I Take Breaks From Love

Pee breaks, that is. That's why I always know what phase the moon is-- I have a big, quiet backyard.

Evila Is Nearly.

We don't usually get warm and fuzzy about Halloween but the weather has been flawlessly spook-tastic. Last night I recorded whispered vocals for three songs and wrote lyrics for another three (the Chandler Limited TG1 compressor is dazzling). Still found time to practice on the Arctopus while getting creeped out watching Pin.

Evila is nearly.

Regeneration

I've spent a huge portion of my life staring at this. Not too proud of
that. But what the hey-- it serves a purpose.
Last thing I remember, I closed my eyes to listen to the level of the
sample underneath the real snare. When my face hit the keyboard, it
was time for bed.

DP
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Prussian Pink

We get sloppy when we move too fast, unfocused and incognizant of the
details. And the result is total shit, absolute fucking crap. It's
time for a gore feature.

DP

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Gargot In Action

I added a Big Knob, a Red Eye, and a Red Stripe to Gargot in the past
24 hours. These manufacters come up with the dumbest names... I am so
in love with my studio, I indulge in it's deep, rich sounds for as
long as I'm allowed. I spend a good portion of the day in the same 6
foot radius.

DP

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Boomslang

Played a festival in Lexington Kentucky. Slap happy and raw from the
evening's festivities!

DP

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Home On A Cloudburst

I keep tweaking Gargot Studios until it is airborne and germ-free.
Shit is sounding tight.

For too long I have lived in fear of my enemy-- they are about as
powerful as Dwight Schrute.

DP

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Grendel and Red Leaves

Drove for several hours through the back roads of Ohio. To pick up an
isolation cabinet. Ended up in Amish country-- dodging horse-drawn
carriages and bearded Mennonites. Didn't take any photos because I
didn't want to wow them with my technology. The iso-cab sounds pretty
sweet for 4am reamping.

DP

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Three Days Of This

Hula Hoop Dreams

At this point, he had been hula-hooping for over 55 hours. 

Working on the Ditz

Hello friends and lovers. I'm back for good. Fuck Facebook, fuck Twitter... This is my virtual diary! I finally have a phone with a camera and MMS thingamajig. I have no excuse for not letting you in to my weird world.

I'm Back In Black

Return of the Skullfisher

It's been a long, dark journey. My Psychic sidekick told me I needed
to write a book. And it's ambitiousness appealled to me. Not memoirs,
or wonky poetry you could download from some 14 year old's MySpace...
But a real book, a novel. Fiction. A comic book!

Metal H(e)aven, Motel Hell(o)

We give thanks, everyday, for specific people in our lives-- we visualize them clearly. We also send psychic hexes to our enemies, it's easy to visualize every stage of their blistering decay. Then we give thanks to ourselves, for making all this silly drama possible.

Fasting In Belfast

Jet lag offers a window of laziness. It takes a while for the music I make to catch up with the music I listen to, it takes years. By that time I'm usually over it. But I carry these gems with me that I never would have found otherwise. True discovery does not happen on the Intra-Web.

Thou shalt behold... the Arctopus!

Came home to a prototype Jackson 7 string. Neck through, EMGs, real Floyd Rose, Soloist body... Jesus, I almost had one of these custom-made last year, I can't believe they read my mind. That's why I am a proud Jackson endorsee. I need to treat it like a skateboard and start covering it with stickers and graffiti, or gaffa tape. My fingertips haven't been this calloused in years. I think all my future solo records are going to be written on this thick beast. 90s nü-metal gave the 7 string a bad rap. I have named her Arctopus, in honor of the band.

Bloodshot Mush

On the tour bus from Montreal to Toronto, 1-8am. Arriving in a daze, there's that moment before passing out, when the rest of the world is buzzing to start their day, when I am at my most disoriented. I find pictures like this on my phone when I awaken.

Black Attack

Maybe I don't hear what others hear, but I really love the sound of
early 90s, lo-fi Black Metal. I dont care about the politics and
ideology, it's the music I find really moving. The alienation, the
hatred-- I get it.

DP

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Backdivers

We are Backdivers who have surrendered to our fears, embraced the
flames, and have already started the lengthy questioning proccess.

DP

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A Large, Quick Turn

In March I went with Alex to see Carcass in Cleveland. I think it was March. They were funnier and tighter than I expected. Mike Ammot took only a few solos.

I got a text from Nick that night, asking if I wanted to jam with them-- I'll never forget it!

Now it is July.

As a road is always strange and beautiful with it's repetitions, I'm driving to that same venue tonight-- this time to share the stage with Nick.

RIP DASH

I took an opportunity to drink when it presented itself. Tried to see
Dead Weather and I wasn't on the guest list-- O golly gee! So I chose the always life-affirming DEADSEA instead. I drank and laughed to the point that supreme magic occurred, past anything I could have prepared for. For a moment, albeit concise, I forgot that I really was friends with Dash Snow-- a few hours previous I nearly convinced myself of the opposite.

