The Future of Music

For all interested parties, the future of music is currently being exhibited in the form of Kidz Eight Track over at RVANews. Kids writing great original and highly unpredictable music that is as challenging as it is rewarding. That sounds like a bold statement…until you hear Caleb the BitCrusher!

The logical progression from the Eight Track, which is an on-going competition between local bands, Kidz edition deals with younger students of music and the results of learning by creating.  It’s amazing how great this stuff is, and it’s even better when you compare it to the music of today (all genres.)  While these songs might not have the polish needed for the Disney Channel, they can arguably compete with some of experimental and pitchfork music’s finest.  Based on pure sound, some of the tracks would not be out of place on a Wire Magazine CD, yet they were created by kids under the age of 13.  I don’t say that as any kind of an insult, but as a compliment to the kids and to their brave curiosity.

Watch out for more great composers like Alec Tubbs and AJ Illustre in the next couple weeks!

Presenting John Lilley! 8.31.08 mp3s

So the first official show with John Lilley as the new Glow went really well.  We brought more people to Commercial Taphouse then ever before.  We even had bros and bathroom-sharing sorority girls that were standing right next to us (and in front of the recording mic.)  So I apologize in advance if the second set of the show is marred with conversations about Dave Matthews, that girls’s outfit, popped collars, or cocaine.  Actually they were super cool, and really dug the music, going so far as to all dance during a Scott Burton/Scott Clark free jazz explosion!  It was sweet.

This show was also great because we premiered a new piece called My Name is Cameron Vale, which is based around the David Cronenberg film Scanners.  The movie has themes of mental over-load which I tried to work into the music, making this song officially the hardest song we play!  I hated for that to be the first new tune Lilley had to learn, but he sounded great on it, and I was the only one that screwed it up (just a little…honest.)  It’s all about this crazy ass beat that Scott Clark plays.  It’s in 4 I promise.

I was also able to work out a new deal at Taphouse, so luckily that wasn’t our last gig there!

8.31.08 Commercial Taphouse, RVA

Set 1

1) I Crudeli

2) One Armed Swordsman

3) Winterlight

4) My Name is Cameron Vale

5) Up and Down

Set 2

1) Nero

2) The Silence

3) Through a Glass Darkly

4) GTO/Mr. Mansfield

5) Security Lock

6) Crippled Avengers

Lost and Found

Several things are going on in Glows World these days. We LOST Jason Arce (rumor has it he is in NY teaching teachers) and we FOUND John Lilley (rumor has it that its true that he rules).  Jason and John are both great players with very different styles, so we’re excited to see the direction John’s approach will take us (it better be sweet or his ass is fired…jk).

Also FOUND:

On Myspace-A couple new songs from some recent recording we’ve been doing.
On YouTube-New Clips from our performance at B.S. Mitrick’s The Fest Oh 8.
On iTunes-Jason Arce’s debut album Simplicity.  You can find the album on iTunes with good ol’ search!

In other news:

I’m working on some music for director Lawrance Lee’s new short film The Lost Ones.  The film is about a man who loses his brother in a car crash and gets stuck on it, unable to deal with the loss and move forward.  For the project, I’ve assembled a non-lossy band that includes Glows’ Cameron Ralston, and Fight the Big Bull’s Pinson Chanselle and Matt White.  Engineering will be Andy Jenkins of The Great White Jenkins.

7.29.08 MP3s!!!

Here are some mp3’s from a show we did in Richmond at The Camel.  We were opening for Aram Shelton’s Arrive.  Sitting in on bass was RVA heavy-weight Matt Hall, who brought the serious thunder.

7.29.08 The Camel, RVA

1) I Crudeli

2) Through a Glass Darkly

3) The Silence

4) Security Lock

5) GTO

6) Nero