Saturday, July 04, 2009  

The neighbor kid got over his childhood this year. It’s the first summer that the house I am in is no longer an interesting object within his fantasy fighting the fascists as partisan. Do not know how old he is exactly, 10, 11 or 12? Kids grow up quick these days. He hangs around with friends talking on the cell, driving up and down on motor-bikes. The ‘difficult’ years will start soon. Rebellious against everything. No more ‘sweet mammy-boy’. First beer, cigarettes and maybe spliff?
The music changed too. Loud Guns and Roses, punk rock and other ‘heavy’ related tunes rumble out of the open garage door into the valley. This will not be a very peaceful summer. I do not care neither complain. Had my younger days, everybody should have hers/his. And anyway, I contribute regularly (on turn) to the sounds of this nice spot.

Friday, July 03, 2009  

After Bela (see post July 1) the main path splits, you can go either left or right. Until not that many years ago, most people parked here. Only a few went on. This has changed. Especially in the weekend more move on ‘exploring’ the park. Its funny to see the exhausted faces toiling their way uphill. The road on both sides becomes difficult after some miles. Steep uphill dirt-road with holes, loose gravel, mud. Not easy for a nice comfortable weekend ride. Lucky, most make a circle over Krekovse, a picknick house up on one hill. New gravel-road lay outs make short (2/3 hours) circling around possible. Back in Bela probably most have the feeling they ‘did’ something. With respect yes, its good to have a nice ride. Fine exercise, fresh air and good training. I pass-by moving on further, often leaving the bikecycle behind on a deserted spot, moving on by foot. Trying to reach destinations on routes barely used before. The summer has a tropical touch this year. Hot with many thunderstorms. Natural violence is showing of its beauty. Getting wet by sweat or rain, I don’t care. The sun will damp it of.

Thursday, July 02, 2009  

Not much time today. Fixing things on the house, tour nature, book bands and cook food! Busy busy bizzy-nix. Here a pix :


Wednesday, July 01, 2009  

Passing by Bela I remembered my first time cycling to this spot. That was 10 years ago. Bela is a swimming spot in the hills. Two mountain-streams meet and form a big pool sufficient deep to dive and crawl. In the summer the locals go there. Refreshments are supplied by temporary bar in a wooden cabin.
What did I know one decade ago. It was my first summer here. Locals showed me the spot informing it is common to go cycling. I was trained and used to long tours in my former location, but the land there is flat. Here everything goes up (and down) hill. Rather steep too.
The road to Bela looks easy. About 7 km (5 miles), almost straight, nicely paved by asphalt. The eye tricked me that first time. Thinking it would be a piece of cake, turned out to be endless slow uphill. Underestimating the ride I arrived exhausted in Bela. Lucky the bar was open to kill my thirst.
Now I know better. Race by Bela in high speed on my way to Vojsko or other destinations locals never cycle too. The further you leave Bela behind, the more peaceful the surroundings become.
The slow-smooth uphill asphalt drive to the swimming pool is now a good warming-up for starting the tour.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009  

Time for a quote. Something I barely do on this site. Here is one from Woody Guthrie. If you do not know who he is, surf and educate yourself.  

“I hate a song that makes you think that you're not any good. I hate a song that makes you think that you are just born to lose. Bound to lose. No good to nobody. No good for nothing. Because you are either too old or too young or too fat or too slim or too ugly or too this or too that. Songs that run you down or songs that poke fun at you on account of your bad luck or your hard traveling. I am out to fight those kinds of songs to my very last breath of air and my last drop of blood. I am out to sing songs that will prove to you that this is your world and that if it has hit you pretty hard and knocked you for a dozen loops, no matter how hard it's run you down and rolled over you, no matter what color, what size you are, how you are built, I am out to sing the songs that make you take pride in yourself and in your work. And the songs I sing are made up for the most part by all sorts of folks just about like you.”
(Woody Guthrie, American folksinger 1912-1967)

