

I found this video on Youtube of Squarepusher, apparently from Dutch MTV, in his modest home studio, circa 1996. Interestingly, it's rather stripped down, and mostly old Roland stuff too: basically just a TR-606 drum machine, a TB-303 Bass Line, an SH-101 synth, and a reel-to-reel 8-track (and a bass, of course). Just goes to show that it's not what equipment you have, it's what you do with the equipment you have. Did that make sense? Yes, I think so.

You can skip over the introduction, as the good stuff starts about a minute in. This is part 1 of the interview. Part 2 can be found here, which shows a bit of Squarepusher backstage and performing at his first festival appearance (good quote: "I thought it would be bigger").

The Pass, All Up In Your Grill Piece

2009-07-30T05:22:00.005-04:00

Lots 'o news for The Pass this week, most importantly, the Colors EP release party with Dude Plays Saxophone, Iamis, and DJ Matt Anthony this Saturday, August 1st at the Pour Haus. More stuff to check out to get you in a Pass kinda mood:

The 'Ville's beloved Louisville Eccentric Observer has a feature on the band in this week's issue, which can be found on news stands citywide, or online right here.

We also recorded a live performance/interview for new blog on the block This Man Is Not My Father. The videos are posted below. We did about a 20-minute interview, mostly spent professing our undying love for the Jonas Brothers. As usually happens, it was edited down to just a few minutes. It just so happens that, due to the editing, I end up saying only one totally creepy and off-putting line. If you ever run into me, randomly quote that line back to me and I'll give you a high five.

Part 1

Part 2

booyakasha

I'm Back!!

2009-07-27T22:36:00.004-04:00

So I've been chillin' on the whole blogging thing ever since Paradigm has hit an indefinite hiatus. If you're wondering what we've been up to: Evan has made the pilgrimage to LA. We all wish him the best of the luck out West. Jonathan is about to go on tour in Europe with an Air Force band, which sould be exciting. Myron is probably catching his breath after a very busy summer working festivals, including producing his own, the Peak Summit. Dave is busy as always, playing here there and everywhere with all the bands he's involved in. I've lost count. Me, I've got some "post-Paradigm" projects about to jump off.

The first is the Pass, who just finished up our first offering, an EP called Colors. Paradigm fans will recognize ex-Paradigm bassist Will Roberts, who, along with vocalist/guitarist Kyle Peters, is one of the band's main creative, uh....dudes. Kyle and Will write great tunes, and I'm definitely looking forward to helping unleash them upon the world. The big CD release party, where we'll be giving away free copies of the EP, is going down this Saturday, August 1st at the Pour Haus in Louisville. We'll be joined by an incredible line-up that includes Dude Plays Saxophone, IamIs, and DJ Matt Anthony.

I've also got a solo studio project as a producer that's about to drop. The album is set to go, and I'm currently working on a release date with Ropeadope Records (who also put out Paradigm's last album). Brainbheats combines traditional instrumentation with electronics, and while it's tough to put it into a tidy genre, I'd say it's drum and bass with emphasis on song structure. Somewhere along the lines of Aphex Twin meets Sigur Ros. But please, make up your own mind by checking out some of the tunes from the upcoming album, as well as some Myspace-only exclusive tracks, on my Myspace page.

That's about it for now, but the bloggin' is back on.

Thanks

2009-06-23T00:56:00.003-04:00

The subject says it all. To Paradigm fans everywhere: thank you. We'll miss you.

Call me lame, but the vocal harmonies on that song are sublime.

This blog will continue to stay active, although it will sort of convert into more of a personal blog.

Live Radio Broadcast

2009-06-18T14:18:00.007-04:00

Paradigm and The Pass will be performing on 91.9 WFPK's Live Lunch program tomorrow (Friday) at noon, as part of the Peak Summit showcase. The Pass features a couple familiar Paradigm faces, such as Brian Healey on keys, and former Paradigm bassist Will Roberts. Louisville area listeners can tune in to 91.9 FM at noon tomorrow, or simply go to WFPK.org to stream it live online from anywhere in the world! Just remember, that's noon Eastern Standard Time. For you fans from around the country who won't be able to attend the Peak Summit festival, this may just be your last chance to hear Paradigm live.

