Happy New Year to everyone. The new Kayo Dot album, Gamma Knife, will be out in a few days. I'll post again when it's released, with more specifics.
I'm redesigning my site to be a bit more simple and modern, as you can see. One of the main things I'm doing is organizing all my past work into the "Archive" section so that it appears more like those pieces are in the past and not current. The reason for this is that in 2012, I'm moving into a new and more focused path for my visual art and want to leave the other stuff behind, in a way. It has bothered me that pretty much all of the artwork I've done, and which has been displayed on my site, has been work that's been done really inexpensively and relatively quickly (relative to the work of "real" visual artists). Usually when I get hired to do some album cover artwork, the budget is so low that I can only spend a few days maximum on a piece. Likewise, with artwork for my own albums, it's always been limited by production deadlines. The result has been that what the public sees of my visual artistic vision is a super-compromised version, and I want to change this.
Mainly, I'm going to try to spend some more time and energy on visual art in 2012 so that what I can present to the public is a more accurate representation of my desires (within feasibility). I feel that I've approached music this way for so long, and it's time for the visual element to catch up. I've realized that visual art is actually a big part of my identity and I've been doing myself a disservice by approaching it as a hobby.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
ISSUE FIVE
- New Kayo Dot album details!
- Kayo Dot spring USA tour
- maudlin of the Well: Bath / Leaving Your Body Map vinyl box set
- Spoken word split 7" for Aniseed Records
- Tartar Lamb 2 shipments!
NEW KAYO DOT ALBUM DETAILS
We've been keeping a bit quiet about this one ever since our concert of new material on October 5, which we recorded for the sake of turning into an official release. For all of you that were there, thanks for showing your support and participating! Here are the release details:
The album contains four songs, runs a little under half an hour, and is entitled Gamma Knife. It was recorded by Toby Driver and Jeremiah Cymerman. It's going to be mixed by Randall Dunn shortly at the end of November, and released IMMEDIATELY after mastering - so, mid-December. Let's say December 16. If you're one of those weird impatient types that makes your best-of-the-year lists before December is over, well, shame on you.
This immediate album release I mentioned is going to be the digital-only version, self-released by the band, without the help of a label. It'll be available on our own website, iTunes, eMusic, etc. etc. And the hardcopy version is going to come just in time for our May 2012 USA tour, possibly through a label. So, look for that sometime in April.
The lineup:
Live ensemble:
Toby Driver - bass, guitar, keys, and vox.
Terran Olson - alto sax.
Dan Means - alto sax.
Keith Abrams - drums.
Tim Byrnes and Ron Varod - audience direction.
with: Mia Matsumiya - violin.
David Bodie - percussion.
Once again featuring lyrics by the inimitable Jason Byron.
SPRING 2012 USA TOUR
We're currently in the process of booking a full-USA tour for May 2012! Yes, full US! It's being handled by our new booking agent Starbird Promotions out of Portland, Oregon. If you'd like to host us at your place, please email Carly at starbirdpromo@gmail.com
MAUDLIN OF THE WELL VINYL BOX SET
I occasionally receive emails from people asking about whether the old maudlin of the Well double album, Bath/Leaving Your Body Map is available to buy. Until now, it hasn't been... it's been sadly out of print on CD for years, and we certainly don't have any extra copies.
However, coming this winter, Antithetic Records (out of Florida) has teamed up with Blood Music (out of Finland) to re-release this legendary double-album on vinyl for the first time ever. This will be a box set, 4 LPs plus a 7-inch of "The Secret Song," (and of course, download codes for all the music) replete with extras such as a brand new poster, 10th-anniversary T-shirt, and maudlin of the Well logo guitar picks (what!!!). Most of these extra items are bonuses that accompany pre-orders only!
Also, we need about 150 pre-orders in order to be able to even go into production, since this is a box set and will be quite expensive to produce. The pressing will be limited to 300 copies.
So! If you're interested, please head over to one of the labels' stores (Antithetic for US and Canada and Blood Music for anywhere else in the world) and pre-order this baby!
