Worked on a sound project to assist a friend last week but the lag in the studio became finally so horrible I simply had to abandon it; I downloaded an app and used my iPhone as an alternative. Attempted to restore the comp, but the lag was so bad I couldn't even get to the restore wizard. So tonight, determined (and with coffee in hand), I went to work and was finally able to restore back to June 2011; success! Studio program seems to be working with no difficulty. Test tracks recorded, monitors working, issues now resolved. Kurt is working on my Dell. If he can get it up and running again I will have two machines to record with! This is good news. Continue to follow the exploits of the Two of a Perfect Trio Tour with great enjoyment via tweets, Facebook posts and pics and youtube videos. I'm like a virtual groupie! Rockin'!

Dr Who

Saturday night and Dr. Who with my sweetie; nice one!

Untitled

An awesome ambient album released today from friend Markus Reuter ; highly recommended soundscapes! 

http://iapetus-store.com/album/0000

Personal favorite tracks: 0099 and 0101

Ah, working on my "petit musiques" this morning, at least in my head. I keep most of my notes and scribbles (sound ideas) in my head. I feel like I finally have a clearer vision of a way back into music, after floundering a bit there for the past month. Now to test the idee in real time. Meanwhile, coffee.

Johnny Love Band - Oceans Apart

Hot box

Wow. An hour and 1/2 practice in the hot box this afternoon yields nothing. I am stuck. I need a sound-architect; spent an hour dialing in different combos, settings, amps, effects. Nothing is sounding. Half of my inspiration is getting the sound. Today, no bueno. I'm at a true impasse. Want to ring up Bill Frisell and find out how he does it. Maybe what I truly need are some guitar lessons. Today its just not happening. Pfffft!

Stuff of a Musical Nature

Posting this mainly for WW, who may be the only person that ever reads this blog.... Possible meet-up/get-together with Dan Tellez on Saturday, a final last-ditch effort to pull together a show for the 23rd at GIG; if there is something there, the show will go on. Otherwise not. Meanwhile, in my walk of faith, recognizing my passion for God and also my passion for music, I am making an effort at "putting myself out there" and meeting tonight with the band at RiverCity Church to see if I might sit in amongst the rotation of players. If I have a passion for music and a degree of some kind of talent, I should be using my gift to further the Kingdom. My heart says this is the right move and this line may ultimately trump the first line. The main thing is, I'm trusting God and making myself available... a leap of faith as it were. These are a talented pool of players and what I offer might tend towards the quirky. I don't imagine myself as a session player any longer. My talents and skills are unique, sometimes inspired; I leave the rest in God's capable hands. Finally, I'll conclude with this thought that hit me yesterday... How incredible that God loves EVERY BODY... if I keep this thought, nothing else really matters. The debates, the schisms, the heaven vs hell vs no-hell vs bell... none of it really matters because God love everyone and, as the saying goes, He will sort it all out. My purpose is to be in awe and aspire to that kind of God-love, too

Great rehearsal with Daryl and Scott today in the music room of coziness. "Landscape" continues to be a killer song to play around with; today we added "Specific Gravity" to the set list and a challenging Guitar Craft inspired piece I wrote in 1992 (which has never been named); Scott, Daryl and I discussed ideas, Gavin Harrison exercises for shifting time, and boo bams (too expensive). We also played around with a new vocal tune idea reminiscent of Gary Davenport and discussed some Stick-duet possibilities (per Will Willard's suggestion). Exciting times indeed! I think it is safe to say we all got a work-out today. GIG is six weeks away...

G.I.G.

Working through many ideas for the gig; tunes like "Wonk", "Specific Gravity", and some of the craftier songs are finding a resonance, but I am also feeling like writing some pretty ballads, so there is a mix of ideas to play with. Presently my rehearsal space (studio) is calling to me to be re-organised with an emphasis on opening up the space as a welcoming room within which one can stretch out and try ideas. This is an ongoing work.

Contemplating Somethingness

My book of "zen" poetry featured in the new lulu Publications Spotlight

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/johnmarcell

Practice began in earnest Thursday evening on the new set-list for the G.I.G show in September; the entire "Johnny Love set-list has been put aside for this performance in the "listening room", where only original tunes are allowed. Playing in NST tuning and Daryl is focusing on the Stick. Excited and upbeat and happy to be really working with the left hand, right hand and posture. "Landscape" was a sheer joy to play while trying to keep attention on the craft and my "self"; locked-in and  was really in the moment. "Darkening Skies" is more problematic and may be cut. Bottom line, may be faster and easier if we write totally new tunes instead of trying approximate Gilliam Section songs. Nevertheless, an admirable start.This is the moment I've been awaiting for. My attitude of approach has really improved as I made the conscious decision to "hold on lightly" and seek a certain quality in the material

More later

ATX performed by The Johnny Love Band

The Johnny Love Band perform Yoshi Hampl's "ATX" (thanks to Shelly Van Dyke for recording and editing this video!)

Johnny Love Live! - Heart of Tao

The Johnny Love Band perform "Heart of Tao" (thanks to Alan Van Dyke for recording the video!)

Johnny Love Live! - Mysterious

The Johnny Love Band perform "Mysterious" (thanks to Alan Van Dyke for recording the video!)

Darkening Skies

Working out the NST guitar/stick parts...(early rehearsal for new material)

Luna's Jacal

Daryl working out the Chapman Stick part for "Luna's Jacal"

Luna's Jacal Part II

Om Guru Om

This image sent to me by Alan from the Whip-in (Austin, Texas) is so right for so many reasons...

Saturday Night Rehearsals

Forgot to mention Daryl impressed us Saturday night during "Landscape" run-through by whipping out a pair of T Lev "Funk Fingers"; wanted to snap a photo of that, but forgot. Here are a couple of pics from Daryl's phone



Great rehearsal Saturday night. Totally nailed "Madonna" and got a good handle on "ATX". "Landslide" sadly eludes us, as does "96 Tears" (although Daryl can totally play the bass riff). Ran through "The Combine" and "Landscape" along with the rest of the set-list. Here's a jam we did for the "photo-shoot":

Quiet morning, yet with much to be done I need to start my day. Trying to maintain posture. Trying to come back to the present. Trying to eat more as Melissa is concerned about my weight-loss. But these days some fasting is called for (here I speak in a spiritual sense)

Last night worked on the set-list and went over my cache of lyrics, pretty much nailing down "Madonna of the Wasps" (found the words to the song on a piece of paper in Will Willard's pen) and "Blue Eyes". Found the descending jazz chords I'd forgotten for the solo. Worked on Yoshi's song and locked in parts of it; other parts elude me (even with his lyrics and chords). Trying to re-learn my intro (which I'd forgotten to do last night). Landslide is really not working; perhaps Daryl can rescue it as I think he's played it. Figured out the basic gist of "Jesus" but not sure what key is working for my voice on that one...

Talked to Scott and Daryl; next Johnny Love band meet-up is Saturday night. Itching to hit it again. Have totally re-connected to my inner singer/guitar player and have a new ease with my instrument I haven't had before. Running through the whole set on just one setting (14) on the Yamaha amp... a bit of compressed-crunched, but otherwise pretty clean. Not other effects or loops or patches. Just straight on...

