Head The Gong

My work/play for this weekend consisted of trying to get a good live acoustic/vocals sound, so I can start recording tunes live with minimal effort and still have them sound decent. I did a version of a two-chord song called “I am alive,” which has evolved (but not beyond two chords) over several recordings over … Continue reading "Sunday Dustbin: I am alive"

Yeah, I’ve been listening to The Black Keys a lot lately. Here’s some blues wanking that has my ears ringing: Blood-red house.mp3 Got on my hands and knees and I begged my disease Said “Beg you darling, please. I need some release. If you let me off the hook this time, I’ll do anything.” She … Continue reading "Sunday Dustbin: Blood-red house"

This Sunday’s session: Floating leaves.mp3 When you at last returned to me The sky was full of floating leaves I didn’t forget to catch one for you I stood outside under our favorite tree and waited there for it to come to me

Stephen Murtaugh, Robbie Scruggs and Ben Dunlap have been rocking the Chapel Hill music scene as the power trio Transportation since the turn of the century. The first time I saw these guys at The Cave, circa 2000, I was hooked. They crank out a big, 70’s Rock sound, with killer harmonies and a loose, … Continue reading "Music Spotlight: Transportation"

I used to do a weekly thing on my MySpace page called “Dustcast,” to motivate myself to create on a regular basis. I pumped out maybe nine or so “episodes” before it slipped my mind—for the next couple of years. But hey, what can you do except get back on the horse. And if the … Continue reading "Isaac’s Dustbin: Love ain’t for keepin’"

One minute I’m home winding down in my PJ’s and the next I’m wearing a blond wig, standing next to Eric Wallen, and head-banging to a Black Sabbath cover band. That can happen on Halloween in Carrboro, NC. Of course, Eric’s hair is the real rock n’ roll deal, and he’s known all about town … Continue reading "Music Spotlight: My Dear Ella’s Blonde Baby"

Who knows why certain things capture our imaginations. A few weeks ago my friend Bill posted a Joan Halifax essay on his blog called “The Lucky Dark.” The phrase comes from a translation of a St. John of the Cross poem, and basically it refers to all the dark, scary shit that we hate—like suffering, … Continue reading "Seventh time’s a charm"

So I woke up from a nap yesterday, shuffled into my little studio, and dazedly recorded this little song before it drifted back into the ether. Goodbye Allison.mp3 No, I don’t know anyone named Allison, and yeah, I suppose taking a picture of myself immediately after each new recording is pretty weird. Given the sad … Continue reading "Goodbye Allison"

I felt like crap today after a late night out reacquainting myself with the Carrboro music scene. However, I promised myself I would record something this weekend, come hell or high water, so I pushed through the fog and pushed out the following piece of strangeness. Green Desk Studios is back in business. Godspeed.mp3 The … Continue reading "Godspeed"