Wednesday, January 31, 2007

2 Years Ago Today

Argentinian Colored Glasses
Dateline Buenos Aires, between shows
Record Company Big Wig stirs his martini
Don’t let this stuff get you down, he says
Poverty, drugs, prostitution, orphans
They have always been with us
But those of us of class
The intelligentsia
The politically astute
We know how to navigate such issues
Without destroying our spirit
The bar lights sparkle off his
Wrap around sunglasses
And his white, white
Smiling teeth

I look out the picture window
I take a long drag of my brown beer
The plaza la defensa is bathed in sunlight
The freshly washed tiles only accent
The homeless men with their
Cardboard signs and paper cups
Napping while waiting for the evening
Shoppers who drop coins while
Stepping gingerly around their
Greasy pants and worn out shoes.

Hearing my sigh, Mr. Big Wig
Presents me with a pair of sunglasses
Try these on, senior, you’ll feel much better
They wrap fully around letting in no light
Unless it is pleasant and soothing to the eye
Flip that tiny switch near your right ear
See how the dirty hobos fade away
Now you can relax
And free your mind
To pursue your art
So that men like me can sell it
In the market place
To other beautiful people

I must admit
The glasses do clear up the view
But how will I avoid tripping
Over the invisible people
Sleeping on the paving stones?

Ah, my friend
You worry too much
Let me call you a taxi

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Jester in the Court of the AQAL King


Pranks, pratfalls and body paint
Amuse and disarm habitual defenses
Rude and crass gags
Offend only the uninitiated
But those with senses open
Stand amazed and grateful
As the Jester wields song and dance
Like the Zen masters of old
Knowing just when to startle
The seeker into dropping his mask
With a well-time whack of a stick
To the back of the head
Or a healthy belly laugh

His medicine is well received
In the court of the AQAL King
Play on Jester, play on

--To Stuart Davis

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Sound Check: 1, 2, 3


Retellings suspicious
Transactions malicious
Tries not to be annoying
His affections are cloying
A pathetic heaving
Frantic cleaving
These demon days

Swimming through the late night
Scanning dark interiors
Surrendering to the
Shimmering chit chat
Summoned by restless
Shuffling of memory
Shadows cast by
Shimmering half light

Paid to stir the monkey
From deep sleep
Starshine Dracula
Lingers over sound checks

Monkey can you hear me?

His soul is vacuous
Canines ravenous
Circling the dance floor
Always wanting more
Sweaty thrashing
Sexual posing
This demon preys

Swimming through the late night
Scanning dark interiors
Surrendering to the
Shimmering chit chat
Summoned by restless
Shuffling of memory
Shadows cast by
Shimmering half light

Gently stroking monkey
On his cheek
Starshine Dracula
Continues his sound check

Monkey can you hear me?

His tone is melodious
Meanings poisonous
Drawn to the bleating
Of hearts still beating
That final trembling
Life is fleeting
The demon slays

Swimming through the late night
Scanning dark interiors
Surrendering to the
Shimmering chit chat
Summoned by restless
Shuffling of memory
Shadows cast by
Shimmering half light

Squeezing the monkey
Till he squeaks
Starshine Dracula
Finishes his sound check

Monkey can you hear me?

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Provincial Provisional

I’m just a small town hick
I come from a tiny planet
In a back-water arm of a spiral galaxy
That you’ve probably never heard of.

I cling to small unoriginal hopes
I suffer from typical fears
Overwhelming, but not very interesting
When seen from an intergalactic perspective.

I’m pretty small
And the infinite universe
Well, it’s pretty fucking big
Big enough to swallow up my
Well, my everything—Gulp!

What a relief
To know my ego
No matter how vicious
Can never taint
The Big Forever
In which we abide.

Just Now

Saturday, January 06, 2007

New TEE Album Available: Just Now


Just in time to help you with your post-holiday depression.
Just for the loyal 23 fans who anticipate these things.
Just because we love making music.

JUST NOW
The latest studio album from
The Thunder Echo Ensemble.

Just Now is available for download from
WhatDoWeKnow Records.
Download it FREE
Just because
Just Now

Just because vampires love monkeys.
Just when you thought it was safe.
Just surrender to the moment.
Just Now
http://www.whatdoweknow.com/teejustnow.html

Thursday, January 04, 2007

Dr. Zoom


Don’t let his mild-mannered appearance fool you.
Those starchy shirts and silky ties
Will make you think him prim and proper.
Don’t believe it for a moment.
His wire-rimmed spectacles
Reflect your expectations
Back at you.
But you can not see what he sees
Through his modest looking glasses.
His balding head will cause you to assume
A harmlessness common in these days.
But no.
His thoughts race,
Accelerating to the speed of light,
Exploring all regions of time and space.
This is no simple office clerk.
A force of nature is he.
An avatar of the cosmos.
Before you stands Doctor Zoom!

And he demands to know,
“Would you prefer Mexican or Chinese
For lunch today?”

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

I'm Listening To Music You've Never Heard


The band swings with indie pop hooks and guitar layers.
Riffing along with complex polyphony in building loops and dynamics.
Containing a variety of material which the band had concurrently been performing in their concert appearances.
It's ethereal and expansive, combining electronics and sampling.
But no music depends absolutely on the element of surprise.
Despite antic lyrics, there is an intense, brooding aspect,
A transcendent experience,
And impish wit is reflected in impudent use of the controls.
Pop music loves to look in the mirror.
Screaming, "Hold It Up! Hold It Up!"
The band segues from reggae into a free-form jam that builds steam,
Morphs into a jazzy bass solo and then into a wah-wah guitar funk romp.
As if pop forms weren't rewired regularly by tinkerers rather than apprentices.
Endlessly playful, which means you can play it endlessly.
Wish you could hear it.