DP

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Tracking Madly Backwards

I posted on my Twitter page that I'm a guitar-take factory. I only have a few hours at night to crank it out so it's slow going. I'm tracking everything direct and monitoring via the Line 6 XTP-Pro, to reamp later. This is not the solo Pajo record anyone expects, cares about, or wants, as per usual!

This message was sent far away from home.

iPhone, Dimebag, Ottowa

Just watched the Dimevision DVD and had a good laugh at his fireworks wake-up call for guests. I have a corner hotel room here in Ottowa, so I have two windows overlooking the city. It's very beautiful, I wish I could share it. I need a damn iPhone so I can start posting photos again!

Roskilde 2009

Wolves In The Throne Room, Gojira, Neurosis and Amon Amarth played and I missed them all. I missed them all!

Bliss

Went to the Herman Nisch exhibit in Vienna. It seemed very complicated and perverse. At 4am I took a walk along the river in Belfort, France, listening to Hate Forest very loud with my new headphones. Later that morning I drew several logos, each one getting successively closer to an unknown ideal. And then something dawned on me, and I broke into tears. A dream of the future.

Cauterized

I did my first tour in 1985, but it was a short one. Of all the time I've spent in Europe, this is my first time to Prague. The rain is heavy and unceasing. Sometimes they flirt and sometimes I do as well, but it's all for sport.

Stranger Than Forever

Encouraged by the motions of the clouds, we turned our attention to the coolies and hipster wimps. Despite ourselves we hover amongst them without touching, like swimming in an alcove of jellyfish.

Ten Years of ATP Festival

All Tomorrow’s Parties is celebrating 10 Years of ATP, kicking off with a special 10th Birthday festival on December 11 - 13!


We will be celebrating 10 years of ATP from December 2009 to December 2010. As the fastest selling ATP ever, Nightmare Before Christmas curated by My Bloody Valentine is almost sold out, to get things going for our milestone, ATP is incredibly excited to reveal that we will commence our 10th birthday festivities with a second weekend in December and we want you to come and party with us!!!

The Ten Years Of ATP festival will take place at Butlins Resort in Minehead from Friday 11th December to Sunday 13th December, 2009.

As this is our birthday party - it is going to be very special weekend. For the line up we are inviting our nearest and dearest to play – which means past ATP curators, ATP recordings artists and some ATP favourites thrown into the mix too...

So far confirmed to play are:


Explosions in the Sky

Dirty Three
Shellac
Tortoise
Melvins
Mudhoney
The For Carnation
Papa M
Deerhoof
F**k Buttons
The Drones
Sleepy Sun
Bardo Pond

…with more curators, recording artists and ATP favourites to be announced! Tickets for this special event will be priced at £160 per person for room only accommodation and £170 per person for self-catering. Please note though that we are offering a limited number of apartments at a discounted price – including some at £20 off to those who have bought tickets to the MBV Nightmare Before Christmas (see early bird for full details below).

All Tomorrow's Parties has been promoting festivals and concerts throughout the world for the last ten years. It was founded in the wake of Belle and Sebastian’s Bowlie Weekender, with Mogwai curating in the unusual setting of Pontins Holiday Camp, Camber Sands. Since then the festival has appeared every year and has expanded across the globe continuing to set itself apart from large scale corporate festivals by staying intimate and fan-friendly. The line-ups are chosen by significant bands or artists which results in eclectic events that combine performances by legendary and influential acts with appearances by the latest crop of experimental artists from any (and every) musical genre. 

The festival has become more successful with every passing year, and ATP events have taken place in the UK, USA, Europe and Australia, with past curators including Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Mike Patton, My Bloody Valentine, Portishead, Sonic Youth, Slint, Tortoise and Simpsons' creator Matt Groening. In 2007 and again in 2009 ATP even allowed festival-goers to pick half the line-up by organising a voting process for all ticketholders.

For ten years ATP has set itself apart from other festivals by embracing seemingly disparate artistic genres, with events featuring art exhibitions, cinema programmes, spoken word performances and stand up comedy. It's been called 'Unforgettable' by Spin and 'the most enjoyable festival experience of our reporter's life' by Pitchfork. It has spawned an acclaimed concert series (Don't Look Back), a record label (ATP Recordings), and the release of a feature length documentary about the festivals from Warp X, titled All Tomorrow’s Parties out 21 Sept 2009. The film is a semi-found multi media bricolage shot by over two hundred filmmakers, fans and musicians over the festival’s recent history, with key contributions from co-director Jonathan Caouette (Tarnation) and cinematographer Vincent Moon (The Take Away Shows, Arcade Fire). For more information and the trailer visit www.ourtrueintent.com Look out for the soundtrack to the film, out on ATP Recordings, Autumn 2009. 