Monday, June 29, 2009  

Its summer, temperature is rising. A phonecall yesterday reminded me to put a warning out to all you ‘born digital’ youngsters out there. I am very happy with the regained interest in vinyl (it never really vanished). Warning: vinyl is not to be compared with bits on a hardrive. Its oil based material that gets weak and soft in heat. Temperature do not need to be on burning or boiling levels to destroy your record. A few minutes sunshine, hot car-trunk or whatever too warm atmosphere can bend your record so it looks like an old-fashioned wobbly bobbly Polish/NY road in ‘hard-to-play’ condition.
If you made the mistake; leave your vinyl flat under a heavy pile of books for one year!
I made this mistake. Long time ago, was very young, still a child but already spinning the grooves. It was late 60ties. First nice summer days. Brought the typical red-plastic, speaker built in lit, player outside in the garden. Found a nice shadow spot. No worries. But dreaming away on the soundwaves sun turned and burned the record (while playing) into a wobbly Sahara-surface. Oops, my brother angry. He owned the plate. I remember well. Great blues compilation with an amazing version of CC-Rider by Champion Jack Dupree. Never got to hear it again. The record recovered after weight lifting for a long period.   

Sunday, June 28, 2009  

Due to recent change of control system, private practices from doctors are still unknown in the valley. If you get sick, have an accident, need a dentist,…. you visit the local hospital. A left over from the ‘jour rouge’ where all kind of doctors practiced together in one building.
The hospital is situated in a strange outskirt of the village. Walking the food-bridge, crossing main road, you enter a big non-paved dirt field. familiar in every town, those mud-pools full with holes filled by rain water. On the corner a white lonely building hosting old-fashioned drug store specialized in wine. The mud-pool entrance shows, by everyone ignored, “no entry” and “no parking” signs. The place is filled with cars from hospital visitors. The right side borders 2 abandoned looking old industrial buildings with broken walls, smashed windows and graffiti. The end of this desolated landscape locates the hospital-building; perfectly matching. 4 storeys high, traditionally designed in the ‘50ties socialistic’ style. Combination of steel, plastic, concrete and wood in yellow-blue-grey colors. Broken sun-blinds, rusty pillars, black rotten concrete, windows without paint. Makes you think the building is empty for a long time if no people would use the entrance.
Inside is maintained for the eye. First glance is ok, second better look you notice the suffering worn-out spots. Floor-cloth glue detaching, ceiling plates hanging loose. Dark yellow walls and minimal lights create a doom dusky atmosphere. Is this a place to get better or sick?
No comments to the treatments. The doctors are very good, once you manage to reach them. The organization looks chaotic for foreigners. I often wonder if there is structure, but at the moment this fits well into the scenery.
Few years ago the local authorities wasted loads of money giving the village square a fix-up. A non-fitting semi-modern-Italian imitation design that starts and stops too sudden. Did the architect go for a comical effect? Strolling the square yesterday I noticed this only two-year-old construction is already falling apart. Tiles are broken and cover up holes under the surface. They unexpectedly flip over. Can twist your ankles, so you end up in the hospital.
I am curious what the local leading politician’s near future choice of investment will be. Do they go for the health of the community or fancy look of the domicile?      

Saturday, June 27, 2009  

Its weekend. Time for a picture instead of words. Since temperature is rising here a picture to cool-of.


Friday, June 26, 2009  

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/nonewmediatax/
A large number of (older) Dutch musicians and actors have offered a petition to the Dutch officials, asking for a special tax on mp3-players and hard disc recorders. They are of course, against downloading, and think they can use old media rules to earn money on their copyrighted materials. It's time that new, modern artists sign a petition against taxes on new media and make a statement about the positive effects of peer2peer and use of modern media and media carriers.  

Free Music is not only a ‘younger’ or ‘new-modern’ artist thing. It is supported by many age groups from all kind of music styles for some time.  Some organizations that propagandize Free Music are: http://consolidatedmusic.org/ and www.limbabwe.com . Free Music and Free Bikecycles!

