What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Science is terrific. No really. The scientfic method -- great stuff. Our thirst for knowledge is humanity's blessing and curse. So we're filing this one in the "curse" pile because, well here, you read it.

[Those are bacteria colonies. But yes, they're looking right through you.]

From the Audience-Endurance-Test Files

Sometime around 1893, French composer Eric Satie wrote "Vexations" -- a one-page piece of music for solo piano that has a repeat at the end. That repeat has a note indicating that it is to be repeated 840 times.

On May 15, 2010, a group of pianists in Seattle will do just that. Do you have what it takes to witness this?

Details here. We're heading up to the helipad to take a little journey to the Emerald City. If you attend this event, we want to hear about your experience. Write us at:
typingmonkey@live.com

So Long, Frank Frazetta

Legendary painter and illustrator Frank Frazetta died today. But you knew that already. The ugly family squabbles over the considerable worth of his artwork will go away eventually and his amazing works will remain. Which gives us an excuse -- as if one is ever needed -- to post a tiny digital reproduction of one of his Death Dealer paintings:


Yes!

Need a Ride?

The Typing Monkey would never tell you what to do. However, we have no qualms with nudging you in the right direction, just like a sitcom dad, and trust that you’ll make a good decision.

Now then. There’s a gentleman named Aesop Dekker* who runs a music blog called Cosmic Hearse. If you’re going to run a music blog, this is the way to do it. Straight from his site:

"It's about sharing hard to find and special recordings. It's not about taking anything away from the artists themselves. Of course if something is in print and you like it, buy it. If you have legitimate claim to something posted here and want it removed, just write me and I'll do so."

That's an invitation to LOVE -- the love of getting your brain-junk kicked repeatedly by music you didn't kow you needed in your life.

And what is that music? It’s metal of many varieties (black, death, doom, thrash, ‘70s, NWOBHM, et al.); rock of multiple stripes (hard, psych, classic, prog, Eastern bloc, etc.); some punk and hip-hop; and plenty of just plain weird stuff that you won’t find easily unless you spend too much time (and money) scouring record bins.

Aside from the bounty of amazing music at Cosmic Hearse, Dekker writes thoughtful and genuinely funny summaries, criticism and reality checks about the content. His enthusiasm for the music and his blog has pushed The Typing Monkey staff to investigate music we might have otherwise passed by anywhere else.

So quit hanging around this dump and get over to Cosmic Hearse. [Scruffs your hair and smiles] Now go on, champ.


[A belated tip of the hat to Dr. Fred.]


*Dekker also plays drums in the San Francisco black metal band Ludicra. Their album The Tenant is out now. Do check it out.

Cruel and Bewitching

Put down the taco son, there’s another holiday going on in the Northern Hemisphere today that has nothing to do with war or binge drinking. Today is Beltane, otherwise known as the start of summer for those who follow the pagan calendar.

The weather may not be very summer-like where ever you are. At The Typing Monkey’s global headquarters it’s positively autumnal … except for all the green. We’re halfway there. So to celebrate please play the following as often as you like:

The Slits
"Typical Girls"

[courtesy Nemova]

And if the word "Beltane" stirs some distant recognition in your brains, perhaps this is why.