Monday is just a day between weekends

China Pics!

We are back on our home soil, safe and sound. I've been updating my Flickr account with pictures from our tour of China. 

Check it out!: Flickr



bill

Blocked in China

In Beijing now, looking for an american breakfast and pandas. They don't let us use blogger over here, it's blocked. I figured out how to write this post but it's a real hassle so in the meantime you won't be hearing very much from us. Expect lots of pictures, video, and some wild stories soon enough though. cheers!

R.I.P

make the muzik with yr mouth

Toronto, it's been grand.

We're poking around at Chuck's house. Pat ventured out in the interminable rain to get some health food provisions a little while ago. To be fair, it didn't rain yesterday until later, and we spent the bulk of our day off at another Midas learning more bad news about our brakes, that we thought were fixed forever in Colorado on our last U.S. tour. But apparently, if you do a bad job fixing the brakes, they never. quite. get. fixed..uggh. REFUND!

It might just be time to put the old girl down...

Things got better later once we hit Kensington Market, where it felt a little St. Marks NYC, a little hippie college main drag, and a little Jamaica, but better. Everything was closing down for the day, but the mashup of crusty punks drinking on the sidewalk, immigrants running souvenir shops and arty white people populating cafes made me feel like we were finally seeing another side to the city that we missed last time we were through.

Earlier we ate at Mitzi's and were interviewed by a 17-year old writer for the Singing Lamb. Her brother had made her a necklace out of t-shirt scraps that looked just like our stage decor, pretty rad. Definitely our youngest interviewer, and hopefully our unsolicited inspirational/guidance life advice wasn't too heavy...

At the interview, I ordered THE ULTIMATE BREAKFAST SANDWICH (their name, not mine). It was, in reality, a PRETTY GOOD breakfast sandwich, and featured kimchee, eggs, bacon and red pepper aioli. Bill is threatening to call me "KIMCHEE" from now on since we decided to have band nick names. His is "SNARE".

Both shows went off without a hitch, despite it being that generally crazy festival thing (NXNE) where we're trying to wire up all our piles of gear on a wet stage in half the time that it usually takes for all the cables and pedals to get connected while a harried sound person is trying to find where the DI box is buried. We have a lot of experience playing weird, rushed, no sound check situations it seems. It's usually ok, as long as there's not some bummer music being played over the PA before we play. But I digress, I think people liked it, and some kids came out a second time last night for our 2 AM set at The Silver Dollar Room. I kept cracking loungey night club jokes all night, but I don't think anyone got it..much like the other jokes I mumble when we play.

David Chapelle, Iam not. Maybe I am more like David LaChapelle??
So then my jokes are more like this--


Another weird thing that happened on this tour was because of this crappy place in Boston called PA's Lounge. I don't recommend anyone play there ever, and generally don't think people do play there or want to go there. Our show was fine, the sound guy was super nice, and this kid Nathan helped us jump on the bill last minute, but he ended up getting burned because the real booker wasn't there and the club takes the first $130 from the door for 'booking fees'. So he paid us $50 out of his own pocket because the club tried to give $45 to be split between 4 bands! None of the locals were paid and the other touring band were paid out of pocket too.

Pat had SOME WORDS with the owner about fairness and we went back to Mark's house a little dejected.

So guess what happens before our first Toronto show! Some ANONYMOUS bar owner in Boston calls Sneaky Dee's to tell them that we destroyed their club and will graffitti Sneaky Dee's too! Fortunately the bartender who answered the call is also a touring musician and thought the call was super petty, and even called the Beer Mug in Erie for us--where we're playing tonight-- to warn them about a crank call from this guy. WTF?

For the record, we don't tag bars. BORING.

And bands aren't just a reason to sell drinks.

Ah June in April, day after day of rain, New England feels like England and I'm asking myself what's up with this...but I know in July, while touring around China, I'll be wishing for this perfect sleeping weather.
After great nights in Brooklyn, Providence and Burlington, VT we are in Amherst, MA at the University. There's a new student parent dinner going on right beside the room where we are playing. We had to stop sound check after some of the organizers looked through the glass windows of the doors at us like "what the hell is that racket!"
Now, they're all settled with, say, their chicken cordon blue and ice burg lettuce.
Last night in Burlington, VT we had such a rad time. This kid Nick threw the show with his friend Toby in a big raw brick, wood floor rustic gallery and cafe space. It sat on the edge of town where they have the local farmer's market, just on the edge of the rails. All the artists were extreme, using noise and circuit bending as their forms. They didn't just push buttons either. They got into it. There's something awesome about watching someone grip a contact mic and freak out with it. It's maximum minimalism.
We went on after the sixth performer. There was supposed to be seven more after us. The audience was really feeling it and so were we. It was a Sunday night in a really welcoming town and there we were, partying down, completely oblivious of this thing called Monday. Anna was wearing her cape she wore at Death By Audio and the jump suit.
She looked awesome.
And after we were done we felt awesome, until the cops came. And it was over. Sorry to those who didn't get to play. Let's reconvene in the fall.
--Pat