BLOOD MUSIC -- Worldwide (except USA/Canada):
http://bloodmusic.bigcartel.com
ANTITHETIC RECORDS -- USA/Canada only:
http://antitheticrecords.storeenvy.com
SPOKEN WORD 7" FOR ANISEED RECORDS
I'm currently in the process of finishing up a very special spoken word track for a series of split 7" records to be released by Aniseed Records out of Australia. The series will also feature Eugene S. Robinson (Ox Bow), Mike Sukys, and others. I think I'm the one holding up production on this. So as soon as I get my track into them, we can expect the record shortly after! More news on actually buying a copy to come later.
TARTAR LAMB II SHIPPING!
Well, it's been almost a year since our kickstarter campaign to produce the Tartar Lamb II album, Polyimage Of Known Exits, and the production process was quite long. We've received a lot of emails asking about the status of the kickstarter and pre-order shipments, and I'm happy to say that the packages have begun to go out. There are a lot of them, so the mailing process will take several more days. Thanks for being so patient!
For all who are expecting the DVD in your packages - we aren't quite finished even making the DVD yet, so when we do finish, we'll send these out under separate cover.
- Kayo Dot spring USA tour
- maudlin of the Well: Bath / Leaving Your Body Map vinyl box set
- Spoken word split 7" for Aniseed Records
- Tartar Lamb 2 shipments!
NEW KAYO DOT ALBUM DETAILS
We've been keeping a bit quiet about this one ever since our concert of new material on October 5, which we recorded for the sake of turning into an official release. For all of you that were there, thanks for showing your support and participating! Here are the release details:
The album contains four songs, runs a little under half an hour, and is entitled Gamma Knife. It was recorded by Toby Driver and Jeremiah Cymerman. It's going to be mixed by Randall Dunn shortly at the end of November, and released IMMEDIATELY after mastering - so, mid-December. Let's say December 16. If you're one of those weird impatient types that makes your best-of-the-year lists before December is over, well, shame on you.
This immediate album release I mentioned is going to be the digital-only version, self-released by the band, without the help of a label. It'll be available on our own website, iTunes, eMusic, etc. etc. And the hardcopy version is going to come just in time for our May 2012 USA tour, possibly through a label. So, look for that sometime in April.
The lineup:
Live ensemble:
Toby Driver - bass, guitar, keys, and vox.
Terran Olson - alto sax.
Dan Means - alto sax.
Keith Abrams - drums.
Tim Byrnes and Ron Varod - audience direction.
with: Mia Matsumiya - violin.
David Bodie - percussion.
Once again featuring lyrics by the inimitable Jason Byron.
SPRING 2012 USA TOUR
We're currently in the process of booking a full-USA tour for May 2012! Yes, full US! It's being handled by our new booking agent Starbird Promotions out of Portland, Oregon. If you'd like to host us at your place, please email Carly at starbirdpromo@gmail.com
MAUDLIN OF THE WELL VINYL BOX SET
I occasionally receive emails from people asking about whether the old maudlin of the Well double album, Bath/Leaving Your Body Map is available to buy. Until now, it hasn't been... it's been sadly out of print on CD for years, and we certainly don't have any extra copies.
However, coming this winter, Antithetic Records (out of Florida) has teamed up with Blood Music (out of Finland) to re-release this legendary double-album on vinyl for the first time ever. This will be a box set, 4 LPs plus a 7-inch of "The Secret Song," (and of course, download codes for all the music) replete with extras such as a brand new poster, 10th-anniversary T-shirt, and maudlin of the Well logo guitar picks (what!!!). Most of these extra items are bonuses that accompany pre-orders only!
Also, we need about 150 pre-orders in order to be able to even go into production, since this is a box set and will be quite expensive to produce. The pressing will be limited to 300 copies.
So! If you're interested, please head over to one of the labels' stores (Antithetic for US and Canada and Blood Music for anywhere else in the world) and pre-order this baby!