EARLY BIRD SPECIALS

PRIORITY AND EARLY BIRD DISCOUNTS FOR MBV NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS CUSTOMERS!


For those of you that have already booked for the My Bloody Valentine curated Nightmare Before Christmas – we are offering you priority booking and also a limited amount of tickets to buy at a £20 discount per person. These will be priced at £140 pp room only and £150 pp self catering. This offer is open from now and is available exclusively to those who have a booking for Weekend 1: MBV until Monday 22nd June at 12 noon or until stocks run out. If stocks run out you will still be able to purchase full price tickets ahead of everyone else. People who have booked through Seetickets can access priority booking using this link: http://www.seetickets.com/atpbirthday. You will need your MBV booking reference to be able to buy. If you have booked through WeGotTickets or Gigantic please contact feedback@atpfestival.com to purchase with EARLY BIRD SPECIAL in the subject line and your MBV booking reference number and we will let you know how to pay. Please be aware that £20 discount tickets for these vendors are part of the same pool as the Seetickets allocations and so will run out concurrently.

GENERAL ON-SALE AND EARLY BIRD DISCOUNTS


Full price tickets go on general sale at 12 noon on Monday 22nd June. With the general sale we will also be offering a small amount of early bird tickets at a £10 discount, (early bird tickets £150pp room only and £160pp self catering). 


THE WEEK IN BETWEEN

If you are planning to come to both weekends, or wish to stay on after weekend 1 (or come early to weekend 2!) we have limited availability for people to stay on site during the week in between. This will cost £100 per person for the four nights, and is only available as 4 berth self-catering. If you book a 4 berth self-catering apartment for both weekends you will be able to stay in the same apartment. If you have booked other accommodations for weekend 1, you will need move into a 4 berth self-catering from Monday to Thursday or Monday to Monday if you book a 4 berth self catering apartment at weekend 2. To book, please contact feedback@atpfestival.com with INBETWEENERS in the subject line and include your booking references and the type of accommodation you have booked.

During the week Crazy Horse will be open and we’ll be putting on light entertainment including bands and djs.

INSTALLMENT TICKETS


We’ve also spared a thought for those of you who can’t come up with the money in the next two weeks.  ATP will again be running a deposit scheme for the festival to make it easier for some people to pay. We are offering a limited number of 4 berth apartments, both room-only and self-catering to be paid for with a small deposit upfront, and the remaining amount to be paid by the end of September. Both come with a booking fee of £7.50 per person (£30 per apartment).  These apartments will be sold at £160 per person room only or £170 per person self catered.

People who would like to hold a 4 berth room only, must pay a deposit of £60 per person, (£240 for the apartment). The remaining £430 must be paid by September 30th.

People who would like to hold a 4 berth self catering, must pay a deposit of £70 per person, (£280 for the apartment). The remaining £430 must be paid by September 30th.

As we will be holding the apartments for you, all deposits will be non-refundable, so please only apply if you are sure you can pay the remaining amount when it is due in September. 

If you are able to pay through a normal ticket agency upfront for your whole apartment, then please do so and leave the deposit scheme for those people who find it harder to get the full amount together in one go. Also, remember those using this scheme will not receive the early bird discount tickets!

You will be required to pay both instalments by either cheque or paypal. Please note, that all cheques must be received and cleared within 5 days of you being accepted into the deposit scheme. If your cheque does not clear, or is not received, your application will go to the bottom of the queue which may mean you do not get to participate in the scheme this year.

Please email deposit(at)atpfestival.com if you would like to take part in the deposit scheme including: your name, address, which type of room you want (room only or self catering) and which payment method you would like to use (paypal or cheque). You will then be notified if your application was successful and details of how to pay by your chosen method, or if you are in a waiting line. Applicants in the waiting line may be accepted if earlier applicants fail to make the first deposit in time.

All emails will be answered within 48 hours. Deposit applications will be granted on a first come first serve basis.


TIMELINE

June 19 Tickets go on-sale to people who have already bought tickets to ATP Nightmare Before Christmas curated by My Bloody Valentine. Limited number of £20 discount tickets and full price tickets available.
June 22 Tickets go on general sale. Limited number of £10 discount tickets and full price tickets available.
Sept 30 Second instalment due for people buying tickets with the instalment scheme
Dec 4 – 6 ATP: Nightmare Before Christmas curated by My Bloody Valentine
Dec 7 – 10 Week in between accommodation available
Dec 11 – 13 Ten Years Of ATP Festival


ABOUT THE VENUE

Butlins, Minehead looks out across a superb sandy beach. The site is equipped with a supermarket, newsagent, cash points and restaurants. Onsite facilities include a cinema, Splash Water World - a sub-tropical environment that has a huge wave pool, a swimming pool, 3 flumes and also a flume based raft ride - Ten-pin bowling and amusement arcade. Sports include Archery, Football, Basketball, Darts, Petanque, Fencing, Kwik Cricket, Netball, Rounders, Table Tennis, Outdoor Bowls and Crazy Golf.

