Where Has The Underground Gone?

Recently I was turned on to this wiki site The Secret History of the Cedar Valley Underground and I have been cruising through the site and checking out some of the history of a lot of the bands from the Cedar Valley. First off I was impressed by the wealth of musicians that have contributed to the scene and secondly I was blown away by how many bands in the late 80's and early 90's were experimenting with the genre of music I love the most, industrial music. For those of you who don't know what that is, I'm not sure where to start but the first two groups to really make industrial music where Throbbing Gristle and Einstruzende Neubauten, both groups formed in the mid to late 70's and still continue to create music and art today. Enough with the background info what I'm really trying to get at is where have all these artists gone? I keep reading about this dude named Ed Ware who apparently was very influential in the scene back in the late 80's and early 90's who was very involved with creating industrial music. Then I read about this band called Stickdog who sounds pretty damn cool and was even signed to Jello Biafra's label Alternative Tentacles (ask Carrie sometime about when she met Jello with me). I also read about Lid 11 and I was simply intrigued by the idea of all of these industrial bands working and performing in the Cedar Valley when I was writing my first industrial tracks and experimenting with synths and sequencers. It just really makes me wonder where all these people went.

It's not too often any more that I run across people that are influenced by the same music that I am. Obviously I'm a bit older than some of the musicians that are playing in the area but it makes me wonder. If those bands where so influential why didn't they rub off on today's musician in the Cedar Valley. People just don't seem as tolerant to a one man band as what they appeared to have been 10 or 15 years ago. So then I start to think, are we less open minded now? Who wants to experiment and create new music? Because of Ash, I don't have a lot of time for creating new music right now, and I know that will get better as he gets a little older and I will be able to spend a little more time creating music, but I'm ready to start creating. Recently I've been contacted by a local Cedar Valley musician whom I respect a lot and we are talking about collaborating on new project. It sounds great, kind of like Godflesh meets The Jesus and Mary Chain. Noisy, Loud, and for the first time in a long time a project with a collaborator that isn't a metal band. So I'm looking forward to doing this. I'm also looking forward to getting back on the horse and working on more Microwaved tracks. We will see what happens soon enough.

So, I guess I never answered any of my questions and I don't know if I ever will, but I think these guys and I would have gotten a long famously back then, and I really wish there were some people around here today that I could relate too like I think I could those musicians and artist from then. Any who, be sure and check out the site above, it really is informative on all the bands in the Cedar Valley old and new a like.

The Pursuit of Happyness

So Carrie and I watched this film last night. It stars Will Smith and his son as Chris Gardner and Chris Gardner Jr. I was expecting a giant tear fest but I got something different from it. If any one saw any of the media blitz around the opening of the film you know a little bit about the real Chris Gardner and how his life turned out so it kind of saps the emotional punch out of the movie. I freely admit that I am one of the first people in the world to cry at a tear jerking moment, hell I cry during a Spider-man trailer, but the Pursuit of Happyness didn't do it for me. It wasn't a bad film, I just couldn't completely identify with the main character and his plight. I thought a lot of his choices were silly and a bit flippant for a father who is suppose to be taking care of his wife and young son. I don't know too many men who would take the risks that he took to find his "happyness" in the world which apparently was a Lamborghini Diablo, that seemed to me to be the reason he wanted to be a stock broker. I know that probably seems a little too shallow for a good review, but you never hear him once say, I want to make a better life for my son, or I want to afford the opportunities for my son that I never had. Nope you only see him covet a fancy red car and try and sell his bone density machines. And about those bone density machines, he clung to those things like they were gold, and in turn I can see why the provided him with some income, but really who throws away their life savings to get into an untested medical sales position. It just seemed, well like I said before, a little too risky. All in all the The Pursuit of Happyness was an alright film, just nothing you should run and rent today, save that for Children of Men that was just released last Tuesday, March 27th. That film made me and almost everyone in the theatre that afternoon weep like a child.

Ash Has His Appointment Set...

Well hopefully you all have made it over here and are keeping track of stuff. I won't be updating the Caring Bridge Journal anymore so here is where all the news that is fit to be printed will be. So Carrie called me this morning and we have a new appointment in Iowa City for Monday, April 2nd at 2:15 pm. I'm not sure where it's at or who the doctor is I just know that it will be on Monday. I will update the blog after his appointment. I'm a little scared right now about it, I am wondering what they will do to him and if it will hurt. Carrie said something about them having to run a cath up his leg and into his kidneys to see what is up in there. I really hope they don't have to do that. I really hope they don't. OK I should get back to work, I have a ton of stuff to do and it just keeps getting deeper on my desk.

Greetings and Salutations

Most of you reading this are coming over from the caringbridge.org site to keep up to date on what is happening with Asher and our family. I will also use this as kind of a way to talk about my music, my films, my comic books and my art. I know that won't interest most of you, but I'm sure a few of my friends and family will be interested in hearing what I have to say about all things me. You may also be asking yourself "why Microwaved"? Well for those of you who don't know that is what I call my music that I write, you can check more of it out at Microwaved @ Myspace. Well I suppose that is my greeting for you all. Enjoy and I will post frequently I hope.