Steve Ball Diary
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Tuesday September 25
Wednesday September 26
Thursday September 27
Friday September 28
Saturday September 29
Sunday September 30
Read the archive
Tuesday October 02
Wednesday October 03
Thursday October 04
Friday October 05
Saturday October 06
Sunday October 07
Monday September 24
The beginning of week two of assimilation. Sick as a dog, very sore throat
and low energy. Seems to be going around. Not quite a full day, but enough
to maintain momentum.
Evening: sleep.
* * *
Tuesday September 25
Getting back up to speed. Evening: rest, sleep.
* * *
Wednesday September 26
Nice email from DebraK today, catching up. Will respond tomorrow when I
have more gumption. Great to hear from her.
SBRS Rehearsal right after work today. First rehearsal since early last week. A 'maintenance' run-through in preparation for up-coming shows. I whispered most of the lyrics to save my still-sorry voice. Low, but good energy.
* * *
Thursday September 27
11:29pm. Missed some deliveries and visitors today. The east side is
sucking me dry. Will I ever spend any time at home again?
Free time? Buh-bye.
I have not written anything of substance here in weeks. A reflection of my in-substantial state right now, perhaps? Or a reflection of greater conservatism in how and what I share with the bored souls who read this page? Or, just nothing worth saying?
My tongue is numb.
* * *
SBRS rehearsal at HQ this evening. Part two from last night, running the balance of our set for the next few shows. Some surprises, and some great laughs, but mostly simple, solid work with sonic pleasures bouncing gently off of TravisM's' new ultra-mega-short hair choppage.
Very good energy, particularly in Dark. Voice is back, but still taking it slow.
* * *
SGC, solid work here as well, but my brain snapped shut by the time we got to Cultivating the Beat. Total freeze in the C section.
<tangent>
Fact: I have a good memory.
Not sure how I can remember multi-layered complicated parts from so many songs after so many years? Or so many names of so many people I barely know or knew three years ago at MS. Name a League or a Gauchos or a Curtains or a Seattle Guitar Circle or an SBRS tune, and chances are good that I can dig the parts out of my hands or mind. How does nature do this? Where do these memories live? This is extremely mysterious.
Who needs more proof of Miracles than this?
Even more embarrassing: need the lyrics harmonies, guitar, and bass parts to every 70s Yes, 70s Genesis, 80s Crimson, Talking Heads, (pre Little Creatures) Peter Gabriel, Tori Amos, Jonatha Brooke, Shawn Colvin, Kate Bush, Jane Siberry, XTC, and/or Gentle Giant song? They are all right at the tip of my tongue.
Is this a marketable skill? Doubting it.
But the memory does seem to come in handy. Especially at MS where there is a need to know 1000 names, 10,000 facts and 100,000 details about how to get stuff done.
No wonder I am tired.
</tangent>
Missing Dean and Chris this evening, but a good chance to prepare for a Deanless and Chrisless show in two weeks.
* * *
Sleepy.
So sleepy now. No energy to write back to DebraK. Memories of Yuri's birthday came flooding back to me today, even though his birthday was last month.
* * *
Friday September 28
Exhaustion. Long day at the end of a long week at the end of a long
month.
SBRS at Pitcairn Scott Gallery this evening. Excellent audience, all around. Musically, a very satisfying show for me. Emotionally, a completely unsettling day.
Too tired to address any unsettling tonight.
* * *
Almost forgot: Steve Turnidge once again delivered an amazing gift CD at the end of our second set: more Kevin Gilbert.
* * *
These in from TravisH:
* * *
Saturday September 29
Mailbag:
----- Original Message -----
From: Tim Beasley
To: SB
Sent: Friday, Sept 28, 2001 2:57 PM
Subject: Keeper...
...of worthless knowledge is what comes to mind. I know what you are saying about being able to recall seemingly
meaningless things.
It happens all the time. I mean I could tell you when, where, who I was with, the first time I heard XTC's "The Mayor of Simpleton" (which is my theme song, kinda).
When you are into music as much as we are, certain sensory activation's, so to speak, will trigger certain memories. and... "Memories can't wait".
O.K. so what about this one?
You wake up with a song in your head. Sometime soon ,usually that day or even that morning, you hear that song. This also happens to me all the time! So much I wrote a song about it. (see below)
Thoughts for food.