High Brow, Low Brow

The Stars Like Fleas PopRally show at MoMA last night was a success!

Here is a funny blog recap that uses the word hipster as synonymous with anyone in a costume.

I will admit, the feather costumes caught me a bit off guard too because I had a dream the night before that I had black wings and was cawing like a crow, so they made me nervous?
According to my favorite reference--
The Dictionary of Dreams: 10,000 Dreams Explained by Gustavus Hindman Miller, "To see the wings of fowls or birds, denotes that you will finally overcome adversity and rise to wealthy degrees and honor." (High five!)

Theo Angell was the choir director for the performance and did a bang up job of signaling us with cue cards that read "STATIC", "FIST FIGHT", "SMALL BIRDS", "PTERODACTYL", etc.
while the band made all these magnificent swells and lulls with their horns, harp, drums, singing, violin, keyboards and guitar.

It was really fun to participate in an event like this, built around music and art, but without the usual amount of pressure I think we have when we perform as TAP.

Singing while moving through all the floors of the museum felt so simultaneously natural and surreal. At one point, we were split into three groups and Theo led us in this kind of Dada doo-wop in the round singing.

He seems like a calm and friendly person, that radiates a very clear and kind energy. You know, like yoga teacher good vibes? Choruses of people singing have awesome energy too. I think I don't spend enough time around church choirs or glee clubs.

During the intermission, we swiped as much wine and fancy hors d'oeuvres as we could before the choir got scolded by catering. Thank you MoMa for the goat cheese and apricots, mini quiche trios, and Mediterranean inspired shrimp and hummus cocktails. Thank you, Ryan for the SPACE cookie. Usually I don't eat during a show, but this was definitely more of a giddy celebration than anything.

space cookie?

After we finished, there were tiles inscribed with "It's Treason" to be handed out to the choir and audience. My phone was dead, so no pictures, but there should be plenty up and around soon. I liked overhearing one man describe the tile to his friends as a "real tile". It's nice to give people something tangible after they experience something unique, uplifting and fleeting.

Since we never had a proper dinner, Lori and I decided to throw healthy dining out the window with a trip to Crif Dogs. And she went even further with a last minute reservation to the semi-secret sister bar Please Don't Tell.

The reviews for this place are pretty mixed.

But it was really the right mix of high and low brow following a good 6 hours at a museum.
Lori ordered champagne and I had a drink called "A Beer and Smoke" which is a michelada priced about the same as a NYC movie ticket. The cheaper, doctored up with hot sauce version was my drink of choice last summer in Chicago, but this was better. Although, I think sometimes I just want a really good spicy Bloody Mary with some olives, celery and bacon for garnish.

Definitely the theatrics of the bartender (I hate, hate the term "mixologist") were entertaining. He made a big show of slapping down cocktail shakers and stirring two drinks at once. One cocktail even required he spray some flavored liquid through a stencil over the top of the foam. When he served it he shrugged and said it was "too Vegas", which I agreed with. I chased my drink with a deep foil crater of tater tots and accompanying cheesssse sauce and jalapenos. Total gut bomb hangover today.

Points to the bartender also for having an accent that seemed to waver between England and New Jersey, looking good in his black vest/blue shirt uniform combo, casually dropping a Freemason reference, and not upselling.

Stars Like Powers

Pat and I will be performing with Stars Like Fleas Monday night at MoMA as part of their choir for a one of a kind site-specific performance.

Print this for half off admission--
http://www.moma.org/poprally/images/PopRally_StarsLikeFleas.pdf


Stars Like Fleas at MoMA Monday Nights
Monday, June 8, 2009
5:30–8:45 P.M.
MoMA


PopRally presents an evening of site-specific performances at MoMA by the unpredictable Brooklyn music collective Stars Like Fleas.

