Hillside Spin – digital art – Dan Beck 2007

I thought it was time to bring out another of the tracks from the Red Eye Recordings last spring – the unconscious mind is a fascinating thing.

The original song is called  “Global Warming” – a joke really – cause there really isn’t a whole lot the song has to do with the topic – just “How come we are sitting in the shade?”  – but as I quickly browsed an image file – looking only at titles – no dates – I thought that the above digital painting rather captures the song – not even sure exactly why – but as it turns out – it was created just about the same time as the song was written – I knew without remembering.

Also interesting – was my own personal quote in the article – something I thought about just yesterday out of the blue -

the dots often connect in conjunction with my life – there is always meaning in the timing – things don’t happen at the speed I expect them to – but when they do – it is always amazing how many things fit together to build a richer meaning.

Writing music works in this same way – a song’s lyrics and music develop like these hills – building until the ending kind of folds into the beginning – spinning back upon itself…

Listen or View

• Global Warming – a song about life – these spinning connections – dog/me/past/future/expectations/potential/timing/ – partner having cigarette withdrawals – me needing to withdraw – and played with a flourish – just one guitar and vocals – and an extra pass for backup vocals – Dan Beck 2007 – Alone and Contagious – written during the recording sessions
•  Price of meaning – every bit as ridiculous as the conceptual creation of an artwork and article entitled “Meaning” – because of the comical implications of doing such an internet search – prices for original art prints of the above referenced work of art

Salinas Valley 4 – digital painting – image for a song – “Reaction to the Sun”

I believe I wrote this song in the Spring of 2006 – we had weeks and weeks of overcast and winter rain – and the sun came out for a glorious few days – maybe even a week – and everyone seemed so much happier – whether inside or out -

I know I celebrated with an unplanned and impromptu sunburn – and heat rash – which I thought – a “reaction to the sun” and proceeded to write the song.

In truth, I think it is my own version of George Harrison’s / Beatles – “Here Comes the Sun” – because it is the same concept were it not for the new play on words and a completely different melody and chord structure – but this undoubtedlly is borrowed as well -

because we know there is nothing completely new under the sun.

Listen or View

• Reaction to the Sun - recorded Spring 2007 – from  Red Eye Recordings – music, lyrics, performance, recording – Dan Beck | 1danband – Alone & Contageous
• Here Comes the Sun - video of George Harrison performance of (just slightly more famous) song

My dog symbolically pushing me around.

It has been too blogging long since I have last contributed anything to the blogosphere – the unwritten rule I hold is to write at least once a week – once it was more – and may well be again.

Not too long ago – I wrote I would only write when I had something to say – something new.

So today I say – rules are often meant to be broken – meant to be changed – meant to be pushed against – meant to be rewritten and revitalized – until they need adjusting again.

Complacency is not a good thing – as my dog keeps reminding me.

Listen or View

• Red Eye 2 – introduction to part 2 of the Red Eye Recordings – original music, lyrics, and all performance – Dan Beck @ Outhouse Studios
• Unwritten Rules Fun – and the oxymoron of having them written down
• Other Music Projects – listen to tracks and clips of previous Outhouse Studios’ cd’s not found in Innovative Music channel of blog

music and digital art project

(Tip: select “watch in high quality” link)

Slowly I have been releasing tracks from a cd of music I created last Spring -
Previous articles have included tracks 1, 2, 3 and 4 and one out of order track to be written about again I suspect.This particular track (#5) seemed very conducive to having a visual accompaniment from my art. I have wanted to take on a music and art slide-show movie project for a few years but never gave myself the time or perhaps the permission to try.

I don’t quite understand timing in life – one can contemplate doing something for years and then one day you do and wonder why you waited. Although having said that – I don’t wonder – my life has other priorities and I always have more projects and ideas than I have time to carry out.

Listen or View

Quadbliss.com – thoughts on life – incredibly detailed paintings and partial inspiration for the song

Nothing Is Equal – music track by itself – neither music quality or video quality is particularly good with youtube – will post again after I can figure out the best alternative

Sun Blowin Bye – Dan Beck 2003 – digital painting

As an artist and musician and the person that I am – I always want to do things differently – do it my way – lay down my own tracks, as it were, and be a pioneer.

What I know as a teacher both of others and even myself – repetition is a necessity for being able to improve on the execution of the same subject matter or even new subject matter.

My goal for a new piece of music or artwork is to create something to live inside – but even then, I must keep playing the new work of music – keep painting some of the same old things – keep exploring the same ole medium – keep revisiting the same old works …

I need to see how I view or hear them from where I am today. There are never enough hours to be new and be revisiting – so though I am in a time where I have plenty of new work – though not recorded – plenty of old work – not yet shared – I am revisiting a song I have offered and a digital painting that I have had on my website…

because it is the way I am feeling today – and it is worth it for me to revisit it.

Listen or View

• Can’t Stand Still – original song – Dan Beck / 1danband – 2005 – music is a refuge and can take over – no matter what else is going on
• Original Print Options – for above digital painting – Sun Blowin Bye
• On Repetition – Supercharging Your Affirmations – perhaps even more necessary to repeat when what is learning requires some unlearning as well

Learning a newly written song, getting lost inside the world of a new painting, reading an excellent book are all a bit like falling in love…

I suppose anything which demands the attention such that the world stands still – that time doesn’t feel like it exists, that puts us completely in the moment and doesn’t want to let us go – has that quality.