 Able (finally) to get some random Arto-ish skronk when the mood strikes (e.g., the "solo" during "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" and during "Heart of Tao"). Also adding "World" (I'd forgotten about it completely), "Everybody Wants to Be a Creep" (gotta learn the bridge since Dan wrote/played it...), "Landslide" (a Robyn Hitchcock-esque version ~ for Melissa) and a cover of Yoshi Hampl's "ATX" (http://iapetus-store.com/track/atx-free-download). Also came up with a cool guitar "intro" or hook for "Ocrean's Apart" that just kills me.

G+ etc

Really blown away by Google+, really worth the agonizing wait to finally get on-board; vast improvement in the realm of social networking... more interactive, intelligent and thought provoking. Also, totally digging the new blogger interface: http://draft.blogger.com/home

Ran through the set-list for the Johnny Love band Saturday night; only a partial run-through. But after just one evening of rehearsals, we're already up to 15 songs. Adding more tunes I wanna do daily. Need to check in with Daryl to see when we can practice again.

Poems

Wrote 2 pieces this morning at Starbucks... tried to let my unconscious dictate as much as possible:

I.

Cloudy, overcast morning
At the outdoor cafe
Here alone with my latte
My heart returns again to you

Your smile, your taste, your touch
Envelopes me
Deep primordial bliss
A oneness encompassing
The totality of all that "I Am"
The ego, the shadow,
The known quantity
The unknowningness of my Being
Embraced by you
Transformed in love.

II.

The skeptic in me
The part that questions everything
Looking for an answer
Continually seeking
Finds nothing to hold onto
Arrives at zero
With empty head, empty hands
In the stillness of the Now
I am poured out
Christed
Crushed and broken
Sacred elements
"Take, eat; this is my body"
Layed bare for you
And surrendered to your
Overwhelming love.

6/28/11

Coming back to Ourselves

I have been thinking about the arrow of attention lately after watching the incredible Peter Kingsley materials posted on Youtube and it occured to me last night as I dined with my wife at a birthday party in an upscale restaurant. As the conversations around the table took place I placed my hands on my knees and tried to sit alert keeping back inner-attention on myself as I engaged in being-in-the-moment; also placing my two feet flat on the floor to ground myself during talking helped to "bring me back to myself". At my level of being these are merely "exercises" but I nevertheless get a sense of the power that directed-attention can bring. This morning thinking about all of this it occured to me that this exercise comes more naturally to me because of my formative years in middle-school and high school where I was acutely self-conscious of my appearance and therefor had already been "holding something back" for myself without any formal instruction. These were years of great inner-suffering for me; what a gift then, this thorn in my side, which I had always credited with forming me as an "artist"... the real art, of course, consists in becoming fully human, a task we can never really completely arrive at; each day we begin again where we are. But my life is indeed blessed, and as I near my 49th year, everyday I consider it roses, roses... this bit is the icing on the cake! To be able to see the beauty and suffering underying all life, simulatneously, and to realize that the endings are just as important as the beginnings. And all the while, life flows on "within you, without you."

Jungian

When the great swing has taken an individual into the world of symbolic mysteries, nothing comes of it, nothing can come of it, unless it has been associated with the earth, unless it has happened when that individual was in the body. And so individuation can only take place if you first return to the body, to your earth, only then does it become true. (Jung, as cited in Ashton, 2007, p. 160)

(From Avrom Altman)

Ideas

Making progress and a ton of ideas musical and otherwords; creating a sacred space, creating a working space, creating a vibrant cottage industry/book, integrating this idea of "oneness" with "a path with heart" and maintaining contact with bodily sensation (somatics) and many others. Affirming day with the family yesterday at the pool, affirming talk with Dan on music recording/possibilities. All of a sudden my mind is full of fertility and bright ideas. I am most happy when I'm inspired. Suddenly I find everything is inspiring me. This is good news (or it could be an indication of insanity).

Tonight adult beverages with M and her work-buddies from Saks; this weekend we are hoping to catch "Midnight in Paris", the new Woody Allen movie. Life is good.

Wisdom and Love

Andrew Harvey (@GetTheHope)

6/16/11 2:55 AM

Jesus has given us a path thru which the transcendent powers of love & wisdom r embodied in the core of human life.

Realization

A day derailed by emotion...my inner-spiritual gains seem to always be negated by "real life", criticisms and personal failure. Perhaps I should be less identified. My ability to love is called into question. All efforts seem useless, wasted. Life in these moments becomes heavy, a burden I feel unprepared to respond to.

Sitting in the back garden, listening to birds singing and air-conditioners humming; quiet, still summer afternoon. Feels good to do nothing, go nowhere

Shadow-work

Two relevant tweets from Andrew Harvey resonate this morning:


Andrew Harvey (@GetTheHope)
6/10/11 10:55 AM
The shadow personifies everything that the subject refuses to acknowledge about himself and yet is always thrusting itself upon him. ~ Jung

and;

The descent into the shadow is inescapable and essential to the experience of authentic birth.

Rising and Falling

Very pleased to announce the release of my album with Will Cruttenden over on the Spingere Bandcamp page:

http://spingere.bandcamp.com/album/rising-falling

Kudos to Will who strung all the random bits together to make something beautiful, for mixing, producing and over-seeing this project!!

Paxsimius

my friend Alan and I made an experimental album over the course of the weekend; this has long been an idea I had wanted to try; very pleased with the result!

http://www.paxsimius.bandcamp.com/

Loop

  
Download now or listen on posterous

loop july 24 10.MP3 (2339 KB)

Today's loopage... July 24, 2010 John Marcell

Posted via email from Johnny's posterous

Music for Spaces

Great ambient music for meditation or study ...

Gerald Benesch "Music for Spaces" Highly recommended!!! http://kunaki.com/Sales.asp?PID=PX00N7UHY4

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Gilliam Coltrane

Click here to download:

Gilliam Coltrane.m4r (400 KB)

Alan Van Dyke did this excellent mash-up for my ringtone...The Gilliam Section/Coltrane! Thanks, Alan!

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Music for Spaces

I LOVE this album!!!  Gerald Benesch "Soundtracks for Imaginary Westerns" now available from the shop!

 http://kunaki.com/Sales.asp?PID=PX00A5BY37

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Test One

  
Download now or listen on posterous

gurdjieff.mp3 (1127 KB)

Trying to get sounds in my make-shift home studio...not traditional loops, just delay, distortion and volume-pedal (overdubed, three or four tracks...)

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Saturday

Relaxing Saturday. Ran out to Sam's, stocked-up on stuff. Somewhat inspired to (at least attempt) to work on some new songs. Sometimes you just gotta step out of your own way. Thats where I'm at right now. New songs are there. I can feel it. But I keep getting in the way of them!

Gilliam albums

Two great Gilliam Section albums you can download now for cheap!

http://www.habitualgrace.bandcamp.com/

The Gilliam Section

habitual_grace

  

New from the shop: http://kunaki.com/Sales.asp?PID=PX00ZGVSW8

Posted via email from Johnny's posterous

Being and Suchness

My (self-published) book of poetry! http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1206006

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The Gilliam Section

The Gilliam Section is proud to announce the arrival of the follow-up CD to "Solus"; the new (self-titled CD) on Habitual Grace Records and Tapes features 71 minutes of aural goodness and is available through Kunaki, Hogwild Records (San Antonio) and Waterloo Records in Austin, Texas.
 
