Allow Me To Reintroduce Myself

If you've noticed, I've not posted here since I lost my friend to leukemia this summer. I guess since that's the last thing I posted about, I haven't been able to bring myself to post here again. In the past couple of weeks, I've significantly increased my Myspace visibility, and therefore contemplated writing a "Dear Blog" letter here. Instead I'm revisiting my last topic in many ways, and putting this blog to rest. It was started with good intentions and bad timing, and really, I'm more a "post mp3s and photos" type than a "pontificate on the issues facing the modern world in 500 words or less" type. But I think more than anything, I have some stuff I need to get out, and this isn't the place to do it. It deserves more than that.

So, this will be the last post here at djyn.blogspot.com. I've always felt a bit uncomfortable here, especially using DJYN for the name since I don't DJ professionally. To that end, I encourage you all to instead visit my myspace page or my band's myspace page to keep up. And since my opinions--while just as valid and brilliant--don't come out in writing nearly as well as these folks, please check out:
Fancy Robot
Sun Moon Stars Rain
and Casual Asides
I'm sure you will find them all enlightening.

My parting words: Find someone you love, who you think is beautiful in the purest form of the word, who brings light in to your life, and hold them very close to you and tell them that you think that of them.

Good Times, Bad Times

I've got more to say very soon, but things have been exceedingly busy and semi-unrelatedly rough. But just wanted to put it out there in the world that everyone should appreciate every moment they've got. Life is a beautiful thing.

Book Challenge

The gauntlet has been thrown down (www.sunmoonstarsrain.com), and now I must defend mine own honor in the BOOK CHALLENGE.
Here goes:

Total number of books you’ve owned?

Literally hundreds, although I have significantly less than that now (kids, watch out for the mold).

Last book you bought?

The Princess Bride

Last book you read?

The Fortress of Solitude by Jonathan Lethem (which may have put me off books for the moment)

Five books that mean a lot to you?

The Story of B by Daniel Quinn

The Complete Sandman by Neil Gaiman

His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman

The Miles Davis Autobiography by Miles Davis & Quincy Troupe

The Zappa Book by Frank Zappa

Five people you want to complete this survey?

Boofus

Rowlf

A. Dizzle

Dextress

Tha Explora

Gorgeous George

Look at that, it's once again been a while. Things are very busy in the land of Glas, but before I get in to that, I'm going to take a moment to heap praise upon my new favorite politician, 'Gorgeous' George Galloway. To my dismay, I found that neither of my good friends more-regularly-updated-and-politically-focused blogs had anything to say about this (lodge your complaint at www.fancyrobot.com or www.sunmoonstarsrain.com and on that note a warm welcome back to the blogosphere for SMSR). For those of you who also missed it, the Yankee senate tried to go after Respect Party MP George Galloway for his 'involvement' with the oil-for-food scandal. As my mates here have said, apparently our senators don't do their homework on foreign politicians (not that this is a surprise, what with non-existent WMDs and all). They chose to drag a serious political firebrand across the pond to accuse him of lighter versions of the same shit the US government has been doing for years. Instead, they got themselves a proper tongue lashing from the anti-Iraq War minister. Now seriously, I don't know what y'all's was thinking, but seriously, this was like the senate trying to call in Jon Stewart for a hearing on his journalistic integrity. News from here was more abundant and supportive of Galloway than anything I saw from the US, and no wonder, as Gorgeous George took the opportunity to point out to the senate that not only is he innocent of the charges being thrown at him, but the US's own leaders are guilty of far worse in the same genre. I'd like to think that this would trigger an increase in public discourse regarding the bad behavior of Cheney & Co., but it looks like the American Media is more than happy to sweep this one under the rug. All the more reason to illuminate the accomplishments of Mr. Galloway. Three Cheers and Huzzahs all around for our man George.
Now for the personal update, I haven't forgotten how to use a keyboard or anything (or for that matter, how to use 'email', although I'm sure some of you are convinced that I've lost my password or something), I've just been amazingly busy in a seriously good way. dBass is movin' along, doing some occasional recording sessions to flesh out the in-the-works demo/EP, and should be doing at least one if not many sessions at the Co.op. No gigs on the horizon there, but once the demo is done that should get better. I mentioned in my last post about this beatbox project. Now it looks like much of that project (excluding the dual-beatbox dependant jawns) is morphing in to a live trip-hop project, for which I will be drumming, along with a fretless bassist, synth guitarist, supa-DJ, Quest MCing, Amy singing, and a string section for recording. Should be a trip, and a unique experience for me to be playing composed music with electronics and things (not much room for my preferred improv). There is also in the works an old-school Studio 1 style-y ska group, led by my good friend Colin. And last but definitely not least is the most 'my' band thing I'm doing, a trio with at least one keyboardist but possibly two. It was meant to be drums-keys-bass, but the bass player has been out of contact for a good bit, so time to move on. Nice to be writing music again and actually have people to play it (one of the first things we've been working on is a tune I wrote about 6 months ago at the keyboard of all things. And it's in 5. Heavy).
Okay, now I'm done with my gloatfest. For the record, I am writing this while 'covering' the keyboard department at the music shop at which I work. If they'd had internet at Guitar Conglomerate, I never would've sold anything.
More to come, including the wayan.co.uk site, the wallsstreetcoop.co.uk site, and possibly metropolitanmovement.co.uk. Keep watching...

