nin....

ok, this happened quicker than i had thought it would!!! take a listen, and let me know what you think. If you don't dig it, back off, it was my first time and i had to learn how to use Ableton Live...

http://remix.nin.com/play/mix?id=14074

here is my profile if you care to keep tabs...

http://remix.nin.com/member/dcdownshift

thanks guys!

dc

so, i was thinking....

i think found the ultimate rut buster for any and every musician out there. When it gets approved by a VERY kickass website for download, I'll post a link and you can listen to it (and download it if you really really really want to...). i'm pretty stoked on it. I was in a bit of a rut writing wise just because i was doing so much of it. Remember the movie 'Dogma'? Remember when they were talking about faith and when you're young the glass is full, but as you grow up the glass gets bigger and you have to keep filling it? I think the same applies to music. You go and go and go, and you need to refill your inspiration. BOH is sitting on, geez, probably 50+ demos. Its almost daunting to figure out what to work on. But when that inspiration hits, you roll with it. When it doesn't hit, well, you take a break. (insert said rut buster here). I almost want to tell you what it is, but that won't do any good until it gets approved and all copyrights and legal crap gets sorted out. But, i'm really excited. And the minute it gets approved for download, i'll post the link. anyways, check the myspace. We added another show....


d

huh, really?

i never really realized how much more difficult playing acoustic shows were than regular shows. Regardless, we had fun last weekend. Its always a good time to play low key shows with friends. Kind of fills a gap that other shows leave. Thanks to Jes Winter and John Klemmensen for having us (and the Saddlecreek bar). There is kind of a downside to doing these things. i keep want to go heavier. I have to make a conscious effort to not go 'math metal' with some things. Its kind of habitual I suppose. But, i guess that's kind of the point with BOH. We will try anything. If it works, it works, if it doesn't, ditch it and move on. I enjoy the freedom to experiment and explore, but its becoming increasingly difficult to not turn a riff into a math equation. I blame that on Dr. Paul Gilbert. If you play guitar, you are doing your self a disservice if you go one more day and don't watch his instructional videos. He's on Cox inDemand for shit's sake. Go watch it. Even if you aren't a guitar player, you'll find it entertaining. at least a little. anyways...we just announced another 'plugged in' show on 2/27 at the Roxbury on 108th and Q in Omaha. if you are around and are interested, you should be there. We are playing with our buds in DiFi and Junk Poet. I'm excited. You should be too.

talk soon.

dc

another installment of 'The World According to dc'

so, something occurred to me today. do you know what the difference is between a good song and a great song? I think i may have figured this out. Music is supposed to take you somewhere, right? A place in time in your past perhaps. or maybe just makes you zone out. or maybe, it takes you somewhere you want to go. that's the very individualized part in terms of the listener. We all have our own reasons for liking the music that we like. I have listened to 2 whole albums today. One of which was Opeth's 'Watershed' and the other was In This Moment's 'The Dream'. I then hit random on the old iPod and it kicked into some other songs that I will leave nameless. Of course, all the songs on my iPod are good. I know that, i put them there. So, here was the difference: on the majority of the songs on the aforementioned albums I was not conscious of a 'breakdown'. Before i knew it, the song was over. Going back and listening again, the 'breakdown' is there, but it flowed with the rest of the song, and didn't distract me from where i was letting the music take me. In the other songs, i felt like i was almost 'interrupted' from where the song was taking me by the 'breakdown'. So, the difference is: in great songs, the 'breakdown' doesn't distract you from the feel of the song. In good songs, the 'breakdown' either takes you somewhere else, or brings you back to where you were when you started. Whether or not that was the intent, who knows. I'm just saying. If you already knew this, then good for you, back off, i just figured it out. hahaha!

d

Thanks!

