There Was a Ghost... Snuck Into My Dreams

Hey,

I recorded an album in December, its called "Snowblind" like the album of the same name that I had nearly finished in 2006, but deleted for a couple reasons. About half the songs are from that album, rewritten and redesigned for maximum now-ness, the other half are newer songs in a similar vein. We'll be releasing it early 2010, maybe doing a tour behind it.

Allies 1 will probably be released in January. I am dreaming of a dozen or so other projects, in the middle of some and in the mindset of others. I've got a zillion ideas and am bursting with the feeling.

The Things I Do For My Country:

*We played with Pangea. Seeing Pangea again was like watching four Angels of Sound crash a car into the living room at 1246 7th Ave. The room was about two hundred degrees and the sound was an entire battleship worth of aircraft. And then it stopped and we were sudden roses in the desert. 

*Excellent albums I've heard for the first time recently:
Comateens - s/t

After Dinner - Paradise of Replica
I'm not a huge fan of Bjork, but I can imagine what people love about her. I am a fan of the band Deerhoof. Pretend they made an album together.
Sun City Girls - Horse Cock Phepner
About thirty seconds into "Nancy Reagan", it became clear that the profanity and general grodiness COULD in fact be sustained forever. This album sounds like what our parents were afraid Ren and Stimpy were.
The Bonzo Dog Band - Keynsham
Camaron De la Isla - La Leyenda Del Tiempo
Ultravox - Ha! ha! ha!
Kind of half way between Mott and Avalon. Not as clever, but striking in ways neither of them were. 
John Martyn - One World
Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band - s/t

Felt - Poem of the River

And I really like the track "Soul Train" by Swans Way.

*Remember when Coloratura took a really long time to come out?

Upcoming:

I'm getting some of Andrew WK's hair late tonight.

We're releasing Allies 1 for real this weekend at Mills College, October 10, at the Roswell Center or in the field near it.

We're playing a show at our house October 12 with Team Awesome! I'm going to host a special event called Start Your Own Band.

Our last two shows were really special.

Motion in the Moment

We just this minute finished recording the bass for "There Were Birds All Around" the third and last and longest song on Allies 1. We are playing a show at Mills College next week, copies will be available then.

As a Trio:

James Rabbit, Santa Cruz 07.07.09 from wizards of the ghost on Vimeo.

Thank you Sundance Kids!

Getting Started



Holy Smokes!!

You Can Breathe You Can Be Free

Since Dylan moved to the bay in the beginning of the summer we've been playing shows as a duo, and varying trios. Drew, Max and I are working on recordings. I have been listening to jazz music almost constantly, playing it in my head if there are no speakers around.

I love:
Abdullah Ibrahim - African Marketplace
Peter Brotzmann/Fred Van Hove/Han Bennink - FMP130
Carla Bley and Paul Haines - Escalator over the Hill
Archie Shepp - Blase
Jeanne Lee and Ran Blake - The Newest Sound Around
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook
Betty Carter - The Audience and Betty Carter
Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Al Hibbler - A Meeting of the Times

and

I love several of the songs on YACHT's new album, but a few of the songs made me mildly outraged and want to throw up. I like a bunch of the Fiery Furnaces new songs, 'Drive to Dallas' mostly.

We may do bops up and down the coast during this period. We may start a record label.

There will be 10 James Rabbit releases this year. 51. Allies 1 52. Allies 2 53. Weirdo 54. Allies 3 55. Allies B 56. Allies 4 57. Splendor! 58. You Might As Well Fall In Love With The Moon 59. Total Knowledge of Everything [Locked] 60. Good Company 61. Christmas Bells