BLOOD MUSIC -- Worldwide (except USA/Canada):
http://bloodmusic.bigcartel.com
ANTITHETIC RECORDS -- USA/Canada only:
http://antitheticrecords.storeenvy.com
SPOKEN WORD 7" FOR ANISEED RECORDS
I'm currently in the process of finishing up a very special spoken word track for a series of split 7" records to be released by Aniseed Records out of Australia. The series will also feature Eugene S. Robinson (Ox Bow), Mike Sukys, and others. I think I'm the one holding up production on this. So as soon as I get my track into them, we can expect the record shortly after! More news on actually buying a copy to come later.
TARTAR LAMB II SHIPPING!
Well, it's been almost a year since our kickstarter campaign to produce the Tartar Lamb II album, Polyimage Of Known Exits, and the production process was quite long. We've received a lot of emails asking about the status of the kickstarter and pre-order shipments, and I'm happy to say that the packages have begun to go out. There are a lot of them, so the mailing process will take several more days. Thanks for being so patient!
For all who are expecting the DVD in your packages - we aren't quite finished even making the DVD yet, so when we do finish, we'll send these out under separate cover.
Monday, November 7, 2011
A couple shows this week:
A couple shows this week!
Thursday, Nov. 10 at the Rock Shop in Park Slope, Brooklyn NY. Trio with jeremiah Cymerman and Mario Diaz de Leon... whoa!!!!!!
Saturday, Nov 12 at Lulu's, Greenpoint, Brooklyn NY. Performing with HAZEL-RAH!!!!
Thursday, Nov. 10 at the Rock Shop in Park Slope, Brooklyn NY. Trio with jeremiah Cymerman and Mario Diaz de Leon... whoa!!!!!!
Saturday, Nov 12 at Lulu's, Greenpoint, Brooklyn NY. Performing with HAZEL-RAH!!!!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
maudlin of the Well - Bath & Leaving Your Body Map LP box set!
I occasionally receive emails from people asking about whether the old maudlin of the Well double album, Bath/Leaving Your Body Map is available to buy. Until now, it hasn't been... it's been sadly out of print on CD for years, and we certainly don't have any extra copies.
However, coming this winter, Antithetic Records (out of Florida) has teamed up with Blood Music (out of Finland) to re-release this legendary double-album on vinyl for the first time ever. This will be a box set, 4 LPs plus a 7-inch of "The Secret Song," (and of course, download codes for all the music) replete with extras such as a brand new poster, 10th-anniversary T-shirt, and maudlin of the Well logo guitar picks (what!!!). Most of these extra items are bonuses that accompany pre-orders only!
Also, we need about 150 pre-orders in order to be able to even go into production, since this is a box set and will be quite expensive to produce.
So! If you're interested, please head over to one of the labels' stores (Antithetic for US and Canada and Blood Music for anywhere else in the world) and pre-order this baby!
BLOOD MUSIC -- Worldwide (except USA/Canada):
http://bloodmusic.bigcartel.com
ANTITHETIC RECORDS -- USA/Canada only:
http://antitheticrecords.storeenvy.com
However, coming this winter, Antithetic Records (out of Florida) has teamed up with Blood Music (out of Finland) to re-release this legendary double-album on vinyl for the first time ever. This will be a box set, 4 LPs plus a 7-inch of "The Secret Song," (and of course, download codes for all the music) replete with extras such as a brand new poster, 10th-anniversary T-shirt, and maudlin of the Well logo guitar picks (what!!!). Most of these extra items are bonuses that accompany pre-orders only!
Also, we need about 150 pre-orders in order to be able to even go into production, since this is a box set and will be quite expensive to produce.
So! If you're interested, please head over to one of the labels' stores (Antithetic for US and Canada and Blood Music for anywhere else in the world) and pre-order this baby!
BLOOD MUSIC -- Worldwide (except USA/Canada):
http://bloodmusic.bigcartel.com
ANTITHETIC RECORDS -- USA/Canada only:
http://antitheticrecords.storeenvy.com
Monday, October 24, 2011
This Wednesday!
This past season, I had the pleasure of co-curating a special event - MATA's Interval Festival 5.1 - at Brooklyn's Issue Project Room with composer Ryan Lott (a.k.a Son Lux) to be held this coming Wednesday, October 26 at 8pm.
