"Nothing is constant but change! All existence is a perpetual flux of 'being and becoming!' That is the broad lesson of the evolution of the world."
Happy birthday to Ernst Haeckel, born 16 February 1834, who coined the term "ecology" and as one of the most influential and insightful scientist-artists in history, an absolutely prolific illustrator, a romantic, and a visionary, I see him as a kind of patron saint. And a belated Happy Valentine's Day to each and all of you! I wouldn't dedicate my life to art and music if I didn't think that love's the most important thing worth sharing and the motivation for it all. (Love is the feeling, Life the means, of Creativity.)
I have a lot for you in this one. May it find you well...enjoy, and stay in touch!
love,
Michael
Neverland: Electronic Improvisations on Acoustic Guitar
My latest live album – and my last for a while – is the result of six years of exploration into pushing the envelope with the looper as a live sampling and remix instrument, turning the guitar, voice, and a sixty-pound pedalboard into a quadrapedal one-person electronic orchestra.
These 80 minutes were recorded over five months across the Western US and run the gamut from atmospheric psych-western scores to films that don't exist to glitched-out proggy slow burners. Enjoy, and thanks for your support!
Fan reviews:
"Like walking through a cathedral being constructed before your eyes. Stained glass shiftin around and mutating with digital light statues."
– Chance Roberts
"'Hopeful' is so amazing! It made me tear up within the first two minutes and had made it into my top twenty favorite songs of ever by halfway through."
– Xandrie Sampson
"A great wake up soundtrack. Your music is so thoughtful, it would be amazing to collaborate with you as a movement artist..."
– Nnedi Nebula
"Barney Was Real!" (Nanotyrannus lancensis)
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12"x12" – Original Painting Available
Oil & Acrylic Pens on Artboard
Buy 11"x17" Prints ~ Like/Share on FBBelieve it or not, there really was such a thing as a pygmy Tyrannosaurus. Nanotyrannus stood about six feet tall and seventeen feet long – still a formidable predator by any modern standards, but more "ride into battle" size than "swallows you whole" size. While scientists can't be sure that they were actually purple, their close relationship to birds makes it likely that they at least occasionally broke out in song...and it's a fair bet, given their stature and dentition, that real life "Barney" would have loved children (probably several at a time). And in related news, Godzilla Was Real. ;)
New Art for Cello Joe
Graphite & Digital Coloring
It feels good to be back in the saddle with my Wacom digital stylus working in Photoshop...you can definitely expect more digital shenanigans from me in the months to come. There's something truly meditative and aligned about working in this format; I found it super easy to get into flow with it. Anyhow, Cello Joe is a friend of mine and a very talented looping cellist and beatboxer, and I recommend that you go listen to his music (all of it is pay-what-you-like).
My Talk from Gratifly 2014 on Entertainment As Social Action
“Only by realizing that you’re a robot are you able to reprogram that robot. And that’s where the divine invasion occurs. That’s where the choice enters this matrix of causative endless karmic billiards. That’s where the real magic occurs. And that’s the opportunity that we have before us.”
(I go into these knowing the theme but they always go off in new directions I didn't plan, so this one is pretty different from my previous rants on the same theme from Art Outside Festival and Firefly Gathering.)
MG on the Project Bring Me To Life Podcast
This conversation with the super fun Project Bring Me To Life crew includes probably my best rant to date on the historical significance of visionary art, as well as a lot of lively banter on adventure and mystery (!) and things like my favorite science fiction, and how to live the life you love and still get along with your family...
New Articles for Globalish: Read. Watch. Awaken
At Globalish, we're offering a totally unique online experience exploring post-religious spirituality in an age of electronic media. We share the most engaging videos that we can find and frame them each as lessons in non-separation – opportunities to practice how to live and breathe a path of practice that is not afraid to actually be a part of – even celebrate – our wild world. Here are my latest articles:
Channel 1: Revolution
Channel 2: Travel
Channel 3: Art
Channel 4: Life
Upcoming Gigs
The first night of this new monthly event I'm facilitating at the exquisite Strange Brew Lounge in Austin was a smash success. Exploring spontaneous collaborations between instrumental electronic musicians is a recipe for emotionally compelling and intellectually intriguing live performances – and next month's way-cheaper-than-it-should-be show is going to feature several awesome new musicians in addition to the crew who took us all to hyperspace the first time! I'm excited to be part of this.
"I want to be free in the mystery of love. I want to be wild when the world begins again. I want to wake up and listen, be in love with my life and death. And I want you to be there with me. I want all the children to have enough to eat. I want all the angry men to destroy their own pain. I want us all to be happy and crazy and safe and real. I want everybody to be loved."
