2 months in the ear...

back in early August Dr. Ceemo asked me what Illadelph stations played #ROCK sounds. at the time i was vibin' to some obscure/independent #FUNK that i had come up on over the summer weeks. after hookin the good Dr. up w/the proper frequencies, he pretty much locked into WMGK. after a few days of his listening to their broadcasts i was reminded of how much i dig #ROCK & decided to work up a playlist for the rest/lab.

this is watitis...

 The Police - Ghost In The Machine

Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow

Lenny Kravitz - 5

The Guess Who - American Woman

ZZ Top - Eliminator

Simon & Garfunkel - Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme

Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Rust Never Sleeps

Steppenwolf - Steppenwolf

Queen - News Of The World

Foreigner - 4

The Rolling Stones - Aftermath

The Clash - Combat Rock

Yes - 90125

Thomas Dolby - The Golden Age Of Wireless

Pink Floyd - The Wall

Talking Heads - Remain In Light

Alice Cooper - School's Out

The Who - Who Are You

Devo - Freedom Of Choice

Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti

The Jimi Hendriz Experience - Electric Ladyland

George Thorogood & The Destroyers - Bad To The Bone

Peter Gabriel - So

Lou Reed - Transformer

David Bowie - Let's Dance

Machine Head - Deep Purple

The Black Keys - Brothers

Various - Live & Let Die (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

what has been the #DOPEST thing about these LP's is the solid messages within much of the lyrics. for those who have any knowledge of hip hop you might also notice that some of these LP's have influenced some of the #DOPEST in hip hop.

the #UNIVERSAL nature of music & how genres are NOT as rigid & concrete as some would have you believe is why #DOPE sounds are forever...

#INSPIRATIONAL

if you're going to make it, make it #TIMELESSDOPE

FYI: the links between the album covers & the videos are to that album in the Mediafeast!

PEACE
...be calm...

#hashing out the #details ...

when peeps ask me what i do for a living i flatly tell them i'm a starving independent artist...

i'm working to change that. i've actually been working on it for over 20 years, but some of the things i thought would work did not go well at all (like working FT & being #CREATIVE on the side...SMDH!)

fortunately 1 of the things that took me an apparently long while to learn is now an integral part of my daily effort to make things happen:

keeping a + outlook

it is always a challenge, but maintaining this kind of outlook, w/o being unrealistic about it, is clearly an advantage over those who constantly tell self & others that nothing will ever work out.

so, what goes on in the world today?



"...look ma i made the paper..."

Occupy Together goes on. since i'm an Illadelphian, i'm rockin' w/the Occupy Philly/Occupy Philadelphia movement. there is also Occupy The Hood & various other collectives made of #AGENTS of + #CHANGE . if you aren't catching this yet, we are in the midst of a #GLOBAL #CHANGE &/or #REVOLUTION .

as a #PROFESSIONAL #COMMUNICATOR & an #INDEPENDENT #MEDIA #CREATOR i am learning/teaching self how to better navigate & manipulate the virtual social landscape in order to pursue my socio-political & creative goals. many of the things i now know how to do are essentially self taught.

don't get me wrong, i highly value my TU education & earning my B.A. degree. my point here is that ultimately it is the application of #KNOWLEDGE that makes things happen. accumulated info is practically useless if not applied appropriately. no matter what you're taught, if you do not apply it properly...you get the idea!

so to #hash out the #details of this post i will answer a question that was asked by this cat i've known since HS. he wanted to know what these are:

#

why i put them in front of certain words, & why some of those words are all capped. to answer all 3 aspects of this question actually fits a post i intended to do a couple of months ago but did not get to.

#TIMING

words w/the # in front of them are hashtags &/or hashtagged. this is essentially Twitter speak. the reality is tags & hashtags are a great way to make the overabundance of info #HUMANS encounter online searchable & more manageable. i sometimes use all caps simply for EMPHASIS! as a communications professional i feel it's necessary to draw attention to certain #CORE #IDEAS in a #blogpost #tweet #tumblrpost #facebookpost .

that's about the gist of it...

on that note...

