The MONOLOG: August 2011

Photo of the day

This one brought to you by Triple Aught Design.
We've been meaning to connect with this SF-based outfit.
I love this shot.

Labels: bike build, black and white, monocase, monolog, triple aught design

Zaza - Sacred Geometry

FINALLY. I was super into 'Cameo' which came out a while ago, and it was only an EP. Zaza finally has come out with an LP. It's freaking great. I love the industrial qualities of this album, a bit different than the tracks on 'Cameo'. There's a bit more space here on Sacred Geometry, I liken it to how Depeche Mode approached 'Exciter'. Bigger sounds, less clout, more space. It's bitchin'.

Sacred Geometry by zaza

Labels: Sacred Geometry, Zaza

Broke*

A film about music. Broke*.

Broke* // Official Trailer from Mindfree Entertainment on Vimeo.

photo by todd james

Following on-the-verge artist Will Gray through the recording of his debut album (featuring production by Grammy Award-winning producer, T Bone Burnett), Broke* chronicles the stories of artists and executives searching for ways to thrive in the face of today’s music industry challenges.

Featuring candid interviews with industry insiders and intimate profiles of some of the brightest emerging musical talent in the country, the film digs beneath the clichés and standard storylines to reveal an industry struggling to find a new identity and an artist who’s simply trying to establish one.

Can a new act be “broken”?

Labels: Broke, Will Gray

EPIC!

The last night of Lollapalooza was crazy...Foo Fighters brought the house down, Mother Nature brought the rain.

Labels: Foo Fighters, Lollapalooza

M-Tone Guitars

M-tone guitars are now shipping with MONO!

Matt Proctor, luthier based out of Portland OR, hand builds every one of his M-Tone guitars. There's nothing quite traditional about the look of these axes, accept for maybe the blistering tones that you might feel are traditionally awesome. Matt would probably attribute that to the quality of the tonewoods and materials that goes into each one. Or maybe it's the "everything built from hand" approach. Whatever it is, it works.

I like how Matt mixes and matches his pickups, so you know customizing and variable combinations are going to be had. That middle position with the TV Jones Supertron and Lollar Special T is pretty special. It's got that nice hollowness to it that I always love in a 2 pickup configuration. Pickup selection either way brings you to spank town or full bore humbucking punch.

You have your selection of 3 models:

The Stackpole: Longer top horn, with pickguard mounted holes.
The Dynamo: Slicked out with rear mounted controls.
The Flatiron: Semi-hollow chambered body with a steel top in either Stackpole or Dynamo shape.

Labels: Boutique, Luthier, M-Tone Guitars, Matt Proctor

W3 with Phil Simmonds

Phil is the bassist for Jessie J. He has a new group called W3. You need to check this out.

Labels: Jessie J, Phil Simmonds, W3

Game & Watch

The only thing better than music of the 80's, were the video games. Hands down, the era where Nintendo really launched itself into the front of the pack. Neo-Geo, Sega, NEC...they were all big players in the console realm. But as a kid it was all about the handheld games. Your mom drags you to the mall and your stuck at Dress Barn...what do you do? Bust out some Donkey Kong Game & Watch!

Yes that's right, you've got it portable now. There were tons of games to choose from as well, it's only downfall was you only got 1 game. What was the solution? The Gameboy. A system that copied it's older sibling console that used cartridges to swap out games. From there we all know the story, these days handhelds are now available in 3D and all that jazz.

Labels: Game and Watch

To Board, Check, or Gate?

This debate has gone on forever. Which is the best way to fly? I guess that's not the question you should be asking. But more like...will the airline afford me the opportunity to board with my instrument? If not, there are alternatives. We went ahead and ran a tweet about how many of you fly with your case. Here are the responses: