A Cosmologically Bouncy Techno Guitar Pop track...
THE BIG BOUNCE is one of the Cosmology theories on the Universe. That after the BIG BANG, and expanding universe, there comes a time, some 30 billion years later, when it all collapses and the process starts again with another BIG BANG. Hence THE BIG BOUNCE.
Intestinally this "matches" the Hindu Nasadiya Sukta ( 1500 BCE ~1000 BCE). The Creation Myth. Even the billions of years time frame. The Cosmic Dance of Shiva is briefly shown.
As an individual, the UNIVERSE, what it is and how it happened is on time scales so vast it is irrelevant to our insignificant lives. Still really interesting though.
Carl Sagan talked about all this in episode 10 of his 1980 TV series COSMOS. 46 years later we are no closer to knowing the real answer. It is something for our descendants to discover, hopefully within the next 5 billion years before our Sun dies and burns our whole solar system to dust. Expect in a few billion years our descendants will look very little like humanity does now.
The lyrics of this touch on, the Creation Theories and the Hindu Nasadiya Sukta.
Lyrics THE BIG BOUNCE
Before the breath of time was drawn,
Before the twilight or the dawn,
Did it spring from golden seed,
Or a silent, dreaming need?
時の息吹が吹き込まれる前から、
黄昏も夜明けも訪れる前から、
それは黄金の種から芽生えたのか、
それとも、静かで夢見るような
渇望から生まれたのか？
Who can say what sages saw,
Of the churning, cosmic law?
Was it woven from the dark,
Or ignited by a spark?
賢者たちが何を見たのか、
渦巻く宇宙の法則について、
誰が語れようか？
それは闇から紡ぎ出されたのか、
それとも一筋の火花によって
点火されたのか？
Even gods arrived too late,
To behold the opening gate—
So who knows if it will burn,
Or in cycles, just return?
神々でさえも、門が開くのを
目撃するには遅すぎた――
だから、それが燃え尽きるのか、
それとも循環を繰り返して、
ただ戻ってくるのか、誰にも
わからない。
Through the dark energy's pull,
Will the vacuum stay full?
Or a Big Rip ahead,
Tearing space until it's dead?
ダークエネルギーの引力によって、
真空は満たされたままでいるの
だろうか？
それとも、ビッグ・リップが
待ち受けており、
空間が死に至るまで引き裂かれて
いくのだろうか？
The drums are only a dubstep KICK and SNARE. I based on a much longer instrumental thing I did a year or so ago. Made it to be just under 3 minutes to not be repetitive. It isn't a usual song structure, but that is what I like to do.
Track on our Bandcamp:
https://megacurve.bandcamp.com/album/ep-the-songs
I do it just for my own entertainment...
Other Things
Been much rain this week, so haven't gotten out much. Did order the recent Moebius Library: The Depressed Hunter from Dark Horse. Even though THE AIRTIGHT GARAGE isn't a great comic to read, the artwork is amazing.
Interesting John Carpenter Interview.
Even as someone with successes, it doesn't last and he found some looked down on "horror", as a lesser genre.
He was also flogging his coming album and comic book combo.
Came across this video in the last week on why people buy expensive guitars. The Osaka Sound Messe I have visited the last years is mostly boutique guitars and other gear like hand made pedals.
I originally thought I would be interested in Mattia's FREAK GUITAR LAB ulv7 7 string. Till I saw the original price was 900,000yen and recently some 750,000yen. This is just luxury goods pricing, and that they are expensive and exclusive is what those buyers are after. As someone that's most expensive guitar at todays prices is only 60,000yen and I don't have the guitar love that many others seem to have, I ask myself how did I get involved with this scene?
The answer I know was because of Mattias's clinics at SoundMesse. That was for his technique and approach demonstrations.
But I myself are more a Creator/ Inventor type recently working on my original MUSIC+COMICS. It is the resulting song and animation that is what I am about. Not the collecting of rare limited edition gear.
