Tuesday, May 01, 2007

been in a small town in mexico. there is only one atm and you cannot use a credit card. this is a small town. while down there i read my latest wired magazine, one of my favorites (up there with 'new scientist'), the one with the 2007 rave awards results. these are peeps that wired thinks have distinguished themselves as innovators in different categories; gaming, films,industrial design, etc. one of these people is henry louis gates jr. he is an intersting guy. he is someone who always seems to have interesting things to say about race in america. he is being recognized here for doing a program in inner city schools that involves letting minority kids study science through their own dna and genealogy. so inspired. if more people figured out ways to make learning come alive in a personal way like this then we might be less likely to be duped into having the contempt for science that we seem to have these days. and i personally might have been able to stay interested enough in high school to have graduated. who knows.

but im back home now. my skin is a slight shade darker, i am reasonably well rested and i am ready to get back at it. finish and deliver 'help wanted' to dangerbird this month. the doc '11th hour', that i did some music for, is on its way to cannes film festival. i have some friends in need of some love and support who are struggling to stay alive. one of our two loved cats died. i am a year older. all of this leaves me humbled and aware that this life is temprorary rich complex and ultimately interesting and beautiful. or as lou reed put it more succinctly, 'lifes good, but not fair at all'.

thanks for all the happy birthday wishes.

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Eric! i got few question....

- do you think young kids choose to smoke cigarettes instead of smoking a pipe just to be really cool with thirteen home friends ?

- What about the story of a sunglass ad that you might have done in the past few years? quote: "Playa Del Carmen in Mexico- there it was, in front of a sunglass store, a life size card board cut out of a model, looking ALOT like you, spray painted in gold, wearing a pair of sunglasses with a girl."
True story?

- I'm an orthodox atheist and fervent agnostic at the same time. I don't think there is any "purpose" or "intention" for this incidentally Universe. This is me.
What's your opinion about Cosmos?


- Why musicians and famous people in general are supposted to have an interesting point of view and something to say about almost every subject of this planet?


I got "Hudson Wind River Meditation" of Lou and it's deep.



"So you can go to Europe, Los Angeles or Mars
you can stand on a building throwing cinder blocks on cars
You can practice deep voodoo, but like me you'll see
we were meant to be.."

Stickey:-)

Anonymous said...

The education is very very primitive. Its basically a baby in the grand scheme of things. In the future and u can already see it happen it will be more personnaly and much more enjoyable, then just written text.

At work during the breaks i always read the car magazine, i dont really like cars that much, but its amazing stuff.

So anywhoooo i got my credit card visa, and now building my credit rating, and im gonan be buying decon and polar bear cd's but I need to know which one to buy first, so here is a good question i think to myself.

Whats would should i buy first. Why Something Instead of nothing, Chewing Gum, Deconstruction?

And u have to answer.


Which one would u rather have me hear first sort of thing.

Oh and whats the best distortion pedal that u know is used often from the polar bear time and janes and decon. The one that was used and maybe u think sounds best?

Anonymous said...

eric,
happy belated birthday. it was
4-25 right? so that makes ya 42.
i recently found out that geoff stradling who played violin on ritual is from bellingham wa where i live so thats pretty cool to me. will you just play around the la area or will you make it up to the happening WA music scenes? that would be awesome.

also, i saw a video on youtube of you playin at the JAF theater in 89. you had long green hair and a bandana! i liked watchin the soundcheck and hearin a instrumental pigs in zen. well eric i love your music so much and i keep tryin to get every album youve played on. well this is probably gonna sound cheesy and i dont wanna sound like an obsessive fan, but i would really love ta jam w/ you in the future. guitar bass whatever. i would just love ta hear you play in person. before i got my hair cut short a few months ago i tryed the headband look you had in 90/91 and it didnt look bad!

once again i cant wait for the album. you were my inspiration to start playing bass. i love playing guitar and bass. thank you eric.

ALEC

Brian Smith McCallum said...

EA,

Nice to hear that you are rested after soaking up some sol and Vitamin D in Mehiko. Were you @ a coastal town? Get in any surfing?

Sorry to hear about the loss of your gato. Pet loss, for me, has always been hard. Animals definitely have soul and personality.

Happy Belated B-day. You can knock of 20 anos. 40 is the new 20.

matt volpe said...

Hey Eric,

Welcome back. I've never been to Mexico, but it sounds like a tranquil, relaxing place. Glad you had a restful time. The new form of education proposed by Louis Gates Jr. is pretty fascinating and a fresh angle. Thanks for sharing.
Very sorry to hear of your cat, that is most sad and I hope you guys are doing okay. My wife and I lost our dog recently and I can relate big time. Glad to hear your back in action and the album's coming along well. I've got solo record in the works for some time now myself and I hope to have it done in the near future. It's just finding the time to focus on it is the tough part. Hope all is well and talk soon!
Matt

andy said...

