February 1sts

February is Eb Lydian Month. Innuendi From Rifts:.

 An interesting ironic juxtaposition with this image: 

2/1/1968

Interesting context for the iconic (and ironic) Eddie Adams "Saigon Execution" photo. 

Discuss the lies of omission and the power of context in photography   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2/1/2011

Beginning of huge snowstorm, 16 inches by the following afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2/1/2012

New word: “idiosyncretic”: (New ways of looking at the world following an inflection point, and you have to adapt after that strange event).) 

2/1/2017

It is remarkable how much good music came out of bands where all the players contributed to the songs in real-time in the studio, and ultimately became embedded in pop music history. Sometimes a group of mediocre writers can create a series of individual parts that ride on serendipity in the studio. Even for the autocratic composer and/or conductor who controls every part of the music, they still have to surrender to the moment, and design for the possibility of randomness arising from the individual human elements.

Music is a perfect allegory of how democracy can work. The amazing thing is that while the music is being played, the myriad conflicts are defused. This is why peaceful protests are effective. It is a temporary reprieve preventing a cacophony of parts interfering with a non-zero outcome. 
            
[2/1/2025: There have been very few bands that were democratic. Rush was the exemplar of the democratic band, but the results were mixed to many fans. If using a musical analogy, then composers are autocrats, but that system worked for centuries, and players and listeners didn’t question it. Allowing questioning and debate is what a democratic situation is all about. If it doesn’t work you can always do a “solo record”, which is typically what artists do when they want more control, and technology has allowed them to do that. It allowed anyone to do the “solo album” in politics, but fans typically want to see the reunions where they’ve been made great again, mostly an illusion after all the solo albums and projects].

2/1/2018

Rings of Saturn: Heading West/Town Beneath the Sea, Dunwich (VII:159) Apparently, Eccles Church Tower is in Norfolk, not at Dunwich Beach. (pp. 156- 7) Also idea for a track for the final chapter 'Mourning Silk/Black Mantua'. There were two somewhat disparate ideas that I cross-faded: The first is a solo piano piece, then a more moody groove-based piece. The general framework of the album is coming along. Ideally, there will be two sides, each with one 'itinerary' through the chapters.

2/1/2019

Finally warm enough after the polar vortex 26-below to take a walk. 

Lakefront, Navy Pier. Lake frozen over. 

2/1/2026

The new reality for artists is that they must keep all their plates spinning, i.e. continuing to make art as they always have but keeping an eye on many other plates and keeping track of how many are breaking, then doing something with the shards.