“So, what are your interests?” A curious question… hmmm… thanks for asking.

Interests:

• My first love is the electric bass (preferably a Fender)
• I have a deep urge to create… with or without payment
• I am passionate about ensuring artists get paid for their creations… especially when others are profiting from them.
• I love the internet music explosion
• I take time to discover new music… whether it was created yesterday or yesteryear
• I enjoy closing deals where everyone walks away from the table smiling
• I strive to be the best father and husband I can possibly be
• I like people

Feel free to talk to me about any of the above… I’m interested.
Hit me up on facebook, twitter or email or whatever

To my loyal readers,

There will be no post today as I am truly in a state of deep depression… today my favorite music service, lala.com, has announced that it will be shut down at the end of the month. As you know I’ve been using lala.com to recommend songs to listen to that go with the doodles that I’ve been posting. Today, there is no legal replacement for this type of service. And as some of you know, I work for a record label and therefore can’t in good conscience put links up to illegal locker services or just post up mp3s like a lot of music blogs do today.

I need a new plan… hopefully I will figure it out over the weekend.

In the meantime please write letters and emails to Apple CEO Steve Jobs (steve.jobs@apple.com) expressing your disappointment in shutting down the recently purchased lala.com

Please send letters of condolence via email to thestonebishop@yahoo.com

*sigh*
-Bryan

Rhapsody Links are just not as cool – Manic Depression – Jimmy Hendrix

Last nights drive home form the gig with 50 cent Haircut at the Cinema Bar sounded like this… a short but sonically interesting trip… What do you think?

After 2 soul fulfilling sets with 50 cent Haircut, my belly full of the best fried chicken LA has to offer and some great Zin courtesy of Chef Greenspan and Luke behind the bar at the Foundry, I pressed play on my iPod and settled into the 30 minute car ride home. Once in a while the iPod’s shuffle feature hits the nail on the head and a musical moment slaps you in the face and reminds you that it’s great to be alive.

One of those moments happened to me…

Press “play all 5″ below now:

Digestivo – Mark Dresser Trio
Totally heady and so, so grooving with dissonance. Listening to this song reminds me of Tyler Suchman, my old roommate and the gentlemen who helped me get this site together. Tyler worked at Tower Records and would come home with jazz recordings from all the greats… Davis, Monk, Mingus etc… Tyler and I would sit on the couch and wax philosophic about music, politics and women. Tyler would later worked at Cryptogramophone, the avant-garde jazz label out of Venice California that put this recording out. As I listened to the crazy melody and dissonant harmonies I was swept away by the skills of the players and the improvisational contributions and textures… each note a surprise… synapses snapping and deep connections reforming in my brain. Mark Dresser is a first class bassist and an inspiration to my journey on the contrabass.

My Art College Days Are Over – Hefner
I found it serendipitous that as I was remembering my college days and jazz exploration when this song came on reminding me that those days are over… but they were fun. I discovered Hefner using the illegal Napster. They put out the finest sing along indie rock. I, of course, sang along at the top of my lungs despite the fact that I did not know the words.

Serenade – Steve Miller
But my craving to sing… and desire to feel in command of the lyrics was fulfilled when this Steve Miller classic came on… Steve Miller has a special place in my heart because my dad used to sing a bunch of their songs to my mom when I was a kid. I loved it when he sang to my mom. Funny thing is that when I finally heard the original recordings I was shocked that he got all the words and melodies wrong. Totally bugged me as a teenager but now I find it endearing. Well anyway if you can’t get your fill singing along to this one then… well I don’t know what to tell you.

Tite Rope – Harold Alexander
Hitting the 10 to 405 interchange this insane funk song came on. Now I was in true heaven… as a bassist funk is totally where it’s at. The groove is undeniable… I mean listen to that… my God is it rad or what? I was totally tempted to press rewind to instantly listen to the song again… but fate was treating me so good I had to press on. I will be doing research on this one as I must know who all the performers are… first class!

Let’s Get It On _ Maceo Parker
Then this soul classic covered instrumentally by legendary horn player Maceo Parker came on… Smoothing out the excitement for a mellow exit from the freeway with the fade happening right as I pull in the driveway… I was like… come on….really?

Musical moments like this happen so rarely… a perfect blend of songs that take you on a journey into the past while filling your ears with unexpected experiences and tangible pleasure.

Does this happen to you?

I don’t feel like posting today… come back tomorrow… or look at the archives… they work now

I love Slacker Radio. It is internet and mobile radio that you can personalize to fit your taste…

I’ve created a number of stations to fit various moods/genres… I’ve actually spent a lot of time with them… listening and customizing. They still play some songs that I don’t like… but I just press skip… and hey, it’s free plus the artist gets paid.

You can request specific songs, play only artists you like, and adjust the amount of new artists, hits vs. deep cuts, old vs. new material and the number of favorites each station plays.

They have a mobile application and it totally rocks. I have it on my Blackberry and you can cache some radio stations on your device (I have a lot of memory on my phone) giving the listener access without being connected to a wireless network… also great for battery life… ‘cuz you need your phone after all.

Another great thing about Slacker is that real music lovers choose the songs that the stations play… that makes even their standard stations enjoyable.

I have created the stations below for your listening pleasure. You can take the stations I have created and modify them even more to fit your tastes. I think you will find that I have created a great base.

So slack away… you don’t have to build perfect playlists for a day full of aural pleasure.

make it your own

make it your own

make it your own

make it your own

make it your own

make it your own

A poem I wrote for my Uncle Ron. My Aunt Carole passed away a few days before Christmas. I miss her

Ron Loves Carole

You just came ashore
We just finished the floor
And now you’re gone

Uphill for a few more years
My eyes already filled with tears
Now that you’re gone

I see you everywhere
In that set of Tupperware
We bought in ‘82
In the tub with claws that you didn’t use
And now you’re gone

I think about you in the water
In the waves crashing I hear your laughter
Peeking at the ocean on the roof with our daughter
Following the vine of the orange trumpet flower
Now that you’re gone

Yesterday’s post was inspired by my eight year old son Myles.

Myles: “What did the the grumpy goat say when he was was invited to the Christmas Party?”
Me: “Thanks for the invite, but unfortunately I have other RAMS”
Myles: “No”
Me: “I don’t know”
Myles “Baaaa Humbug”

I love to create. I  play bass, write and record, doodle and draw to keep sharp during meetings, and write short musings. I also love to share those things that I create with others… so here is a single place to put all those things and share with my friends. Also, I do a lot of reading, music discovery and love the digital music space… and because you don’t have the time to search all the goods out yourself… I’ll do it for you. So that’s what this site is about. I hope you enjoy.