Thanks to everyone who came out to the show on Saturday. It was truly an honor to play with Old Boy Network. I've been a fan of that band for quite some time. Those guys are amazing musicians, and I thank them for the music they've given us over the years. I wish Jimi well (don't sell your gear bro, you'll need it when you get back, hint hint...). It was good to see some familiar faces in the crowd that night. Thanks to Dave Nelson from Rival Element for filling in on drums! I was blown away by him the minute he walked into practice. He had 4 days to practice with us, and the first day was easily the best practice we've ever had. He's an amazing drummer and musician. And another big thanks to Michelle from GetLucy for taking the kick fucking ass pictures (one of which you see above). There were lots of people who made that show possible, and i thank all of them. Looking forward, this Friday we are doing another acoustic show! if you missed the last one, i'm not mad, but you should come to this one to make up for it. We are doing another split set, originals and covers. Some of the covers we did last time and there are some new ones in there as well. We are playing at the Saddlecreek bar in Omaha with Jes Winter and John Klemmenson. Should be a kickass time.

d

My new credo...

I've been reading a lot of Henry Rollins recently. If you haven't read him, i suggest you do so. Anyways, with that preface, i give you my new credo in terms of music. i guess its more bullet points, but you'll get the idea. I can't vouch for the other guys in the band, but something tells me they will agree with it. well, most of it anyways... I'm not being negative, cynical, or trying to pull punches. These are things that i've either 1.) come to peace with, 2.) recently adopted, 3.) or witnessed in others that i whole heatedly disagree with.

-music to me is like pouring gas on a lit match...and there's never enough gas.
-if you don't like it, i don't care. but i hope that you do. reassurance is always nice. if a musician tells you differently, prepare yourself to be lied to.
-i am relentless. not because i have something to prove to anyone or any band, but i have something to prove to myself. I've been told for 15 years that its not good enough, its not heavy enough, or its not something that can be digested by the masses. well, allow me to be the source of indigestion moving forward. sorry, but X-lax is probably pretty cheap. it can't be worse than taco bell. come on.
-shit talkers are just that. shit that talks. an anonymity is just funny to me. run to the message boards.
-(insert Rollins quote here) 'art is supposed to wreck you. if it doesn't, you're cheating your work' (that's from Rollins's Broken Summers, check it if you like, but I'll make you read the whole thing to find it). nothing needs to be explained here. if you don't feel something with a song, then don't let anyone hear it. that's when it becomes superficial. some applies to visual art. and you KNOW when they feel it, and you know when they don't. i've felt cheated by a lot of music recently.
-all musicians have a muse. never ever ask about it. they won't tell you. if they do, then its not the real muse. its the most personal thing an artist has. its part of their soul. without it, they don't have much. its a part that you probably shouldn't want to know about anyways. just let it be. that acceptance is part of being with an artist.
-never apologize for anything you do artistically. ever. and i won't.

so, just to recap..

-keep me away from matches...
-i hope you like our music, but if you don't, that's cool. it won't hurt our feelings.
-i've been doing this too long to listen to other people. you are getting the 'straight from the heart' stuff here. no bullshit. i think in the past i was aways wanting to 'please people' and i kind of overlooked myself.
-shit talkers mean nothing to me. if you have a comment about how much we sound like someone else or how much you don't like it, just say it. you won't hurt our feelings. i promise. Sack up man.
-Rollins is the shit, and every musician should read him. it will put a lot in perspective. if you don't, then, well, i guess you are doing yourself a disservice.
-don't ask about the muse. don't ask what is a song about. if you date a musician, or are married to one, i'm sorry. just let things be. its better that way. everyone has their 'personal' demons. there's no sense in letting it consume you as well.
-and finally, you'll never get an apology out of me. for anything related to music.

and there you have it. my new credo. or credos. or philosophy. or whatever you want to call it. these aren't a dig on anyone or any band, just things that have marinated in my head. i guess the moral of the story is this: if a musician feels something, then so will you. when they don't, neither will you. that's how you'll know if they are bullshitting you or not.

anyways...i'm going to go marinate some more. and yes, this is my 'mean' face. i could never pull it off that well anyway...hahaha! Brandon's is so much better than mine, and he's half smiling.

dc