Hope all is well with everyone.
Peace and Love,
-- Tim
* * *It happened again, this morning AM
And I can't figure out why
I had a song in my head when I got out of bed.
from out of a blue sky.
I repeated one line over many times
For what seemed like hours.
I couldn't stop hearing it, wouldn't
Stop saying it, it was not in my power.
So I turn the radio on,
And I hear the song
The same lines that I was singing
This happens a lot, some karma plot
It keeps my ears a ringing
Somehow, someway as I start the day
My mind fast forwards to the future.
So later on, I hear the song
Exactly as I had earlier
I'm a psychic, a channeler, a gypsy fortune teller.
I can't do no wrong
I don't predict, or foresee, or anything,
All I hear is a song.
So I turn the radio on,
And I hear the song
The same lines that I was singing
This happens a lot, some karma plot
It keeps my ears a ringing.
I don't just hear songs I know
It's songs I never heard before
But the melody in my head
Rattles me to the core
I hear in my mind from time to time
That music is universal
It must be true for I'm like you
Just a normal sort of person.
So I turn the radio on,
And I hear the song
The same lines that I was singing
This happens a lot, some karma plot
It keeps my ears a ringing.
* * *
----- Original Message -----
From: MikeA
To: SB
Sent: Saturday, Sept 29, 2001 12:43 PM
Subject: (no subject)
Hey!
I was fwded to this site from a king crimson site. I was curious about the artwork on the Discipline cover and they sent me here. I was wondering if it is a celtic sign or if there is any history or story or symbolic meaning behind the logo on the cover.
PS, its an awesome cover, and an awesome album...thanks for any info...mike
Mike,
Thanks for the kind email. I agree, Discipline is an awesome
album. There is both a long and a short history of the Discipline
album cover. I don't have the wind for the long version right now, but
here is some quick history:
This symbol shown above is the Possible Productions knotwork, designed by SB in 1992 on commission from Robert Fripp. This symbol has been used as a logo by both Possible Productions (Robert's music company) and Discipline Records (Robert's label) extensively and exclusively from 1992 to the present. This symbol was also most recently used on the new rermastered re-release of Discipline by King Crimson.
The symbol that was on the 1981 EG Records release of Discipline is Fig. #1 shown below. This symbol has a somewhat longer history.
\
1 - knotwork from the original 1981 King Crimson Discipline album cover, "designed" by a character (intentionally unnamed) who participated in some residential seminars at Claymont Court in the late seventies.
2 - the source and 'inspiration' of this design, from page 40 of "Celtic Art - the Methods of Construction" by George Bain.
Here is some background about the origin of the "original" symbol which the
designer claims to have
"designed." The 1981 "design" is actually a derivative work (with one minor change) of a copyrighted design by the celebrated Celtic art historian, George Bain. Mr. Bain's original design
first appeared in public in a well known book entitled "Celtic Art, the Methods of Construction"
published in 1951 by Constable Press in London. George Bain's design
is an illustration demonstrating a method for constructing a circular knotwork
design.
In short, the original design was not strictly 'original' in that that 95% of the actual
design rightfully belongs to George Bain. There is one minor (arguably,
significant) modification in the 1981 design: there is one cord which does not wrap around the center triangle, which is clear
if you compare the diagrams shown above.
A few years ago, the designer rather forcefully asked Robert and DGM to stop using his symbol, spouting threats of copyright violation and lawsuits, (even though he was paid for the use of his symbol in 1981 in exchange for the right to use it on the Discipline release.)
My (granted) biased view is that this character was looking for some publicity and/or some attention.
Given the obvious nature of this derivative work, it is clear that the designer has very little ground on which to stand in defending an intellectual-property-oriented copyright in his "original" work. True, the character's specific rendering of George Bain's intellectual property is certainly copyrightable, however, in my view, this designer owes George Bain a substantial debt for the overall concept and design of this symbol.
The 2001 re-mastered Discipline cover uses the Possible Productions knotwork rather than the original 1981 design because DGM chose to abandon the original design rather than enter into a legal battle with the original designer and "his" alleged symbol.
That really is the short version. Trust me - you really don't want to hear the long version.
Hope that sheds some light on the history and origin of these symbol(s.)
Best wishes,
--SB
* * *
SBRS at Mr. Spots tonight. Much to do before then.
