Here’s a favorite CD compilation that features a track recorded by me and Craig Padilla here in Redding. You can listen to this whole album on YouTube. I really think you’ll like it if you haven’t heard it.

The Fahrenheit Project series 1-7 is all available on YouTube. Our selected track “Beyond Beta” isn’t really representative of our overall style. Nor do we seem all that similar to the artists surrounding it. The odd thing is that it all fits together as a whole. Some music compilations can feel like a random mashup. But Project One has a really great sound and feel. It was a real head turning success on many levels, and it obviously spawned at least 6 sequels. It holds up very well for an album released in 2001! It was amazing to me that producer Vince Villuis in Lyon France found our Redding track on the internet, and decided to use it in his compilation. The power of the internet.

What interesting times we live in.

So here’s a serious question though. I have lately been listening to YouTube in the background, while working in my home office. Not watching, listening. There are a great many entire albums posted there, just like this one. If all these artists’ work is posted there freely, and not by the artists themselves, how is that any different than Napster or Pirate Bay or whatever? Et tu, Google? No answers, only questions here. But the internet has killed a lot of jobs, and it seems to me that on balance, musician is one of them. That’s the power of the internet.

What interesting times we live in.

The internet giveth and the internet taketh away.

If for some reason you like what you are hearing and want to support the artists who created it, you can find more music to purchase at the Ultimae Records website.

Sad news today about drummer Alan Myers. Condolences to family, fans, and band mates evolved and de-evolved. In memorial, I’m re-running this post from last year.

When DEVO came to Redding

Wow, was it thirty years ago? Looking through an old box in the closet, I ran across these photographs I took at the Redding Civic when DEVO came to town in 1982.

Are we not men? We are DEVO!

Sure, it looks like the singer is wearing a flower pot hat, but DEVO fans know them as “Energy Domes.” I was a fan back then, but not enough to have bought a ticket. A friend gave me the ticket. Her 15 year old daughter won the seats from a radio promotion, and mom really didn’t want to go. Front row! Hence, the good shots. The show was much better than I expected.

This was the era of the “It’s a Beautiful World” single, which was a show highlight.

It’s a beautiful world we live in,
A sweet romantic place,
Beautiful people everywhere,
The way they show they care
Makes me want to say,

It’s a wonderful time to be here,
It’s nice to be alive,
Wonderful people everywhere,
The way they comb their hair

(Chorus)
It’s a beautiful world (three times)
For you (three times)

Everything I’d heard by DEVO was sort-of deliberately sterile sounding, I think. Art music. Almost a parody of itself. Certainly a sarcastic reflection of pop culture.

The funny thing about pop culture is that even self-parody acknowledgement of its own banality becomes more pop culture, perhaps even the best of it.

What I wouldn’t have guessed was how hard they rocked. Obviously, having risen through the punk clubscene, they’d learned to move an audience. This wasn’t studio music played live. They engaged the crowd, playing it hard with abandon. Up front, and hearing mostly the stage monitors, I was impressed. A tight rock band.

Devo singer Mark Mothersbaugh has gone on to become an accomplished artist in both film scores and visual arts. An extremely impressive list of accomplishments by any measure.
They still play as a band too. The DEVO webiste had recent video from a SF show at the Fillmore.
Amazing.
I like the final image in my series. You can tell this was taken some time ago. Outstretched arms aren’t holding up cell phones recording the moment. They were just in the moment.

All photos by Skip Murphy, 1982. Below, I wanted to post one of their many online videos, but it was so hard to pick one. This one was recorded just few days ago, 1-13-12 @The Fillmore. Impressive longevity for any band!

This is classic. Thanks Erin. You’re Really Redding.

More of the talented Erin at Still Married.net.

For the record, I think we should have taken the name Enterprise when we merged with it in the 70’s. Redding was the name of an otherwise unremarkable rail employee. Enterprise has a ring of capitalistic optimism, and further enhances the business friendly image our EDC tries to project to the world. Welcome to Enterprise. What’s the acronym for that?

I happened upon some tracks by Eric at Soundcloud. Eric is a really prolific Redding composer. Soundcloud has a whole bunch of Eric Amantite’s electronic hip hop and pop flavored tracks for you to enjoy. If you start at the top track, you can just play through them for quite a while, and get your groove well on. Eric can be found on Facebook, so you may want “friend” him so as to keep up with his latest sonic creations. Posted for a taste below is “Peach,” a recent contribution for your listening pleasure.

Another another northstate musician/composer and chillzone citizen cranking out the tunes. That’s Really Redding.

Yesterday’s RS editorial mentioned at piece of music composed and to be performed for Redding’s 125th anniversary. Should be nice to see and hear. I was reminded that local composer and recording artist Craig Padilla once wrote and performed a compelling piece to honor the Sundial Bridge in Redding. Reposted below, from a post first published in 2010:

Here’s a live recording of Sundial Bridge by Craig Padilla. It was recorded on the patio of the cafe of the south end of the bridge. It’s about 20 minutes of symphonic electronic music. It starts off quietly, until it begins to soar. I accompanied Craig, and ran audio. There is no mic on the audience, but you do hear our voices briefly at the very end.
Sundial bridge2 by SkipMurphy The Sundial Bridge has arguably become the chief symbol of Redding California. The designer of the bridge is a world famous architect named Santiago Calatrava.
The folks at the host Turtle Bay Museum seemed happy to have us play. Playing live there was a tall challenge. The venue was really hot (thermal hot, not swinging hot). The setting at the cafe was not acoustically great for either listeners or players. And for an art museum, the staff seemed thoroughly unimpressed that a world famous musician and recording artist had composed a complete symphonic music composition named after the bridge, just for the occasion. Like, “Yeah, that’s nice.”
Anyway, I came across the recording in the studio, and thought I’d share it with the world again. At least, that part of the world that wasn’t at the event. Like any live recording, it has some issues and flaws, but I think the spirit of the muse comes across intact. See what you think.

Redding artist Cari Live composes lovely and soothing music. Take a few moments to listen to more at Cari Live at Magnatune. It will brighten your day.

Space Flute by Cari Live

I don’t think we’ve met, but I have heard her work through Facebook. You might want to Like Cari Live on Facebook. According to the page, it is her birthday today too. Happy Birthday, Cari. Thanks for sharing your distinctive and energizing gift with us. Majestic audio structures inspired by the wonders of the universe, that’s Really Redding.
If you’re wanting to start composing and producing music of your own, be it any type at all, you can look here and get started now by getting some of the essential technology.

Redding’s Melodramatics have been playing all over the West Coast lately. They have a lot of original material, but here’s a standout video of the boys playing a semi-acoustic Reggae/Ska cover of a Green Day tune that inspired their band name. Mash it up, mon. As you can feel, they know how to get you dancing. Here’s Basket Case; turn it up.

Be sure to Like the Melodramatic Facebook page and follow them on Twitter @melodramatics. Here’s the harder edged Playing It Cool.

If you like what you hear, be sure to check out Dirty Beach at the Reverbnation page. Sounds like a hit to me. Caleb Saccheri, Nate Welch, Rich Hughes, Kyle Paolinetti, bringing Melodramatic hybrid Reggae/Ska to your town. That’s Really Redding.