Room Only accommodation is available in 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 berths and offers either double, single or bunk beds with private bathroom and TV, but no kitchen facilities or lounge, more like a hotel room. (£160 + booking fee per ticket)

Self Catering accommodation is available in 4, 6 and 7 berths and offers private bathroom, full kitchen facilities and separate lounge area with TV. (£170 + booking fee per ticket)

Gross Encounters of the Absurd Kind

Here I am in Zagreb, Croatia, finally updating the blog no one reads. During my 8.5 hour flight from Chicago to Frankfurt I had something profound I wanted to share. I've forgotten it so here's a picture of Brian McMahan of Slint, taken by Matt Jencik who played bass for us in 2007. Can you guess which song we're playing? All the evidence is there-- Winner gets a hotel key.

SLINT to feature in new All Tomorrow's Parties film

SLINT to feature in new All Tomorrow's Parties film

Slint feature alongside Belle And Sebastian, Sonic Youth, Portishead, Daniel Johnston, Animal Collective, Boredoms, Mogwai, The Dirty Three, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, GZA, Iggy and the Stooges, Shellac, Patti Smith and many others in the new feature documentary from Warp Films.

ALL TOMORROW‚S PARTIES is a kaleidoscopic journey into the parallel musical universe of the cult music festival of the same name. The film is a semi-found multi media bricolage shot by over two hundred filmmakers, fans and musicians over the festival‚s recent history, with key contributions from co-director Jonathan Caouette (Tarnation) and cinematographer Vincent Moon (The Take Away Shows, Arcade Fire).

The film premiered at SXSW and is being screened worldwide throughout the year. It's DVD release is set for September.

The UK premiere presented by Future Cinema will happen on 24th June at the Edinburgh Picturehouse. It is a unique live cinema event which will see the venue transformed into a 1950s Holiday Camp, with the film being brought to life through a fusion of music and performance; with DJ's including Belle and Sebastian's Chris Geddes, midnight bingo, and live music culminating in a very SPECIAL HEADLINE SET from a top-secret Scottish act.

For full info, news on screenings and tickets, and a trailer check out http://ourtrueintent.com

"Stunning...A truly immersive experience, All Tomorrow's Parties runs the gamut from raucous energy to magisterial grace...This remarkable film encapsulates and sculpts the ecstatic abandon of shared musical experience into a thing of opulent brilliance. All Tomorrow's Parties is a film to fall in love with." - SXSW Festival

"A cascade of sound and fury...the range of what this movie covers exhausts me...The highest compliment I can pay the film is that it made me want to attend the festival for real...not just your average concert film, [it's] in a class by itself...One of the singular film experiences i've had so far this year." - Hit Fix

Pajo circa 1984

Here's an ancient picture of me in 1984, in the basement of the "punk house" in Louisville, KY. I don't want to discuss my Tina Turner hair right now.

Come on, Pink Hollers!

Haven't updated this blog in so long-- not because I haven't wanted to. But because ithe domain name expired and I've been "on the road" (a term I've started to dislike). When I get a decent patch of time I'll be able to settle this.

I'm sitting on a plane in Tel Aviv en route to London. It's business class so I feel pretty great despite being up all night. The tour manager is next to me and he's fully blistered-- sauced to the point of gibberish mumbling.

We played to 50,000 people last night, supporting Depeche Mode. All the venues keep getting upgraded to accommodate demand. The fans are intelligent and warm. I feel so privileged to be a part of their world.

Toda Raba

Haven't updated this blog in so long. Not because I haven't wanted to, but because ithe domain name expired while I've been "on the road" (a term I've learned to dislike). When I get a decent patch of time I'll be able to resolve this.

Where am I? I'm sitting on a plane in Tel Aviv en route to London. It's business class so I feel pretty great despite being up all night. The tour manager is next to me and he's fully blistered-- sauced to the point of gibberish mumbling.

We played to 50,000 people last night, supporting Depeche Mode. The band are really accelerating. All the venues keep getting upgraded to accommodate demand. The fans are intelligent and warm. I feel so privileged to be a part of their world.

Sunday Afternoon In The Park

Went to Hyde Park, sat in the shade, listened to Incantation really fucking loud.

Pigs

It's pretty disgusting the way people on the coasts talk about midwesterners, particularly the southern regions. I'm in a very posh hotel restaurant, sitting outside by a massive pool. Someone next to me just mentioned Ohio and Kentucky-- his friend imitated playing a banjo and hummed Dueling Banjos. All the wealthy, beautiful people at his table broke out in laughter.

Wacky Ohio!