The Peak Summit and Maybe the End of an Era

2009-06-08T02:48:00.005-04:00

Busy, busy, busy...Things are happening, but not so much for Paradigm. Brian has just completed an EP of electro post-jazz what-have-you that will be released in the upcoming months, Dave is down in Key West playing some country, Myron is hard at work putting together the next Peak Summit festival (see below), and sadly, our dear Evan is moving to Los Angeles at the end of this month. So, while much is happening in our separate worlds, the fate of Paradigm is looking rather grim. And...our website got hacked, meaning there won't be any updates there until that gets sorted out. Feel free to visit the site and enjoy the content. You won't get a virus or any other nasty stuff. We just can't access the "back end" (that's what she said) at the moment in order to update it. But anyway...

One never knows what the future holds, so perhaps this is just a temporary goodbye. Paradigm may resurface in a different form and continue to rock your face. In the meantime, we encourage all our fans to come out to our performance at the Peak Summit Festival on June 20th (exact location and set time to be announced), as it will likely be your last chance to see Paradigm as you know it. The whole gang will be there, and that includes Jonathan Epley on guitar. Our good friend and ex-bassist Will Roberts will also be making an appearance. It'll be a rager, and there's a good chance it'll be our last show, so be there!

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T15:19:00.002-04:00

Mr T. pities the poor fool who doesn't treat his mother right:

Give the Drummer...um...a Lot.

2009-04-28T05:37:00.006-04:00

Check out Troy Yocum, a Louisville drummer, as he attempts to set a new Guinness world record for the longest period of non-stop drumming. Troy, who is currently stationed with the Army over in Iraq, will be starting this insane drumming marathon today, April 28th, and is shooting for a goal of 125 straight hours, which will have him playing until May 3rd if he's successful. Troy's world record attempt will be streamed live from Kuwait. For more info on the attempt, and to check out the video stream, go to his website drummarathon.com.

Good luck Troy! Louisville's pulling for you!

Follow Me Around

2009-04-18T04:23:00.001-04:00

Stalk Paradigm on Twitter. It's pretty much like Facebook status updates, but cooler.

David Ernspiker 1970 - 2009

2009-04-13T22:13:00.004-04:00

Louisville lost a musical icon a couple days ago. Guitarist Dave Ernspiker passed away due to a heart attack at his home this past Thursday. He spent a long time touring with well-known area bands, but he may be best-known for the Big Rock Show, a band he founded and performed with on an almost nightly basis.

I just don't know what to say about Dave... I'll start with the fact that he was one of the nicest guys I knew. That phrase gets thrown around frequently, especially when someone has died, but I honestly mean it. Dave was an absolute joy to play with because he really felt the music deep in his soul. That's the kind of vibe that rubs off on you as a musician. I don't know that a lot of people realized how incredibly versatile his playing was, either. Sure, the Big Rock Show is a full on, blow-your-doors-off rock extravaganza, but Dave was equally as comfortable in just about any other style, and his playing had nuance, which, understandably, isn't readily apparent in a hard rock setting.

My favorite memory is still the first time I jammed with Dave. It was just the two of us, with me playing an old Kimball organ, and we played a simmering, jazzy slow blues. It was the kind of unplanned thing where we had just met, and were kind of noodling around, tuning and whatnot, and we just sort of fell into it. It was so beautiful. I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to play with Dave on a regular basis.

See you in another life, brother.

The funeral will be held at 2pm on Tuesday, April 14 at Hopewell Baptist Church (4305 Hopewell Road) in J-Town.

Dark Side of the Chucks

2009-04-01T03:18:00.002-04:00

When Paradigm did the Pink Floyd tribute this past Halloween, it's a shame we didn't have the shoes to go with it. Everyone knows Chuck Taylor All-Star sneakers, right? When I was a kid, they were the hip to shoes to have. Even though they're not fad-ulous anymore, Chucks are still on the scene. Not only that, it was announced that a new series of Pink Floyd-themed Chucks will be hitting the streets.

By the way, it's April Fools Day. I'm not usually one for the pranks, but a couple years ago on April 1st I called my brother and convinced him that I had a one-night stand with some girl and got her pregnant. It was good for a laugh. I thought it was funny anyway. Some other, grander-scale classics are: Burger King's "left-handed" Whopper, the Spaghetti Harvest, the Taco Liberty Bell, Smell-O-Vision, and the upcoming baseball star Sidd Finch. Google also notoriously participates in the April Fools fun. My favorite is Google Toilet from a couple years back.

March Recap

2009-03-22T18:42:00.002-04:00

Paradigm had a fun group of shows these past couple weeks, performing in Cincinnati, Asheville and Chapel Hill, NC, and Greenville, SC. We had the pleasure of sharing the stage with some highly talented bands as well: East Coast Dirt, The Dig, Iolite, and IsWhat.

