Project Kate


Project Kate es, como dice su nombre, un proyecto paralelo de Kate Reddy, miembro de 108, junto con músicos de reconocidas bandas, como Sergio Vega y Alan Cage, ambos pertenecientes en ese entonces a Quicksand (bajo y batería, respectivamente). En un segundo plano, pero igualmente meritorio, podemos encontrar la participación de otros artistas, como Norman Arenas y Garret Klahn, ambos miembros de Texas is the Reason. También aportan John Kriksciun (a la batería) e Ida Pearle (violín).

La vida de este grupo es bastante corta, y claro, si luego de muchos años de anonimato y de volver a grabar las canciones, el único disco fue lanzado con el nombre de "The Way Birds Fly". Básicamente se trata de un proyecto en el cual Kate canaliza sus sentimientos e ideas en el período de embarazo de su bebé Kaulini Reddy.

El disco, dentro de su sencillez, trae mucha tranquilidad e irradia la felicidad que Kate sentía en aquellos momentos. Las suaves y dulces melodías, sumadas al valor extra que tiene este registro como rareza per sé, hacen que este lanzamiento sea muy apreciado por los fans.

Project Kate was a short-lived, New York-based project that centered around Kate Reddy, one-time guitarist for Hare Krishna-inspired hardcore band 108, that included many East Coast hardcore scene notables. Project Kate songs were acoustically driven, laid-back ballads expressing Reddy’s private thoughts on her parents, marriage, spirituality, and love. Reddy recorded the album while eight months pregnant — and the love, warmth, and affection she felt for her soon-to-be expanding family is evident throughout the simple, yet heartfelt, recordings. Reddy began playing acoustic guitar with her friend Shannon in Shannon’s dad’s basement in 1987. But the Project Kate concept never formally materialized until 1991, when she began jamming with the then-Quicksand rhythm section of drummer Alan Cage and bassist Sergio Vega, who himself would go on to release solo material in 2000. They jokingly referred to what they were doing as “Kate” as they goofed around in a basement rehearsal space. The trio recorded three songs for free in July 1991 at Centerfield Studio. That fall, Reddy recorded a song called “California” by herself at the same place. Around this time, Quicksand signed to a major label and began touring and recording with far more regularity, so Project Kate fell apart. Reddy joined the Hare Krishna organization and eventually the band 108, married Equal Vision Records owner Steve Reddy, and began running the label with him. The two of them decided they wanted to release the Project Kate demo, but it was lost. Original engineer Mike Maineiri would later find the tape behind a dresser during a move, but before that happened, Kate Reddy had already assembled a new version of Project Kate and re-recorded three of the original songs, along with five new ones, in December of 1995 and January of 1996. These recordings, made with producer Ray Martin, surfaced as the album …The Way Birds Fly in 1996. the album carries a dedication to newborn baby Kaulini Reddy in the liner notes. The other musicians involved included then-Texas Is the Reason/later New End Original guitarist Norman Arenas (on the track “Simon Says”), bassist Vega, drummer John K., and violin player Ida Pearle. Texas Is the Reason/New Rising Sons frontman Garret Klahn was also involved to some degree.
Project Kate - The Way Birds Fly
EVR 28 - Project Kate "The Way Birds Fly" LP Test Press pictures taken from here.

Tracks
1. Simon Says
2. The Way I Am (Or Not At All)
3. Stare At My Sky
4. Father
5. Mother Kaulini
6. California
7. Bobby
8. Disappeared

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Assembly Line People Program

Assembly Line People Program es una banda norteamericana que durante los años 1994 a 1998 estuvo vigente musicalmente. El primer lanzamiento (año 1997): Chicago, IL 12” (S/Sided) (Constructive Interference, /500) tuvo lugar en la tierra que los vio nacer musicalmente, Chicago, EEUU. Luego fueron descubiertos por Graham Coxon (guitarrista de Blur), quien los invita a formar parte en las filas de su sello inglés Transcopic; primero con su disco de 1998, Noise Vision 80 b/w Who’s Outline (Live) 7” (Transcopic, TRAN #001) y luego, el mismo año, con Critical Gate b/w Glass Static (Transcopic, TRAN #004). El mismo año (1998), contribuyeron con el tema "Head found with note" al compilado Taking A Chance On Chances compilation LP/CD (sello Troubleman) y lanzaron su último disco Subdivision Of Bein, también bajo el sello inglés Transcopic.