* * *
Sunday September 30
Off.
* * *
home
Up very early for the past two weeks. No exception today. Under
considerable (perhaps invisible from the outside) pressure on numerous
fronts. Earning a living by transforming my knowledge, experience, and
will into a plan. There is accountability for what goes into this
plan. Staying focused right now.
* * *
SBRS short rehearsal, HQ at 7pm (what is up with 5pm meeting?) Two new surprise songs floating up out of the fingers of the collective Travii. I'm an ordinary guy...
* * *
SGC just afterwards, preceded by a flurry of guitarists arriving at the house. I have not felt this kind of energy since 1994 in Grosderschau, Germany. Many guitarists gathered in one place dedicated to our work together.
Clearly, we are in the right place at the right time with this house and these people. There is some kind of chemical or social or biological reaction that occurs when this many people become active in one place together. An acceleration that would not occur if the momentum of the larger group was not available.
SGC spent the first hour on mundane metronome work on Birds of Fire, Flying Home, 49 notes, Cultivating the Beat, Vulcanization: revealing and useful work. Flying Home (at 96? or was it 104?) was also a good way to establish a clear reference of what is not yet possible.
I find joy in mundane work; perhaps I have a hard-wired Protestant work ethic, or perhaps there is subtle reinforcement from years of patient investment in Guitar Craft practices. The long-term 'payoff' of daily mundane work is like compounded interest.
Can't really see it day to day, but at the end of ten years, quite a nest egg accumulates.
Second hour we spent continuing to fine tune RV with the biggest anti-mundane surprise coming from Canadian funk-meister DerekD who now has a jaw-dropping solo.
This song is now living up to it's name: it is clearly a Recreational Vehicle.
Need to record this now while the engine is hot.
* * *
Tuesday October 02
Many small frustrations and logistics problems to solve in the transition back
to the borg. Logistics, travel, flow, prioritization, scheduling, energy
management, relationship management. Even small (or postponed)
decisions can affect big changes.
And how about the return to Emailianation? How can I keep up on the hundreds of work emails compounded by the hundreds of personal emails that show up every day?
The hardest part about this is the granular priority trades-offs that each of these emails represents:
1. mail arrives
2. is this important - do I need to read it in detail? <read>
3. does it need a response now? <respond>
4. will this be important someday? do I need to keep it? <file>
5. where should I put it? is there a folder already for this? sort it by person or topic? <sort>
6. or simply delete it? <delete>
7. lather, rinse, repeat
The alleged advantage of email over the telephone is that we can read and respond according to our own schedule. When the phone rings, it is always an interruption of something. However, the email 'advantage' disappears when the growing volume of mail means that we are always constantly behind in reading and responding (not to mention filing or following-up.)
Every six months or so, it seems I need to recreate a file/folder system to sort mail to and from 100+ friends/family, 200+ co-workers working on 50+ projects built on 15+ years of ongoing music and engineering work.
Why mention all of this this crap now?
The 'value' (of email) pales dramatically when I compare it to that which has real value: our interactions with each other when we are in the same room.
* * *
Wednesday October 03
6:43am - Up way too early for a meeting, unfortunately, not the meeting at
HQ. For me, 8am weekday meetings in Ballard seem nearly impossible in the
near term.
* * *
Home pretty late. A longish day at work. Embracing the mundane. Many phone calls to return (including Brock Pytel!) who is coming through Seattle this weekend.
This is not my beautiful house:
"This view runs against a set of prejudices that Mitchel Resnick, in his 1994 book, Turtles, Termites, and Traffic Jams calls the 'centralized mind-set.' We are all conditioned to attribute complex phenomena to some kind of controlling agency. We commonly assume, for example, that the front-most bird in a V-shaped flock is the one in charge and the others are playing follow-the-leader. Not so. The orderly formation is the result of a highly responsive collection of processors behaving individually and following simple harmonious rules without a conductor. Resnick makes the point by creating situations in which people are surprised to find themselves part of such a process."
-- Nicholas Negroponte, 'being digital' p.157
* * *
SBRS rehearsal at HQ. TravisM and I stuck about 100 yards apart on 520 for awhile this evening. Significant progress on two new songs. Short, but sweet.