So an old guy in a wheelchair lives in a Cleveland suburb. Turns out he's a Nazi death camp guard. Instead of going to trial in Germany as an accessory to 29,000 deaths at Sobibor camp in Nazi-occupied Poland, he's been returned to his home. That trip to Germany might put strain on the poor old guy! So a Cincinnati Court of Appeals said he should hang out at home until they examined his case a little further. Come on, Ohio, what the fuck...

Delirious

I found a file on my computer called 'Delirious'. When I opened it I read the following:

Let's celebrate the fast midget

They just get on their computer bikes and fly away

***

Oh yeah, and playing Saturday Night Live was amazing last night!

Remembering The Center

Amidst all the hustle and fantasy, I have decided to keep my center intact. There are various notions of employment and this is another one. A glinting, empowering job but ultimately we're in the same vessel as anyone.

More Meows

Yesterday was crazy, I feel so honored to be in their world. The evening, and today, were not hands-free (crazy) at all. But I'm hoping that things will change when I fall off the wagon tonight at Lit. I miss my quiet home but so excited about the adventure. As if a satellite fell out of the sky.

I Whistled Moon River

How often do you get a chance to meet Carole King AND The Specials? My first public appearance with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs tonight in London on the Jools Holland show. Everyone did such a great job and I was so proud to be part of the world they've made.

New Tasks Added To Blackberry

"See Aurora Borealis before death"
"Get fish and chips from J. Shakeys"

The UK Is My Home

I don't recall the last time I was in London, has it really been that long? I am almost too comfortable here. In 1987 I spent the summer in Ireland. A year later I lived in Grantham for six months. After Slint broke up I went to art college in Norwich for a year. Did so many UK and European tours with Palace Brothers, Tortoise, Stereolab, Royal Trux, Aerial M, Papa M, Bonny 'Prince' Billy, Zwan, Slint... I love my English friends and family but my heart is in Ireland and Scotland. Virgin Atlantic is great but overall another hellish journey ho ho ho.

I Eats More Chicken

Fell asleep for about 20 minutes at the airport listening to two kids fight over whether I was a boy or a girl. I guess my lips are so full and red and youthful that it looks like I'm wearing lipstick ho ho ho.

London Dungeon

Three hours sleep and I'm waiting at an airport again. Can't wait to get into my hotel bed in London, but that's about 20 hours from now.

Respect The Respectable

Sure is a strange time of transition right now, with Touch & Go severely downsizing and the closing of Virgin in Union Square-- I feel lucky to be experiencing this adventure. I've been up all night traveling. Looking forward to drooling on my own pillow, uber-geeking on my own computer, hyper-dancing on my own disco. I have big plans to polish off an old duet from 2004 that the world needs to hear. Then the touring begins this weekend!

Never Look Back

Just found about a pathetic scheme to usurp what little I have earned. Pretty sad. But I made a conscious effort to kick those people out of my life and things have never been better. Word up: boot the tyrants out now-- boot their little puppets too. You'll never look back!

Running Man

Saw an African American dude on a Harley zipping through traffic on the 405. The back of his t-shirt said "BLACK MAN RUNNING AND IT AINT FROM THE POLICE". Took me a minute to wrap my head around that before I laughed out loud-- running for president!

Rocks Out

I lumbered by in my usual dress rehearsal rags, faking confidence in the background. Something overtook me as I slept and I allowed it, I let it encompass me.

More Employees Than Consumers

Dual lives are easier to juggle than to reconcile. I don't want them to merge, I just want them to agree. I'm not rapping about mistresses and other garbage, just good old-fashioned, internal Armageddon.

Weird Beard Vibe

I honestly don't mean to alienate people. But whenever I'm asked to recommend a current, new release, people aren't too psyched when I say, "I really like 'Sanojesi Aarelle' by Horna" (or something similar). It's always been like that, my friends. I'm a minority and I'll always be a minority. What blows me away doesn't blow the rest of the world away. I'm 40 years old, I'm pretty used to being a weirdo.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs + le Paj

FYI and shit: I've been jamming with the YEAH YEAH YEAHS. We're gonna touch the road soon so please come and check it out, say hello, etc.

Damaged Yet Pure

Had dinner at Pizza Buona, best pie in LA. The poor kid in front of me barfed all over himself and the customers ate regardless of the smell. I wasn't grossed out, I felt sorry for the kid and family.

Another productive stretch and so much has been achieved. I'm still swimming through the days tasks in a dream, barely conscious. Can't wait to clear my head of this fog, open up my ears again, and step out into the light.

Did a ghost really pass through the hallway just now?

Revenge of the Meek

It's been a hectic week and I have been working and traveling hard, in a dream-like state. Despite fractured health I force myself to do what's right for loved ones. I can't force myself to lie down but I think I might give it another shot. I have become friends with the angels but I still prefer comics about demons.

Turn Into

I packed up my stuff, feeling beat down with expectation. But something in my heart was just so sure that it would work.