The gist of the co-curation was that Ryan and I were each to choose a young, early-career composer to present at the Festival (as is MATA's mission). I decided to present Terran Olson, whom almost all of my readers know from his longtime participation in my bands, Kayo Dot, maudlin of the Well, and more recently, Tartar Lamb II. Terran's a great composer, but most of my listeners probably don't know this, since his role in my bands always appears to the public to be a support role. However, Terran has written a great deal of horn and keyboard parts for Kayo Dot (the famous clarinet solo in "The Manifold Curiosity", for example, was penned and performed by Terran). I thought that Terran has not had too much of an opportunity to present his ground-up compositions to our fans, so he was one of my top choices to present here.
Terran's going to premiere a clarinet sonata he wrote for himself on piano and with Kayo Dot's Dan Means on clarinet.
Also performing in the same set will be Joshue Ott and Son Lux. Joshue is a programmer who designed a visual instrument called SuperDraw. With some of this text taken from Son Lux's blog, "During Wednesday night’s show [Joshue] and [Son Lux] will perform custom arrangements of Son Lux material, syncing superDraw with [Son Lux's] audio performance environment over a closed network.
Joshue also built the iPad app/audio-visual instrument Thicket with co-creator Morgan Packard, and he’ll perform 'with' it Wednesday, as well. Thicket will simultaneously generate sound and picture using a combination of custom algorithms, its own inscrutable whim, and Joshue’s guiding hands."
I also believe that Terran and Joshue will be performing a collaborative improvisation as well, using a quadraphonic SuperCollider patch that Terran wrote, processing audio input from Dan's clarinet.
Please come and check this show out if you're able. It's very exciting for me to be able to give Terran an opportunity to present some of his own music, and I'm sure it would mean a lot to him for his long-running fans in KD and motW to come check out some of this, his more personal work.
Issue Project Room at the Old Can Factory, Brooklyn NY, Wednesday, Oct. 26, 8pm.
The gist of the co-curation was that Ryan and I were each to choose a young, early-career composer to present at the Festival (as is MATA's mission). I decided to present Terran Olson, whom almost all of my readers know from his longtime participation in my bands, Kayo Dot, maudlin of the Well, and more recently, Tartar Lamb II. Terran's a great composer, but most of my listeners probably don't know this, since his role in my bands always appears to the public to be a support role. However, Terran has written a great deal of horn and keyboard parts for Kayo Dot (the famous clarinet solo in "The Manifold Curiosity", for example, was penned and performed by Terran). I thought that Terran has not had too much of an opportunity to present his ground-up compositions to our fans, so he was one of my top choices to present here.
Terran's going to premiere a clarinet sonata he wrote for himself on piano and with Kayo Dot's Dan Means on clarinet.
Also performing in the same set will be Joshue Ott and Son Lux. Joshue is a programmer who designed a visual instrument called SuperDraw. With some of this text taken from Son Lux's blog, "During Wednesday night’s show [Joshue] and [Son Lux] will perform custom arrangements of Son Lux material, syncing superDraw with [Son Lux's] audio performance environment over a closed network.
Joshue also built the iPad app/audio-visual instrument Thicket with co-creator Morgan Packard, and he’ll perform 'with' it Wednesday, as well. Thicket will simultaneously generate sound and picture using a combination of custom algorithms, its own inscrutable whim, and Joshue’s guiding hands."
I also believe that Terran and Joshue will be performing a collaborative improvisation as well, using a quadraphonic SuperCollider patch that Terran wrote, processing audio input from Dan's clarinet.
Please come and check this show out if you're able. It's very exciting for me to be able to give Terran an opportunity to present some of his own music, and I'm sure it would mean a lot to him for his long-running fans in KD and motW to come check out some of this, his more personal work.
Issue Project Room at the Old Can Factory, Brooklyn NY, Wednesday, Oct. 26, 8pm.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Mailinglist Newsletter Issue #4 !!!
