Set Theory Primer

2008.05.04

I just stumbled on a site about Set Theory Primer as it relates to music theory. Which reminds me of my favorite story about music I wrote that no one ever heard.

Bunny called me up, “hey there’s a gallery opening, we’re doing a music/performance/installation — the theme of the gallery is Summerian/Babylonian art, they’re showing some pieces etc etc”

I dig Sumer, cradle of civilization etc etc and I’ve read through Snow Crash so I know just a bit more than nothing about their language construction (atonal glosolalia? or some shit. doesn’t matter, i’m not writing poetry). So I look up Summerian music. Turns out it uses a 60-tone scale. Because I am S-M-R-T smart, I figure OK, I can make music akin to atonal 12-tone theory pieces, but I have to use 1/2 and 1/4 microtones (ie, bends and half-bends) and viola, 12-tone automagically becomes 60-tone. So I write this long droning piece in an open D tuning and because it would be a bitch to be bending whole chords (although you get some really awesome dissonances, some sonic youth/glenn branca shit going on where the notes beat against each other in the air) I go and get me a slide. So it’s like this blues hawaiian indian drone monster thing. It’s made of pure, concentrated awesome.

And then the day of the show, come to find out they go on an hour before they said they would and also that the music has been relegated to the alley behind the gallery. Which is OK, since that’s where the party people’s at anyway. Ran into solo and other people from the wayback.

also also, modest mouse is coming!

2008.05.04

Joseph Palmer: Perscuted For Wearing The Beard – Jon Dyer’s Blog. Now that’s a man with commitment to facial hair.

Cupid’s getting kinkier every fucking year

“makes you feel pleasure” is surprisingly not in the top 10.

I have long been both a lecherous pervert and fascinated with the brain and mind, so naturally this article on the orgasmic mind was fascinating stuff to me. Scientific American also has a buncha jawsome articles that are semi-related, e.g. Why We Kiss, which when you think about it, has got to be the most amazing caveman discover ever (“…so…if we put our food/noise/biting holes together but don’t bite…it feels good?” I’ve heard it theorized before that it started as a feeding ritual for those unable to feed themselves.)

Life’s mysteries explained

dream 3may2008

2008.05.03

apartment bldg, behind brysons and over one, but not really – it feels like the apts in little havana, – overcast but not rainy, i am walking through the hallway and i am walking to get a tricycle (the huge adult ones like old people use like abuela gypsy used to have before she got frail before she died) so that i can get shit done because there’s a timetable and i need to go home and get stuff and then elsewhere and do stuff and do not want to be here because b is here and there she is in front of me back turned and smoking or trying to light a smoke fucking dammit like when you don’t want something to happen and there is happens and all of a sudden it’s fucking forgiveness dream wherein she is too proud and bitter and pissed and i am indifferent and this is getting her even more upset and i have fucking shit to do lady i need to go and you are making me sad — not sorrow, not grief, not even upset, just…hey, bummer man, — and there’s tony, indifferent or didn’t notice me or whatever but steadfastly Not My Concern and I am leaving and i suddenly have the fucking tricycle except now it’s a bike? and it’s that hot stillness before a storm and as i bike down the street the rain starts and i wake