If you haven’t heard the loud static-y synths and delayed screams in and around Lawrence lately, you probably are already deaf, or in a trance. All that noise is due to the fact that local sound freaks, Spirals Over Norway(SON), have been rocking at least weekly and writing music like a rabid dog bites neighbors. Already with 5 practices and a few Noise Lab sessions, they have 3 songs with a couple on the drawling board. “We wanted to create something that sounded like Kansas was on fire and screaming.”, explains SON’s drum doctor, Dr. Gamage.
I had the privilege of sitting in on a few of their sessions, and can agree that it sounded pretty close to Dr. Gamage’s description. But that’s not what grabbed my attention. It was the fact that they were practicing with twenty or so different species of reptiles and amphibians on the loose in their giant practice space/terrarium. “It gives us inspiration and drives us to be better every time we work on a song.” Explains the bands only female member, Machinegun Night Queen.
Though their videos rise to anger some film majors, and their music is far from perfect, they are still more than happy to showcase the process of forming a band and none of the naysayers really bother them. From the writing process to the recording aspects, and the bonding friendship that is growing as a result, its all there and out in the open for you to watch.
But some listeners have complained that the music is just a little sloppy and eccentric. Perhaps it would be better for them to get the songs down perfect and recorded at a higher quality before posting them to the web. Bassist Griffnasty comments, “We know its not the average sound that a lot of people are looking for, but we are really trying to come up with something a little fresh, and really loud…think T-rex humming the 1812 Overture.”. Dr. Gamage adds, “We don’t really care what people think about the music, for us, its not about that…we know we suck, but the lizards really like it!”
All in all, I think this band is really trying to find themselves, and in the long run it will be interesting to look back at these rough puberty stricken days, and see how they progressed and formed their sound. For now check out their latest Webisode, The Duct Tape Sessions, and leave them some feedback! Send them questions, or trash talk them, or film your self in weird positions around your house while listening to their music and post it as a video response to their webisodes on youtube.com! Also stay tuned for more “smaller” video updates of the band, and actual blog posts from the band….Done rambling, here’s the webisode!
Click “Continue Reading…” for an exclusive audio clip from their fifth practice session…its a goofy one
Its been three whole days since we (Spirals Over Norway) have practiced, and its killing me. All I can seem to think about is playing music, and the next practice isn’t happening until this coming Sunday. That’s alright though, for on Friday, Bobby and I are going to get together and plug in the synths, drum machines, and other noise makers and figure out just how we are going to incorporate these fun toys into our music. To get into the spirit I have been listening to some good music to help inspire the fuck out of me, and put me in the mood.
If you have been following my Twitter updates, you will have seen some of these You Tube videos that have been been filling my mind with creativity. If not, here’s your chance to see some of the music that’s pumping me up during these first few practice and recording sessions. And thanks to Bobby for getting me into some Mike Patton. It was only a matter of time!
So we have had our second Spirals Over Norway band practice and it went extremely swell! We worked on our song(It needs a name! Any ideas?) that we posted last week and flushed out what we didn’t like and added some new stuff we did like! We also worked a little bit on Brosef Stalin, but failed on recording it. We are hoping to get that recorded next week and up for your ears to get a glimpse. For now you can click on the read more button and listen to the new version! The songs are a little bit rough as of now, but that’s why we are doing this practice blog, so you can watch us grow as a band and get to know us! Thanks for listening and checking us out…here is Webisode two. Let us know what you think!
So, let me tell ya’ about a crazy Friday night in which three friends got together and made some extreme sounds…
It was a typical Friday night. The blizzard that covered Lawrence in white chilling hatred turned black, was melting into the depths of the unknown. Here in the Haunted Graveyard, we set up our meager home studio, and instruments and prayed to the gods of sound. We then set out on our musical journey to discover new lands. This is what we got….
Just drank 2 margies, a big jar of beer, and now some coffee, and I think more beer is in order. The fact of the god damned matter is, I got Life and Times, Coalesce, and gang of four rocking my shit, and Me, Bobby, and Machinegun are about to rock some music! We need some beer definitely, and maybe another pair of headphones since the cat destroyed and sent to Hades the other pair. Otherwise, this Friday seems to be set to rock balls! Check back soon for some audio and possible video of just what the hell happened on this Friday night in Lawrence Kansas!
-Griff
So two whole months have passed since November’s Novel Writing Month, and I still only have maybe seven-thousand words out of the 50,000 words I promised myself to have on December 1st. That’s alright though! Through the muck and slime that is my seven-thousand words, a grand story has evolved! Characters have been conceived, and new places in my world have risen from the deepest oceans in Dalivean! Continue reading Dragon Slayer!
So its been a while folks and the tides of change have washed in a new batch of laundry complete with Clorox stain removing detergent….Don’t drink it folks! It tastes horrible! Never fear! I have been researching everything you need to cure your boredom on this fine Saturday afternoon…so sit back, let the cat nap in your lap, and drink a double brewed cup of hot chamomile while the snow packs into slippery ice outside! Continue reading The Griff List Volume 2!
So that was quite a white Christmas here in the heartland! Violent and unrelenting it was indeed! But to hell with being snowed in in a dead college town for the holidays! We had places to go…people to see, and a madness that craved adventure! So we got into the 94′ Ford Taurus and speed down the highway at top speed, like foolish teenagers who just got their license! It started with what weathermen like to call a “Wintery Mix”. Which means rain is starting to freeze folks! Continue reading The Wall Of White Slams Into Us
“I believe that with the advent of acid, we discovered a new way to think, and it has to do with piecing together new thoughts in your mind. Why is it that people think it's so evil? What is it about it that scares people so deeply, even the guy that invented it, what is it? Because they're afraid that there's more to reality than they have confronted. That there are doors that they're afraid to go in, and they don't want us to go in there either, because if we go in we might learn something that they don't know. And that makes us a little out of their control.” by Ken Kesey
So I am embarking on writing my short Novel this month! Check it out! Hopefully I will get to posting some excerpts here for you! Its going to be a violent tale!
Welcome to the future! Thanks Justin Case for this link! Its time to go into space folks! Just make sure you got enough grass up there…you know what I mean? *Wink* *Wink*
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