Click here for track listing or to order today:
 
http://Kunaki.com/Sales.asp?PID=PX00ZGVSW8 

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Poetry

The small book of poetry is nearing completion

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David Lynch - Chrysta Bell "Strange Darling" preview from Dugpa

http://dugpa.com/2010/02/06/david_lynch-and-chrysta-bell-strange-darling-preview/

Posted via email from Johnny's posterous

The Gilliam Section

The Gilliam Section is proud to announce the arrival of the follow-up CD to "Solus"; the new (self-titled CD) on Habitual Grace Records and Tapes features 71 minutes of aural goodness and will be available through Kunaki, Hogwild Records and Waterloo Records in Austin, Texas.

Click here for track listing:

http://Kunaki.com/Sales.asp?PID=PX00ZGVSW8

The Gilliam Section

Proud to announce our new CD is out today, "The Gilliam Section"... 71 minutes of wonderful tuneage for your listening and dancing pleasure. Well, mostly listening...

Please check it out here:

http://Kunaki.com/Sales.asp?PID=PX00ZGVSW8

It's good stuff, and a real labor of love!!

 

old men on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

old men on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Alan and Johnny in Jeff's studio (Austin, Texas) 2 February 2010

Link from Twitterrific

Pablo Mandel / CircularStudio : graphic design, book design, websites, photography : Vancouver, BC - http://circularstudio.com/

Sent from my iPhone

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The Gilliam Section

The Gilliam Section's self-titled follow-up to last year's "Solus" album being wrapped-up and soon available on Habitual Grace Records and Tapes (Your favorite Ambient and Snoozy record label)! The album will feature guitars, loops and Chapman Stick from John Marcell (aka Johnny Love) and Will Willard along with the additional talents of Andy Lee (Dudes of Neptune), Adil (hang drum), Scott Potter, Alan Van Dyke, and Alessandra Celletti (piano)

http://habitualgrace.bandcamp.com/

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Daniel Garcia Lara

Great artist, great tune (not just because I'm playing on it!!!):

 

http://www.danielgarcialara.com/

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Music on Tap Tonight

 

My buddies are playing tonight; go out and support 'em: "It's raining, Come hear Ron Young, Dan Garcia and Mike Escamilla (The Neverly Brothers) at Casbeers from 6 to 8 (downstairs) or hear them at the Olmos Bharmacy from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m."

 

 

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Pithy

Working on guitar solo for Spingere project in Ableton Live; I've got
a good sound coming out of the rig, but my recording "skills" are
being challenged! Ah, back to the user manuel...

Sent from my iPhone

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Random Animal Parts

  
Download now or listen on posterous

random animal parts.mp3 (980 KB)

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Taco Land on NPR

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113892215&from=mobile

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Untitled

Posted via web from Johnny's posterous

October Moon Out-take

October2 B FX  by  habitualgrace

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The Silvery Chair

Silver Chair by John Marcell, Scott, Will Cruttenden  
Download now or listen on posterous

Silver_Chair_with_Will.mp3 (4983 KB)

John and Scott "The Garage Band" session; with Will Cruttenden's (Spingere) excellent melodic contribution!

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Ciao Brasil

Everybody Loves To Polka On St. Patrick's Day by Danny Mack And His Honky Irish Polka Band  
Download now or listen on posterous

01-Everybody Loves to Polka on St_ Patrick's Day.mp3 (4290 KB)

John Marcell (guitar, vocal), Will Willard (bass, vocal) and Scott Potter (drumming)

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The Silver Chair

The Silver Chair by Tilt  
Download now or listen on posterous

The Silver Chair.mp3 (3192 KB)

From Friday night's "Garage Band" session with Scott Potter on e-drums and John Marcell on guitar and loops

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Guitar Practice

Guitar Practising and writing a new set-list tonight; the current really turned on and I had several incredible, transcendent moments. Trying to maintain attention on left and right hand, while simultaneusly being open to music. Had a killer head-phone sound and after I finished, had to run back out and write down my settings because I had a strong sense of having "found my sound", which includes compression and a bit of gain. Visited new tunes and some old... need to work more with the Lovecaster in the NST modality

Observing my limitations, without being critical, tonight was a major step forward with my instrument. 

Posted via email from Johnny's posterous

Scott the drummer

See the full gallery on posterous

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Scott

Sent from my iPhone

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Specific Gravity

Specific Gravity by Tilt  
Download now or listen on posterous

specific gravity.mp3 (2852 KB)

Scott (drums) and I (guitar) working on a new tune tonight in Garage Band; checking levels and stuff....

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Dervish

John Marcell ("JM") "mix" of Ian Boddy and Markus Reuter's tune "Dervish" can be found here!

 

http://www.din.org.uk/dervish/dervish_remix.html

.

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Ideas

Great phone conversation with Matt McCabe (King Never) on things musical and the future...

 Sent from my iPhone

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Exercise 1

Exercise 1  
Download now or listen on posterous

exercise 1.mp3 (3267 KB)

A short "exercise" and still testing the Mix Craft 4; a couple of interesting moments. File this under "total spontaneitiousness"...

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Meditation

Exercise 3  
Download now or listen on posterous

exercise 3.mp3 (3984 KB)

A short loop from tonight (testing the Mix Craft 4 program)

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The New Japan

  
Download now or listen on posterous

The New Japan MP3.mp3 (4134 KB)

Onerica (Michal Mioduszewski and Aneta Postek) with John Marcell (Fripped-out guitar) and Will Willard (pretty guitars) and Sawako (via creative commons)

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Pop

Talking to Will Willard about a new tune ("Yeah, the tune is souding very much like Willy/Johnny pop music circa 1986.  Real basic and Cure-like or something.  I will succumb to that feel and just go with it.") The 80s is where it was at  (At least for me!)

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Errogenous

Errogenous With Solo by Spingere/ Johnny Love  
Download now or listen on posterous

Errogenous_with_solo.mp3 (7127 KB)

Here's a tune featuring me and Will Cruttenden called "Errogenous"

Posted via email from Johnny's posterous

Recording

Heading out back to my little studio in an attempt to record with new application; fingers crossed!

 Sent from my iPhone

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Musicking

Still processing and doing inner work on the state of my musical life. Observing myself and much unnecessary tension situated in my left shoulder. Releasing and letting go. Much of my feeling center says "embrace the present" but my moving center prefers to hold onto tension. And the intellectual center wants to feel sorrow for itself. I watch all of this going on with a kind of bemusement and a "well, what can one do?" attitude of acceptance. Now, coffee...

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Thursday

Another day spent in musical reflection and a sense of inner liberation of sorts. Motivation remains high, while actualization seems remote. Things conspire against me but nevertheless I hang on to hope, for without it there is no-thingness. Or perhaps there is only no-thingness. And so I rest in this state of "unknowingness" and prepare for the future to present itself again.