Thursday, June 25, 2009  

You never really get to talk to anyone. In all these years traveling around I kept a few good contacts, but in compare with the amount of people I encountered, it’s a very small percentage that stayed. Especially those on location, working in venues. Many are nice friendly people. Pity, mostly you can have just a short conversation. Especially working 2 jobs like me, Soundengineering (FOH) and Tourmanager (TM). You know how it is, Arriving, unloading, arranging technical and hospitality instructions. Last minute problems (machines break down, artists demands,……). Work all night without a decent break. After the gear is packet you gotto leave. Just time for a few friendly words, handshake and of you are.
Without getting sentimental, its remarkable how few contacts are left after meeting so many worldwide. I know this is just a job. At home everybody has their own busyness with friends and relatives. Why bother about someone else at the other side of the planet. Maybe I should do all these trips over again, but than on my bikecycle. Will take me years, but no hurries. Lots of  time to communicate and learn to know eachother better.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009  

Tick as a Brick. That fucking tick got me. Still sick as a dog. Go to the doctors again today. Who remembers that band Jethro Tull? (Ofcourse it was “Thick as a Brick”). Are they still around. Fuck them, probably death and forgotten or endlessly re-chewing the back-catalogue in favor of their bank-accounts. Never liked them then nor now. Not because of the ‘intellectuality’ of their sound. (How ‘intellectual’ can popmusic be?). I just didn’t like their music. Ofcourse I remember many records of Jethro. The early 70thies where not so busy with weekly new releases in compare with the flood of titles thrown at you in the 80/90ties. 40 years ago you could still easily keep track of what been dumped in the store-bins by the bizznix. Ofcourse I couldn’t afford buying it all, but classmates purchased what you avoided. Swapping records made me learn the music I dislike till today. So yes, I know what is crap. Gave it an effort listening. Anyway, we all (humans) should know by now that this music thing is just a joke. Soap for sale. Or is it really that mankind never progressed the brain.  What is it anyway that humans are incapable looking at music as simple product you buy, use and dump. Is it because of the ‘sentiment’? The subjects about ‘real life’ you relate too? Come on! Hell you should know better. Its all fake. These performers (not only the commercial ones) all have Euro bills in their eyes. Their sentiments, opinions, feelings are all fake. Their title explains already what it is, they perform. Its not real, its for money, a job!!!! got it!!!! Most of them are very clumsy and bad. I toured with many of these fakers. Sometimes I felt sorry for them. Take that band Laibach, from Slovenia, for example. They even are considered ‘serious art’. What a joke. Had it maybe a moment of interest in the early 80ties, soon the project turned into a spoof. Their obvious ideas are cheap hillbilly approach of mindless boring presentation in picture and sound. Far from ‘intellectual’ or ‘art’. Closer to dumb-disco-dive to amuse the masses. Nothing wrong with selling soap, but please don’t make it more than that. Most sorry I always felt with the singer. In reality a weak unstable small mind who has to act (25 years by now) a strong charismatic leader. Its typical for how the creators of Laibach work. Fooling friends and crowd that is worldwide not even half as big as they try to make the inhabitants of their home-country believe. ‘Keeping up appearances’ is very important in this scene.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009  

Weather came down. It is autumn cold and rainy for a few days. No panic, summer is announced to be back before the end of the week. Weather is always the subject as it is always a subject that ‘weather is always the subject’. Logic, we live with it. Weather conditions influence our moods. Still does not keep me inside. Rain/wind/cold/sun/heath/hurricanes/thunder/… you can dress yourself on this. All weather types have their beauty.
Don’t have much time today for posting. My system (physical) is down, the tick made me sick. Also have much to do. My mind is not on writing right now. Tomorrow again.

Monday, June 22, 2009  

Places as my whereabouts clearly show that for daily life there never was difference between the two ‘old’ systems: ‘capitalism’/’socialism’. In both situations it is the factory that stays on and rules/controls the life of most locals. Keep a certain distance from the community, leaves me safe from influences of overruling companies. Joining the EC brought typical examples of competitors rivaling eachother. Sometimes that is good, sometimes bad. For the couple of thousand inhabitants 4 major supermarkets settled down recently in the outskirts of the village. The last added, created a comical big parking around the building. It has more spaces than cars exist in these surroundings. Looks very surrealistic ‘modern arty’. I am in doubt that being ‘artistic’ was the reason for this construction. Drop a picture here in a few months.
This fourth supermarket is for sure overkill. Was it that the other 3 show differences in presentation and products, this 4th one contributes nothing new, not even price-wise. Personally I don’t like the store. People working there are unfriendly. Welcome to capitalism, I do not need to shop here, the competition is much nicer to me, so fuck you! A local price-war didn’t start yet. Since 4 major stores is too many, I do expect one is going to loose in the future. Jobs get created and lost. Everything stays the same on the end. Hope the latter will loose. A dusty, rusty by weather half demolished semi-modern bizznix building lost in a massive field of empty parking spaces fits more into my idea of ‘modern-art’.

