d r o n k / d r o n k

Turn The Sound On

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:59:00 +0000

They Are Likely Related

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 04:23:00 +0000

(First row from left to right: S/A/S/A)

(Second row from left to right: S/A/S/A)

Brother Pete's Latest Expedition

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 01:44:00 +0000

Mt. Hayes from Pete D on Vimeo.

Might Auto-tune This

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 02:11:00 +0000

So Intense! So Vivid!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 18:57:00 +0000

Presented Without Comment

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 19:29:00 +0000

Anneke Day 4

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 04:07:00 +0000

We're told things are at "A-" level.

So far, Anneke's a cinch.

Hi Anneke!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 03:38:00 +0000

She was born today at 2:53 am in a fairly intense way.

So far, so good! She likes open E chords on guitar.

It's Like Crafting, Just With Sound

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 22:32:00 +0000

UPDATE: (Yes, I played the instruments, too)

Normally this stuff stays offline, with good reason. But I built a piece of sound from scratch.

Anyway, this was more of a mixing exercise, just with homemade tracks. Ignore the singing, but check out those levels!

Tyrone Dupois - End of the Day

This was originally written by Doug Paisley (below, right). Check out his album "Constant Companion".

Stunning

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 26 May 2010 03:48:00 +0000

A guy that I was lucky enough to be friends with died.

We worked on the Meth documentaries, a bunch of other local TV collaborations, as well as elliptical buddies at CalCourts. He moved to Washington a few years ago.

I can't really go into what a nice guy he was, because others have done it better. But he was a gem, and stuff like this really makes you realize that life is not fair.

Search continues for killer of Auburn father of two

Guess Who Got To Ride In A Tiny Plane?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 19 May 2010 16:11:00 +0000

To be exact, a 1954 Cessna 182.

The Sound of Sasha

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 18:03:00 +0000

You Want To Be In The Band?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 06:34:00 +0000

Anybody interested in long-distance (or short-distance) audio fun?

Accordionistas? Folkies? Spoken wordies? Anybody with a mic?

Email you know who and say "I'm in." Could be fun!

SoundCloud: The Tour from SoundCloud on Vimeo.

Glad You Asked

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:22:00 +0000

What's the funniest thing I've seen in a while? It's the "Early Rap Topics" meme that overtook a certain corner of Twitter today. (Better than #slatepitches, which is saying a lot.)

Mixed Media

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:48:00 +0000

Media Item #1: Switzerland

Media Item #2: The Criminally Underated Catherine Feeny

Sara and I were lucky enough to catch Come Gather Round Us in a few settings, including a furniture store and rickety house. They are fantastic. Capital "F."
One of their members, Catherine Feeny, has a new solo record streaming at her site and she's also playing at Mosgo's on October 3rd. Those are high-quality songs, people. Try "The Bell and the Anchor" or "People in the Hole."

S-Pain

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 23:23:00 +0000

So I bought T-Pain's iPhone app, which is basically Auto-Tune and a few Auto-Tune enabled Karaoke songs. You sing, it pitch-shifts you. This is the first experiment, where I asked Sasha to talk in to the mic. She asks to watch Yo! Gabba Gabba on the iPhone instead. I took that clip, loaded it into Audition, cut it up a bunch, found some beats, and did this.

Carribbean Update

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 18:51:00 +0000

I got a sore throat, showing signs Sunday. Fever, night sweats, acute pain when swallowing and talking.

By Thursday we were in a hospital where English might be the third most-spoken language. Maybe second. Either way, it amplifies my empathy for ESL speakers, especially parents, in the States.

Diagnonsis: Strep throat. The Dutch-accented doctor sent me along with some super-heavy antibiotics and a "I hope your wife doesn't get that." In/out = 1 hour. Sara's been superchamp about getting everyone cared for.

(As for the whole hospital experience, it was pretty cake. We called, he said come down, we did, and $70 (US) we were on our way. A few months ago I went in for strep and it cost $300. What the hell?

*********

So, that's the c0-dominant force in this otherwise awesome trip! I've been resting like there's no tomorrow, and during Sasha/Mike naps, Sara's been getting her pool/beach time in.

(I finally saw Project Runway and was happy to bid adieu to that freak who made the chicken+egg dress.)

Sara's skin is golden brown, and Sasha has yet to burn.

Normally I'd be all "Let's try Kitesurfing!" and "Let's go get lost!" and "Let's vandalize a McDonalds!" So, in a way, it's a good thing.