Greetings, all! Welcome to the fourth edition of our newsletter. As you probably know by now, I only send these out when terrifically exciting things are about to happen, so fasten your seatbelts and read on…
I. Kayo Dot's EP of this past winter, Stained Glass, has just, a few days ago, experienced its vinyl phonograph record release via Antithetic Records! The record's B-Side features a very special remix of the piece, and a poster is included in the package. It's on sale NOW at Antithetic's webstore and SOON at Hydra Head's webstore.
I'm considering not selling it on our own webstore just yet, and saving our copies for when we tour next (see below).
II. NEW Kayo Dot material!!! We have a very special concert lined up on October 5, 2011 at Littlefield in Brooklyn, NY. At this concert, we're going to play a full set of all-new material and record the whole thing. Afterward, we're going to take these recordings home and do a million overdubs. This will be our next album. We hope that as many of you as possible can come to this show, especially because there will be some audience participation, which will be crucial to the sound of the record! That's at Littlefield, Brooklyn NY, October 5, 2011, 7PM, openers TBA.
III. Kayo Dot touring! Yes, we do have more tour plans, and yes, the United States is included this time! Firstly, we're planning a short Western European thing in early December. Secondly, we're planning a U.S. thing (Southeast to West coast!) for May 2012. Anyone interested in helping us with a show, please contact me at this address. Additionally, we need to get a new van for this tour, so if anyone out there has any leads, also please contact me here or at my regular email address, toby@kayodot.net
IV. We also have a couple other shows coming up soon besides the very special October 5th show.
Sept 8 - Boston, MA at Brighton Music Hall - opening for Secret Chiefs 3!!!
Sept 13 - New York, NY at Le Poisson Rouge - opening for Secret Chiefs 3!!! Le Poisson Rouge has a REAL PIANO which we are totally going to fucking use... real pianos at venues are always very special and exciting for us. There is one new song we have that has lots of piano, too. Just sayin'
V. Speaking of Antithetic Records, they are doing a box set of vinyl phonograph record reissues of the classic MAUDLIN OF THE WELL albums, Bath and Leaving Your Body Map! The box set will also feature a 7" of "The Secret Song" as well as some other goodies, and is slated for a winter release this year. Antithetic Records needs only a little over 100 preorders in order to go into production, so please check out some more information about this at their blog.
VI. Speaking of Bath and Leaving Your Body Map, I am finally able to put these albums up on iTunes, eMusic, Spotify, etc. I'm doing it today, and the official digital release date will be this coming Monday, August 8, 2011!
VII. The Tartar Lamb II kickstarter-funded album, Polyimage of Known Exits, is finally here. We're sorry that it took sooo long to produce these vinyl phonograph records. Seriously, an almost five-month turnaround time. Anyway, they have arrived, and we'll be packing and shipping them in the next couple weeks! Check out this purty photo!
VII. Myspace - it sucks! Please DON'T use our myspace page as the definitive source for info about us. Instead, please use our official site, http://www.kayodot.net
I. Kayo Dot's EP of this past winter, Stained Glass, has just, a few days ago, experienced its vinyl phonograph record release via Antithetic Records! The record's B-Side features a very special remix of the piece, and a poster is included in the package. It's on sale NOW at Antithetic's webstore and SOON at Hydra Head's webstore.
I'm considering not selling it on our own webstore just yet, and saving our copies for when we tour next (see below).
II. NEW Kayo Dot material!!! We have a very special concert lined up on October 5, 2011 at Littlefield in Brooklyn, NY. At this concert, we're going to play a full set of all-new material and record the whole thing. Afterward, we're going to take these recordings home and do a million overdubs. This will be our next album. We hope that as many of you as possible can come to this show, especially because there will be some audience participation, which will be crucial to the sound of the record! That's at Littlefield, Brooklyn NY, October 5, 2011, 7PM, openers TBA.
III. Kayo Dot touring! Yes, we do have more tour plans, and yes, the United States is included this time! Firstly, we're planning a short Western European thing in early December. Secondly, we're planning a U.S. thing (Southeast to West coast!) for May 2012. Anyone interested in helping us with a show, please contact me at this address. Additionally, we need to get a new van for this tour, so if anyone out there has any leads, also please contact me here or at my regular email address, toby@kayodot.net
IV. We also have a couple other shows coming up soon besides the very special October 5th show.
Sept 8 - Boston, MA at Brighton Music Hall - opening for Secret Chiefs 3!!!