And sure enough,

sure enough,

it did.

Amen, Omens!

I always get row 13. We've had two Friday the thirteenths in a row. M is the thirteenth letter of the Roman alphabet. Black cats and 13 have been nothing but good luck for me.

Wow.

Got some really big, really important news to share-- can't wait to spill the beans! But I have to keep it under my hair helmet, at least for the next few days.

Remember

Just because the economy sucks it doesn't mean you're less of a person than anyone else. You may have lost your job or hit hard financial times, but it doesn't make you any less powerful or talented. It just means the economy sucks.

Thursday the Twelfth

Friday the Thirteenth has always been my lucky day, I look forward to the wondrous occurrences. Unfortunately Thursday the Twelfth usually bites.

I Do Not Dream About You

It's admirable how many shirts one can iron amongst all the other things to forget on the procrastination list. Cinderella must have had some powerful scheduling software before the Prince upgraded her with slaves. I wish I could dream of owning big houses and estates but I can't seem to control my dreams-- they have a non-physical life of their own.

Months That Aren't Names But Should Be

March. July. October. Good names for children, pets, and guitars. Not good for cars, bands, or genitalia.

The Dark Prince of Hollywood

Haven't been to Disneyland since 1979, I'm an old fucker! Wish I could time machine back to see what it was like because I don't remember any of the sweet details.

Can't wait to go back tomorrow. On a warm, overcast day.

Twitter Dis

Instead of sleeping I decided to go on Twitter.

Please add me:

twitter.com/davidpajo

I'll still blog roll this site, but one-liners will go on Twitter-dee.

Twitter-dum.

How Times Do Quickly Go

Crazy-o. I am washed out from lack of caffeine, and as ready as I'll ever be to play these songs. Too nervous to admit, we do what we do to make it through. Anxiety begone!

Flickering

Still rolling with the culture shock of being in LA. After driving for 35 hours I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the strong personalities. Had a late dinner with Tom Petty's daughter last night.

Steering Wheel Man

I arrived at the Landmine Marathon / Vital Remains show just in time to miss them-- so bummed. But I was beat and got to get in a small bit of hang time. Graciously (pun intended) given a cozy room to catch up on sleep. I'm a driving monster. This is my farewell ride to The Pony so I'm opening it up at every stretch of road I can.

Missives From The Space Shuttle

Been driving 10-11 hours a day-- Currently in Amarillo TX-- Still sniffling and congested, can't seem to kick this cold before the show-- Black Metal, exclusively-- Practicing desperately in hotel rooms before the cleaning lady kicks me out--

California Healing

I don't know what's wrong with me. Sick again. I used to get feverish once every five or six years, tops. I feel like I've spent all winter sneezing and taking ibuprofen.

Ah, old age.

I may have finished recording all the drums for the album this morning. What a task it's been! I'll be tidying up and repairing the tracks for the next few days but I'm still hesitant to believe that I can pack up the mics and tear down the drums.

I leave for LA soon to play some solo shows that I haven't even thought about yet. Haven't found the space in my mind to even contemplate playing solo.

I'll finally share the name and concept behind the record I'm currently working on in the next week or so. Just waiting to confirm a few details.

Kill Kill

I know what I want it to sound like, I'm just too damn stubborn to let anyone help me. I know so many great drummers but I just can't fathom not doing it myself. So I write out these beats and practice the hell out of 'em. When it gets to a point, I hit record. And reCord. And REcord. Over and over, until I'm sure I've got something useable. All those sweaty hours, I've busted out the deodorant and the ice hasn't melted in two weeks.

Today I deleted all the drum tracks I have so far. Every fucking one of them. I was so bummed when I discovered that my overheads didn't get printed-- I need overheads-- that I didn't think twice about deleting, erasing, and erasing free space just to make sure they were gone for good.

Grrr.

Welcome to my weird world. I'm desperate to go out but I have too many tempo maps still to make. So I stay in with guitars and a monitor while the bands I want to see tear the roof off of some dive. I hung around with the wrong people and got lazy at one point in my life. Now I'm letting my OCD shine like hands scrubbed several times an hour.

Studio Blizzard

The snowstorm is within. Ribbon elements being stretched and frozen, compressors going belly up from frostbite, digital inputs frosting over. Everything is in such a mood.

Soldier on. While the pile of dead gear reaches higher and higher, invest in a bigger graveyard.

GA RG OT

Down some ibuprofen every few hours, stay focused. No matter what you're involved in, drop a sleeping aid at 10pm. Without your health you are of no use to anyone.

GA RG OT II

It's always like this, the music takes precedence and I start losing touch. The phone is the first to go, then the emails. When I stop writing emails on my Crackberry, you know I'm in another world.

GA RG OT III

Moving slowly but thoroughly, effectively. Miffed by this illness that won't stop fucking with me. And the little bugs in the software, I need to call pest control.