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Thracked Baby WIP

Thracked Baby With Bass by Spingere/Will Willard/Johnny Love  
Download now or listen on posterous

Thracked Baby with Bass.mp3 (2979 KB)

Work-in-Progress: John Marcell, Will Willard and Will Cruttenden. Still in draft, but close to final...

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Burwood

  
Download now or listen on posterous

Burwood.mp3 (2639 KB)

From Trevor's review of the Gilliam Section "Solus" album:

 

There’s a track in the latter portion of Solus called Burwood. Burwood is a pulsating field of guitar swells and atmospheric drone, cut across by a patience - this song is not melodic, it’s textural: There’s an a focus in it on developing an overall aesthete, rather than a moment-to-moment gratification, a sort of building up, cresting. This textural approach is indicative of the entire album.

Posted via email from Johnny's posterous

Firestar!

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Blue Star Art Gallery

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Rain

Short lunch and meeting with Scott the wonder drummer today due to imminent rain!

 

RAIN!!!

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One-halfway through another somewhat rough week. Bearing all things, believing all things. Still, is this what growing into maturity is all about? Not so sure I want it. Nevertheless, this is the bed I've made. No use lamenting; just need to go about the necessary work of being in-tune with my body, thoughts and feelings... watching, watching as the clouds come and go (and ultimately blow away...) (but boy, oh boy, these are some kinda clouds!!!)

Now that the boys are back in school, a return to normalcy around here is imminent. But its been an anything-but-normal summer, with full-blown crises of a personal and musical nature, sweltering weather, frayed-nerves and an end-of-innocence. What is left except to pick ones' self up and begin again? If nothing else I am questioning my motives and looking for my blind-spot, as well as beginning to delve into my unconscious through Jungian therapy, writing down dreams and working on some art. I feel like I've just embarked on a journey of true self-discovery, digging for something, not sure what, maybe a sense of why I do the things I do...

Beginning Again

Worked with Isaac last night teaching him his first song (Green Day); afterwards I sat on the back patio with the acoustic and tuned it from "drop D" to NST and started playing some of my oldest pieces... "moon", "star" and "burwwood" (originally for piano). It brought me great joy, these simple, innocent pieces. I felt a great peace wash over me and a return to my-self. A purity. After a summer of struggling musically I discovered that music had never left, but was waiting for me all along, quietly, patiently... for me to simply be still... and begin again...

Things have been fast and furious of late. Already into June, I had thought this year I would turn my attention more keenly on inner spiritual dimensions. However, this year has instead brought a more active engagement with the world, projects, new and old friendships (which I value) and working like mad to maintain it all! And so I sit quietly for a moment and go "woooo"!

The odd craving today of wanting to be leisurely hanging about a bookstore (probably because its been at least two months since I've had that luxury) and sipping a latte. Perhaps next week I can have some time to visit one. This week is toast.

Strategising with Will and Scott on the Johnny Love Birthday Party gig, where once more we will revive an increasingly "old" set-list to play for our sympathetic, good natured friends. Interesting guest guitarist if he can swing it, my old middle-school buddy and grammy winning producer, Joe Reyes. And a standing invitation to Matt McCabe to play/attend if he can make it from Colorado to the party!

Don't swear

I swear, everytime I come here to update the blog I get caught-up in reading everyone else's posts and never get 'round to posting my own blog! I am easily distracted, that's a given. Or as Will might say, "my ADD is acting up again..." Nevertheless, here's a brief post first off thanking you for reading, and secondly to let ya'll know we've got a new Habitual Grace myspace account...

Find us, friend us!

http://www.myspace.com/habitualgrace

and of course, on Twitter as well at habitualgrace!

Now back to reading all of YOUR blogs!

THE STORY OF MATKA BOSKA

My friend, Patrick Smith asked me to share the following:

THE STORY OF MATKA BOSKA

May 07, 2009
Happy Mothers Day


To this day I wish I could hear my mother saying “Matka Boska.” Her parents were immigrants from Poland. Though born in America, my mom Catherine Theresa, did not learn English until she entered elementary school. This was a Catholic school run by Polish nuns.

When mom was upset with one of her children, we would usually hear her saying “Matka Boska, Matka Boska,” which translates as “Blessed Mother”.

Twenty years after her passing I was practicing guitar one night. I began to improvise and a phrase appeared. Quickly I realized this was about my mom. I played with the phrase and developed it. Frequently I struggle with titles, but immediately I knew there was only one title possible for this piece – Matka Boska.

So to honor my mother and all mothers I am offering a free download of this piece. Use the contact form to request your copy of Matka Boska. Please share this message with any friends, family, and colleagues.

Wishing you and yours a very happy and Blessed Mother’s Day.

Click here to go to the webiste to download (fill in the "Contacts" information to receive the download):

http://www.patricksmithmusic.com/homepage

Solus review

From trevor_vd on twitter, a wonderful review of our "Solus" album:

The Gilliam Section’s “Solus”
I have family friends in San Antonio who made an album recently, entitled Solus. As one of the firstcustomers/listeners, I’m writing a review, and here’s the short of it - I enjoyed this record, and if you know drone, guitar loops, or ambient music, you will too. Solus is up now on CD Baby, and it’s worth the affordable purchase if you’d like a new album to study, relax, read, or just listen to.

Now here’s the long(er) review:


There’s a track in the latter portion of Solus called Burwood. Burwood is a pulsating field of guitar swells and atmospheric drone, cut across by a patience - this song is not melodic, it’s textural: There’s an a focus in it on developing an overall aesthete, rather than a moment-to-moment gratification, a sort of building up, cresting. This textural approach is indicative of the entire album.

Built around cascading guitars, what sets The Gilliam Section apart from other Texan drone/ambient bands such as Stars of the Lid is a willingness to explore this carefully crafted sense of audial crests and troughs (the artistic sinusoidal action for the times) alongside some more playful musical sensibilities. Prog rock never left The Gilliam Section’s members, and its mark shows in rippling guitar solos and effects drenched in reverb. They’ve made a dreamscape in Solus for you to walk through - be sure to take your ears along!

Filed under: Music , album, drone, review, solus

ahhhh... Saturday

Could not ask for a more relaxing Friday evening, Saturday; hot date with the wife, thai food, margaritas and Rio Blanco Pale Ale! The weather last night was stormy, but this afternoon is gorgeous and sunny! All this and a new tune to boot! A very non-stressful weekend... just what Johnny needed! I am totally relaxed. Back to work another take of the new tune... bliss

CDs update

Three, (almost) Four CDs now completely uploaded to Kunaki, and Johnny Love copywriting done off the checklist; contacting CD Baby via email and twitter to set up our account! Test ordering 20 of each CD to stock at Hogwild, Waterloo Records and Book People and the office(s). All is moving forward seemlessly, it seems...

New Social Networking Site

Created a new social networking site for Habitual Grace on Ning:

http://www.habitualgrace.ning.com/

Will has completed uploads of Solus, Himmel and Wag onto Kunaki and Johnny Love will follow (perhaps) tomorrow.