The thing is, on a recording, you can't hear the difference between an expensive and reasonably priced guitar. And it is the recorded sound that matters to me. I am not collecting art objects or status symbols, or performing live. Seems performing live is a significant part of the guitar scene and I have zero interest in that.
Anyway the why of buying expensive guitars is how it makes the guitar lover feel. Recapturing their youth or the beauty of the guitars finish. That just isn't me. They are just tools.
Bait & Switch Supreme was the unusual song I wrote this week. On the constant Internet/ Phone / Streaming service Bait & Switch, where the service you signed up for, now has advertisements, costs more while providing a worse service and they steal everything you create to feed their AI systems.
Seems rather cynical, but that is the place we are today.
I have to shake my head at all the tech companies that sacked 1000s of their programmers to replace them with AI to save money, now find AI costs more!
Did the music at 140BPM, wanting a high energy rock guitar feel thing. First version had stand in lyric of "hello how you doing."
It is a non standard structure made of 8 bar sections, where an 8 bar instrumental section is followed by an 8 bar vocal verse. I think these are Instruments with vocals rather than "songs". No one cares what I do, so I do what ever I want 😁
Mattias IA Eklundh was the inspiration for me doing this kind of thing, my own way. Even if my stuff is musically unsophisticated and only ever in 4/4, I do ALL of it and the animation/comics too. 😊 Some people are really into the technical gymnastics of the playing of the likes of Dream Theater, but I like my stuff to SAY SOMETHING!
Yesterday, went to make a phone call on my Rakuten Android phone on the platform before catching a train and the call app first put up a blocking popup to "WANT TO UPGRADE YOUR PLAN NOW?" It didn't used to do that. I am sure I will go to render audio in REAPER DAW in the future and MICROSOFT will make you watch a 30second video commercial first before you can press the render button!
Guitar is my Ibanez GIO fixed bridge 7 string. Love the tuning and stability now, but that was terrible till I used a set of NUT FILES to correct the plastic nut slots. Guitar sounds all free NEURAL DSP MODELLER vst and EQ.
What the REAPER DAW project looks like:
The Megaphone effect at start and end has more low end than I used before, just to make it less harsh sounding.
I used to fuss about the mix and mastering in years past but not now. Check it is frequency balanced in SPAN in slow mastering mode, and the LUFS level is where I want it is all I do now. Most people will see it as a SHORT on YouTube on earbuds. Nothing else matters.
Sure the Philosophers versions of the lyrics will not encourage views from the POPCORN BRAINED
We can be contacted at:
https://www.artandtechnology.com.au/
Lyrics (English & Japanese):
Bait And Switch Supreme
Always out to win,
The Algorithms Spin
Terms and conditions have changed,
All you posts are claimed
Always out to win,
Trapped inside this game
Marketers are here,
The warning signs are clear.
Always out to win,
Grifters and their spin
Selling you the dream,
Everything is a scheme.
Fakers on the screen,
Bait & Switch Supreme
Algorithms spin,
Everything is a scheme.
Always out to win,
Grifters and their spin.
Always out to win.
Always out to win.
----
究極の「おとり商法」
常に勝利を狙い、
アルゴリズムが紡ぐ
利用規約が変わり、
あなたの投稿はすべて奪われた
常に勝利を狙い、
このゲームの中に閉じ込められて
マーケターたちがここにいる、
警告のサインは明白だ。
常に勝利を狙い、
詐欺師たちとその策略
夢を売りつけ、
すべてが罠だ。
画面上の偽者たち、
究極の「おとり商法」
アルゴリズムが回り、
すべてが罠だ。
常に勝利を狙い、
詐欺師たちとその策略。
常に勝利を狙う。
常に勝利を狙う。
Of course the Philosophers Plato, Aristotle and Socrates spoke Ancient Greek. But if they wrote these lyrics in English it could be like
"Terms and conditions have changed, All you posts are claimed
Always out to win, Trapped inside this game"
As said by Plato:
The masters of the forum have altered
have brought forth from your mind is
now claimed as their own trophy.
their eternal covenants; all that you
"Marketers are here,
The warning signs are clear.