GA RG OT IV

I finished recording the drums for one song today. My obsessive compulsiveness kicked in and I recorded the entire song a few bars at a time, several takes per bar. Now I'm straight outta "Comptown". Such a feeling of accomplishment to power down all those preamps and microphone power supplies, but sandwich bags over the mics. Until the next song.

GA RG OT V

I recorded drum takes today and, despite my 103 degree fever, shit was sounding tight. Shaking the dust off these old bones. Some elastic time, some close mic augmentation, and it was starting to sound like a real record. Realized one of my overheads was barely getting level, it's that cheap 1/4" patchbay voodoo again. Tomorrow I re-record all the drum takes I did today.

I forced myself to sit in front of the fire and just watch. I had to fight the urge to rearrange the logs for the hundredth time.

GA RG OT VI

Slowly things are beginning to take shape, one tedious piece at a time. I can feel a heartbeat in my eyes from straining in this microscope, painting with a single hair brush. I'm so far removed from the ocean, even from the cold front outside.

Here,
I
Strain
To
Rise.

GA RG OT VII

Deer families dragging their tracks in the tall snow. Flat tires and cars that won't start. Falcon in a nest outside the window. Hundreds of pounds of soundproofing all around. Pipes that don't burst. Sticks that bust.

GA RG OT VIII

Despite 0 degrees that feels like minus 14, I still walk around the house without a shirt, complaining about how slow the wifi is.

GA RG OT IX

Walking into the stiff, sub-zero forest temperatures, three hours before dawn. Possessed with an urge to hear ultimate silence disturbed by the echoing gunshots of frozen tree limbs snapping. So cold all you can feel is paralysis.

GA RG OT X

I am cumbersome with rust, blowing cobwebs off the spines of my ability. I neglected myself, I neglected to mention.

GA RG OT XI

Mama Winter shakes a fist and sneezes on us, we all get sick.

Song To My Work

There is no one
To show these songs to
Do not call a friend to witness
What you must do alone
These are my ashes
I do not intend to save you any work
By keeping silent
You are not yet as strong as I am
You believe me
But I do not believe you
This is war
You are here to be destroyed

Winking Eye Bagz

I can't believe I'm actually at the point where I'm setting up mics around a perfectly tuned, double kick drumset. It's taken so long to get to this point. The fun part. Milking the nectar from those sweet mics and pres, trying new (to me) mic placements, listening back to that first shitty, disappointing take. Yuk yuk!

I haven't been documenting with photos for two reasons:

1) I downgraded to a camera-less Blackberry.

2) I've been filming some of the studio set up and "pre-production" (not my favorite term) process. I'd like to eventually make a short film so people can see what goes into making a record like this. And my weird loner recording style.

I should probably be taking photos along the way as well, I never regret having them. Maybe someday I'll have an intern. My cats are useless.

While I Paint My Masterpiece

I'm averaging about three hours sleep a night, yeh dawg! It took me about 16 hours to figure out that the problem I was having was not with the way I was using Elastic Time but the part was played completely wrong. So much snow and shoveling it is quite relaxing. My mind is hazy and I'm trying to stay on course. But I keep dreaming about selling my dream car.

Brasil

Fingers crossed for a festival gig in Brazil and Argentina. I've never been there before so bringing my little songs to South America will be an adventure, fo' shuh.

Found a lot of photos I thought were lost forever, including my shows in Singapore, Australia and New Zealand from a few years ago. Mostly photos of beaches and friends but also strange hotel loner pics.

Drums assembled not, all over the floor. It's always such a chore for me to find the optimal tuning for each drum-- I'm a guitar player really.

Saw a new local band called Nukkehammer starring the coolest dudes on the planet-- Matt Miner from Teeth of the Hydra, Dennis, and the awesomely-named Laser. Old dudes playing hardcore like it's 1989. That's my vibe!

Louisville is not home anymore, and hasn't been for a long time.

Blue Snow

We put a DVD into the fireplace and watched it. Turned on all the outdoor lights to film the snow as it settled on the forest. Pressed the noses of foxes and ran through some easy chords. I haven't been under a blanket for 2 hours straight, I'm lifting eyelids like grocery bags.

Bitter Wank

Its finally warmed up to a toasty 26 degrees. I made an angry purchase of Pro Tools LE upgrade to 8.0 and the Musicians Toolkit 2 upgrade at around 3am. I felt I wasn't alone. Got a super cool email from Steve Albini, a man who manages his time better than anyone I know. And a link from Harmony Korine about a Louisville-based weirdo that offers a free cunnilingus service. I regret procrastinating on quality phone time with righteous peeps-- Brad Wood, Jenny RTX, Wendy Mullin, Britt Walford-- but I'm too immersed in studio and home stuff to look up from under all this hair. Free time, sporadically available, is spent turning off the mind. And turning on Netflix Watch Instantly. Current viewing: Species. I'm touring Brasil and Argentina this year-- INTO IT.