Solus and More

"Solus" is officially done and speeding its way to the Man Cave via UPS carrier; Johnny Love "Lost in the Valley" is all but done (waiting on masters/re-mixes from DG for the final two tunes..."I Wanna Be With You" and "Ocean's Apart") and Habitual Grace is pleased to announce it has signed on three new artists to its roster this week:

Gary Davenport "Himmel"
Don Hurd "Wag"
Dan Garcia "Big Melvis: the Solo Years"

Elsewhere, DGM's Sid Smith may or may not be writing liner notes for the Johnny Love album (Sid to me: OK off the top of my head...How about
"Johnny Love tells me that he's wonderful and cheering. So it must be true. Would he lie to you? Or me?")

Will is completing artworks with his buddy Gerald and I am twittering Habitual Grace notes to CDBaby and webdesigners, promoters on Twitter.

Finally, excited about re-establishing Work in a group comprised of Gary, Yvonne and Jim. They meet, not at Jim's Coffeeshop (as one would expect) but La Madeleine French Bakery! Tre nice!

Back from road trip to El Valle...de-stressing and unpacking; Will has made tremendous progress on the Label/Gilliam Section this weekend... primed and ready to work on the next release!!! Still have to to get a paypal account established and work with Will on ebay?

websites

Things are moving briskly here at the little studio/Habitual Grace Records... we've secured websites for Gilliam and Habitual Grace; productive working meeting with Will yesterday here in the "office" on label issues, spreadsheets, paperwork and BMI. Publishing is in the works as are uploads to CD Baby and Create Space. Two albums worth of material should be streaming across the internets very, very soon.

Now, coffee.

Website, New Label

Intense period of work and research into launching the website and record label; lots of ideas, lots of roadblocks and false starts, but all feels like the time is right to sort of consolidate ideas and market. Firing off a query to Chris on website design, Scott's getting together some photoshop software and Heather is working on the mock-up "Valley" template/CD cover. The "Solus" album is mixed and done and awaiting shipment to CD Baby; the Johnny Love album "Lost in the Valley" is coming together at a quick pace and will be the "test product" for create space. The assumed name certificate is ready to file and BMI awaits me; meanwhile arriving just now in my inbox full of Johnny Love's material is a new version of "Open Window" waiting for me to give it ear...

Starry night

Went for a stroll out by the office last night. It was cold and clear and I could see the big and little dippers!! Stunningly beautiful and a reminder of my own smallness and insignificance in the Universal scheme of things! There is an immense freedom in this.

Mix

Steven Wilson re-mix

Steven Wilson re-mix

Steven Wilson is running this cool contest:

http://www.kscopemusic.com/stevenwilson/insurgentes/remix-competition.html

The contest allows you to download and re-mix a song for the upcoming album; I spent last night downloading and arranging the parts in the studio, and this morning layed-down two tracks of guitar-swells and picking on the NST and added a faux Frippertronics outro to the end of the tune! Great fun; as usual, I like to work fast. I should've sat on it for a few days to see if I still liked it, but I've already sent-in my mp3 via you-send-it. (Wish me luck!)

Also, talking to Will off and on all day; the "Solus" album is now officially finished. We're moving forward with registering with BMI and shipping to CD Baby. Hopefully all of this can be accomplised within the next two weeks and we can move on to the next Gilliam Section CD. All-in-all, I'd call that a productive day!

Mariana

New mixes of "Mariana" and "Burwood" arrived from the Man Cave to my inbox last night and await test-burning for listening-to-in-the-truck; at first glance, "Burwood" is now achieving that ephemeral beauty that I knew was latent within it. Will has done a great job with seperation and panning. This tune is beautiful, fragilities and all. "Mariana" is equally stunning and manages to evoke a strong positive response.

Morning sitting, coffee and now to take Joey to the doctor...

Latest email update from the esteemed Mr. Willard on current on-going projects:

"John,

You will dig your new Fripp-approved guitar/micing throne. So very ergonomic and comfortable. It seems to sustain my weight so I think you will be just fine on it!

Hoping to start master Solus in earnest sometime today. I will start from scratch and attempt to make real progress. Files to come later, by Zeus!"

This is all good news! Excitements!

Morning

Morning sitting, drinking-in the momentary silence; we fill our lives with incessant chatter...it is good to surrender (if only briefly, for 5 minutes) to nothingness; to just be with the body and follow the breath. In such moments we can come face to face with the divine; we can be born again in newness. Sitting still I offer my prayer that today I might be useful. Let it be so. Power to these words!

Sunday Night at Brave New Studio

Its amazing how good the Lovecaster now sounds with a fresh set of strings (and running through the Behringer Bass V-amp!!) A patch I dialed-in last night just killed me and I tracked it on the "hindu" song to wonderful effect, if I could only mix it properly. No worries. These are only explorations of a sonic quality, but I am so much closer to achieving a listenable take I can almost taste it. This project was a bit overly ambitious; from henceforward I need to pace myself and not lay on too many tracks/effects that bog down the Magix program. Ah, but the thrill of hearing all those mulit-tracked ostinatto guitars!

Tonight I hope to try Will's suggested "stereo" mix with hard pans and perhaps figure out how to save settings.

And most importantly work on Joey's diorama from school!!!

Saturday night at Brave New Studio

Johnny is fighting off a runny nose/cold with some warming Courvoisier and playing the vintage Kawai K1 digital synth; new tune has been recorded, a fragment really, to test levels and sound. I do think its good. I just might be the next Blue Nile...now to add vocals...

Brave New Studio

Will came over last night and we had a great visit; he re-strung the Johnny Lovecaster and Ibanez for me, we thouroughly cleaned my (previously cluttered) work-station and vacuumed, re-configured my studio set-up and I had a training session on Magix. My guitar sounds great now, especially running through the Behringer pre-amp he brought over! With the addition of this latest bit of technological wonderment (not to mention the vintage Kawai K1 digital synthesizer!) I am really itching to lay down some new tracks and start exploring the sonic possiblities! What a difference it makes having a clean work area! It was wonderful just hanging out; a very relaxing and productive evening!

Will came up with a name for the studio: "Brave New Studio". Nice one!

Projects

Had a fair amount of fun mixing and mashing tunes last night (it was very hit-and-run as time was tight); still one more trick I want to try with "Burwood/NY New Loop" incorporating a solo Alessandra piano part, which may require pitch-shifting (if it even works at all) to fit.

Discussed "Solus" mixes with Will today and possibly leaving "New Arp" on the cutting-room floor... the track has some problems and not sure how well it flows with the rest of the album. "Orbit" is being discussed as an alternate tune.

Also a possible album-length project with Ale creating some more "Gurdjieff-tinged" music akin to our "Sun Absolute" and perhaps bringing in Gary for this one and special guest Overtone singer Stuart Hinds. I think we could work very fast on this if we can get Ale to send us her parts first, and we build up from there. In the meantime, I've sent her a couple of mp3s to work on, and will be discussing schedules, timing and possibilities for the CD in the very near future.

Mixing

Inspired by Will's recent work in the studio, last night I revisited the (eight or nine) tracks that comprise the "Burwood" tune, in an attempt to smooth out some of the piano track hiss. When I orginally recorded the parts, I never even attempted to mix it since I knew I was flying it straight over to Will's machine. Here I finally took the whole tune apart, track by track, e.q.ing each part individually and trying some fades and pans.

I have to report that I am very happy with the first mix, which I've sent over to Will as a complete WAV. Hoping its better than what it was before; in any event, there may be one additional new part I want to try on the piece invloving the "new year new loop piece", just to see how it sounds as a possible fade-out...