Su música se puede definir como post-punk moderno y, como lo describiría su vocalista, Michael Guarrine, música al extremo. Si desean conocer un poco más de la banda, acá una pequeña entrevista de la webzine Headcleaner:

How long have Assembly Line People Program been together?

3 years.

How would you describe yourselves and the sort of music you play? What's the ALPP philosophy?

We push all our music to the edge - it is something that is in complete revison all the time. We border on the line of perfectionists, but in the creative sense, music is about being creative and that is what we push to the limit all the time. This is not necessarily "punk" music: there is more to it. The idea of being pigeonholed is quite bothersome. You need tolisten a few times to truly understand

How did you come to be Transcopic's first signing?

Graham really likes our music, he started a label and the rest is history. I have also been friends with him for quite a while.

What's it like being in a band with three brothers? Do they ever gang up on you?

It is not that bad, there are times when they do but you have to realize that they are the best of friends and have been that way most of their lives. They are a tight unit so acceptance is a bit strange, but when it comes to the band I am really the glue that holds them together. The outside opinion, which they respest on every level (if they admit it or not) - without me nothing would get done :)

What's the Chicago music scene like? Do you feel part of it, or outside it?

Basically we are right in the middle of it, there are a lot of camps that are set up through labels etc. But our focus is the music, we support the bands around us but we are not caught up in being part of a scene. There are not enough good bands right now to have a scene, you run into the problem of what is good music and what you are going to see because it is something that your friend is in. There are a lot of young bands that are coming up and they will mature into great bands. This takes time, and that is why we say we are right in the middle of it. Chicago is a very fragmented city, but one of the most creative. This is our home and we love it.

Who would you cite as your major influences?

Trenchmouth, Gang Of Four, James Chance And The Contortions, Jaks, 60's soul, Max Roach, Duke Ellington, early 90's Dischord stuff.

If you were in a room with Saddam Hussein, Bill Clinton, Marilyn Manson, a Spice Girl, Liam Gallagher, the drummer from Hanson, a gun and one bullet - who would you use it on? Anyone else that gets your back up particularly?

Michael, Charles, David - "kill ourselves". Ted-"who the fuck cares!" (thanks Ted - HeadCleaner)

Would you rather ALPP became incredibly successful for a short time then split up, or stayed underground producing music for years?

Does being underground mean that you are unsuccessful?

Sex, drugs or rock n roll?

Rock and roll.

What do you think of the internet? A valuable mechanism to let the underground communicate easier, or a geek-club for people with no friends?

The internet is an information tool and should be used wisely, like the telephone etc. If the ONLY WAY that you can make friends is electronically then you have some serious problems.

Finally, what are ALPP's plans for the next year?

Tour U.S.A., UK, Europe, maybe Japan and make the second album.


Chicago, IL (Constructive Interference)

1. Glass Static
2. Knight Logic
3. New Minds

Noise Vision 80 b/w Who's Outline (Live) (Transcopic)

1. Noise Vision 80
2. Who's Outline (Live)

Critical Gate b/w Glass Static (3rd Eye Foundation Remix) (Transcopic)

1. Critical Gate
2. Glass Static (3rd Eye Foundation Remix)

Subdivision Of Being (Transcopic)

1. Ambiguity Of Crowds
2. In Need Of Language
3. Red Line Observation
4. Machine Gets Oil
5. Critical Gate
6. From Him, Another
7. Dover Butterfly
8. Noise Vision 80
9. A.L.P.P.
10. Selective Perception/Notion Implanted

V/A Taking a chance on chances

6. Head Found With Note

Nuevo blog.

Creé un nuevo blog, bastante más personal, con el fin de hacer un espacio para compartir simples ideas y pensamientos. Sólo es un rincón para desahogar ciertas inquietudes propias y relajarme. Están todos invitados. Espero que se formen conversaciones amenas y quién sabe, amistades desinteresadas a través de tal medio.

Kazuki Tomokawa


No es raro que la gente tenga uno o varios artistas predilectos al momento de acompañar con música algún sentimiento, sea de tristeza, felicidad o cualquier otro. En cuanto al primero de ellos, pues dentro de los tantos músicos que escucho para adobar la pena, es Kazuki Tomokawa (友川かずき). Artista con variadísimas facetas: músico cantautor, pintor, actor, etc.

