Ars Moriendi

Patton/Kaada – The Rehearsal Process

As a musician I always find the technical side of live performance particularly interesting. I often listen to (and sometimes create) really complex, abstract or soundtracky music. The big problem with this genre, is how the hell do you take it to the stage?

One great example of this, is 2004’s great collaboration between Mike Patton and John Kaada titled ‘Romances‘. The album is a beautiful collage of fragile and atmospheric pieces that evolve, at times,  into soundtrack-worthy anthems.

A DVD of a one-off live performance performed by the duo (and accompanying musicians) was released a few years later, which included this great behind the scenes look at the process of moving the music from the recorded realm, into the live arena. (more…)

SittingNow Audio-Interview with Mitch Horowitz

Originally appeared - http://sittingnow.co.uk/2009/11/15/episode-31-occult-america-with-mitch-horowitz/

After a pretty lengthy break from the world of podcasting, we return with a real 90 minute treat!

This weeks guest, Mitch Horowitz, is the author of the excellent new book ‘Occult America: How Mysticism Shaped our Nation‘. Mitch has held a lifelong interest in the Occult and Supernatural, and after pursuing the subject for as long, naturally, became the editor of one of the largest publishers of Occult and Supernatural works Tarcher/Penguin.

In this weeks episodes we discuss: Freemasons, Mesmirism, Theosophy, Astrology and the dark side of American occultism.

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GTA Test Post

It has recently come to my attention that whoever is in charge of marketing video games, and I assume it’s just one guy, has fallen in with some acid-heads from LA. I write this because instead of the usual cheesy-screen-shot-infested, gruff-voice-over-saturated and big-boobed-huge-sword-weilding rubbish we normally get, appears to be entirely absent…ok, so there still is big-boobed-sword-weilding, I lied about that.

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