Studio

Relaxing in the studio with a "friend"...

MLK

Mind-blowlingly good day, despite shaky beginnings and a cat who wants to poop in my closet. The weather (warming with blue-skies and a nice breeze) is fabulous and I am surrendering to the prarie that is becoming my backyard. The South Texas drought is showing no sign of abatement; this is the worst period since records have been kept. I am seriously thinking of trying to do some drought-condition landscaping (ah, if I had the money...) to conserve water and resources....

Will is re-working several of the Gilliam tunes to delete some "pops" and other sonic problems; can't wait to hear the revised versions!

Meanwhile, I am itching to crank up the recorder as I have some new tune ideas I'm interested in exploring.

Relaxation

Relaxing morning, sitting here with coffee and enjoying the day; had some ideas for some new tunes yesterday, but haven't been able to get out to the office/studio, as Noah is recovering from tonsillectomy. Adding Mick Karn, Ryuichi Sakamoto and David Sylvian (not the "real David Sylvian") to my Facebook friends.

Now its time to make the pancakes.

But before I go, I append here my old "Here & Now" webpage (circa 1999-2001) which was on the web way before anyone was "blogging" proper:

Here and Now - The Babajohnny Sage Wisdom/Zen Homepage Diaries 19th october, 2001 Friday morning; feel a fundamental shift underway in my "dribbling psyche." Meanwhile i've received an email from Netscape informing me that they are doing-away with this format and therefor i will need to move or abandon my hompeage! Pooh and bother! Now i gotta go to work. 14 october 2001 relaxing sunday, went to the zoo (wanted to see the new baby hippo "uma" having unexpectedly arrived last week much to the surprise of the zoo-staff). little uma kept a low profile (popped-up out of the water just for a brief appearance)but we had a good time anyway. then back home to finish yesterday's yard work. Isaac was watching Star Wars earlier and a phrase from Qui Gon stuck in my mind (speaking to young anakin skywalker): "Remember, your focus defines your reality." This has been my mantra this day... I am focusing on the spiritual, on life this day. Joy and happiness, bliss-in-the-moment! The moment is fleeting (but, it ALWAYS WAS fleeting to begin with!). Living life, not in fear or hyper-critical self-judgment, but just as it is, one moment at a time! thanks be to God! 13 october, 2001 Big storm blew in last night; this morning clear blue sky! I thank my Lord and creator for blessing me with another day, make some coffee and now here I sit in a momentary calmness, before Joey starts to go "wahhhh..." i think i've succeeded in distratcting him, but there is only so much distracting you can do with a four-month old! Practiced guitar last night; tried out some new chord ideas, based on standard "c", and some different things with cross-picking. Realized how far I have to go before I can get my endurance back; I am very rusty! 5th october, 2001 Om Guru Om Surrendering today to the sacred Flow I am at once a single entity in a larger whole. My nothingness merges with the Totality of the Universe making a unique Omni-Present- Nothingness not unlike a roaring waterfall. Having merged into the mindfullness I have tapped the deep-well of compassionate-embrace-into-the-Now! I breathe-in compassion and exhale compassion-- this is the Buddha-way. Nothing can be taken that is freely given. This is my lesson to myself this day. The mind is capable of infinite compassion. Today my hands are open in the gesture of gratitude and I say "thank you" to the universe for this infinite Being. How far can I surrender into this Bliss-Moment? Abwoon-- the touch and taste of the Holy encounter. So saying, let it be so. Ameyn. LYRICS Ciao Brasil (Marcell) Ciao Brasil - You know I never wanted to leave you Ciao Brasil - You know that I believe in you. And when I'm cold, as I am so often now; And when I'm cold, I turn my heart to you, Brasil... The water's edge, I look toward Brasil, Brasil The water's edge, I look toward Brasil, Brasil Ciao Brasil... copyright 1990-2001 errogeneous jones music Open Window (Marcell) The clouds move Across the swollen moon Above your open window... The wind is blowing Blowing your hair Through your open window. I wear my heart On my open sleeve. I wear my heart On my open sleeve. I wear my heart... The stars above Our heads The world's an open window. Your hand held tightly in my own My loves an open window... copyright 1983-2001 errogeneous jones music World (Marcell) Oh, world I'm watching you. How can I stand here Just watching you? What you're doing, what you're doing to yourselves- Can't you see? Can't you understand? Love Is all there ever was; Love Is all there ever was. People Starving everyday So much uncertainty, You're hiding yourself away. You can't reach out To touch the one who cries for you What are you doing, What are you running from? Love Is all there ever was; Love Is all there ever was. Love Is all there ever was; Love Is all there ever was. copyright 1983-2001 errogeneous jones music In the Valley of Indecision (Marcell) Left in the valley of indecision Left in the valley again Lost in the valley of indiscretions I'm lost in the valley again Lifting the veil of incrimination I'm lifting the veil again Found in the valley of contemplation I'm found in the valley again. And I can't go on I need you here with me I can't go on Without you here by me. Tricked in the valley of contamination I'm tricked in the valley again. Lost in the circuits of the interference I'm lost in the circuits again. Gone is the world where we could run like kids Never to be seen again Lying in the sudden of the realization I'm never goin' back there again. And I can't go on I need you here with me I can't go on Without you here by me. copyright 1993-2001 errogeneous jones music Mystery of Our Love (Marcell) You don't have to worry In the pale blue night You don't have to worry 'Cause I've got you on my mind I'd never leave you or hurt you Or do anything unkind You gotta believe me now Thats not what I got in mind When I'm with you When I'm with you When I'm with you, babe When I'm with you And when I wake up You're the first thing that I see And when I go to bed I thank the stars above Because I love you And I know that you love me And that's the mystery, babe The mystery of our love Of our love Of our love Of our love Of our love. copyright 1993-2001 errogeneous jones music RECENT POETRY Incredible events The world has forever changed... What will tomorrow bring? --babajohnny September 14, 2001 Can I be more Open Loving, kind and forgiving? Can I learn to put aside My anger, resentment and uncaring? If I merely react to pain And perceived injustices I am alone, an animal; In love I can awaken, Rise above my doubt And Embrace the Eternal... -- babajohnny August 22, 2001 Still cloud Gentle breeze Alive in this moment Vibrant Universe! -- babajohnny August 22, 2001 Years of solitude the sacred ground A gnawing belief in some inner good Beyond outward forms, appearances that you and I are One Related, yet seperate and seperated Though never really alone. The distant shoreline crashing waves and coastal birds Serving to remind us of our journey home And the simple truth No matter how distant We are One. --babajohnny 2001. </b> The Joy of Prayer Beneath the wintery sky, I surrender all to my Christ; He fills me! --1-15-83, babajohnny August, 2000 Ocean Drive (Poem for Kate) Waves crash, crescent moon jellyfish, jellyfish all the way home We cross the Cole Park grounds Towards the black night pier Kate and I hold Isaacs' hands and stroll past the fishers with their