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31 May 2012

Things in Light Podcast #20: Mostly Noise Mix

Unknown


Noise music isn't for everyone. But, for those of us that it is for, well, there's nothing else quite like it. I could get all academic and prattle on about perception or signals and signatures, but what it really comes down to is a visceral reaction to sound. If you're of the noise-lovin' persuasion, New Mexico — and Burque in particular is a damn fine place to call home. Things in Light is pleased to present our twentieth podcast, Mostly Noise Mix, featuring Summer Assassins (Raven Chacon and John Dieterich), Anna Mall, Postcommodity, William Fowler Collins, Luperci, Father of the Flood, TAHNZzz, Cinik, and Dan K. See the full track listing below.




1. Summer Assassins - Creeping of the Foul (excerpt)
2. Anna Mall - Vivre Se Vie
3. Postcommodity - Piles of Cougar Pelts (excerpt)
4. William Fowler Collins - Slow Motion Prayer Circle
5. Luperci - Excarnation III
6. Father of the Flood - The Wind Which Carries Your Scent
7. TAHNZzz - Ground Levels
8. Cinik - The Scene in Which the Villain Escapes
9. Dan K. - CLONÆZÆPÆM


24 May 2012

A Note To Our Readers About the John Drake Project

Rudolfo Carrillo

Last night, at about nine in the evening, the official mascot of Things in Light, Rosie the Dog, died suddenly, following surgery for cancer. She was beloved by me and by Samantha. We had hoped for the best, but sometimes freedom from the flesh is the best one can hope for in this world.

She will be forever missed and held in our hearts and minds here, there, and everywhere.

Coincidentally, John Drake died with her. The reason for that is simple. Rosie inspired some damn fine reflection upon the past, and subsequently, some writing about that past taking place in Burque. We posted that output at our old stomping grounds.

Reading through the morning news, I note that a discussion on Duke City Fix mentions Drake. One commenter puts forth the proposition that we here at TiL were " ...just screwing with this site. One might even say he was trying to get even by "saving" Duke City Fix."

Nothing could be further from the truth. The John Drake project was sincere, folks. It was meant to be a way to disperse the grief of our household, a grief and shock that grew as we cared for a much-loved companion who was dying. That we chose an uncommon and gestural way to accomplish that goal may be unusual, but its roots in postmodernism are undeniable and just fine, by our standards.

There was never any attempt to save that other site. Nor was there any malice involved in its manifestation. We are not eccentrics or agitators. We are dadaists and artists. We have no grudge to bear or any illusion about our ability to revive any person, animal, or website, living or dead.

If our posts generated more traffic over there, then that is a good thing, but that was not our goal. Our goal was to embrace the spirit of an animal we really loved, to make her the star of something that is greater than any of us puny humans.

Certainly, we have issues with both the content and powers that be over there, and have made them clear over the time it has taken to create this successful and hep site that you are visiting now.

We do not seek fame or acknowledgment from the folks over there. Some of them were friends. We take our work seriously. But it also says a lot about DCF that the detractors and doubters have center stage, can say things that are just downright foolish, are poor judges of character, and intention.

The publishers of this blog are both published writers who have significant credentials, by the way. It seems hurtful and unkind to us that what we did has been misjudged as the work of people that wear "tin-foil hats".

But whatever. This site, those John Drake posts, the inspiration for it all came from our interaction with our dear friend and companion, Rosie.

The world is a rough place. We work for its betterment, without concern for ourselves. That's punk rock, sabes?

19 May 2012

Lunch with John Drake

Rudolfo Carrillo


By Rudolfo Carrillo


Well, folks, my old buddy from grad school, name of John Drake, appeared at my doorstep a couple hours ago to tell me about his latest adventure.


He had a bag full of burgers from McDonald's in his right hand and in his left carried the fearful scepter of Huitzilopochtli. Said he wanted to have lunch and did I fancy a Big Mac or a Quarter Pounder with cheese.


I told him to leave the snake stick on the porch, as one never knows what sort of deviltry might follow it in.


Speaking in grateful and hungry tones about how I preferred the secret sauce for which the former meat sangwich was famous,  Drake ambled in, set up some napkins at the coffee table and commenced to talking and taking chunks out of the Quarter Pounder with his big, toothsome mouth. I meanwhile traipsed into the kitchen and poured two awful strong cups of joe.


John went on and on about this and that before he settled on his discourse for the day. I told him that the burger was damn good but he just smiled mournfully and began rambling about a survey he was conducting.


It came out that Drake had been posting blogs on my old-timey place of residence, a cyber-location known to townies and carpetbaggers alike as Duke City Fix.


He knew it was decent writing but of course didn't match up with the fanciful mierda I had been known to generate whilst in the midst of any number of transdimensional dislocations for which I am notorious.


I let him have that point, as I reckon I am the poorest writer that ever was, and so don't give a good goddamn which way the wind blows around the stuff leaking out my computer terminal and onto the page.


He went on, sayin' more than a few, and probably a majority, liked what he was doing, but that he was troubled by those who couldn't cotton to what he had written. They told him stuff on the survey that was mean and angry, saying he was arrogant, narcissistic, egotistical,and didn't know what the hell he was doing.


When I finished the glorious meat sangwich that Drake had provided me free and clear, I gave some attention to his lament.


It went something like this.


Despite your best efforts, Mr. Drake, DCF continues to suffer from a plague of trolls, spammers, and miscreants who basically have free run of the place because there are no longer any committed moderators.