Always out to win, Grifters and their spin"
As said by Aristotle:"The rhetoricians of the market are
upon us, and the portents of their
arrival are unmistakable. Driven by
a relentless pursuit of victory rather
than truth, these sophists employ
their art solely for deception and
private gain."
"Selling you the dream, Everything is a scheme.
Fakers on the screen, Bait & Switch Supreme"
as said by Socrates
"They offer you a phantom of the
good life, yet it is but an illusion, a
grand deception. Look closely at
those who project their shadows
upon the wall; they are but merchants
of false realities, masters of the
bait and switch, substituting true
wisdom for a fleeting, superficial prize."
Other Things
Hans Zimmer struggled intensely for three awful days scoring this mutiny scene in Crimson Tide. Everyone else had been banned from the studio. I was on milky coffee duty alone with Hans in the studio. - Roger Bolton (Fairlight CMI UK support and FB friend) posted on Facebook yesterday. He posted more about it too.
So coming up with this compelling music was a really difficult torturous thing for Hans. Creativity isn't easy.
In the 1995 film Crimson Tide, the Fairlight CMI (Computer Musical Instrument) was a foundational tool for Hans Zimmer. It allowed him to combine bold, sampled orchestral elements with driving synthesizers
In my own musical journey in retirement, it isn't any more gear that I need. Musical ideas, or rather new ideas I haven't used dozens of times before is the thing I need. Involves expanding musical knowledge and "luck" I think. A reason I went to Mattia's Freak Guitar Camp last year. I don't have a movie deadline, but do want to do a MUSIC + COMIC every week to release on Saturday. That is about as far as my own goals go these days. Have no interest in Spotify or the current music "whatever".
Put the above song into my EP - The Song on Bandcamp
So all from the last 6 months and made around a working project I have. Similar sounds and structures and sounds. But are they really all just variations on the SAME SONG?
Carl Sagan has been quite the influence on me, that I didn't really think about much till recently. Or maybe things like having no trust in superstitions, and mindless rituals and their believers is just my natural position? I had to do a lot of fault finding of devices and systems, and so PROVING what the problem really is was so important to fixing things. Seen many NOT DO that! This "code has some bug, so I will rewrite it" without understanding what the real problem is is just a waste of time. Just a mindless superstition.
Did a 4WD truck illustration for an engineering company and yet to get feedback on it and the concept for a pump on skids that goes with it.
4WD tires are tedious, but I do have a process now, after many years of doing them. It involves doing the face on view using the CAD like CorelDraw copy rotate and place functions. Doing them first makes the rest of the illustration a much less tedious affair.
Out to the Cat Trimmer Friday again. Every 2.5 months and the 5th time now, so worked out how to fill our 1.5~2 hours around SUMINODO STATION while she does her magic on our "youngest child", who is now 10 years old. I find it interesting that at first he thinks he is going to the Vet and complains, but then seems to enjoy the train ride with all those other interesting people and smells and then me carrying him around in his cat carrier.
We make his appointment at 11:30AM, so we then go have a leisurely lunch at OSAKA OHSHO. Did not think it was great the first 2 times we went, but then I tried their CHICKEN KARAGE and that is wonderful! GYOZA also goes down well, and trying other smaller dishes too.
After that, we then make our way to DOUTOR COFFEE. It was overcrowded until the KOMEDA COFFEE opened a couple of months ago, and now is the perfect place to have a drink and wait for the Cat Trimmers phone call.
We had previously tried STARBUCK, ZETTERIA & HOLLIES and found them all rather noisy and unpleasant in some way, at least to my wife. STARBUCK annoys me in particular, being too noisy and crowded, being filled with people "working" on laptops!