Sasha's also been enjoying the beach and pool, in mixed doses. Her attitude towards swimming pools has completely swung around. She really likes playing in the sand.

She also has been talking a lot, for no reason. "Who made that circle?" "There's an iguana...Why?"

We've been making the most of it, and it'd be stupid to complain about purely bad luck (someone remind me of this when I'm not on meds). Being sick is much easier on vacation, and letting it get the best of you is extra-senseless here.

I'm on the mend, and we've still got some exploring to to do! Sara's skin is golden brown, and Sasha has yet to burn. So far it's been a blast, and I'm excited to feel well enough to explore during our remaining time here.

East Boulder Lake, Trinity Alps

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 04:09:00 +0000

Seventeen more photos.

Grassacre

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:21:00 +0000

Goal: a drought-resistant, hassle-free, unique non-lawn that we can do ourselves on the cheap

The front fence became the walkway, no hardware was bought, and Sara timed the plant sales perfectly.

No watering system, no pesticides. Today I saw, for the first time, bees tapping the flowers.

We're not sure it was a good idea yet. Then again, I felt like a jerk pushing that mower around a lawn nobody used.

Eventually, we'll plant a tree of some sort. Until then, we wait for the rain.

Started:
September 2008

Completed:
August 2009

Wanderlust Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 02:49:00 +0000

More photos.
New York Times story.

The Wanderlust Music & Yoga Festival had it's inaugural event this year, and the Dronks were lucky enough to go. It was in Lake Tahoe, high up in Squaw Valley's Gold Coast upper lodge. We went with Jess and Sean, hooking up with my folks and the Berris along the way.

The main stage was at 8,000 feet; you need a gondola ride to get to it. Best stage siting I've ever seen. Squaw Valley was beautiful in July.

Overall, it was a really fun show. A first-time event has it's issues, but the lineup was really refreshing. I love High Sierra and all that, but it was great to see bands we hadn't seen before (SJ/DK excepted). It was mostly indie rock, which led to a low twirler presence. Nobody offered us mushrooms.

In fact, it was sort of like being in an REI catalog: lots of outdoorsy Bay Area money and lots of yoga folks. Regardless, the manners were almost as good as the vibe. Sasha was joyful for the whole event: really cooperative and happy. Weatherwise, "hot" doesn't quite capture it, but it was a dry heat. That's good, right?

Day 1. Sasha went to Reno with Oma and Opa while we saw MC Yogi, Mutaytor, and Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. We walked right by SJ/DK on our way in and managed to throw a thumbs-up their way. After hooking up with Jess and Sean, we watched former bus-driver Sharon Jones prove that she is the hottest 53-year-old on Earth.

Day 2. My folks leave, and we drive back up to Squaw Valley. Sara's yoga class left her sore and over it.

Gillian Welch and David Rawlings were great, including a "Didn't Leave Nobody But The Baby" with Jenny Lewis. Lewis's set was pretty good.

I got a few minutes Gillian Welch after the show for a quick interview. New record underway. What's in the box? "Box stuff."

Spearhead canceled due to Michael Franti's ruptured appendix. Wanderlust pulled a Hail-Mary and got Common to fill in. His set was *awesome,* complete with a Tahoe-specific freestyle. Surprise highlight.

Also nice, a wall-size get-well card for Franti, which fans signed.

Day 3. A quick dip in Lake Tahoe proved fun. No yoga. No way.

The hugely likeable Mates of State, a husband/wife band who tour with their lil' kids, were epic. She plays the keys, he the drums, and they both sing. Belt, more accurately. Another musician helped fill out their shockingly full sound. We were both fans before, but now it's on a whole new level. Sasha, who loves MoS, napped through it.

I had a fun interview with them later, despite some sonic intrusion from a violinist 6 feet away. (Thanks, Andrew Bird.) After criss-crossing their path a while later, it seems that we're "Hi/Bye" friends.

Caught some Broken Social Scene, caught some William Fitzsimmons, caught some Andrew Bird. Also spotted Adrian Grenier (Entourage's Vincent Chase) walking around with a Spearhead man-purse.

We headed out to Yuba City to crash with Chris and Kim Berri. Sasha learned to beatbox ("Like Biz [Markie]!"). The Berris gave us homemade beer and and a bed to sleep in. We watched an extreme-cake show until 1am. Sasha loves Kim. So do we. Chris, too. Also: Shawn who watched Charlie and Eric who gave Casey her meds.

