1.28.2010

nat made 15 zines of his failed memoirs. each is sewed by hand and will include an additional ink drawing. a rough draft to a larger future run. be on the forefront of cultural zineographic history & purchase yours today. i like the way this song 'easy' by pure ecstasy ends. it fades to awesome. you're awesome. have a good day.

1.27.2010

remember this guy? he was recently robbed (at gun point) in brooklyn of all the necessary materials to take pictures of pretty girls. you can help him here. be safe.
karebear has been busy. she is going to have the most amazing gallery in nyc & it's right next to tompkins. rumor has it t. bell drawing club is coming to sf this sunday*.

1.25.2010

go over to crookedarm and let nathaniel russell blow your mind. he's been busy writing a plethora of highly righteous & otherwise cosmic books about life & the act of living. this new four tet song, "she just likes to fight," makes me miss fridge.

1.24.2010

1.22.2010

we had a casserole party & the cops came. thank you everyone that danced.

1.21.2010

"mr. man on the moon" by mr. michael hurley. mixing & printing today. rain is good.

1.19.2010


So for remembering Bill


We met in the late fall of 1933 when I was working for Ansel Adams-- Joseph Danysh Art Gallery at (I think) 133 Gleary St. (2nd floor) in San Francisco. This was a gathering place of writers, artists, photographers- young and old, Bill was 23-24 and probably came in to see this exhibit of Atanas Katchmatov's (not sure of that name) paintings. Bill didn't have a job and was living out on Carl Sweet with family. Like so many of the bright, excited young talents of (he depression, he spent a lot of time walking, observing and visiting with all kinds of people and maybe four or five times a week he checked in for some stimulating talk about art, music, the Municipal Railway (5c fare), Mussolini, Hitler. the big world, his little world. After we would pool what little cash we had (taking out 21c for the ferry to Berkeley and Bill's 5c to Carl street and would walk up to Yee Jim's in Cbinatown and eat the rest or cross Market Street and go to Breen's for a 35c turkey leg or the 3' dinners at The Cannary Den in the basement of the Swedish Old Sailors Home on Drumm Street-pitchers of orange juice, trays of sauerdough bread--a single entree--even a piece of pie if you had an extra dime. Then walking through the commission market and to the Ferry Building-so many ships on the embarcadero then. And talk and talk.


I remember Bill telling me of his time in the orphan home in Oakland when a death in his family (father) made it impossible to care for Bill and his brother. Of his grandmother complaining that she had lived 50 years in Fresno next to a women who had never learned a word of Armenian. Of raiding orchards and garden plots for fruit and vegetables-of his job with Western Union-so many things that turned up later on in MY NAME IS ARAM and THE HUMAN COMEDY.


We went to heat Father Divine at his storefront church on Pacific Street-at first just to hear the music but then holding bands to keep each other from going up to the mourner's bench to confess our sins (we were so innocent) when the sermon and call began, The title PEACE ITS WONDERFUL came from father Divine-a big black man with a magic voice and white Cadillac and oval following.


Always, Bill talked about being and becoming a writer, of all the stories and ideas inside him that had to come out.


We knew he had been sending out stories all along and collecting rejection slips but the day in 1934 when Joe Danysh and I arrived at the front door of the gallery and found the envelope addressed to us both, we knew it had really begun. Inside were two one dollar bills, two street car transfers and a card which read-One for the, money / one for the show / one For Virginia / and one for Joe.' Signed William Shakespeare


Bill received $15 for that first story published in Story magazine - THE DARING YOUNG MAN ON THE FLYING TRAPESE-but he paid back his debts and then disappeared for a month and wrote 30 stories-published that year-his first book--same title,


Ben, I have the magazine, I have the book and I have the photograph taken by Ansel Adams of Bill grinning, his black hat cocked on that head of bushy black hair (no beard or mustache in those days) The card I gave to some lovely people in San Francisco who helped set up a chair in Armenian Studies at UC Berkeley-but the other things I would be happy to donate to the Fresno Library or whatever you set up for the public. There's more in my memory but I'd have to answer a lot of questions.


- Virginia Scardigli





"knockout sept 2 better" by the airwaves. thank you michelle. happy 30th bday lori!

1.18.2010

1.17.2010

looking forward to this new release. last one is free here. stuck on, "i want a house."

1.16.2010


npr's one and only #10 of top 10 2009 metal and outer sound. i've waited years.

1.15.2010


"weighy wait" by bobby birdman. read he got his name from little wings. friday.

1.14.2010

philip shared this yesterday. "j. cain" by mr. bill. a sad song that makes me happy.

1.13.2010

little wings played on daytrotter. go here to grab all the tunes. here's my favs.

1.12.2010

made this song in the sunset around 2003 & never shared it. now's a good time to.
rachel spoke with wired's senior research editor about the last issue's cover story.

1.11.2010

a side: "blessa" b side: "109" thanks marcella. monday. good luck with your week.

1.10.2010


moving on the 1st. going to miss ms. mia & my rad room mates. "messy enough."

1.09.2010


laura veirs was on weekend edition this morning. i'm a big fan of her coo coo cover.

1.08.2010

listening on random. forgot about this tune. "a song for ellie greenwich" by (((girls))).




that's nathalie and that's christian. here's a video of it finished & here's more nro.

1.07.2010

before my move home, i was lucky enough to record 8 songs with the family band. the final product will be called miller path and it is being self-released as a limited 12" with silkscreened & watercolored covers on their website. jonny, kim & scott amaze me in every way possible. their overdubs on our session are no exception. heavy mellow. stereogum has a write up here, music for robots here & naturalismo here. kim wrote "fantasy" as i was breaking up with new york. i don't play on it & it is my favorite track. please head over to stacy's shop, curator, on church and 30th to check out kim's calendars in person. only shop in california carrying them.

1.06.2010


jason polan is a very kind guy. this song is real great. 7"s are worse than candy.

1.05.2010

jared poached me kickflipping in my sleep at fgo. muscle memory amazes me.

1.02.2010

1.01.2010

my old room is up for rent in nyc. karen is the kindest person i met out there and makes for a ruling room mate. the building is great as are the neighbors. there is a shared laundry room and backyard as well as roof access. it is walking distance to 9th st. espresso, minca ramen factory, kate's, lil' frankies, a bunch of bars, multiple movie theaters, 3 record stores, a farmer's market, whole foods, a running track and a couple libraries. the room is 6 x 11, fits a twin or full with minimal frame (there is a twin bed, desk and dresser that can be left if furnishing needed. rent $875 including utilities, kombucha, internet, etc. move in feb 1st. let me know if you are interested. .


man o man, made it through the holidays. 20 days left with no school. focus on fun.