MUSIC: Performing, Recording, Writing, Producing, Arranging, Editing, Engineering, Scoring, Remixing, Bastardizing, and generally CREATING both alone and collaboratively. As much as possible...
COMPUTERS: generally Apple and the Mac OS which I've used since my first Mac Classic, more specifically my 160GB iPod and my raging MacBook Pro. I am a devotee and part-time instructor in the ways of Ableton Live (although I was previously in the church of ProTools and am currently seeing the new Logic Pro Studio on the side though I never lost my love for Reason).
PIANO/KEYBOARDS: I think that my Nord Stage 88 is easily the greatest keyboard of all time (ask me why) and my new Moog Little Phatty has given me a new re-connection with the analog synth world (outside the laptop). I think acoustic pianos are as unique as each person and I carry a deep-seated love for Yamaha grand pianos (and a secret resentment of Steinways...odd). I've got a love/hate relationship with Hammond organs and Leslie speakers, but fortunately its mostly love. I'd love to own a Mellotron someday. I played on a Wurlitzer EP 200A exclusively for about 5 years, and was sad to see it go... but truly there is no greater friend to the touring keyboardist than a Nord Stage. But I digress...
Music
Over the years I've been thru WAAAAYY too many styles to try and list everything here.
Suffice to say, shuffle play is my friend.
Instead, here are the current toppers on my iPod play counts (out of order):
Kevin Gilbert: The Shaming of The True,
Jaga Jazzist: The Stix,
Wilco: Kicking Television Live,
Brian Wilson: SMILE!
Skalpel: ST,
Gorillaz: D-Sides,
The Books: Lost & Safe,
Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway Live in 1975,
Gentle Giant: Octopus,
Nightmares On Wax: In A Space Outta Sound,
Death Cab For Cutie: Narrow Stairs,
Xploding Plastix: Amateur Girlfriends Go Proskirt Agents,
Brokeback: Looks At The Bird
Prefuse 73: Surrounded By Silence,
Bonobo: Dial M For Monkey,
Radiohead: In Rainbows,
Peter Gabriel: Up,
Stars: Set Yourself On Fire,
The Mars Volta: The Bedlam In Goliath,
ALWAYS Pink Floyd
Tortoise
Kevin Gilbert
Thievery Corp.
Amon Tobin
Ani DiFranco
Frederic Chopin
Stereolab
Steve Reich
Peter Gabriel
The Pixies
Elliott Smith
Kruder & Dorfmeister
Igor Stravinsky
Bill Hicks
Tosca
Frank Zappa
Johannes Brahms
The Beatles
Fela Kuti
Phish
Soul Coughing
Led Zeppelin
Critters Buggin'
Charlie Hunter
Bonnie Raitt
more more more....
Television
I almost never watch commercial TV. HATE COMMERCIALS!!
But honestly I LOVE storylines, character development, and the art of creating audio/video cohesion, especially Anime/Animation which I think is the ultimate combination of artistic mediums. I also have an affinity for Sci-Fi
....I usually just bittorrent what I want to watch so I don't have to see commercials and can pause to think when I feel like it. Part of me will miss the old TV's when the digital changeover happens... probably the part that is addicted to cathode rays. I guess that would be my brain...
Books
Gotta say I really have always loved The Silmarillion by Tolkien... massive scale and thorough design...I think I read it 5 times in a row. Also I thought Da Vinci Code was pretty darn entertaining despite the hype... Have you read Frank Zappa's autobiography yet? How about Miles Davis'? Both of those are required reading...
About me: I'm a full time music addict... played piano my whole life (since age 4),
eventually went to music school and got a 'Music Composition' degree (gut laugh),
have been performing, producing, and creating sound ever since. No 'day job'!!
As usual, I've been doing a bunch of things lately:
**HALO REFUSER - my anagrammatically-titled solo electronic project
where mangled sounds and dirty beats meet the dance floor. NEW ALBUM AVAILABLE NOW 100% FREE!!!!
**Composing and producing the (awesome) new SURROUNDED BY NINJAS album
"Disassociation Association", out NOW on ArtDamaged Records! Buy a copy at CDBaby or any online retailer (iTunes, Rhapsody, eMusic, Amazon, etc).
**Finishing my first full-length solo acoustic piano album (a collection of delicate piano improvisations), due out soon.
**Rocking giant sell-out Pink Floyd tribute shows around the NW with The Floydian Slips
(next one happens Saturday October 10, 2009, Eugene OR)
**Writing columns and gear reviews for Remix Magazine (print & web)
**Making screencast videos for Puremagnetik.com's website,
**Playing boogaloo and sold-out James Brown Tribute shows with The Goodfoot All-Stars
**Providing keyboards and vocals for the occasional star-studded Everyone Orchestra (next: Summer Meltdown 2009)
**Sit-ins and shared/guest nights with bands like Hot Buttered Rum, Izabella, Five Eyed Hand, Alpaca!, Off The Grid
**Learning a slew of Elliott Smith songs in detail with my friend Nathan Day
(look for the acoustic duo ES Tribute Show on Friday September 11th 2009 at McMenamin's Edgefield)
**Being called in for various Portland-area studio project keyboard cameos
**Teaching a few personalized Ableton Live lessons
and a myriad of other musical projects both short-term and long-term
Want more? See MY OFFICIAL WEBSITE for all the most current info, links, and the like.
REMIX MAGAZINE I've been fortunate enough to get to do Remix's monthly 'New Products' section since June of 2006. The column features 9 cool new pieces of music gear per month, great for keeping me (somewhat) on top of the world of new toys. I also do more in-depth Product Reviews and recently just did my first Feature Article, a piece on Live 7's Drum Racks. I keep a (relatively) updated list of links to the web versions of my Remix Articles HERE
Thanks for the Connection. Save the Date 6-21-09 Celebrate the SUMMER SOLSTICE with KBOO and Friends at A Touch Of Portland. Uniting Community through the Healing Energy of Edible Art, Soothing Soundscapes and Therapeutic Touch.
Asher brudda! SuperTrout got caught on Maui by a taper! Check it out and pass it on. Everybody loves freash fish,lol… http://bt. etree. org/details. php?id=522156&filelist=1#filelist swani
omg Asher you have to teach me everyday by Carly Comando! I'm like freaking out over that freaking song lol. Good luck at the Filmore you lucky lucky man :D
Loved the show at McDonald last night. My girlfriend and I agree that playing new songs was an amazing idea. Can't wait til you come back to Eugene again.
Hiya, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Hope you got a ridiculous amount of presents all of which you wanted very much. Also I trust that you spent Christmas with those you like best in all the world, cause otherwise, why bother? I am running away to Canada in January to record some music, so maybe I should incorporate that into my new years resolution... something, something, I will be creative and productive, blah, blah, blah. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, hope the holidays are great fun for you. -Kate Elliott
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