A tiring trip for me carrying a 5Kg cat in his carrier around KYOBASHI STATIONS OSAKA and from and to SUMINODO STATION. Getting from the KEIHAN STATION platform to the JR STATION platform is a long way. The first time we ever went was by Taxi, and that took longer and was more door to door, but I don't like being in the back seat of a car. It is also way more expensive, taking about an hour each way!
Been using Obsidian for the last week+ . Much faster to start up than Scrivener is significant to me. Unlike Notepad++ has a spell checker and formatting. Used it in writing the above song and taking notes. That is enough, so has a use to me.
So we put together an EP (Extended Play) with 5 of our vocal / instrumentals from the first 6 months of 2026 and put that on Bandcamp, and also made an 8 page booklet about the tracks, lyrics and the thinking behind it.
Not that anyone will play them. Even for FREE. Uploading to the void it is called.
More interesting for me is putting them, and the EP artwork on my Android phone for the Pulsar Music Player., where I can play them over and over and think about all the mistakes and things that should be different.
These have the vocal to think about. Like the singing lacks emoting and variation. They are all more like Instrumentals with vocals sections, rather than songs, but that is because they were done as part of MUSIC+COMICS, and not traditional songs.
At least I tell myself that.
This morning also put up the Comfort & Fear YouTube SHORT.
Not sure if the "cute" animation will attract or repulse with this one.
Other Things
I have Scrivenerfor notes and writing. It is very much like a Software IDE, with a group of small text files, you can than place in order, move them around, then compile that into the final document. It has a few tools to simulate a post it note view of the story too.
I rarely compile anything but use all the small notes files as memos. I expected to be writing more comics with it, but I end up doing all that in Corel draw itself, as I much prefer the rapid prototyping approach where I do the comic quickly, then refine it, as I can move things around. I don't have the story all finished first then start the comic. It is just way easier to finish things that way.
One of the many YouTube videos on my timeline was on useful free tools to replace the usual commercial productivity stuff. I moved to LibreOffice with my move to win11. I once considered getting Evernote for my phone, but never did, and see that the original promise of never loose any idea ever, was pre ENSHITAFICATION and isn't true now.
Obsidian gets mentioned every so often, and I tried it today. A bunch of .md text files, you can trivially add hyperlinks in, and to, other text documents in it. Text files can have images dropped in them, and has all the usual expected text formatting tools and spell checker. But I see it has to copy the image file into your Obsidian projects folder, and not a system wide link. A least it looks that way at first go.
Reminds me a bit of building my core HTML website, except you don't have to use html to put in hyperlinks.
Has easy ways to do dated log entries. Not something I need in retirement though. My diary is hand written in paper books, and I refer to that a lot, but automating it doesn't make that easier. I keep a big Calendar too with key things on it, which makes finding the diary entry easier. My diary is just a lined B5 notebook where I leave a line and write the date of the next entry. Some days I don't write anything at all, and those days just aren't in the diary. No wasted, fixed sized pages for days not needed.
Apparently the SEARCH in Obsidian is really good. TIMER plugins would have been useful in my consulting days, but not now.
It displays your web of links between your notes. A few from my playing with it.
I guess that is more interesting after a time when you have forgotten some of the idea/notes you have and can rediscover them.
All in all, I don't think Obsidian is something I actually need any more, but would have loved 30+ years ago. Will try it as a learning tool. Finding stuff may be easier than just paper notes or Scrivener text files. Don't know. Most of the stuff I have seen as advantages seems overcomplicated and not relevant to me any more. To remember something, writing it out on paper with a pen works best for me.
Wife now back from her 10 day trip, and the time flew by. Feels like she just went to the supermarket.
I have had a few Boss pedals in my time, and sold most of them way before now. I see them more as performers tools, rather than for in the studio the way I work. Still have distortion, EQ and Wha pedal. I think the thing about them is, like McDonalds, consistent quality, powering, useability and availability is in their favor.
It seems Japan isn't an important focus of the company now though, since I have been back in Japan. The BOSS IR-2 wasn't available in Japan till a year after all the overseas Youtubers and Sweetwater had them. I had been after one, but ended up with the POD EXPRESS BLACK as being far more my thing anyway, and available.
