Archive for April, 2009

I’ve worked in the publishing realm for the past 10 years, recently with business book authors, which has connected me to companies like Penguin, Harvard Press, Wiley, etc.  For me, it’s been easy to adapt doing small press stuff from an office with a couple people, but what about these huge, old companies?  It’s sort [...]

On a recent trip to Kyoto, Japan, we played in a small club that had an even smaller backstage area. In fact, it wasn’t even a backstage area — just a hallway, about 7 feet long. This was where we were to store ALL of our equipment while the other group played. [...]

Since high school, I have followed the work of Andrew McKenzie and was fortunate enough to work with him on a couple projects during the time I ran Crouton.  His work is not easy to describe, yet when absorbed, it can be incredibly satisfying.  Through text, sound, and even logistics, the work he’s done since [...]

I recently paid a visit to the neighborhood and house I grew up in. Standing in the yard, I remembered my old friends and the games we used to play. I remembered getting hit in the head with a baseball bat, building snow forts, sitting in the sandbox, and hanging out on the [...]

Jeph Jerman and I talked about shooting some videos of some of the situations that happened when we recorded sound – not as a glimpse into technique, but an exploration of the physical effects that occur when vibrations are instigated. Conversely, I suggested we also video some footage that involved movement but no audible [...]

After spending a year working on a record called Metals, and then doing a live version/tours for the record, I realized this direction had a bit more I could do with it. Combining the gong/snare vibrations I had been working with on many recent records, along with a full drum kit played densely and [...]

In 1997, Chris Rosenau and I started a rock band with some friends. We couldn’t find any good vocalists, and since none of us could sing, we decided we’d just play instrumental songs. We called the band Pele, and over the years, members came and went, but it was some of the most [...]

It seems like spring is finally arriving in Milwaukee, and that means I’ll be getting away from the computer more often and outside on the bike.  I usually stay off the streets and ride the Oak Leaf Trail from Bay View to South Milwaukee.  Even though I’ve ridden the path many times, I always find [...]

I was watching Little House on the Prairie recently and there were two young trouble-making boys  that suggested they go and shoot some birds for fun.  An adult asked, “Why would you want to do that?” and one boy replied, “So we can open it up and see its guts.”
Serial killer trait assessments aside, this [...]

Evelyn Glennie was sort of an inspiration for me starting this site.  After listening to her work for years, seeing her film, reading her book, and referring to her in a presentation, I became convinced further that sound effects people on many different levels.  Songs can entertain, and other sounds can remind us that it’s [...]