Jimmy Ether's Striking Kooks

Inaugural ramblings

Hey all.

If you are getting this in your inbox without having initiated such action, it’s because I’ve imported you from my old and mostly inactive mailing list dating back to simpler times. I’ve set up this newsletter to discuss songwriting, music making, and all the activities that entail recording, mixing, mastering, releasing, etc.

It’s also a more personal place to discuss my perspective on bands and projects I’m in, albums I’m recording with various folks, musically journalistic things, and, generally, my warped and opinionated philosophies on music.

So, if that’s not your bag, no worries. You will not hurt my feelings by unsubscribing. I’ll even still invite you to the next picnic.

I have never thrown a picnic.

Still reading? Are they gone? Good. I’m glad you are along for the ride. Welcome!

Bear with me as I learn about this platform and all its features. I intend to keep this thing—for the most part—free. I may eventually allow commenting features and archive content access to be paid only, but that’s probably the extent of it. I mean, my words are worth their weight in gold. No question. But so is your time, patience, and mental bandwidth. So, if you spend a little of your dwindling time on this careening space rock reading my words, it’s even Steven, I’d say. We’ll go Dutch through our digital lives together.

What’s Old Is New

It’s weird that these kinds of newsletters are all the rage again in some circles. Kinda like how print ‘zines are back in vogue in the underground. Next thing you know, we’re going to be using Usenet newsgroups again.

alt.jimmyether.diediedie

I’m here for it.

Speaking of print ‘zines, Record Plug Magazine is coming up on its 3rd anniversary. That’s bananas. We’re also 10 episodes into a podcast for RPM as well. Growing slowly but surely, which is fine by me. We’ve been experimenting and are starting to fall into an underground video magazine format. I dig it more and more with each episode. If you haven’t already, you are more than welcome to subscribe.

We’ve had a few personal heroes on already, which is also bananas to me.

Podcast Overload

Another podcast I’ve started with my good buddy and guitar builder, Randy King, is also slowly becoming its own vibe. Fretful Dreams is the name, and it’s all about our obsessions with guitars.

It’s pretty much just us yapping and trying to make each other laugh. If you think you can’t fill a twice-monthly podcast with talk about guitars, you’d be wrong. It’s a bottomless topic for nerds like us.

I assure you we are wearing pants throughout. In case you read that naughty.

I know my audience.

But Wait, There’s More?

And if that wasn’t enough podcasts, I’m starting yet another later this summer called Striking Kooks, which will more or less be a companion piece to this newsletter where I interview other makers of music and we discuss our processes. I’ll keep you posted on that. Many of you on this very list will be invited on to chat for sure.

Corndogorama Returns

Those of you from Atlanta in the mid-90s through early 2000s may remember the epic Corndogorama live shows. Originally they were held at Dottie’s, then Lenny’s, then The EARL. Then I think it’s been maybe a decade since the last one. Maybe longer?

Anyway, it’s back next weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday the 21st—23rd).

My band, Loud Humans, will be playing Saturday around 7pm. There will be about 25 bands on two stages (indoor and outdoor) with slightly staggered sets for continuous music and corndogs. It’s going to be—as you can probably guess—bananas. I hope you can make it out. 25 clams for 3 days is a steal, and all the proceeds go to Upbeat! Foundation that helps out needy musicians.

Stop Promoting Stuff.

Sorry for all that. I promise every issue of this newsletter will not be full of selfish podcasts and gig promo shills. It will only be kissed with them. Sprinkled.

Anywho … consider that all catch-up.

Recording Uncle Green Gardos Grand

So, this Thursday, I begin recording an album with a wonderful artist from California named Nancy Gardos. Some of you likely know her. And it includes Matt Brown of Uncle Green fame, and Lee Wiggins of Lesibu Grand fame.

I’m excited, though it’s a bit daunting thinking of getting 8-10 songs recorded in the 5 days we have - with Lee and myself both being distracted by playing Corndogorama Saturday in the middle of it all. But I’ve scaled bigger mountains before, so I think it will go okay. I will hopefully steal a bit of time to update you here with tidbits from those sessions: possibly photos, invariably video, allegedly audio, but incontrovertibly wordly concoctions.

Fin.

I think I’ll sign off with that for now. I have plenty of other things on my mind to talk about, but I don’t want to monopolize your moments.

Talk soon!

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