Sunday, June 21, 2009  

Today is the day with the longest day light. Scientific known as solstice. Lets keep it scientific. Its simply the day that the tilt of the Earth’s axis is most inclined toward or away from the Sun, causing the Sun's apparent position in the sky to reach its northernmost or southernmost extreme. Wow, how did I write this…….. Ahum, yes I pasted it from one of those pages. Its well said though. Purely a natural event. At 5.45 am this morning the sun came in one line with the equator. I watched it. The sky was (is still) bright. Amazing soft colors. Many clear mornings look like this in the Southern Alps.
Some like to give this event another meaning than it actual is. Stonehenge is probably busy right now. Oh well, entertainment bizznix is around since humans are. Must say, whoever came up with this one should have it registered. Insures income for millenniums. Meanwhile the earth keeps on turning. Not rhythmically, as said here so often; nature is not metric. Therefore solstice is not always on June 21st, it can take place in a week from 17 till 25!  Next one is on December 21 at 5.47 pm, the ‘shortest day’ of this year.

Saturday, June 20, 2009  

Rain came in today washing away the heat of last week. As always, after rain the sun shines again. Not much time for writing today. leave you with a picture of the local ‘cool’ swimming basin, made before the masses splashes around.


Friday, June 19, 2009  

Ok, had enough of reading about ticks. One of the millions around choose me as host yesterday. Couldn’t see the tick. Was scratching my back, thinking it was something else. Later a doctor removed the rest.
Mostly in occasions like this I educate myself surfing the web. Hmmm interesting these animals. Lots of talking about the ‘risks’, but no figures about how many hosting humans are actually becoming sick? Another ‘panic’ raze to attract readers?
Most diseases caused by ticks seem easy to cure with anti-biotics. Remarkable that everyone talking about it immediately mentions these diseases. The doctor didn’t seem to panic much. ‘Keep an eye on the wound and your condition the upcoming days/weeks’, was the advice.
Instead of blowing hurricanes in bathtubs, people should inform eachother more about the actual facts if natural things like this happen. Let me make a start to help you along if you host a tick:
You get them in nature (bushes/tall grass). Not only wild, also your garden. They look like a little red spider. If you carry one, leave it and let a doctor remove the tick professionally (something I did wrong, but couldn’t see what it was when scratching my back). Worrying about diseases make you sick. Just keep an eye on the problem for couple of days. Nature will have its course…. Now carry on living.  

Thursday, June 18, 2009  

Media are enormous over-estimated. Whatever it is; radio, tv, newspapers, weekly’s, magazines, internet. It’s a big amount of diversity. Non of them do actually add something to the world-community. I know, wrote in former posts about this already, but still up till today I am surprise how little others learn absorbing questionable information sources and declare it as ‘truth’.
There are many people on this planet. Individual media only reach a few. Something can look famous, busy, well-known in your ‘surroundings’, sensational news, but that’s than also where the ‘fame’ and ‘news’ stops. Out of your scene most others never heard of your hero/news/victory/loss/…. Open your eyes/ears and look/hear around. There are many examples in music, politics, sport ……
While the traditional media, still alive from the past, is endlessly re-chewing the old conservative set up, doing a ‘new’ media like internet means you only reach a few.
I am surprised how many people, also youngsters, do not use computers (another example of media-misleading). Talk with people and find out most have a computer but only few do surf around. Oh, your NoSpace page might registrate 60.000 visitors, but what % returns regularly, and besides that, what’s 60.000 on a population of 8.000.000.000?
No, I am not upset, just want to point something out. Its fine that some people don’t surf the net, as its also ok some do. Same with everything. Use what you feel good with but see the margin of it all. The info is subjective and concerns only you and maybe your direct surrounding, community, circle of friends, family,…..
Therefore it doesn’t matter if you do media or not at all. Communicating mouth to mouth with actual people gives you same valuable mix of information as any other medium.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009  

The hot summer temperatures reminded me that I promised you winter pictures. Here is one. Great effect isn’t? What a broken analog camera can do…..