Jackals

Black fly creeping down First and Thirty Eighth Street. I'm Ray Charles tonight, trusting my partner to be my eyes. I can smell the blood in their breath, its thick and hot like cheeseburgers. Not sure why I'm smiling. "Bring on the jackals," methinks.

A Lot More Fun

"How much fun is a lot more fun? It ain't much fun at all."

- David Berman

I've never cared much for New Years Eve, I'm an old scrooge. There was so much pressure to have a good time when I was younger and it was always disappointing. I thought my whole year was foredoomed.

I love New Years resolutions though and always look forward to conquering them. In fact, I make them throughout the year, strange ones. For example, "I won't ask questions or say I'm sorry for a fortnight" or "No professional haircuts for a year, only friends are allowed to cut my hair." I met many girls with the latter. The former was really really tough. "How are you?" is a question! I'd have to find creative ways to rephrase questions into statements.

My studio is unending. I had to blow a $1000 on upgrades and $80 on 20' midi cables I no longer need. Grr.

I Did It

I can't believe I did it. After all this time I finally have a decent recording studio. The first time I put out a recording where I played all the instruments myself was in 1993. I've been collecting gear and moving my studio around ever since. Live From A Snoot Snout, Whatever Mortal, etc was all recorded at my Clover Lane house. 1968 was done in a tiny box in the East Village. The studio has been through so many changes-- covered with spiders in the dank basement of German Village (not to be confused German Town in Louisville KY), reduced to a corner of a room as a cassette player. I've never had this much clean space to work with and it's remarkable. Just yesterday I finished all the wiring. Today I tested all the connections and patchbay business and then scrubbed everything until it glowed.

Life
Sounds
Amazing.

Hobos, Bozos, and Ho-bangers

I'm only aware of power lines and over-hanging limbs during thunderstorms. Spending my Xmas eve labeling patchbays and trying not to feel crummy. I've decided to blow the last of my fun money on an SSL Alpha Channel. Without promise of a label or even singer, I work diligently on this record. Alright! Happy Xmas, all!!!

Best Fashion Advice Ever

"Dress every day as if you're gonna get murdered in those clothes."
- 30 Rock

Dragon's Tail

I picked up the Dragon's Tail that's been plaguing everyone around me. I call it that because it's like a many barbed tail thrashing around in one's stomach. Lots of ugliness I won't share. Suffice to say, it's been a difficult past few days and I can barely keep my eyes open. Three AM found me shaking with fever, driving myself in the freezing cold to buy medical supplies. I found an additional empathy for the helpless.

Up To My Neck In Disease

I had a hotel somewhere between NYC and Philly. As soon as I got the news I packed everything up and drove all night through the snow and ice to get home. Took 12 hours.

Everyone's sick but me. I guess someone has to care for the unhealthy, I'm as eligible as anyone.

Shows Canceled

I'm sorry to report that Aaron AKA Gene Ween has been admitted into a hospital tonight with pneumonia. The upcoming shows in Philadelphia, Brooklyn, and New York are canceled. The shows I played with him have been outstanding and I hope for a quick recovery.

History Lesson Thirteen

The current MP3 destruction of the record business is similar to the early days of electrical recording. Labels were freaking because peeps could buy a radio (computer) and the music and playback system came free (downloading). What did the labels do then?

Free At Last

Tito Franco passed away less than an hour ago. I have many awesome memories of him, but I'll always remember him as the funny uncle.

Indoor Camping Tour

The motel room is so vile that I set up my air mattress on top of the bed and sheets. Left all the lights on to discourage roaches. Wore my hat and leather jacket to bed just to stay warm.

I am rocked to sleep by angels-- they all remember my name.

Overwhelming Apathy

We sat in the car while it rained. Eating pizza-flavored Combos for breakfast at a service plaza on the New Jersey turnpike. Lamenting the words I forgot mid-song. No one even noticed.

Homeless with cash in pocket ain't so bad, since we always return to homes. But these solo tours-- I hate them! Hanging around horny, surrounded by strangers... What a creep.

I'm going to buy a power generator with the bread from this tour, so I'm prepared next time the power goes out for a week. So while I'm busy being ignored, a steel generator is waiting for me to take him home.

Deliver Us From Bad Shows

Forgot how much I hate playing quiet music in noisy bars, especially solo. So nervous before and disappointed after. Why do I bother. Gene Ween Band were impeccable.

Ain't Keeping It Real

Shoveling the driveway so that I may tour
Ain't keeping it real, like anyone
Our default is but to survive
As we tail the remarkable life
(Trademark)
Of dreams and wishes and hopes
All the nonsense that fortifies
A purpose-driven resolve
Hammering your own nails
Bought with your own money
Sleeping in the van on the icy lot
Shoveling your own drive
Out of my way you white bastards!