coolers, and tackleboxes and smokes And Kate tells me how the jellyfish maybe stung her (on the knee); And we part with our friends in the summer night: "I'll call you on your cel phone in the morning!" And do a U-turn on Ocean Drive Towards home Primordial Heart Sutra No. 1 Walked down Houston street, past tall boys with severe haircuts and dye-jobs, past the stranded tourists like starfish, past the cafe, and the latte-drinkers (aegis of similitude) to this fine spot here by the fountain where there is shade and coolness, and overhead the sky is not cloudy all day... this then is where I sit, desolation angel, and observe the "I-I" scribbling these notes on a scrap of grey-lined paper; "it" observes the world 'roundabout it, and sips strong coffee in the mid-day sun... Non-identified, a fleeting moment in a series (of fleeting moments) passing into primordial oblivion like a slow motion arrow seen passing before it's eyes into eternity. This series then forms some part of the past, a part which is barely glimpsed, yet underlies all future action. What part then will "I-I" save; is there a part of this present immune from the entropic flow? Or is all lost? ...Food for the moon... Hot wind blows Across Hot concrete, But here I am overshadowed, And in a state of calmness, Aware of the possibilities In this moment Here and now. Primordial Heart Sutra No. 2 Heart mantra Alive in this moment Lotus petals brush across my lips. Envelope me in your fragrance... Om mani padme hum... (An ancient prayer; jewel in the Lotus). Two lovers Hearts and minds as One Touching (as if) for the very first time... You kiss me like raindrops; You caress me like clouds. You kiss me. You kiss me like rain. Heart mantra Primordial One. Witness That Which Is, Is Christ. That Which Is, Is Buddha. That Which Is, Radiant Being. That Which Is, Beyond Mind. The Truth and the Way are inseparable; Where then are the Ten-Thousand Things? Heart to Heart, The truth is manifested. Heart to Heart, We are One. That Which Is, Remains undying. That Which Is, This very moment. -- 29 October, 1999 Cafe' Du Johnny KRISHNAMURTI Standing among the silent trees An overwhelming presence, a benediction He is aware of the birds, the rustling wind And the sound of the leaves beneath his feet. They called him savior, but that was long ago- Now his frail body trembles, drains of strength And he has come to nothingness, the "I" beyond the ego Fully surrendered to the one divine God. THIS MORNING I SAW BEAUTY This morning I awoke with a smile new moon, dark sky She said what is the essential thing love is the essential thing What is the randomness earth, sky, mind is the randomness A thousand christs or a single flower your father/mother in heaven knows the answer Pulsing like lightening on the horizon Movement or no movement is the same A vehicle for your ornamental mind In movement we define our reality In reality we dance our movement This morning I saw beauty Reflected in a smile Sleeping. UNTITLED #1 Cigarette smoke wafting towards heaven Black night full of armagnac and stars Gurdjieff and his father by the woodshed In Tiflis, 1902. UNTITLED #2 Surrender to the "is-ness" of the Universe! Body and mind, dropped away! When you drop the question the answer appears. There is no Work; that is the Great Koan! PRAYER Riding the bus this morning My mantra is relax and renew, relax and renew, relax... Knowing all things under heaven and earth work together for what is right, The world is bathed in goodness and light. Each day I pause to say "thank you." Each day I begin again, anew. Surrendered to the sacred flow of life, Letting the universe unfold as it will, I embrace the eternal, present moment And rejoice in the name of the Lord. "May all I do and am return to praise the One." Amen. SUBTEXT There is a current Running just below the surface Of which you and I partake Electric, intoxicating, wild, vengeful And bursting forth surprising patterns Manifesting unhesitatingly into our lives Yes, surprising us, when we were dead to The world, but alive to each other Bringing knowledge and remembrance Redemption and salvation Warm and wet and fertile and intimate Alive in us, alive in mortal I Grinding forward, dizzying, out of control That which comes into being, unifying, frightening Tender and loving, hungry destroyer of all worlds, Sacred earth, mother, goddess, birther, fire, imminent bringer of death The infinite "isness" of the universe Swallow us whole UNTITLED #3 The sun setting in a midst of colors, The clouds move across the hiding moon; One man sitting zazen Drinking warm tea. - Burwood (1983). UNTITLED #4 There is no perfection. There is only perfection. TWO MANTRAS I I am merged With the Mindfulness Of the Present. II One Heart One Mind Endlessness. -- adams' house, September 11, 1993. PEACE Peace is like the raindrops on my shoulder. -- September 23, 1993 CLOUDS The clouds move across my mind; Already I have forgotten them! - September 23, 1993 UNTITLED #5 This subtle mind-cloud; Here for awhile, then gone. Are you the totality of your experiences, your thoughts? Or perhaps it is all a dream; Waiting for the moment of Awakening. -- November 22, 1999 Sign my Guestbook and Be Free Name: Email Address: Web Address: Comments: Guestbook entries Farfalla de Madame Comments: Qualcuno giovane di fronte ad un giro. (its Italian for the pooheads out there..) :D ----- linda lazy mailto:sleepinsafety@yahoo.com http://geocities.com/sleepinsafety Comments: i liked your site...i hope your buddhanity brings you joy ----- olof palme mailto:olofpalme63@yahoo.com http://hometown.aol.com/olof63/ Comments: " de si de förstå mig, bortsett från jag kan icke löpe till vara förstådd!" ----- olof palme mailto:olof63@aol.com http://hometown.aol.com/olof63/ Comments: "they say they understand me, but i cannot stand to be understood!" ----- johnny Comments: Thanks, Alan, for those kind and reassuring words...whoever said i was an "adult" in the first place?! ----- Alan mailto:threexfive@yahoo.com Comments: Congrats on Joseph's arrival! What a blessing for your family. But remember, the adults are outnumbered in your house now. ----- Io-No mailto:DRobot01@msn.com Comments: Sidewalk slabs light up Flourescent radiation underlights a crowd A city vibrates with slowly increasing loops of amplified feedback Then, a theremin chick whistles by, hopping to a basket of color eggs Across some water, the same ----- Shelly mailto:shellykvd@yahoo.com Comments: The link on the Netscape header "View other sites like this one" - 'tis impossible! This is unique. Hope Spock & Picard come home soon. Possum, be gone. Call if you want to borrow 2 cats & a dog to rid your house of pests. ----- Erasmus Comments: Missive on the freedom of the mind from a like-minded monk at the dawn of the modern era to a mystic muse at its dusk: May not a man be a Christian who cannot explain how the nativity of the Son differs from the procession of the Holy Spirit? If I believe in the Trinity in Unity, I want no argument. If I do not believe, I shall not be convinced by reason. The sum of religion is peace, which can only be when definitions are as few as possible and opinion is left free on many subjects. Our present problems are said to be waiting for the next Ecumenical Council. Better let them wait till we see God face to face. Peace, Johnny. Got a light? (1522) ----- babajohnny http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/cafedujohnny Comments: Stroll over to my new club on yahoo (see the link...) where you can check out new pics and interact live via chat! baba ----- Comments: Forgetting to Remember... Forget to remember, Remember to forget... The past is reflected in the Present. The