SGC rehearsal chez B&J. A fun, sub-giddy rehearsal, sans Curt and Chris. Work on Flying Home, and Dean's new old post-Star Power "Nocturne."
Fun stuff.
* * *
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dion Stewart"
To: SB
Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2001 3:41 PM
Subject: weird
So, I'm reading the next few pages of the book I'm in the middle of as my computer boots up. I set the book on my desk, check e-mail, hit a few diary pages and come to your entry for today.
The book I'm reading...Turtles, Termites, and Traffic Jams. Gotta love it.
Hope you're well.
Dion
* * *
I recently experienced such a demonstration by Resnick in the Kresge Auditorium at MIT. The audience of roughly 1,200 people was asked to start clapping and try to clap in unison. Without the slightest lead from Resnick, within less than two seconds, the room was clapping a single beat. Try it yourself; even with much smaller gourps the result can be startling. The surprise shown by participants brings home how little we understand or even recognize the emergece of coherence from the activity of independent agents.
-- Nicholas Negroponte, 'being digital' p.158
* * *
SHEEBA Museletter arrived today, reminding me of one of my favorite songs on the planet:
The life is the red wagon
you watch the slow train moving
through the city late at night
adjusting back and forth
against the darkness and street lights
I know that you're feeling bad
but I'm glad you didn't lie
easy to get caught up...but you know
you can always you can always
you can always walk away
the life is the red wagon rolling along
the life is the red wagon simple and strong
the life is the red...is the red...
oh, it's no big deal
but when the feet are draggin'
you pull for me
and I pull for you
you pull for me
and I pull for you
past the teeming marketplace
and the blur of faces there
past the silent dockyards
and the darkness looming there
maybe it won't work this time
but that's the risk you take
(and you want to take it)
and just as long as it feels right
doesn't matter just as long as...
doesn't matter ...gotta feel good
even though you don't know why
the life is the red wagon rolling along
the life is the red wagon simple and strong
the life is the red...is the red...
oh, it's no big deal
but when the feet are draggin'
you pull for me
and i pull for you
you pull for me
and i pull for you
the life is the red wagon
simple and strong
Buy "bound by the beauty" and "the walking." Then buy everything else she has ever touched, breathed on, or looked at.
* * *
We rarely realize what we have until it is gone.
On geeks and music:
The Draw of Music
Music has proven to be one of the most important shaping forces in computer science.
Music can be viewed from three very powerful and complementary perspectives. It can be considered from the digital signal-processing point of view--such as the very hard problems of sound separation (like taking the noise of a fallen Coke can out of a music recording). It can be viewed from the perspective of musical cognition--how we interpret the language of music, what constitutes appreciation, and where does emotion come from? Finally, music can be treated as artistic expression and narrative--a story to be told and feelings to be aroused. All three are important in their own right and allow the musical domain to be the perfect intellectual landscape for moving gracefully between technology and expression, science and art, private and public.
If you ask an auditorium filled with computer science students how many of them play a musical instrument, or how many consider themselves to have a serious interest in music, most hands shoot up. The traditional kinship between mathematics and music is manifested strikingly in contemporary computer science and within the hacker community. The Media Lab attracts some of its best computer-science students because of its music.
Childhood avocations like art and music, which are intentionally or unintentionally discouraged by parental and social forces, or else viewed solely as a relief valve to the pressures of scholastic success, could shape the lens through which children see and explore entire bodies of knowledge hitherto presented in one way. I did not like history in school, but I can date almost anything from milestones in art and architecture, versus politics and wars. My son inherited my dyslexia but nevertheless can read wind-surfing and ski magazines avidly, from cover to cover. For some people, music may be the way to study math, learn physics, and understand anthropology.
The flip side is: How do we learn about music? In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, playing music in school was common. The technology of recording music curbed that. Only recently have schools started to return to learning music by making it, versus just listening to it.The use of computers to learn music at a very young age is a perfect example of the benefit computers provide by offering a complete range of entry points. The computer does not limit musical access to the gifted child. Musical games, sound data tapes, and the intrinsic manipulability of digital audio are just a few of the many means through which a child can experience music. The visually inclined child may even wish to invent ways to see it.
-- Nicholas Negroponte, 'being digital' p.221
Blah, blah, blah. Words, schmurds. Pick up an instrument and stop all this dancing about architecture.
* * *
Cranky today. Could you tell?
* * *
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