The BOSS XS-1 has been mostly unobtainable anywhere for 6 months now. Seems strange. Could get a DROP as it is available but I can really do the same thing in my REAPER DAW. Have an 8 string too, so really low isn't an issue either. The DROP seems to handle pinch harmonics better, but has a greater latency and sounds dull shifting down more than 3 semitones.
I worked in Roland Japan for 15 years. Met people from Roland RG, but have no memory of anyone from BOSS Japan. Must have met a few, don't remember any.
Michael started at the cinema here 2026/6/12. I have the same 1958 birthyear as Michael Jackson and it was a shock, but not a surprise, when he died of a painkiller/ anesthetic overdose. Saw all the documentaries about his achievements then. Oldest son has gone to see the film today and loved it. It isn't something on my go see list unless the wife wants to see it.
So recorded some music, came back later, made up some lyrics and added vocals and made a draft of a song I now call Comfort and Fear. Came back later again and changed the melodic 6 string guitar part.
Made this 25 second miming my vocal as a joke using OBS and my webcam. I am doing a VOYAGER DOCTOR like thing in the above joke video with over emoting it all, trying to be human. I am not going to be doing any lip sync videos, that is for sure.
Didn't spend long on the lyrics. Just trying different words, with a theme. Actually 2 themes then try and sing them. Sounding right as a song is better than having the right meaning as text.
The vocal chain this time doesn't use my VintageVerb, but ReaVerb with a LEXICON 480L plate IR. I can't hear the difference though. But I have a 2 echo stereo slap back delay before the reverb in this, rather than in parallel via sends the way I have done. Will keep this new way as my vocal chain till I get sick of it.
My vocal delivery is probably more "musical theater" than rock or metal, as I try and make the lyric very clear. Even if the words themselves end up being ambiguous.
The 8 and 6 string guitars used:
Made this DRAFT music+ comic on it about 2 stories around PTSD. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. 心的外傷後ストレス障害
I may change the lyric after I play it a bit and get completely sick of it, like I normally do. Having Nightmare twice in a verse seems wrong, and I may change it to something else. EDIT: I did in the version that will get put on Bandcamp.
Years ago I used to fuss about the mix and mastering of my tracks. Was it close to "commercial releases" or not and what to do to fix that? I don't bother any more. If the mastering, slow, spectrum looks reasonable, and it sounds reasonable to my (poor late 60s ) ears that is good enough for me, the one that will actually play them.
Comfort and Fear can be interpreted in various ways. I have observed foreign residents in Japan all over social media having that "Comfort & Fear" thing. I did the first time I was here in 1987 to some extent, but mostly from "I don't know how things work here" for the first years. Changes to the Japanese VISA laws with new "language ability tests" for PR is sure to bring out the fear in many... I have PR already, so don't expect any issues, but they can always change that too.
More singing, for a bit of it anyway. More like an instrumental with vocals in the chorus. I already put the track on Bandcamp earlier in the week, but to get more views have made a too long SHORT.
In your late 60s, you are very aware you are in your final chapter of life. This year is 50 years since last year of High School. Grand children and health issues are normal. This is pretty much aimed at the class of '76.
Living your life as you need too
Far from the noise and the chaotic view
The pace of life is up to me now
In this final chapter we’re not looking back now
For those of us with health on our side
In this final chapter we run as we please
Here's cheers to good health
Not having to work at a career was a huge relief, and being above to do what you want is really great. For me that is mostly going to a certain kinds of art exhibitions a few times a year, making my own silly music/ comics (with other hobbies) and go to cafe's once or week or so. It is said your 60s are the best decade and I agree. No work and still healthy enough to go out and do things and get around.
Our cat is such a significant part of each day now. He is 10 years old and spends most of everyday, 22 out of 24 hours, close by me. He is in the chair next to me as I am typing this.