Tuesday, June 16, 2009  

Like the music I record, also my pictures are analog celluloid films. To develop and digitalize takes a few days.
Today I bring the solution to the local ‘big mystery’ of 10 days ago. On Saturday, June 6, strange movements of unexplainable flying objects where observed in the sky above the village Idrija, Slovenia.
Bright, unidentified objects floated in the air, moving several directions. Some said ‘a meteor rain’ others discussed the ‘final invasion of aliens’. As always the answer to the mystery is simple: it was 60 flights.
From the barbeque location we lighted small hot-air balloons (about 3 feet). For a great momento they memorized passing of time, free floating until slowly burn out. The way life supposes to be. Due to the early Alp (mountain) atmosphere, several layers in the sky move different directions that blew the balloons in variable routes.
I use shitty cheap old cameras. Often films are wasted. No prob here; ‘all things must past’, or quoting the local photo-store owner: ‘the best picture is in your memory’. Only a few pictures resulted from the barbeque. Here you see some visitors ‘working’ one balloon.


Monday, June 15, 2009

Ahmed (his real name) had a restaurant around the corner of where I lived. One of those places many would avoid. The outside leaves the impression you deal with an average ‘fast food’ kebab joint. On the contrary Ahmed could cook. His menu looked similar to many ‘late night grease’ places, but preparation was different. He created his own dishes. Falafel from homemade paste. Fresh lentil soup. He cooked it all up in his own little kitchen. Too emphasize his more serious restaurant approach, Ahmed closed at 11 pm, where most of his competitors would open to feed the beer-drunks with crap. Music played a roll of unimportance in Ahmed’s place. A poor stereo with cassette player had to fill the air with meaningless muttering. A general electricity switch made the stereo click on simultaneous with all cooking and other electro stuff in the restaurant. The tape in the cassette player moved on where it stopped yesterday at closing time. The player was in auto-reverse mode, Ahmed never changed tape.
I liked the food. Often very nice vegan dishes (not listed on the menu) were fresh prepared in the kitchen. Dining there regularly, made me listen to the tape repeatedly. The volume was in that unnoticeable subtracting low setting you hear it better than intended. A ‘Best-Of’ pre-recorded tape. After 40 minutes side one and two were done. The cassette started from the beginning again. The band was ‘Hot Chocolate’, one of those 70ties disco-hit things. Eating a full meal made ‘Every one’s a winner’ and ‘I believe in miracles’ tickling your ears 2 to 3 times.
One day in December I walked into the restaurant and felt a big change. It took me a moment to figure out what, but yes, Ahmed had a bright moment and changed the tape: ‘Christmas Greatest Hits’. ‘Jingle Bells’ past by 3 times while I had my falafel dish. When in April the first Apple trees started to bloom and ‘White Christmas’ still accompanied my salad/lentil soup starter I decided to inform Ahmed about his background music. Next return to the restaurant was the familiar ‘Hot Chocolate’ again. After some time the restaurant got sold to the usual fast-food mass industry. The new owners made it vanish into a dustbin.
Ahmed moved on. Just before the sale he told me he was done with cooking and took a job in music bizznix!  

Sunday, June 14, 2009  

Sun rises at 4.30 am. Daytime is hot. Leave the windows open to fresh the house with cool morning air. Slowly the orchestra of wakening birds starts. Interesting sound I listened too so often. Best music I ever heard in my life. Never on tour, no releases neither deals, contracts, licensees, money. But performing worldwide everywhere every morning. That’s FREE MUSIC.

Saturday, June 13, 2009  

Don’t know if I am going to write many more posts about my touring past and music-bizznix memories. This subject sank into a misty swamp. Distanced by the mysterious functioning of brain cells. Anyway, at the moment I am over with that. Music fine, bizznix too, but back to the now and future. I promised, I know, but hey all these names of these by now almost forgotten so called ‘stars’. They are replaced by new ones. Just to give you an idea how ‘important’ they (and you) all are!
The energy and exploring of cycling, hiking, discovering nature and humanity, breathing fresh air, strain and relax muscles and brain. That’s what I do now. No shame about the past. I did not threw those years away.  


