New Beginnings for Old Friends

ninjaBeing in a band is a bit of an emotional tightrope walk.

Trying to make any art can be difficult. It’s hard enough to write one good song on your own — let alone to do it with a group of people, each with a different aesthetic.

And let’s face it: Most musicians tend to possess, kindly put, an independent streak and so — almost inevitably — there is a residue left by the day in/day out friction from collaborating on any body of work.  If you’re lucky, that creative process is followed by rehearsing, recording, and touring.  Sprinkle on top of that whatever “personal demons” existed beforehand and you’ll see that, for all the clichés of a band being like a dysfunctional family, it’s inevitable that there is some truth to it.

Is it really any wonder that so many bands quickly lose their balance and fall off the wire?
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Gina Trapani’s new blog is a “must read” for people who use technology to improve their lives.

Former Lifehacker guru, author, and former Brooklynite Gina Trapani is back in action with her new blog, Smarterware.

The quote she uses in the footer of her new site tells me that this is probably a less-corporate, more heartfelt venture :

“Be true to your work and your work will be true to you.” —Charles Pratt

Best of luck to you, Gina!

Radiohead meets Tusk at this year’s Grammy’s

Radiohead meets Tusk at this year’s Grammy’s:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aVzh1LSG8Q

Radiohead feat. USC Marching Band ‘15 Step (02/08/2009)’ (mp3)

Also: (Radiohead ‘15 Step’ Video)

(Via Culture Bully.)

Human Stop-Motion Performance of Mozart on Guitar

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuU00Q3RhDg
(Via Neatorama.)

I am not a fan of Rush.

And I hate most things having to do with drummers.

But if Sara, a 13 year old Japanese girl, twirls her sticks while bashing along with “YYZ”, it makes everything that is wrong,…right, somehow.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uEKsYHrYlk

I wish she wasn’t such a fan of Prog Rock but, really, how snooty can you get after reading stuff like this on her home page?:

Sara Santa

Check out her other stuff and watch as chica tears it up on the kit and a DrumKat.

And if Mr. Santa doesn’t come through for her, we should all just cancel Christmas forever.

(Via The Stranger.)