My wife is in Poland with an old school friend and avid traveler for 10days. My wife will meet the polish girl she has been a pen pal with since junior High School. It was my wife's friend that suggested they go. She has been so many places recently and usually goes on a tour by herself. Her husband doing his own thing.
I know of a few people my own age with terminal illness, and that the end comes to us all eventually. Sounds a bit grim, but I don't think it is. I think the thing to hope for is just to not suffer at the end. Stay as fit as possible, for as long as possible. And have fun in your remaining time and do what keeps you a happy camper.
This is Heavy 8 string guitar with Neural DSP Modeler , cheesy string machine, Inception synth lead. Has Metal guitar sounds but it isn't metal.
The "CLASS of 1976" reunion images in the short are AI generated. I have played with AI a bit. It is another tool if used correctly. Shame most don't use it that way. Very little it generates is useful to me in all I have tried. I could do something similar myself, but that would take hours and the ROI isn't worth it. It gets across this aging thing well enough. It is actually the music that is main, but that is not what SHORT viewers are after.
It may seem I am implying I don't have long left, but I will probably have another 20+ years. The song is mostly about living your life the way you want till the end, when ever that may be. But I really didn't spend much time thinking about the lyrics. Some of the original words I used couldn't be sung, so I changed them, to something that rhythmed better, and becomes more obscure.
e.g:
Chaotic viewimplies career, city commutes and the stress of working for a living.
I was more worried about my singing and the mix than the actual words though, so they really aren't something I deeply considered first!
Other Things
The last few things I have done all have singing in them. Moral Constipation, Dragons Of Our Minds and Final Chapter say something, even if obscure and the lyric could be interpreted in other ways. Story Shaped Beats is even more obscure! I like that, and want to continue, but probably comes across as mansplaining. But so much of the lyrics in music I have ever heard doesn't have anything significant to say other than I love you and lets have a good time.
It adds a more interesting dimension, and expands the comics I put with the music. I had been feeling I was doing the same thing over and over again, but lyrics changes that.
There are so many things to try...
Next want to put in DUBSTEP sounds as well as heavy 8 string guitar.
COSMOS the TV series is available to watch on the INTERNET ARCHIVE. I have recently been referencing things Carl Sagan said or wrote and I though I should revisit COSMOS.
So bought the too book:
Some weeks ago watched the movie of his novel CONTACT on Netflix too.
To KIX Airport. The Typhon this week, estimated to come through the KIX airport area the day she was to leave ended up moving on early so we had a rain free trip to KIX Airport by train. She had worried about that a lot for a week before she was to leave.
The "joke" picture I posted to X with myself, wife and her friend at KIX airport. She says this will be her last International trip. It is around 2 hours each way home to KIX airport and I helped her carry her things. Glad I didn't have to catch an International Flight myself. That is just too tiring and tedious these days.
We had never used the train before. All previous times we had used a Limousine Bus from a nearby station instead. Unfortunately those services have now all been cancelled. It used to be a much more comfortable and faster trip.
We catch the train to the Airport at Kyobashi station on the Osaka Loop. The same train also later goes to Wakayama, but what they do is the first 4 carriages go to the airport, and the last 4 go to Wakayama. The train gets divided at Hineno station, the stop before KIX. Never seen this before.
It was also the first time to see the Enshittification of the once glorious tool Google Maps. Now it doesn't give you the cheapest easiest route by default! 😡
Back doing some Illustration concepts this week.
Cooking isn't something I do very often now. The kitchen is my wife's domain. Gyoza and boiled eggs have been about it for my contribution for the last few years, but with wife away have done mashed potato and steamed broccoli to go with chicken and it is a nice feeling. At least for a short time. Can buy many prepared foods at the local supermarket and 7/11, but really simple home style isn't one of them.
Moral Constipation is a track and SHORT did a few weeks ago using my old dynamic microphone. Compared to the last 2 tracks using the e945, the vocals do sound much dimmer to me now.