Blaze the Blazer

Time went and got away from me again for a bit. I went on holiday (vacation for you readers at home, although I only traveled as far as the West End. It's like spending your vacation travelling from the Village to Williamsburg, only without the L) last week, and kicked it off with a massive party for Dextress' birthday. Many local hip-hop illuminati were kickin' it in the flat, and we instituted a one-night-only Left-Hand Smoke Indoors rule, which led the last half of the arriving partygoers to remark "Smells good in here". The kitties were in full effect for the party too, making them now, officially, Rock N Roll Kitties (they are Louis Garcon and Amorino if I have yet to mention them here yet, and they are cuter than your favorite pet). The rest of the week was spent recovering and saying "Damn, we had a great party" and visiting people who did and did not make it to the party in an attempt to be more social people (not that we're anti-social, but we usually make people come to us since we live on the other end of Glasgow from all our friends). Now I'm back at work, and have since joined(?) another band. This one is called HQAI I believe, although it may be billed as HQAI featuring YN12000. 2 beatboxers (one who also raps, the other who also plays guitar, the H and Q), a singer (A), a champion (DMC Finals) DJ (I) and myself on mixer and Kaoss Pad (and maybe at some point computer, but our first rehearsal found that I was getting more done with just the Kaoss). It's like nothing I've ever done before. Absolutely fascinating. Everyone involved is supremely talented as well. It's great fun. Still searching for more musicians for the (not-)jamband. And a top-shelf DJ who wants to do a gig in Glasgow May 13, paid (~$1000, plus plane ticket). Know anyone?

Ride On The Peace Train

Okay, so some of you may have noticed that I've edited a recent post. Some of you may have similarly noticed that I'd gotten a fair amount of feedback regarding said-now-edited post. Truth be told, I never expected to have Glaswegian readers. But since I do, I'd rather not be the source of any ill will towards any local artists (unless someone should personally offend me, in which case, fair game). With that in mind, I'll no longer use the actual names of any artist(s) other than those I'm personally connected with, and I'll try to rein in any bile which may be spewed in the direction of anyone else. To any I may have offended, sorry. I maintain my right to an opinion, but I will not use it to slander anyone. [This post subject to edit at any time ;-)]

Hate Hate Hate Hate Hate

Hey everybody, looks like I've been nominated for this year's Hater's Ball. Check the comments on the post below (and Greetings and Salutations to my new readers).