Music begins at 6:00 p.m. in The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden, with sets throughout the evening both outdoors and inside the Museum. (In the event of rain, all performances take place indoors.) Drop in for exhibitions, films, and a cash bar–plus the first six hundred ticket buyers after 5:30 p.m. get a free return pass for their next visit.

Exhibitions on view include the provocative installations of Dutch artist Aernout Mik and the final week of Tangled Alphabets: León Ferrari and Mira Schendel. In the theaters at 8:00 p.m., see a screening from the film exhibition The New India, with actor Abhay Deol introducing the upbeat caper Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!

Bicycle valet parking (in the lot west of MoMA; enter on Fifty-third Street) courtesy of Transportation Alternatives, New York City's advocate for biking, walking, and public transit.

Begun as a recording project in the late 1990s, Brooklyn-based art/pop ensemble Stars Like Fleas has blossomed into a live group that reconfigures their lineup, sound, and music for almost every room they play.




Stars Like Fleas (and Tall Firs, and Lone Wolf etc) drummer Ryan Sawyer is one of the most inspiring musicians in Brooklyn and a big TAP supporter. The man never stops. It's an honor to perform this piece with him.

These OUR Powers performance with Ryan Sawyer and Austin Stawiarz.

"<>" equals "and/also"

Here is an interview Pat did with his friend Steven this spring, when we stayed with him and his wife Suzy in San Francisco. They were very gracious hosts and super enthusiastic, dancing concert attenders.

This is in honor of them coming to visit NYC this weekend!

Steven's "proffy bio"--
Steven C. Aldridge has finished course requirements on a PhD in Visual Studies from UC-Irvine. He earned a Masters in Film & Media from the U of Amsterdam late, last millennium with a thesis on aural-art/cinema.



Pretty great late-night conversation about music, powers, the condition, and life.

The concept of "and/also" or "<>" gets mentioned.
<> being an alternative to "either/or".

Videoz

recipe for a video shoot

We went to Washington, CT this past weekend to shoot a video for our song "Easy Answers". Jacqueline made a miracle on a shoe string with the help of her very patient and helpful friends Toby and Brian.

Fog machine! Forest! Fire! Bling!
You will see, it is going to be AHHMAZINGG!

Toby's parents graciously put up 5 house guests tracking mud everywhere, using up the well water, and falling asleep to SNL.

We felt like the best way to thank everyone was to keep them well fed. So we made a lot of food, and somehow pulled off feeding 6-10 people for 7 meals with help from supplemental pantry items from Toby's house.

These Are Catering!

Thursday Night
Chick pea and veggie curry
Organic brown rice
Black bean and red cabbage salad
Grilled zucchini
Salad w/Toby's dad's homemade white vinegar dijon dressing
Beer
Strawberries

Friday
Made to order organic eggs
Leftovers
Whole grain bread
Big pot of Sumatra coffee

Leftovers
Dried apricots
Trail mix
Hummus with carrots and celery
Pumpkin seeds
Strawberries
Clementines
Beer

Toby's parents made pizza and homemade burgers
Grilled teriyaki ginger and cranberry chicken sausages
Leftovers

Saturday
Scrambled eggs
Coffee
Leftovers

Antipesto with salami, tomato, basil and fresh mozzarella
Assorted olives
Sliced baguette
Spinach salad with kidney beans
Strawberries

Beer
Wine
Turkey chili with kidney beans and corn
Brown rice
Leftovers

Sunday
Pancakes
Eggs
juice and coffee

<>
Pat's famous chick pea and veggie curry (vegan)
(serves 3-4)
A crowd pleaser the world over!

1 lg yellow onion (diced)
2 fingers fresh ginger (use the peeled and grated pulp and squeeze to release juice)
1 can diced tomatoes (or tomato puree)
1 lg sweet potato (peeled and cut into half moons)
3 lg carrots (coins)
1-2 lg cans garbanzo beans (rinsed)
sliced mushrooms (1/2 carton)
curry powder
paprika
olive oil

Saute onions, mushrooms and ginger in olive oil for about two minutes on medium heat, until onions are mostly translucent. Wok or large cast iron skillet is good. Add about two tablespoons curry powder and 1 teaspoon paprika. Add tomatoes. Cook 3-4 minutes. Steam carrots, sweet potatoes, and garbanzos then add to rest. Simmer 20-30 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with cooked rice.