River Spring Fauna – digital art painting – Dan Beck 2008

The art above is about the view from above – looking out on the valley – seeing the Salinas river – seeing the incredible texture and color of Spring below – that tapestry of color that pulls and mesmerizes – yes nature can pull off the effect of timelessness as well.

In the nature of out of time – and not in the fashion of deadlines – it seemed somehow appropriate on this first day (it was when I wrote this) of Spring to share a song of joy, love, and being lost or perhaps found in the world of timelessness.

Not part of the Red Eye Recordings – it is a track from 2005 CD: 1danband | dansingnew

Listen or View

• Out of Time – as described above – living in the timeless moment – in love, in life – music, words, performance, production – dan beck | outhouse studios | 1danband |dansingnew – 2005
• Keats, “Bright Star”, timelessness addressed – a very nicely done poem analysis – addressing the same kind of issues – and looking at multiple meanings rather than just one
• Digital Painting – a look at the special nature of art at outhouse studios and discussion of terms

Self Portrait – Dan Beck – digital painting 2007

Multiple meanings are to me as much fun as multiple solutions – and generally more obvious than all the different ways to get to a solution to a problem…

and yes I believe there is almost always more than one way to solve any problem.

In most cases, I find myself thinking through all the things that need to be done in a project and try to foresee the obstacles. Somewhere along the line, I got the idea that the most efficient way was the best way.

I am no longer certain that either that is true or that there even is such a thing as the best way. Sometimes the longer route is the better – and most of the time we can not see our way around all the obstacles anyway.

In art and music – I seem to know this. I start and work around the problems as they come up; but in life – I sometimes think I can no more teach myself than I can anyone else …

such is life.

Listen or View

• Don’t Get Ahead of Yourself – track 4 of the Red Eye Recordings | Dan Beck | 1danband – they say “you can’t see the forest through the trees” but if one is only focused on the forest one can’t see the trees either
• Listening – outhouse studios commentary on what this means and the recording process- although it does not touch on my recent assertion that listening is one of the most important things separating music from noise
• Where teaching oneself and listening coincide – this sounds like some young question and answer session – but a good answer and pertinent I think

Horizon 4 - Digital Painting 2006

Having posted the first two tracks of the “Red Eye Recordings” – a music project that is intended to be listened to in order (for the most part) because there is a story to be told; it is time to introduce the third track with some explanation.

The song – “Money is too important” is about the necessity and the change it brings about – the nature of seeking satisfaction from things or consumerism – How much is enough? – always more than one has – and my observations on how often having money changes people.

And of course, having said that – it is my need as well, to have money to live on and continue to produce my art and music.

I am offering these tracks free – and will continue to – but eventually plan on making it possible to contribute to the outhouse studio fund -

The songs are about my observations – about life – about capitalism – about equality – about sickness – about letting go -

It is both too personal and somehow improper to put a price on -

Listen or View

• Money Is Too Important – Dan Beck  2006- to quote the song “I’d like less worrying, though I am not at all bad off, I’d like less worrying, like everyone I’ve known”
• Credit to Johnny Mandel and Mike Altman – for MASH melody and lyrical reference – nothing is created in a vacuum and I kept hearing their lyrics and melody in the music
• Horizon 4 – current art print availability for above digital art and its original prints

Digital Artist & Musician – Dan Beck

digital photo – dan wearing digital painting self-portrait on t-shirt – the spirit of caricature

As of today – if there is one thing I would like to pass on – it would be the joy and flow of life

when we are not bogged down in our mire of obstacles, self-doubts, disappointment, envy, anger, jealousy, resentments, or simply self absorption

_________

To develop as an artist or maybe just the person that I am – I have isolated myself from many people I both love and care about

I don’t think this was a conscious decision; but like most people, I don’t know how to do everything I want to do – let alone what I feel like I have to do

I didn’t think through the place I am at – I have lived my life and find myself here – going with the flow and not always living consciously

____________

I submit a song – written and recorded last spring – in the context of being sick – alone and contagious – feeling my fragileness – writing about the love in my life – but really all the love in my life

Listen or View

• So Much of Life We Do Unconscious – SONG – Dan Beck | 1danband – the lyrics pertinent to the above article – the melody or at least part sounds like a James Taylor song, but not one I can identify – please let me know, if you listen to music and recognize … and yet we always borrow unconsciously …
• James Taylor – November release entitled One Man Band
  
• 1danband – really I’ve been using the term for my recordings as early as 2002

Red Eye Recordings – cover art – digital art (painting) – Dan Beck 2007

There is no right moment and yet I find myself waiting.

If we find ourselves sick – we wonder what we were waiting for -

We can understand life is a gift – that the amount of time is limited – but none of us – including me – embrace it until we really feel the fear of death – we see ourselves immortal

we put off until tomorrow – how can we not?

I don’t know why it is time today to release – the music from last Spring – but I believe it is.

Free to listen, free to download – free to donate – I doubt that I will be able to put all the pieces in place today – but I have to start somewhere – and to quote … well Hillel as it turns out “If not now, when?”

proving once again – that one of the most innovative things about music is that melody helps us remember content.

Listen or View

• Red Eye Recordings – alone & contageous – Dan Beck | 1danband
  • Track 1 – Red Eye 1
    
  • Track 2 – Do What You Believe In
• If Not Now – acoustic guitar and vocals – video – Tracy Chapman – a beautiful melody and partly why I remember the phrase