Eric,
sorry to hear about your cat. Im wondering if you know alot about them actually.. I noticed your siamese? in your picture. It looks like an awesome cat. I've always had random ones (runts really, not any specific breed or anything) and was wondering if you have ever had persians or any experience with them.. I'm thinking about getting one when I move into an apartment shortly.

Any input? see ya

andy said...

ALL REMOTE AND NO CONTROL!!!

AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!

tikkuria said...

It is an interesting initiative getting kids learn about their ancestors and genetic background. If based on serious facts, it ultimately has to destroy many myths and prejudices, since we are all a lot more related than some would like.

It reminded me of a couple things. First, in order to get a "purer" genetic description of a human population, scientists have had to resort to historically very isolated communities, like people in Iceland.

Secondly, it was funny to read results that showed British people descend from old Basque communities, rather than from Celts or Anglo-Saxons, as commonly believed:

http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/
article_details.php?id=7817

Anonymous said...

dude-

new song is brilliant, moog?

long time listener, really really nice.

Anonymous said...

New song is cool....not really keen on the drums though, a little too "rock out", almost trying too hard, very generic unlike the rest of your sound. Rather preferred the layered, more complex vibe and subtleties of PBR (yeah I know this isn't PBR). Is that Hawkins?

-ea. said...

stickey- well firstly, whats the difference between a 'home friend' and a, mmm, an 'away friend'?

sunglass ad? no idea.

Cosmos? the science series or the cosmological model of ancient greece?

i dont think musicians or famous people are supposed to have an interesting point of view on everything. but, like everyone else, they have a point of view and something to say. because they are famous we are initially interested but if they arent ultimately compelling to us, we move on. again not unlike non-musician unfamous people.

thanks for the tip on lou reed. i had not heard of that before. it sounds in small samples like it might be interesting. i consider him a huge influence, HUGE, but boy can he be hit or miss. he either makes brilliance or bad 70's porno music.

-ea. said...

george d- me have problem understandy some of your post. what is the car magazine that is amazing?

i believe that 'why something instead of nothing'gives you the most bang for your buck. it is my favorite.

pedals. you are asking the wrong guy. many people more qualified even on this blog probably, let alone on the net large. though i will say it depends on what you want to distort. for example, with bass distortion you might want something that will leave some of the lowest part of the signal alone so every time you stomp on it you dont lose all low end.

ellis said...

eric,
I can't find your album "why something instead of nothing" ANYWHERE... online, in shops, or even used shops. what's the deal? where's it hiding? if you have some in a box in the garage, hook it up! I'll mail you some loot.

I can't wait for your new album. haven't had a chance to check out the sample yet, but I've really enjoyed the chewing gum album.

I just saw a few documentaries on outerspace over the weekend. I'm on a cosmo kick lately. Saw an IMAX film on the Mars Rovers and another on the mission to Pluto. Amazing stuff. It has given me and my friends much to debate about over NASA spending. I have no problems spending money on it. Some of my conservative friends on the other hand think it's a total waste. Your Thoughts?

Unknown said...

eric, where can I sample some of the new solo stuff??

-ea. said...

alec- it was 4 25 and i am 42. thank you for the birthday wish. i dont know if i will make it up to the wa. area. we will see if there is any interest in this cd of mine. or at least enough to warrant putting together a band and getting out there. stay tuned.

and thanks for the kind words.

-ea. said...

c. brian- small town called sayulita. one atm. nothing takes credit cards. did surf. a little disappointing in that regard. the wave is a little unchallenging. but then again, when you are waking up each morning as the sun rises, grabbing a board,shorts and a t-shirt, walking five minutes down the beach and plunging into 75 degree water; pretty tough to complain about anything.

yes animals little souls. i am reading the new hofstadter book called 'i am a strange loop'. talks of different sized souls.

someone i know said that im not 42. im 30-12.

-ea. said...

matt volpe- thanks for the condolences. if you are the animal type then you understand how tough losing one can be. death is pretty rife in my life right now; feline, canine, human. we dont like to look at it at all in the west. shame.

-ea. said...

andy- the two siamese are the only cats ive ever really lived with. they have been great. much personality. not at all aloof. asked my wife, resident cat person, she wants to strongly dissuade you from persians. she has had two and they were both very cute but dim and tempermental.

thanks for the song feedback.

-ea. said...

tikkuria- interesting stuff. i didnt know about the iceland thing. make some sense though because it is in isolated communities that evolution does its clearest and most creative work. the galapagos come to mind. i havent yet looked up your link. i will when im finished here. so does this mean that all those orkney island settlements are basque in origin or they are cut off from the ensuing british settlements? im a little hazy here historically. i know. how about i read the link you sent me first before betraying my ignorance on such matters. big thanks for the heads up. good stuff.

-ea. said...

anonymous- moog. hmmm? no its just a mmmm the red one ah...nord! right.

-ea. said...

anonymous II- fair criticism. i can see that. it is precisely why on this song though that i really liked his seventies rock drums. as he was tracking, i said to my buddy bill who was engineering it for me, that i really liked the vibe of the drums because in a way it completed the song as a perfect example of all the decades of music that influenced me. the drums are very 70's stoner rock, my boyhood; the guitar is very siouxsie, my late teens and 80's; the loops and samples are more 90's. so the song is a smattering of it all in one song.