<>
Anna's rawwwr black bean and red cabbage salad (vegan)
(adjust to number of people, it keeps well and can last a few days)
1 sm head of red cabbage shredded
2 lg cans black beans
2 zucchini (cut as you like)
apple cider vinegar
lemon or lime
salt, pepper and chili powder
cilantro (optional)
olive oil

Toast chili powder in a cast iron skillet. Saute black beans with just enough olive oil to coat for a few minutes, then cool. Toss red cabbage with few capfuls of apple cider vinegar and few splashes of olive oil and lemon to taste. Add zucchini and cilantro, then beans. Salt and pepper. Chill in fridge or serve room temperature.

I'm jacking some of these beats!

sick!

bill

Last night in Cincinnati we played an awesome art/alt space. It stands in a classic post industrial abandonded neighborhood where liquor stores and lotto tickets are seemingly the only items available for sale. The Cinci locals (kids from the University of Cincinnati and other adults) come to support the movement and get beyond the gloom and doom of recession, swine flu and whatever other fear of the moment is happening. And the cops stay away as there's practically no one in the neighborhood to patrol.

The space is called the Bunk. The art on the walls gets lit up between bands so you don't miss it. Video is projected behind the performers. People boogie between bands. There's a ton of room and a ton of energy. You can drink and smoke whatever you want inside and it's such a good time, much like the Market Hotel or Secret Project Robot in Brooklyn. There's no authority, just a troop of organizers who everyone respects and supports with their presence and cash. It's a community joint--a reaction to bar culture, suburbia, corporate oppression, racism and authority--and it's a productive party...man.

Here's their mission statement:

"In an attempt to curb all of those who loathe loving the city of Cin; we’ve started a spot to help prolong creativity, passion, and all things passable under the moniker of “ART”. So come and get crunk where its Bunk."

Radical.

One member of the hip hop duo who played before us, Evolve, took off all his clothes at the end of their set to give the audience a pep talk about quitting their job or dropping out of school if they're not happy doing either. He was all about now-being in the moment-and he meant it so much that he took off his clothes to prove it. I'm not really into dudes getting naked on stage but his inspirational words seemed to feed off his nudity so it made sense. So then we went on.

It sounded really pumpin with bass frequencies bouncing softly off the wood floor. The crowd got more and more into it with each song. By the end Anna, Bill and myself were all covered in loads of sweat and so was everyone up front. There was mega energy flowing and it reminded me how awesome traveling and playing music is. All that mattered in that room was the moment we had together. We entered a new community and it was super boss to make a room full of people feel good. And outside the vibe was pretty ghetto but inside there was a lot of joy and life. That's the transcendant power of These Are Powers.

Our host Chris, a college freshman who organized the show, brought us back to his house and we talked about Cincinnati and how it became what it is. Outside of it being the product of white flight and industrial decline, it's a pretty racist town, maybe because it was the final stop on the Underground Railroad. Recently, the KKK was planning a march downtown but the city was afraid of another race-riot like the one it experienced in 2001. So Cincinnati has some problems but it's mostly rooted in poverty and lack of education.

When I first went through downtown Cinci in the mid 90's it was super poor. It's still as poor as any neighborhood I've ever seen. But it's going to change and the Bunk is the catalyst.

It's good to see the college kids creating activity in order to make the situation in their town better. The kids who run The Bunk are the same ones who grew up in the suburbs and have seen how bleak a perfectly manicured life can be. They understand that the death of dumb America is up to them. And they also understand that art injects life into abandoned communities, especially one like downtown Cinci. Here's to them.

On my block, 9am

These Are Powers have recorded 3 new songs, we are sitting with the rough mixes now trying to flesh them out. We need to finish up vocals, a few little edits here and there, and then final mix down come May. We hope to have these three songs released as a 12inch single. A lot of new songs this year, we writing hits.



bill

Bodies of Pyongyang

Wanted to let you know that this Sunday, April 19th,
that I will be a part of artist Yoonhye Park's "Bodies of Pyongyang"
performance piece at St. Mark's Church.

2:30-5 PM
http://bodiesofpyongyang.com
Abe Lebewohl Park / St. Mark’s Church, take the 6 to Astor Place or the L to 3rd Avenue

"At key pedestrian traffic sites Bodies of Pyongyang will seek to stimulate dialogue and discussion with the public, inciting awareness about the prevailing and ongoing issues of women’s rights in North Korea to the international and multicultural communities of Manhattan.

