A song from my latest album, Timeless V2: Introductions, is featured on Bandcamp Weekly! Wow! What an unexpected way to make my Tuesday!

The song is called Subtle Passion and I made it sometime around 2011 or 2012 after watching a number of "Blaxploitation" films. Here is an excerpt about the song from my Bandcamp page:

To be specific, I watched Foxy Brown and a number of other Pam Grier movies from the 70's. I have a thing for old movies, from the 1930's and up. They're vignettes of time and culture...but I digress.

I recall going into my humble studio and this came out. It was definitely influenced by one of the movies, I don't recall the title.

This track had nothing to do with Pam, the plot of the film or the music of the 70's. It was highly influenced by a simple quote about expecting a man to be a "rat", but discovering he was different.

That spoke to me. I hope this speaks to you.

As an indie artist, I’ve always loved Bandcamp and often dreamed of being featured on their website somehow. I never really expected anything from Timeless V2 to catch someones ear there, but I’m so happy and grateful. Just goes to show that you never know which song will help you excel. You gotta let go and just release your stuff.

Much love to Bandcamp and the staff! Check out all of the phenomenal music on this weeks Bandcamp Weekly!

Man in a Loft

A Man with a Smooth Voice.

Have you ever heard of Randolph Williams III??? If the answer is no, let me help you get familiar. Randolph Williams III is the singer, songwriter and brilliant musician behind... well... Randolph Williams III (solo releases), Bright Beast (often played on KCRW in Los Angeles and around the globe) and a band that has earned a special place in my heart, One Trick Pony (iTunes link).

"My love you can't divorce. You made that mistake of thinking I'm afraid like you are... a slave like you are."

One Trick Pony was Randolphs 3 or 4...or 5 piece band in the mid 2000's consisting of Randolph on lead vocals and guitar, a drummer with a minimal kit (think early White Stripes), a violinist and at times an a banjo player, string player or bass player. Man... Most of the material for the band came from the mind an heart of Randolph. The video above is a live, in studio version of one my favorite One Trick Pony songs, Loose Talk found on the Full of Life album!  Highly Recommended.

This man is brilliant and, in my humble opinion, his music has yet to get the appreciation it deserves! Above is a clip of another One Trick Pony (OTP) favorite from a live show in Los Angeles about 8 years ago. It's called Box Song. You can find it on the Phantom Pains release. The quality of the audio in the video is a bit sketchy. You can hear a better clip here. A great break-up song.

I'm going to feature Randolph in a future Thumpday post. In fact, in Thumpday 4, I really thought a collaboration with Marylands, Mel Devisa would be interesting. It's a bit of a music lovers wet dream, I suppose. Maybe I can interview him and mention such a thing!

I'm sure there will be more posts about Randolph and his work in the future so I'm going to close out with the recorded version of Box Song! Enjoy!

“It might be silly, but... I’m a sucker for anything with music related imagery... Paintings...T-shirts...””

Which is why I had to have these Miles Davis t-shirts when I saw them!  I don't know about you, but I love jazz and Miles. So when I saw these... well... You know...

These tee's are created by Four91 (http://four91.bigcartel.com). Four91 currently sells prints and accessories inspired by the art of Donelda Iyizoba. Check them out. There you'll find pieces (prints, clothing and iphone cases) with Miles, Red Fox, Richard Prior, mermaids and more!

I think the tee above is temporarily sold out, but they still have these!

I definitely wanna wear one of these to the next shoot or gig I do.

Four91
http://four91.bigcartel.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/four91

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/four.ninety.one/

If you still love to read, if you love to travel, if you love to immerse your mind in the imaginative depths of words and descriptions, I highly recommend you read the 23.5 Alan Algee interview about his experiences in Kyoto and the making of the 23.5 film, Kyoto (Parts I & II). It's wonderful, insightful, inspiring and his words are just as poetic as his work.

“I wish for people to take time to understand the culture and not just take; to learn what beauty comes when a society is devoted to cultural preservation.””

There is so much to learn about how Kyoto, and I assume Japan, has had an impact on an artist from the United States. I often tell people the world has so much to offer them and this is proof of such a phenomenon. After all, the world is still quite diverse and experiencing alternative ways of thinking, speaking and interacting with your environment can be quite life altering in the best of ways.

For example... Without revealing too much, Alan mentions the fact that there are no pronouns in the Japanese language. Thus, conversation, especially from the Western perspective, can be quite...ambiguous in comparison. Without the you, he, she, etc, the conversation is not only less confrontational and direct, but the focus tends to be more on the context of what is being said, as opposed to the subject or thing being addressed. I've had a few conversations with my Japanese friends about this and they kindly agree and have tried to help me understand. As a westerner, I find the concept alone to be quite interesting.

The interview offers a plethora of information about how the film was made, the locations and their significance, the performers, narration, calligraphy, the historical and cultural significance and, perhaps above all else, the influence and nature of Kyoto. If you have the time, please take a moment to dive into the depths of this artists experience. You might find it to be quite motivating and inspiring.

=)

“If you love a flower, don’t pick it up. Because if you pick it up it dies and it ceases to be what you love. So if you love a flower, let it be. Love is not about possession. Love is about appreciation.””

— Osho