The Manic Mechanic

Jeff and I met 14 years ago on October 23, 2000. That was yesterday (Thursday). Until we got married, Oct. 23 was our "unofficial official" anniversary date, one we'd always celebrate with a dinner out. While our marriage date has become the "official" anniversary, we will continue to celebrate both days. Why? Well, because it's fun and nice and we get to have a special dinner in unusual places and we can get all sappy and lovey and just plain be happy. So, as has been our tradition all these years, we went out for dinner, trying to pick some place where we never had been before. As it turns out, we didn't have to travel more than about a mile from the the house to a restaurant that opened a couple years ago but one we had not explored yet, saving it for, well, a special occasion. Funny how that turned out. This new place, Sushi Tendou, turned out to be a delightful little Japanese steakhouse. The menu was packed with selections, and we were settling on some interesting things we never had before. Now, I'm not sure exactly why this happened, perhaps being a stone's throw from La Casa Mayhem, or the way that strange things seem to happen to me, but the system they have playing new age-y styled Oriental-tinged music begins playing a song very familiar to me, but one I had not heard in many years, "Midnight in Moscow," also known as "Moscow Nights." Why a Japanese steakhouse would begin playing a very Russian song in a light new age style is beyond me, and it took me a few seconds for the minor keys to register in my brain. Once that happened... I lost it.

This was my Mom's favorite song.

A little bit of history is needed. In the mid-1950s, Mom was settling into her life as an American citizen, having left stateside Army duty as a WAC during the Korean war, and starting to build a domestic life that eventually settled in Maryland not far from where I am today. She got married, Mom and Dad moving into a new home yet still remaining connected to the Army at nearby Ft. Meade. She had come a long way from her early life that began in Kiev, Russia. Around this time "Moscow Nights" was written, being initially penned in 1955 then reworked a bit to become what it is to this day. In 1956 the song was recorded for use in a documentary movie. The movie didn't get very far, but the song became unexpectedly popular. The song won an international song contest, and became popular worldwide, especially, oddly, in mainland China as well. My mother had become more than a tad homesick, as you would imagine, by the time she was settling down. Via shortwave radio, she heard the song first via Radio Moscow. A few years later, this undeniably Russian song was recorded by, of all things, a British jazz group called Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen, which had a U.S. hit that peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 right about the time I was born. So now this Russian song that made a circuitous trip from Mom's homeland and eventually finding it's way to our shores as a New Orleans-style jazz makeover, became permanently attached to me as well. In 1966, when she figured I was old enough to travel, Mom and I made our way back to Mother Russia, where I was shown off to her family. I actually remember quite a bit from back then. I was very big and strong for my age, and when Mom's mother asked what she was feeding me, she told her I ate a lot of oatmeal. It was then that I was introduced to Russian oatmeal. I think it was more like oats they fed to horses. Blecch! It was also the time I was introduced to Mom's old friend Alyosha, who worked with electronics and I believe was an aerospace engineer. He also spoke English and he and I hit it off immediately. He saw my very early precociousness with mechanical and electrical things, as well as my extreme interest with things that fly. He and I made several forms of paper airplanes, flying whirlygigs and other fluttering, twisting and soaring bits made from paper. By several, I mean lots. Hundreds, maybe more. We tried different things and tossed them from the window of Alyosha's high-up apartment. I don't know how many things were "designed" and flown from that window. but the street below looked like a parade had gone by. Paper littered the area like autumn leaves. Somewhere in La Casa is a Russian kid's book that I used to be able to read quite well from back in those days, though now I can only at best fake a Russian accent. More importantly, inside that book is a paper airplane that Alyosha made for me. Alyosha and I had a lot of fun. Much more importantly, he worked with me using some of his electronic and electrical bits he had at home. He convinced Mom that I had a natural talent for this sort of thing, to the point where he was practically astounded. He urged Mom to have me pursue these interests as my vocation. It was then she realized I was not taking my toys apart just to be destructive, but I was using the parts to make my own versions of my toys. I have vague memories of a lot of things Mom and I did on that trip, which took us not only to Russia, but had stopovers in Prague, London and I believe France. I got lots of interesting toys that may have strained Mom's meager wages, the one thing I remember well was a die-cast model of James Bond's Aston Martin DB5 from Thunderball, which was equipped with all the awesome gadgetry as the one in the film. I wish I still had it (it'd be worth a mint if mint), it was lost or stolen soon after I had gotten back home. Mom's beloved takeaway from the trip was a 78rpm recording of the original version of "Подмосковные вечера (Moscow Nights)" on the Russian state label Μелодия (Melodiya). That record remains safely ensconced in the record collections here. My life took a turn for the better on that trip, and upon coming back to the states, we began visiting hobby stores, and it was that time I discovered Radio Shack. That, dear readers, was my heaven. As things turned out, a seemingly agonizingly long 16 years later, I took an electronic engineering and test job which was involved in the building of fighter jets and radar systems. Funny that, from paper airplanes and little electrical and mechanical experiments to this. And from Russia with love, apparently.