-ea. said...

ellis- i went to see the imax rover thing a few weeks ago myself. great.

about the criticism from your friends about money. ive heard this one lots before. i think they have a point if the world was a simple system. if money was a zero sum game then yes i agree. take every dollar we spend on space and feed people for example. but the world dont work like that. id say start with the military first. if you get all their dollars going to human needs then we can start looking more closely at corporate greed and avarice and we will eventually work our way down to nasas budgets. imho.

-ea. said...

ekimrayd- there is a song off my record on the player at dangerbirdrecords.com

Unknown said...

EA~ Thanks for the direction to your song. I like the fact it sounds like nothing I have heard before. A little reminisent of Polar Bear. I want to tell you that for a long time I was pissed at you for not regrouping with Janes. I have done a complete 180 on that subject. I beleive you are correct about the others doing it for money vs the art of it. If I am to understand it correctly. I don't think they should have did an album without you (i did buy it anyway) because you bass lines were what moved the music imo. Enough of the past. I am so glad you are moving on and doing what you love for the love of it. I look forward to the album!! Take care. e

Anonymous said...

i know i dont make much sense when i post stuff on the internet. I have too many thoughts going around and onlya little space to let them all out. Its mostly just me rambling about crap.

Cool song thow. Very Very Different, will take getting used too but still enjoyable.

Anonymous said...

oh yea, one of my pedals i have right now my wah wah, its the original vox wah wah from the 60's and it just sucks all the treble out whne its cradled back, which is interesting when just fooling around with it u can get some cool stuff, kinda sounds like someones walking very muffled down a very dark hallway.. I hope that makes sense, im not the greatest at putting ideas on papers.

im gonna be getting the ds-1 distortion from boss, thinking about getting the one from good ol japan, heard its better.

What inspired u to write all remote and no control?
cool title by the way

Anonymous said...

Dear Eric
thanx for yr answers

- thirteen home friends -
In "Soul kiss" Jane's video, Perry ask to you why kids choose to smoke cigarettes instead of pipes and u say that you began to smoke to be really cool with some friends of you. just a joke - i was saying to you "do u remeber that interview....?" :-)

- sunglassed ad -
this was a gossip of the thread "speaking of Eriv Avery" started by Etty Lau Farrell (wife of Perry) at
http://xiola.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2189

again, thanks for your answer.

- Cosmos -
I mean universe, and his misteries. The old question: why something instead of nothing? Are you atheist or you believe in somekind of "god"?

- Lou -
"Without mystery what would writers talk about" and my previous quote is "The Proposition" from Set the Twilight Reeling of Lou. Lou is a verist.

-Illegal download are killing the music industry the way it is: is a good news?

-sorry for my english, i'm italian. I 'd bet you like Italy.
I got a blog too. "Parallel World".www.orqcie.splinder.com

matt volpe said...

Eric,

Yes I am an animal lover and feel for you guys. Sorry to hear of the losses happening around you, just know that I and everyone here on your blog all got your back and wish you and yours the very best.
The new song is both deep and beautiful. My favorite part is right in the chorus area where that odd "whaaaa" enters- like a note distorted by an effect pedal or something. That is brilliant. My favorite thing about it is the effect is ever so very slightly behind the beat, kind of catches you out of nowhere. Nice. Of course it goes without saying, but I will anyway, because this is how have come to know you, the bass line is classic you and it hooks the listener right in! Great job E! Matt

Anonymous said...

Eric- Just heard the new song...Sounds like a cross between radiohead,gvsb,early S.T.P( the guitar during the intro of the song)...hell, the sound and style and arrangment of the track is , as usual, refreshing..This is a great month for me musically..New Rush , New BRMC and for dessert, new Eric Avery..

S

Anonymous said...

Is it true Ritual was recorded digitally?

Anonymous said...

Wow Eric. Good song on the Dangerbird player. Well Done. I can totally hear all the decades in it that you mentioned. This song makes total sense to me.

I currently live in Oregon. I moved out of L.A. shortly after 9/11. I have a load of friends and family ass well as business that brings me back to L.A. My next trip is planned is too bring our daughter to see her grandparents June 14-17th.

I would like to come jam with you. Only if it is something that would be comfortable with. Me being a mere blogger fan and all. Though coming from the L.A. music scene myself, I am sure we have mutual friends/acquaintances. Wag? I used live on Woodrow Wilson right down the street from Doug's Wednesday night social.

If it is not too forward of me, Maybe we can get a drummer too. I know some good ones.

I love to take from all styles of music. I am a Troubadour without a doubt. Sincerity is a quality I like about any good musician. I am 39 years young.

Come on my good man. How about it?
Email:
Alltheloveintheuniverse AT yahoo DOT com

With respect and kindness and enthusiasm,
Mike

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