Most people know who Kim Jong-il is, the dictator of North Korea; however, women in North Korea are hidden and veiled in contemporary context. Bodies of Pyongyang is a public visual art performance installation--twenty girls wear North Korean schoolgirl uniforms situated inside a (70"x70"x70") clear cube box installation, located at multiple outdoor venues across Manhattan.

These tightly packed schoolgirls will try to move within the confined area expressing their emotional pain and struggle. Red strings symbolizing their dual inner states of suppression and resistance entangle the girls, further restricting their freedom to move inside this already constricting and hermetic space. "

Food taster wanted (Upper East Side)

I am really REALLY tempted to apply for this job.
Just when I was wondering if Obama needed some help..


Food taster wanted (Upper East Side)

---

Looking for a full time job with high pay, flexible hours, and great medical benefits? Thinking about a career change? Would you like to eat things for a living?

My employer is looking for a hard working, adventurous individual to test his food for acceptable toxin levels. You must be able to start immediately. No experience necessary. Please email with a resume and for more details. A list of references is an added plus.

• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
• Compensation: Negotiable, but up to $50 per tasting

On the F line 3am

bill

let's review, shall we?

Cities as haiku. 5 7 5 memories.

OAKLAND
Death Sentence Panda
and Bronze in an Oakland loft
The bay has rad bands

SAN FRANCISCO
Someone takes a shit
behind our parked van that night
At least our show rules

We stay with Pat's friends
Metaphysical musings
Lands End and dinner

LOS ANGELES
Long drive to L.A.
Fish tacos and The Echo
We are Part Time Punks

PHOENIX
Rampage Fest Trunk Space
Abe Vigoda true homies
Kids bring the party

EL PASO
Play a dirt back yard
really close to the border
Best house party yet

AUSTIN
5 shows in 3 days
Some kids come to more than one
Crazy exercise

sxsfried

Yo, we done!

My voice is gone, my feet are tired and dirty, we all have varying degrees of sunburn, our ears are ringing and Austin is one overflowing festival porta potty filled with stumbling drunks, ladies teetering on too small heels while pulling down too small dresses, dazed club employees, spent journalists, homeboys spinning rims and flashing neon under the highway in an impromptu Saturday night car show and tumbleweeds of fast food paper plates.

Didn't make it to Barton Springs or the bat cave..again. Saw plenty of Whole Foods salad bar, friends, and some amazing acts.

Kudos to the kid that drew marker boobies on his t-shirt with "SPRING BREAK" written under them. Lots of ladies were touching his chest at Todd P's party at Ms. Bea's. Everyone likes boobs!

We uh, also apparently did a good job too--
"I resisted the desire to self-mutilate during These Are Powers' set at the Biz3 showcase, but it was hard."

Got a long drive ahead of us, so lots more updating in the van, since I can only make croaking noises and bad pantomimes at the moment.

Also! Our friend Yony Leyser made a video for our song "Blue Healer"!

It is fantastic and I think means we are like exotic but domesticated animals who like to feast on fresh vegetables and raw meat.


And! I recently wrote 500 words about eggs and adventures across the pond for Impose Magazine. Look out, M.F.K.!

i will spank you

*UPDATE* I got a new fancy phone today in Oakland. The phone lady cut me some deals! Please email me your number at powerspow @ gmail. xo

Dear Person (or Persons) who has been using my phone in Philly,

I will spank you.
I will find you and take you over my knee and spank you.

I hope I was able to help you with your phoning needs this month.

Because of you I had to make so many bargains with the devil that is my mobile phone carrier. I was so angry I told the guy helping me that he was a pawn of the corporation he was working for because he insisted on changing my plan to cover all the charges.

I know it may be hard to believe, but my musical career does not provide me with infinite wells of cash with which to pay your tab.

I would have reported my phone as stolen sooner but I've been on tour and I was under the foolish impression that it was being mailed to me by friends of a friend.

For every person who acts selfishly, I know that I will meet two more who will overwhelm me with their generosity.

So I invite my friends to send dirty messages to the following numbers--
267-432-6618
215-724-3973
267-597-4805
267-554-7101
267-724-7105
215-729-6892
267-296-5540

Lori says most of these are landlines, and they're really just the friends of the phone stealer, so is it worth it anyways?Two wrongs and all that..

Take that, phone stealers.