Fast forward to last Thursday once again. Jeff was suddenly confronted with me doing a total 180 from our happy perusal of dozens of sushi and seafood items to me having a complete breakdown in less than five seconds. It took me a while to regain enough composure to tell him why and to ease his worried look. I was being bombarded with memories too fast to sort them all out, but I began rambling with stories from my deep past. I managed to gather myself up enough to give my order to the now somewhat concerned waitress then sat there awash in pleasant memories. Jeff said it was Mom's way of joining us for our special night. He's right, I suppose, and what better way to make an entrance. We had a very enjoyable meal, and added the little restaurant to our must-go-again-especially-with-friends list. And if the initial shock and aawww from hearing the song didn't make me feel there was something more to this special night, hearing it being played once again(!) just before we were finishing up kinda made it clear.

Happy Anniversary, Jeff.

( Hear the music )

I posted this video ages ago, but the original YouTube video was long taken down and there wasn't any replacements until late last year. Needless to say, I made sure to save my own local copy. This is Yes, playing "Parallels" from the album Going for the One. Unlike the finished product from the album, or the rather thin, early vocal rehearsal mix included in the recent Rhino reissue, this take shows the band playing the tune more as an energetic instrumental jam with Jon Andersen sitting out. Unlike the Rhino rehearsal/demo take, this one has the glorious church organ at Saint Martin's Church in Vevey, Switzerland, high in the mix. It also demonstrates, by Chris Squire's highly technical playing, this track was originally meant for inclusion in Squire's solo effort Fish Out of Water but was left out because he didn't feel it fit in with the overall style and feel of that record. I love the energy in the room, the guys are playing locked and tight, and "Parallels" takes on a different life as a pure instrumental.

Oh, how I wish the sound quality of this track were better. For its time, this track pushed the envelope a bit for studio recording by utilizing a bidirectional, high-fidelity stereo telephone link feed between St. Martin's and the studio (Mountain Studios, Montreux) to allow real time playing and recording of Rick Wakeman and the pipe organ while the rest of the band and the engineers did their thing in the studio. The resulting album track is a soaring treat for the ears, the organ serving as a constant backdrop for the harmonizing vocals and Steve Howe's practically airborne lead/rhythm guitar before taking the lead later in the song. Synths are cool and all, but you can't beat a bigass pipe organ for presence. I also kinda giggle at this video, since around the time this was recorded, I had about the same hair as Alan White (drums). And the same 'stache. Well, it was the '70s, after all.

This tune, repeated a few times as well as others were the backdrop to my day. It helped make the day better.

Any time I hear or read "Istanbul", the auto-complete routine in my brain, scrambled as it is, adds "not Constantinople", then I am subjected to a half day-long earworm of said song by They Might Be Giants. I decided to share this time, here's the wonderful version starring Plucky Duck and the Tiny Toons.

Other news from around Mayhem Acres, Snickles continues his painfully long assimilation into family life here. It's at times a rocky road to ride, what with teething, chewing and barking that puppies are wont to do, but there are also those moments of starry-eyed schmoopiness that make it all worth it. I will write more in a State of the Pooch entry later on.

I am finally clearing out the long-neglected Lab of Mayhem of hundreds of pounds of obsolete and worthless electronic gear and other cruft, carrying this activity into the garage as well. Some of the stuff is being dismantled into the few remaining usable parts, the bulk is going into boxes to be taken to the recycling center. The lab itself is getting an overhaul as well, with some new tools and supplies obtained to make and repair stuff built with surface-mount components. I've also taken some of the reclaimed parts and cobbled them into usable items; an old fluorescent arm lamp, a salvaged DC fan and filters for a range hood became a soldering fume extractor, and ancient spectrum analyzer has been brought back to life with donated components, and a number of collected items have been finally installed and put to use. I want to get this all done before the weather breaks and I spend more time outside.

Health wise, I've noticed more healing of nerves in my legs and feeling returning to my feet in the last few months. I had resigned myself to never having normal feeling and abilities in my legs post-spine surgery, but I am not stumbling as often as I had been, and I can resolve temperatures better in my lower extremities. I might not have a future as an acrobat or b-boying, but anything is better than previous numbness.

I hope all is well with my fine readers this week. Stop in and chat a while!

Once again, OK Go have come up with yet another entertaining video. This one started life a Super Bowl commercial, with only the intro being seen on TV, with a link to see the rest online. The click was well worth it. Embiggenate and crank the volume for best effect.

There is an article in a recent Car and Driver magazine here at the house that gave details on the making of the video, the history of the band themselves, and how OK Go have morphed away from the typical label-slave "indie" band to plying their craft as they do now, as a series of sponsored videos being the main attraction as well as live shows. I gotta give the guys props for making music that is as much fun to watch as listen to.

Here at the Garage of Mayhem we have a place not just where cars get worked on and modified, or stuff being welded together amongst a shower of sparks and a blare of heavy metal music, it's also a place of culture. Many different facets of culture, in fact. Sometimes two diagonally opposite forms of music and performance can meet with an amazing outcome. On the surface, one would think that classical music and the moves of hip-hop street dancing would be completely incompatible with one another. Well, let me take you to school for a few moments.