Day 4. Goodbye, Berris! Good people. Rolled out of Yuba after visiting one of the west's best: The Cookie Tree. Respect the CT.
Swam in the Eel. Listened to Mates of State. Came home. We're clean.

Glenn Beck

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 23:19:00 +0000

In the crowded arena of radio shouters, Glenn Beck unearths a new low at 3:00 minutes into the clip. The aftershock at 3:31 is just dessert.

I'm Not Dead Yet 1.1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:57:00 +0000

(slight revision)

Short story: I have Strep, maybe MRSA, and an ear infection.

Some reports of my condition, while hopefully well-intended, are exaggerated. This has made life complicated, perhaps unnecessarily. Like, if you told someone you had Swine Flu, you'd have to go through that whole explanation about how pedestrian it usually is. Apples and oranges, but you get the idea.

I'm not an expert, but the doctor gave me no reason for alarm. Neither did my mom, who's a nurse. The doctor even said I could go out in public if I felt up to it. I don't, but it's good to know. I don't want to understate the situation, because MRSA can be bad news. But I'm taking the word of my doctor and my mom, who said "People get worked up about it, but you'll be fine in a few days."
_________

This thing came on pretty quick. I went to Urgent Care this morning because something didn't feel right. Every minute or so when swallowing, it felt like was someone closing their hand around my neck.

"Strep, for sure," said the doctor. "Looks like a truck ran over your throat."

Since I don't know anyone sick right now, it was odd. Halfway through the visit, I rolled up my sleeve and showed him this scab I had from a rugburn last week. "This isn't related, right?"

"Oh my," he said. This mostly-healed abrasion was infected.

So now I'm getting treated for MRSA.

No, it's not confirmed because he couldn't swab the abscess (since it was mostly healed up), but that was his theory. Yes, MRSA is actually treatable.

The doctor said unless you and I press open wounds together, I won't get you sick. Lots of people carry on their skin. It's common, I guess.

But yeah, he seemed unconcerned. My mom was more concerned about the Strep, which kills 400,000 people a year worldwide.

I'm buffing my house to a high gloss with biocide wipes, which may or not be necessary. I'm doing it anyway. Who doesn't like to wipe?

But wait! There's more!

The doctor was checking out my ears for some reason and said I have an outer ear infection. "You like Q-tips, huh?" So now I'm on two separate antibiotics. I'm going to miss Q-tips so much. I'd touch brain if that stupid eardrum wouldn't stop me.

______________

Sara, as always, is taking great care of me. She's making smoothie runs, buying antiseptic chemicals that we normally wouldn't have in the house, etc. She's healthy today, as is Sasha. Fingers crossed. I take care when sick, and feel strongly about containment. I feel better now than this morning, but I'm still running a fever.

In conclusion, this is a good time to rest, eat healthy, drink lots of water, and watch old Colbert Reports.

"Some People Say Rappers Don't Have Feelings"

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:32:00 +0000

"We have feelings.
Some people say we're not rappers.
It hurts our feelings when you say we're not rappers."

-Flight of the Conchords

So, we ("Z" and myself) wrote and recorded a rap until 3:30 am on Friday. That was a new experience.

I knew rap was difficult, but this was a surprise.

I'd post it here, but due to the nature of my job, it's over on my semi-anonymous co-MC's blog.
He's a better rapper than I, and it's got three samples from Clifford.

Go Iran

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 03:45:00 +0000

If you're going to only click one link, click here.

A guy at work used to do news and did a story on Iran. He said that it was one of the most wired countries in the world.

The election demonstrations are incredible, seeing them live-blogged is equally amazing. Despite turning off text messaging, Gmail, Yahoo, etc, we're still seeing this stuff more vividly than ever.

The stuff that's coming out of Iran (and beyond) is incredible in so many ways: censorship workarounds, Twitter, student bravery, picasa blogs, cops shooting into crowds, even sports coverage. If you scroll down some of those #iranelection feeds to when events were just heating up, it's shocking. A friend in Australia called it a tapestry of dissent.

The other day, someone said something that I'd never thought I'd feel: Go Iran.

Beach Living Has Perks

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:54:00 +0000

It's been fantastic weather, and we had a lil' picnic with the Smiths over at Bay Street.

The surf was really fun, and the kids ran themselves silly.

Also, the surf was really fun.