There are plenty of excellent folks over there though. Many of the posts and discussions are still thought-provoking, well-written and all of that. In fact, I told him, a couple of my Facebook friends use the site often and they are fine folks, to be sure. I really like the posts by that dude, Davis I think he is called, from over at Popejoy, and Ms. Cohen sure does take some pretty chido photos of the town.


Drake nearly choked on his cheeseburger when I said all that, and then intoned gravely:


Didn't they treat you like hell? Didn't they marginalize you and resort to questionable tactics when you, among all the other DCF advocates, administrators, and contributors, dissented on account of their unwise editorial and contributory policies?


Yes, I said, I reckon they did. After more than two years, the publisher and editor still treated me as a second-class citizen and an outsider; when I brought that fact up, those two, they acted outraged and claimed that I wanted to run the place, have it all to myself, or that I was really hunting around for vig. That was not just unkind, and untrue, I reminded Drake, it was the kinda bullshit  groupthink, that when practiced properly, practically assured their obsolescence in the Albuquerque electronic media scene.


That is why, in essence, I told them to go to hell.


The problem is, I continued, those folks running the DCF, and the trolls they let wander joyfully through their joint, get outta whack anytime they are challenged. The former see themselves as some sort of enlightened creative cult, while the latter, well, they just take advantage of the privileges granted by their masters. Mostly those are of a sort that disdains education and intellectuals, so seeing how your degree is from Brunel and all, you probably didn't stand a snowball's chance. You mostly gotta ignore those factors and factions, if you wanna keep on sending stuff to put up on their webpage.


Some of them really do believe they are the cat's meow, Drake managed, with a smirk.


Well, thats just fine too, says I. Maybe they are, in their world; you never know. But, speak up, I told him and don't stop. You are doing a good thing by standing up; plus which your writing is improving, too.  You ought to learn to love all of them, anywho, because they are human just like you and me.


By this time, Drake had gotten nervous and was eyballin' his watch. Suddenly, the secret agent jumped up, said something about an "Orange Alert" and shimmied out the front door.
I heard his Triumph TR-3 zoom off. I retired to my terminal to read his output and write this post.


Not bad for an Englishman, I told myself and the dogs, as my mouse pointer hovered poetically and electronically over John Drake's oeuvre.

16 May 2012

Things in Light Podcast #19: Ersa Mix

Unknown
Things in Light's nineteenth podcast, Ersa Mix, features recordings by the Grave of Nobody's Darling, Sad Baby Wolf, Venus Bogardus, Friends of Ya Ya Boom, North America, Tropical Girls, Leeches of Lore, Bigawatt, and A Hawk and A Hacksaw. See the full track listing below.


1. the Grave of Nobody's Darling - Lake Havasu
2. Sad Baby Wolf - Everything Is (Neutral Milk Hotel cover)
3. Venus Bogardus - Dance-Collision [Chaz] 
4. Friends of Ya Ya Boom - Trash in the Grass (Trashio Postscript by Bud Melvin)
5. North America - Wet Dream
6. Tropical Girls feat. Glowhouse - Late Night
7. Leeches of Lore - Giant Sloth
8. Bigawatt - Anguria
9. A Hawk and A Hacksaw - Lujtha Lassu



09 May 2012

ABQ MTV: Cactus Fractal

Unknown
Things in Light is pleased to present the seventh installment of ABQ MTV.

► First, check out the new Leeches of Lore video for "Mountain Candy Rape," featuring an eye-catching mixture of live action footage and creative collage, cardboard signage, and puppetry. 



► Second, 1...2...and don't forget to breathe while watching Tropical Girls' manipulated found footage music video for "Exercise."





► Finally, zone out to Dan Gottwald's psychedelic video, "This is Natural," featuring the sounds of The Analogous Ensemble  played by Dan Gottwald with trombone accompaniment by Christian Pincock.


05 May 2012

Things in Light Podcast #18: Tarantula Mix

Unknown


Things in Light's eighteenth podcast, Tarantula Mix, features recordings by The Drags, Leeches of Lore, Venus Bogardus, Mrdrbrd, These Charming Cobras, Austin Morrell & the Alchemists, Trilobite, Mono-Stereo, and Vomit the Void Volume. See the full track listing below.

 

1. The Drags - Tarantula
2. Leeches of Lore - That Old Brain Rapin' Highway
3. Venus Bogardus - Analog Underground
4. Mrdrbrd - We Want You Dead 
5. These Charming Cobras - Tarantula
6. Austin Morrell & The Alchemists - Damaged Goods
7. Trilobite - Silver Skin
8. Mono-Stereo - Nogiziaketak
9. Vomit the Void Volume - Until the Wind Doesn't Know Me

04 May 2012

ABQ MTV: From the '80s

Unknown

Things in Light is pleased to present the sixth installment of ABQ MTV.

First up, check out the funky sorta art rock-slash-new wave sound of Taos-based band The Refrigerators, performing "Dawn Patrol" in 1981.




Second, indulge in the prog-funk stylings of The Wet Sox, performing "DDD & E" in 1981, as well.




Third, here's a short film by Alan Swain called Kitchen Parties. It introduces the viewer to authentic Burque '80s house party culture via documentary footage and Albuquerque streetscapes including one scene that features the notoriously greasy Vip's Big Boy. Soundtrack by Jerry's Kidz.




The final entry in this installment isn't technically a music video, but es lo más chingón, so we had to we had include it Treadmill's cover of Peter Gabriel's "Shock the Monkey."

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