Cool venues as well. Reverb in Greenville is an interesting spot. It's a sort of multi-functional space; part music venue, part recording studio, part art gallery, part music store, and part electronics repair shop. Multitasking "venues" such as this seem to popping up more frequently these days, and it makes sense. In this independent day and age, where bands are now wearing the many hats that used to be reserved for the suits: booker, producer, manager, promoter, publicist, etc., it makes sense for a music venue to be more than just "one thing" as well.

Mansion 462 in Chapel Hill looks, more or less, like a "normal" building from the outside. No different than any of the other store fronts along the main drag, really. Inside, though, it opens up into this very decorative, Victorian-type, well...mansion. It had a real comfortable vibe, and the sound was stellar as well. Along the same lines, the historic Southgate House in Cincinnati (well, technically in Newport, KY) was built way back in the early 1800s, and is best known for its mobster ties. Apparently the Tommy gun (you know, the type of gun you see in pretty much every gangster movie ever made) was invented there.

I snapped off a few random pics along the way. Click here for pics from the Carolinas trip, and here for Cincinnati. Want to know what it's like to go on the road with Paradigm? It's a non-stop rollercoaster ride that fully embodies the celebrity lifestyle of sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll. Here's a little sample of us maxin' in the hotel in Greenville, SC:

We trashed that room 5 seconds after the video was shot, I swear.

Sweet Home Carolina

2009-03-12T04:21:00.001-04:00

The Carolinas will have three chances to catch Paradigm this weekend:

Thursday, March 12

The Emerald Lounge (with East Coast Dirt)
112 N. Lexington Ave.
Asheville, NC
8pm

Friday, March 13

Friday the 13th Pajama Party Extravaganza 9,000
@ Reverb (with the Fuzz Cremes)
11 College St.
Greenville, SC
9pm - All Ages

Saturday, March 14

Mansion 462 (with the Dig)
462 W. Franklin St.
Chapel Hill, NC
8pm - 18+

Chris Cunningham's World

2009-03-03T04:12:00.003-05:00

Lately I've been really digging the work of visual artist Chris Cunningham, who is perhaps best known in the music video world. Here are some samples of some of his more stunning creations:

Squarepusher - Come On My Selector

Bjork - All Is Full of Love

Aphex Twin - Monkey Drummer

Portishead - Only You

Aphex Twin - Come To Daddy
All of the little Aphex Twins running around is somehow funny and disturbing at the same time.

People, Music, and Stories

2009-02-11T21:06:00.002-05:00

In our latest podcast, Paradigm bassist Dave Alfred spins a yarn and shares with you some killer tunes. Check it out here!

Science Creates Most Annoying Song Ever

2009-02-04T02:14:00.002-05:00

So this isn't exactly new, but I just read about it on Wired. Back in the 90s, a group of researchers conducted a poll on what elements of music people particularly dislike. They then combined all of these horrific elements into a single song called "The Most Unwanted Music." On the flip-side, they also researched musical elements that people find the most desirable and created the "Most Wanted Song."

Ironically (although not that strange when you stop and think about it), the "Most Wanted" song is the one that'll probably make you want to slit your wrists. The "Unwanted" song, while still not something I would likely throw on my iPod (it's also 20 minutes long), is infinitely more interesting to listen to. The rapping opera section alone (yes, rapping opera) is at least worth a listen.

Peak Summit TV

2009-01-29T18:18:00.003-05:00

The Peak Summit, Louisville's music and arts collective, spearheaded by our very own Myron Koch, has launched its own streaming "channel." You can choose from any of the many on-demand videos from local Louisville artists (including Paradigm), or check in to catch live streaming broadcasts of performances. Go to peaksummit.com to check it out!

Lame Duck

2009-01-19T04:53:00.004-05:00

As we all know, Obama takes office tomorrow, and while nobody can reasonably expect everything to change overnight, I think the average American would agree that we've been needing a change in administration for a long time. Some have been praising Obama as this heroic shining light, and the man isn't even in office yet. I certainly hope he proves those people right, but for the time being, I'm just happy that the Bush reign is over.

In the meantime, Bush has been giving interviews left and right trying to play himself up in the history books. He has even compared himself to Abraham Lincoln, who, due to that whole Civil War thing, was "also a controversial figure during his time." Here's the farewell interview we wish he'd give, or the first part of it anyway. You'll have to buy Rolling Stone to read the rest.

It's Smart to Sleep Late

2009-01-08T15:39:00.002-05:00

I always knew I was onto something. Be more creative and less stressed out: sleep late.