future is a moment Waiting to be born. --babajohnny ----- Jishin mailto:diane@akshin.net http://sites.netscape.net/babajohnnylove/www.akshin.net Comments: Forget to remember...remember to forget... Though provoking..lovely1 Thank you! Diane hailing from Anchorage, Alaska. ----- John mailto:john@egyptian.net http://sites.netscape.net/john62274john/homepage Comments: Thank you for pointing out my address error in my previous message. I am adding a link to my webpage to connect to your site. Thank you for your kind words, and thank you for your insight. ----- John mailto:john@egyptian.net http://sites.netscape.net/62274john62274/homepage Comments: I found your websight to be quite wonderful. It is the essence of the moment, as experienced. Perhaps you would consider allowing me to link your page from by webpage. ----- frank kormos mailto:stagesoflight@yahoo.com stagesoflight.homestead.com Comments: hey whats up just a fellow krim fan musician from NY ----- mailto:bloodsimple73@aol.com Comments: heartening, and warmth bring me rice with tomatoes on my plate...over, and over, as i bathe in flesh, sparkling stares, and everlasting kisses... soft as nature hisses ----- Comments: ----- evana mailto:bloodsimple73@aol.com Comments: a heart before twilight, a kiss before dawn...and my bodies of ocean become still unto the break, and within which, we all foresake ----- Breathless mailto:breathless_kaz@yahoo.com Comments: Smiles ! ----- Kristan Comments: cool ----- babajohnny Comments: ah, the beach... surrendered to the isness of the moment, water rushing over my head; sand and sun and wind, a sense of well-being and calm pervades my being. Missy and I sat zazen in lotus posture in the water, a flowing timelessness, eternal moment! ----- jonnygonepomo's literary agent Comments: jm- please excuse pomo's lack of closing parenthesis in his last guestbook entry. it's been a hard day for him. being a friday in reality and such. ----- jonnygonepomo mailto:sleepwell@thevoid.net my url is beyond earthly ken Comments: baba johnny turns into johnny love on certain magical nites and can be seen singing and playing guitar at good old fashioned folk hootenannys at tacoland. at least this much I dream is true. personal message to babajm: johnny, I was walking down the street today and i just suddenly realized that none of this is real. that's it's actually ridiculous and even funny - the crazy human goings-on and how we misuse the substance of now. i know that human tragedy hurts, but we must accept loss as kerouac says (one of the fundamental rules for the modern - dare i say postmodern - spontaneous technique. i can't wait to see what lies in wait after this world. any thoughts? ----- psarath@hoovers.com Comments: Just checking in John and Melissa. Sounds like things are cool at the Marcell house. Lots of stuff going on here, trying to sell our house, it's been hectic as hell. More later. ----- ken mailto:bearwarren@yahoo.com Comments: Johnny, keep in mind: We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience. ----- Sean TopographicYes@yahoo.com Comments: Enjoy Life! ----- Sheila mailto:Marybeth_22@excite.com Comments: I believe your words are true to your heart...and that makes them beautiful, and inspiring. ----- michael escamilla mailto:esky1979@aol.com Comments: right on, but I miss the angsty love poetry of Johnny Love (before he was babajohnybegood) ----- Zelda mailto:BigZ@SanMarcos.net Comments: Hear my fingers snapping. ----- Your friend Linda!! mailto:LifeCloud@aol.com Comments: I like it! Can you place this stuff on more than one page? ----- John Navarro mailto:io0io1@hotmail.com Comments: I was riding a hovertrain through NeoComfort, a megalopolis of over 30 million citizens. This was still a small town compered to the big cities. I crumpled the waxy brown substance into some paper and lit it. Pushy billboards flashed by, their subliminal slogans overriding each other, rendering all useless for specifics, creating only a sense of lack, a need to accumulate. I'd had enough. The genome project had cut off my funds and my research had lost support from my peers, who once lauded my papers as the blueprints for a new branch of study-nasal warps. ----- Rainey none none Comments: Dear Johnny I seem to have left the "r" out of sure. - I am not sure what to feel anymore. ----- Rainey none none Comments: sue is alot to read. So we saved it. ----- Alan Comments: I say that we, your friends, should ordain you instead of ULC. So it's official: Your are hereby Baba Johnny, Minister of whatever it is you're into this week. ----- ktr Comments: so, like I just walked up to the hotdog vendor and said,"make me one with everything" ----- Tamii Rogers mailto:chibir@yahoo.com Comments: write me! Oh, I went and saw that big buddha while back in the home land ----- baba-san Comments: what is the essential thing? breakfast tacos are the essential thing... yes, nunzio, working on possible drawlings and even a photo rainey took of me in j.paul sartre pose... thanks for visiting!--baba ----- James Cobb mailto:cobb@texas.net Comments: Johnny---This is the third time I've visited your sight and I still haven't read most of it, but it's early in the morning and Pseudo Buddha had a late night (and not altogether great) gig last night which is leaving me just sleep deprived enough to want to deal with such as THERE IS NO PERFECTION, THERE IS ONLY PERFECTION with my coffee. I promise I'd get further into this homepage of yours if only I had some breakfast tacos. Alas, I don't. THERE ARE NO BREAKFAST TACOS, THERE IS ONLY NO BREAKFAST TACOS. Add some inimitable BabaJohnny drawings, eh? ----- melissa mailto:JJMMarcell@netzero.com http://sites.netscape.net/babajohnnylove/www.clickchick.com Comments: Just think what would happen if you used your powers for good. ----- jonnypostmod'seviltwin Comments: baba, forgive me, had to try to see inscriptions in guestbook ----- TomStar Comments: Great stuff JohnStar ----- babajohnny mailto:babajohnny@yahoo.com Comments: dear jonnypostmod: thanks for the comments; yes psychic-oneness-connection via the internet is the FUTURE... i'll look into a more interactive format. in oneness --babajohnny ----- jonnypostmod mailto:disgruntledgoat@despair.com Comments: baba, please forgive intrusion just wanted to read offerings in guestbook once again. maybe you can work something out with the great void that will allow visitors to view guestbook and interact. creating web of love transparent rising across skies to hold whole earth in its silent, unseen heart? ----- Christine (Xtie) mailto:ckestner@rma.edu Comments: You devil! I don't even have a website yet. Cool... ----- Tyrone mailto:franscott@stic.net Comments: Jim Morrison my @#$^! Looks more like Jack Kerouac to me. Either way, great stuff!! ----- Ethan mailto:JJMMarcell@netzero.com http://www.stickerworld.org/kids?ethana Comments: I like it. That's all. ----- Alan mailto:alan@mail.utexas.edu http://216.169.122.124/rayn/turkstud.swf Comments: Why aren't the Buddhas dancing? ----- Jon Pearson mailto:jonp@mail.utexas.edu Comments: too good to be true. three days sick with cold and flu. you sent a little light and warmth into my soul. ----- Bubba rxgbub rxgbub@austin.cc.tx.us Comments: ----- Norm Boyle mailto:bluebus99@yahoo.com Comments: Jim Morrison's poetry is alive and well and living in San Antonio, Tx. ----- c. 2000/2001 - babajohnnylove/all rights reserved. "And work consists in subjecting oneself voluntarily to temporary suffering in order to be free from eternal suffering." -- G.I. Gurdjieff (Page 357, "In Search of the Miraculous; Fragments of an Unknown Teaching," by P.D. Ouspensky c. 1949, Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc.)