The performance below is a collaboration between world-renown cellist Yo-Yo Ma and LA street dancer Lil Buck. This interpretation of Camille Saint-Saëns' "The Dying Swan" shows the power and moves of street dancing usually accompanied by breakbeats can become as graceful and emotional as ballet. Yo-Yo Ma's emotive playing melds perfectly with the amazing footwork and body control that Lil Buck brings. While hip-hop is generally not my style, I am often blown away by some of the dancing. Impressive how it can work so well with different soundtracks.

I've had this in my bookmarks and have been meaning to share for months now, but, as usual, it was forgotten among more pressing issues. I hope you enjoyed!

Many of you might remember the little "lip-sync meme" that blew through LJ, where so many of us entertained each other with our own versions of various tunes and skits, all inspired by the rotund kid dubbing "Numa Numa." It was huge fun, back in the heyday of LJ. Unfortunately, many participants have moved away from the LJ platform, and, sadder still, some are no longer with us. I'd like to think that perhaps a couple people involved in this slightly more involved version might have been inspired by our musical foray (not "foyer"). This time, it's not just a few people at home, but a whole city. Grand Rapids, Michigan, to be exact. This amazing bit of work was shot in one continuous take, with everyone right on cue. So, if I may have a mere ten minutes of your time, I think you'll come away smiling. Presenting: The Grand Rapids Lip Dub.

My only wish was to not show the chopper at the end. The camera effect would have been a lot more magical.

Go out to teh ghey dance clubs often? Here is the latest song that you'll quickly tire of due to its inevitable ubiquity. Not to mention the 50-plus obligatory remixes that will surely follow. So, like bread or fish, enjoy it while it's fresh!

Lady GaGa - Born This Way

( Lyrics: )

I'm an atheist, most people know that. I let people live their lives and quietly let those who attempt to press dogma on me that, thanks, but no thanks, it's not how I roll. That being said, I do have a soft spot in my heart for certain religiously-themed music (and art, films, etc) as a genre. There's no denying the energy of a gospel choir (think of The Color Purple) or the intricate interplay of a quartet singing in a cathedral with soaring acoustics. Now comes a time of year when there is almost no escaping the Songs of the Season. Yeah, it's Christmastime, and everything from television commercials to background Muzak systems are belting out all the old standards. Some radio stations here switch programming right before Thanksgiving to an all-holiday music format. And most will slip in a Xmas-themed song into their playlist at times. I admit having a certain fondness for a lot of Christmas music. Not for any of the messages, mind you, but for the sake of my family traditions and the memories the tunes often evoke. I'm an old softie. But there are certain tunes that just rub me the wrong way. By far the worst is that sappy, manipulative dreck called "Christmas Shoes" by Newsong. I was thumbing through radio stations earlier and came across the song being played on a country music station (go figure). I. Absolutely. Detest. That. Song. But rather than try to explain to my dear readers as to why my bile rises when I hear that tune (though most can figure it out pretty easily), I'm going to let comedian Patton Oswalt perform a perfect deconstruction of the song along with the most hilarious graphics in the following video:

I'm not mean spirited, but this sums up my feelings about that song, and others in the same vein. Sad thing is, some people just soak up this stuff, and lots of money gets made. If it makes people happy, though, I guess it can't be all bad. Maybe just a bit misdirected.

What's my favorite song of the season? It might be a bit long in the tooth by now, but when I first heard this on my way to work one cold morning, I ended up cranking up the megawatt Alpine audio system in my old truck to the point I smelled the speakers' voice coils burning. Here was my love for classical music that I acquired at a very young age coupled with my absolute need to rock (also acquired at the same young age) mixed in with the memories of all the fun Xmases of my youth, seasoned with a bit of the Russian flavor of my heritage:

Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Eve Sarajevo

Do yourself a favor and crank it up with me.

I knew that the music industry needed a shakeup, and the bands themselves should do more in the way of self-promotion. Well, it's come to pass in this case, and it brings pimpin' your own goods to a deliciously NSFW level.

Here's the best deal you will find on rentboy.com! SO Not Safe For Work!

Yesterday, the music world lost someone that might be unfamiliar to most people, but his influence is known by many fans of music in the last 40 years. Alex Chilton was once a member of the 60s group The Box Tops, their most popular songs being "The Letter", "Soul Deep" and "Cry Like A Baby". He went on to for a group called Big Star in the 70s to little commercial success, but his stylings drove the band to influence many bands' sound. like R.E.M, The Bangles, and The Posies, among others. Alex guested with The Replacements, who penned a song with his name as the title. It's a fitting tribute to one of the greatest 'unknown' artists that was, indeed, known by millions, if indirectly.

They even remembered him during today's US House of Representative session (C-SPAN video).

Alex was to have played at the SXSW Music Festival. He died of an apparent heart condition at only 59 years old.

The Replacements
"Alex Chilton"

Thanks, Alex, for all those power pop riffs through the years.