Friday, June 12, 2009  

Now I am back on the bike I feel more alive again. Capable to move mountains. Lets start today. What about dropping the Alps in the Sahara?
Is it the age or offer? Lately I have a serious lack of interest in music. Still listening and playing, but purchasing? I do create music. Expect a second new The System release this year. Like to listen music too. Buying music is another story. Downloading I barely do. Its more the feeling that no music carrier adds to my collection. I own sufficient of that sound. New? What is new? The market bizznix yups do not offer new, but only endlessly re-chew the same product in a different package trying to sell as ‘new’, so overdone that youngster think ‘it’s the formula’.
Had a call yesterday from a friend visiting vinyl store. Pointing me at some records I might be interested in. The titles would excite me 10 years ago, not anymore now. I rather spend my money on something else. Ofcourse, the call is highly appreciated, but again buying another version of that same song performed often in many different versions under many different titles?
The bizznix idiots overdid it. Music bizznix shelters most incapable sales-fools of the capitalistic system. Basically a bunch of career-making construction workers. With all respect for construction workers, they do a great job. Those who left this noble work to lower themselves to music-bizznix-frits can be proud losing another customer; me, due to ridiculous overproduction of the same.
Ofcourse, as always, good music is still made by all generations. Don’t look for that in the settled media, stores or online selling sites.  

Thursday, June 11, 2009  

Today its bikecycle time. Finally my bike is repaired. Depressive times are behind me. Disappointed I was a few weeks ago my best buddy, partner and true friend on my side on my risky adventures in the wild got hurt in duty. The gear was damaged beyond self-repair. Lucky, the local cycleterian fixed the damaged and even did some doctoring left and right were needed. I am a happy man again. Time for a new expedition. More tomorrow. Pictures soon.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009  

Its astonishing to hear some people talking about the music-bizznix nowadays. Especially those working in it; the ‘musician’. Complaining about bad payment, lack of work, disrespect for ‘the artist’. Hmmm, talking about driving (later) some raced straight out of the bend here! Get real! Explain me whats artistic on a retro-imitation or ‘sounding the same’ style? That’s not creative, its bizznix.
I see 99% of the pop (and other style) musicians as purely bizznix yups. You create and sell soap! Think like a bizznix: ‘you loose some/win some’. The competition in music bizznix is high. Many sell the same product like you. Please do not bother me with ‘artistic’ bullshite. You are non, otherwise bizznix/money and sounding-like-done-before would not bother you.
Tip: choose another product. Many more opportunities available. There are loads lesser detergent brands on the market, than variations on the same song.
If you live in Slovenia car mechanic can be a well-paid job. Locals say I already get pretty good into their cultural habits, the ‘driving style’ for example. Here a picture of ‘efficient Slovenian parking’.

Volvo’s are big. They demand a bit more space than the usual few cm a Cleo or R4 confiscates. So I widened the parking space a bit. Don’t worry about my 340. As proven in a popular UK TV car-show, the Volvo is barely scratched. Hey you……so called ‘artist’ in Slovenia. Lucky most Slovenes drive something weaker. Good job opportunities here.  

Tuesday, June 09, 2009  

What do you listen to today? A friend brought an NME from UK. Didn’t see a popmusic paper for years (decades). Nothing changed. Unbelievable, are you kids still falling for the same old trick, or is the paper purchased by 40 plussers only? Had a glance over headers and advers. This glossy mag must be made for the young. Do not know 99% of the names. The stories and pictures are still the same. Yougsters staring in a camera. Its depressive to see this. What about creativity? Is this why everybody is milking the past? Is the now just an empty-poor-cultural period?
I don’t think so. There are great things happening and lots of interesting movements going on by young and old. What happened is that the settled media became a conservative, endless same repeating, boring industry. No room to inform people about pioneering and progress. Even if they try to tell you different, do not fall for the trick. Its all a lie to make you buy!
How to find the real side of live? I will not hand you a solution but let adventure lead your search. Start avoiding every traditional medium, you automatically discover the ‘holy grail’

Post from beyond this date are moved to the pages ‘Posts 2009’, ‘Posts 2008’ you find in the navigation or click here: http://limbabwe.com/page.php?21 http://limbabwe.com/page.phproom ?12