Japonés y gritón como el solo, es conocido como el filósofo-gritador. Su fecunda carrera nos ha entregado una vasta cantidad de creaciones musicales, todas bajo la forma de su particular estilo: gritos, rabia, pena, oscuridad . Si bien sus inicios fueron fuertemente motivados por la creciente escena folk occidental, esto no obstó a que creara un amasijo con el sonido tracional japonés. Su extensa discografía es prueba de su innegable talento compositivo, escucharla (la discografía) puede ser una experiencia estremesedora, tanto en el plano musical como en el sentimental (ambos fueron mi caso).

Kazuki Tomokawa is a prolific Japanese acid-folk singer, poet, and often described as a "screaming philosopher" due to his idiosyncratic singing style. His music has been used in the films of cult directors Takashi Miike and Koji Wakamatsu, and he also appears in person in Miike's Izo (2004).
Pintura de Tomokawa.

Pintura de Tomokawa.

Aquí parte de su discografía más temprana. Si la desean completa, no duden en visitar el link del final de este post.

Yatto 1 Maime (1975)
Tracklist:
01. Seishun
02. Tamashii
03. Yumiko no Haru
04. Koku-ka
05. Haka
06. NamMyoHouRenGeKyo
07. Denwa
08. Rancho Akita Ondo
09. Chikyu Gakko
10. 23sai no Teikou
11. Ishimori-san
12. Niibon
13. Dorobou-neko Yoru Hashiru
14. Akarui Yoru

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Early Collections (1975-1977)
01. Ikiterutte Itte Miro
02. Ameran Kuyuran
03. Niatta Seishun
04. Kioku
05. Koppamijin
06. Ojiccha
07. 23sai no Teikou
08. Korosaretakunai nara Korose
09. Haru Danah
10. Tomashii
11. Todo o Korosuna
12. Shinizokonai no Uta
13. Yumiko no Haru
14. Houkyou
15. Dagazuku
16. Akarui Yoru

Tracks 01, 04, 08, 12 from "Senbazuru o Kuchi ni Kuwaeta Hibi" 1977
Tracks 02, 03, 05, 06, 09, 11, 14, 15 from "Nikusei" 1976
Tracks 07, 10, 13, 16 from "Yatto Ichimaime" 1975

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Senbazuru Wo Kuchini Kuwaeta Hibi (1977)

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Inu: Tomokawa Kazuki Akita Konsaato Raibu
01. Circus
02. Jakumetsu (Nirvana)
03. Shinizokonai no Uta
(Song for the man who escaped death)
04. Dojyokko Funakko*
05. Kondo no Niku wa Tegowai
(The next meat is tough)
06. Aiueo** Kyouka***
07. Kojo (On the lake)
08. Dagazuku****
09. Ikiterutte Ittemiro (Say, I'm living)
10. Akarui Yoru (Bright night)
11. Boya (Little boy)
Download/Bajar (1979)

Umi Shizuka, Koe Wa Yami (1981) (sea is silent, voice soul is suffering)
01. kanata (the other side)
02. kami ni nare (become a god)
03. issai gassai yo-mo sue-da (it's the end of the world at all)
04. satsujin to ao tenjyo (homicide and clear blue sky)
05. chinsetsu-tange-sazen
06. santouka-yo
07. nah umi (hey, sea)
08. mochibeni no hana (flowers of mochibeni)
09. ki-gi wa haru (trees are spring)
10. kugai sah

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Más discos/More Albums @ We Have No Zen Blog.

Bonus:
Kazuki Tomokawa - Pistol Live at Shibuya Apia (2003) Mpeg.

01 Pistol
02 Circus
03 Kuwana no Eki (Station of Kuwana)
04 Ayakashi no Tsuki (Strange Moon)
05 Erise no Me (The Eyes of Elise)
06 Niatta Seishun (Suitable Youth)
07 Wake no Wakaran Kimochi (Strange Feeling)
08 *Medaka Zanmai (Complete Absorption in *Medaka)
09 Konoyo o Odore (To Dance This World)
10 Jean Gene ni Kike (Ask for Jean Gene)
11 **Shishamo
12 Satoru
13 Natsu no Hi no Uta (Summer Day Song)
14 Shinizokonai no Uta (Song For The Man Who Has Escaped Death)
15 Waltz
16 Mata kon Haru (Spring Has Come Again)
17 Deracine
18 Ikite Shinu to iu (Living Die)

Download/Bajar: parts: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8