Playing the Building...

So, Whit and I went down to the Maritime Building just off NYC's Battery Park City to see an exhibit curated by David Byrne of "Talking heads" fame.

It was very cool. Byrne had set up a keyboard controller from an old organ he adapted to this purpose. The sound generation device was the building, and there were 3 basic methods to produce sound:


1) the vibration of heavy motors located on the building's skylight (pictured above)



2) the percussive sound of clappers striking the metal columns of the building (pictured above)



3) the use of air blown across pipes which had holes cut into them (pictured above)

See the whole gallery of our antics here:

Strange Girls Screening and the old neighborhood...

Last night, I went to a screening of "Strange Girls", the film which I recently scored. It was at the Anthology Film Archives, which is a nice Indie type space occupying the entire building on the corner of 2nd St. and 2nd Ave ("the nexus of the universe"...or was that 1st & 1st?).

I don't know how they do it. In the past when the neighborhood was a funky, funky place it made sense. but it seems as though Trump would have swooped in by now to make luxury condos.

Let's hope it can endure the current real estate building boom. I think the boom will likely slow down soon.

In fact, I was amazed to see how much the neighborhood had changed. I walked past the old site of CBGB's OMFUG, and I was amazed by how hygenic it felt. I couldn't even really recognize the storefront, although I know it was the right block. We played there many a night back in the day, and the funky, dangerous, urban feel made you think you were so cool.

Check out this short video for a taste of the feel of the scene.

At that time, CB's was the only place around, except for the homeless people lying around on the street. Everything else was commercial and shuttered that time of night. Down the block,on 3rd ave. people were selling goods (most stolen) laid out on blankets, one after the next after the next, going on for blocks and blocks. I looked like the conservative one with my shoulder length hair. Everyone hanging around CB's looked like the lead guitarist for the Plasmatics...

Yet I felt right at home.

Now it feels like San Diego (no offense, really, I just didn't move there because I wanted funky instead). Truthfully - it's not bad right now, it's kind of in a sweet spot where culture collides, but look for it to jump the shark sometime in 2009.



Back to the matter at hand, it was really great to see the film. Of course, I'll never be able to see this film with any level of objectivity, but the audience seemed to genuinely enjoy it. I got good comments on the music. I felt a lot of it could be a little louder, but the good thing is I think the director agrees.

I think it gave me a little juice to move on. The music is good. What an undertaking though!

It even works OK in spite of the fact that the final mixes, though done, are not married with the movie yet, and still it was pretty good.

I also went to a bar afterward and talked to some new people for a while (who had been at the screening).

A ticket to the screening: a deal at $5
Price for 1 glass of wine: highway robbery at $9
Witnessing the end of an era: Priceless

Strange Girls

Here is a link to an interview of the film maker (and review) of Strange Girls.

The verdict?

"...one of the year’s finest indie horror flicks."

Enjoy.

I can't sleep....

...and it's 4 in the morning. Tomorrow will likely be challenging...