Joshua Van Tassel

Here’s the stop.die.resuscitate video. I’m not sure what else to say….

Ask this guy, he knows. Here’s an example of such a trait.

drums, keyboards, bass…..he’s a legend.  

Every time I post a TTC sound, it results in a flurry of internet activity ( aka 1 person makes a comment and someone emails me about it). As much as we complain about the slow street car service, the surly bus drivers, the terrible screeching noise that comes from the subway tracks, etc, it more often then not gets us exactly where we want to go for $2.75.

The TTC is a pretty central element to what makes Toronto the city it is in my opinion, and people don’t realize the presence it has in their lives in terms of the sight and sound of it until they move away. So here’s one for anyone missing the rocket. Getting off at Bathurst Subway, going up the stairs, hearing the sweet classical music they always have blasting to help soothe the raging youths, an escalator, and a doorway. Love your TTC.

Do you hate on the TTC when it’s taking you home at 3:30 from the Dance Cave?

I didn’t think so…..

I’m back at the lab today and trying out some things, and it’s fun. I’m luckiest muppet in the creature shop.
I’m also getting my taxes in order after talking to the nicest,most helpful human being on the planet. If you’re a musician and you need taxes done, I have the man for you.
Here’s something I’ve started that’s going to be alright after a lot of work, but it’s a start.

I fell asleep for about 4 minutes yesterday afternoon, woke up and made this. It sounds like how I feel after a bad dream that’s hanging on a bit longer then it should.

Carry these in your pocket.

Every now and then something terrible happens on our TTC that is mysteriously announced as ” an emergency at track level”. We as riders don’t know anything specific, but we we know it’s bad. Last night I was taking the subway and heard that fearsome announcement, and was forced off the train as everything went out of service. This is the sound of a whooooooole lot of people in Christie station trying to figure out what’s happening and how they’re going to get home.

My very good friend and great guitar player from Halifax, Seth Fraser, sent me some music to have some fun with recently, so I did. Here it is, hopefully they’ll be much more coming soon - - -

As I’ve been writing, I haven’t generally been trying to get anything particular out yet in terms of my own feelings,memories, trying to tell a story, etc. It’s been more about getting all sorts of ideas down on to a page ( or screen) and seeing what happens.

I recently read some old school sci fi though, and have been really interested in one specific character from an Issac Asimov novel. Her name is Susan Calvin, and she’s a really brilliant robot psychologist. I’m trying to write something for her that’s a combination of very robotic type sounds that are still sweet, and organic sounds that still have an edge. Here’s a starting point at least. I’ll keep you posted……..

doc2.doc

……….I make sounds like these and I love it. I teach at a wonderful place called soul drums where they have all kinds of shiny and sparkling toys that I’d love to bring home but I probably shouldn’t so I don’t. Usually. ……

I was very lucky last night and got to go to an open rehearsal of the opera Tosca (thank you Ashlie!). I’ve never really been to an opera before, and I really had a great time. What saved my life was surtitles, which are apparently a COC creation from back in 1983. Without them, I probably would have gotten the general idea, but I don’t know if I would have understood it completely. Here’s my summary sans surtitles of act 1 - -

- homeless looking dude stumbles in the church and hides
- a painter comes in to paint a picture on the wall ( they used to pay graffiti artists back in the day)
- his kind of crazy girlfriend comes in and in the course of 7 or so minutes gets really mad at him, then happy, then mad, then wants to make out
- she leaves, homeless looking man comes out and talks to painter. They know each other and they’re really excited about something.
- evil looking guy comes looking for the 2 of them once they leave, and they’re gone. Girlfriend comes back and evil guy talks some shit to her and she gets really mad again ( this girls ups and downs are pretty intense.) He also has a fan that he gives to her, and that really makes her crazy.

That’s the gist of it. I’m not trying to trivialize the art form by any means, I was totally impressed by it and definitely enjoyed myself. I’m just saying thanks for the big white words on a screen to the COC, they make a difference.

Here’s a clip of what they tell you before the curtain rises, and then one of the end of Act 1. And also, I really love my H4 for this stuff.