Sept 13 - New York, NY at Le Poisson Rouge - opening for Secret Chiefs 3!!! Le Poisson Rouge has a REAL PIANO which we are totally going to fucking use... real pianos at venues are always very special and exciting for us. There is one new song we have that has lots of piano, too. Just sayin'
V. Speaking of Antithetic Records, they are doing a box set of vinyl phonograph record reissues of the classic MAUDLIN OF THE WELL albums, Bath and Leaving Your Body Map! The box set will also feature a 7" of "The Secret Song" as well as some other goodies, and is slated for a winter release this year. Antithetic Records needs only a little over 100 preorders in order to go into production, so please check out some more information about this at their blog.
VI. Speaking of Bath and Leaving Your Body Map, I am finally able to put these albums up on iTunes, eMusic, Spotify, etc. I'm doing it today, and the official digital release date will be this coming Monday, August 8, 2011!
VII. The Tartar Lamb II kickstarter-funded album, Polyimage of Known Exits, is finally here. We're sorry that it took sooo long to produce these vinyl phonograph records. Seriously, an almost five-month turnaround time. Anyway, they have arrived, and we'll be packing and shipping them in the next couple weeks! Check out this purty photo!
VII. Myspace - it sucks! Please DON'T use our myspace page as the definitive source for info about us. Instead, please use our official site, http://www.kayodot.net
Thursday, March 24, 2011
New artwork up, new music, MOTW live!?!?!
Hey all, I've been slacking on this blog for a while - sorry! Guess my head's been in other places.
I returned home just a few weeks ago from a really great (mostly Eastern) European tour with Kayo Dot. It was definitely the most positive European touring experience for our band yet... a good sign!
For our homecoming show in NYC on March 15, our former guitarist Greg Massi sat in with us, and we played, as a very special surprise, an old maudlin of the Well song - "Stones of October's Sobbing" !!! It was enormously enjoyable for us, and to make it even better, this was a song that we were never actually able to pull off back ten years ago as maudlin of the Well. We tried a few times, but just couldn't do it! Not sure why, as it's not too difficult, but it's an encouraging thought to think we must be growing as musicians.
I just updated the site today with some recent artwork, and links to some of the more recent recordings. The TARTAR LAMB II album, Polyimage of Known Exits, has been released digitally (listen to it at http://tartarlamb.com), and the vinyl version will be out in about 6 weeks from now.
For all who didn't know, I play bass in another band called VAURA, which is kind of a goth/pop/black metal thing. The band also features Kevin Hufnagel from Dysrhythmia and Gorguts. We begin recording our first album next week with Colin Marston, which will be released on WIERD Records this fall! Vaura plays regu7larly around NYC, so come check us out sometime.. next one is May 22 at Death By Audio.
I returned home just a few weeks ago from a really great (mostly Eastern) European tour with Kayo Dot. It was definitely the most positive European touring experience for our band yet... a good sign!
For our homecoming show in NYC on March 15, our former guitarist Greg Massi sat in with us, and we played, as a very special surprise, an old maudlin of the Well song - "Stones of October's Sobbing" !!! It was enormously enjoyable for us, and to make it even better, this was a song that we were never actually able to pull off back ten years ago as maudlin of the Well. We tried a few times, but just couldn't do it! Not sure why, as it's not too difficult, but it's an encouraging thought to think we must be growing as musicians.
I just updated the site today with some recent artwork, and links to some of the more recent recordings. The TARTAR LAMB II album, Polyimage of Known Exits, has been released digitally (listen to it at http://tartarlamb.com), and the vinyl version will be out in about 6 weeks from now.
For all who didn't know, I play bass in another band called VAURA, which is kind of a goth/pop/black metal thing. The band also features Kevin Hufnagel from Dysrhythmia and Gorguts. We begin recording our first album next week with Colin Marston, which will be released on WIERD Records this fall! Vaura plays regu7larly around NYC, so come check us out sometime.. next one is May 22 at Death By Audio.
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