#GETINVOLVED #THINK #CREATE + #CHANGE

PEACE

...be calm...

e-book's a #burning ...

it's not likely a surprise that i maintain a personal library. i've been reading since as far back as i can recall clearly (about 3/4 years physical). instead of watching TV as a young human, i primarily listened to music/audio recordings & read anything w/words on/in it.

as an adult human that has changed only slightly to include visual media (VHS, DVD, etc.). while i am more likely than not to pursue & acquire physical media, i'm not at all averse to purely digital media.

i've had an e-library for quite a few years now, but when it comes to viewing media on my system(s) monitor(s) #thasnotmyflava .

i have done it on a few occasions when i had no other option, & also when i have opted for digital subscriptions of some of the publications i find useful/informative. i used to use Zinio when the publications i read were provided through that interface. it worked quite well, but it wasn't portable like physical text media.

for the last 2 years or so i've been waiting/looking for a full-color e-reader that was manufactured/sold by a company that i don't mind giving my $$$ to. from the research that i had done up to a few weeks ago, Amazon's Kindle was my best bet. there just wasn't a full-color option that would provide the utility i was seeking yet.

now the option exists!

Kindle Fire, Full Color 7" Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi

this item is now available in [the mediafeast link] under machine|media players. it may seem odd to categorize an e-reader as a media player, but reading materials are #MEDIA .

it'll be a while before i cop 1 of these for self, but it's nice to know the option is now available...

thank you Amazon, from an excited mediavore!

KIM & ABB!

PEACE
...be calm...

creative & follicular #FREEDOM

in '09 i made 2 distinct creative goals. the 1st was to cop the mixer that can be seen as the background of damn near every site maintained by DFProductions online.

Allen & Heath Mix Wizard WZ3 14:4:2

the 2nd goal was to cop a DSLR (digital single lense reflex) digicam to further pursue my interests in capturing still images of the journey as i see/experience it.

the way '09 ended made it look like both of these goals would not be realized in the time frame originally planned. w/o going into explicit detail, i'll say life choices made up until the last 2 years or so were made in such a way that obstacles for self were frequently created.

the original plan was to save up & cop the mixer, & then to cop a Nikon DSLR. a few years prior i had come across references to the D40 as + recommend. by the time i figured to actually cop the new digicam the D60 had been released. as technology advances go the D3000 was released in '09, but the plans for the mixer/DSLR purchase(s) got jammed.

this July i had the opportunity to cop either a DSLR digicam or a controller for the laptop. i decided the digicam was more of a priority because i was catching more images & the P&S (point & shoot) digicam seemed to be limiting the capture of images in certain situations. after a bit of research i opted for the D5000 instead of the D60 or D3000.

Nikon D5000 Digital SLR Camera w/18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens

i had to take an L on Lady B's 30th anniversary concert & the '11 DJ Expo in A.C. to cop the digicam...

#sacrifices

the end result works for me because it looks like i will have accomplished both of the previously mentioned goals at a time & under circumstances that seem damn near impossible if not supremely unlikely.

the best part about this current arrangement is the deal i made w/self in '09:

not to cut the follicles until i copped the mixer!

i figured i'd go 6-8 months at most. it's now been a little over 2 years! they've been on too long & it's time for them to get gone...

it would now appear that some time next week my skin will be visible again...

i almost feel like singing that Ren & Stimpy jawn!

ok, maybe not that happy...

KIM & ABB!

PEACE

...be calm...

#HEATNOHYPE #thasmyflava

in creating an online presence for the Refinery, i figured i should embrace the various media forms that were at my disposal. this approach leaves me very open to try various new sites & services to see whether or not they enhance the efforts, or serve as distractive novelties.

i don't tend to be an early adopter, but it really depends on how interesting the site/service is. some sites i make use of have been around for years now & are no brainers. as a mediavore, YouTube is clearly 1 of the no brainer sites.

interestingly i focused solely on audio while studying media communications at TU. i told self during my 1st stint at TU that this might come back to bite me & it kinda did. what i now do w/video is primarily self taught. as w/all my other production endeavors, i'm working to improve my proficiency & knowledge of how to communicate w/motion visual imagery.

since i do have various means of creating raw video i created the Refinery's I. the Refinery's I is the Refinery's visual media outlet for the moment. i maintain several playlists at the Refinery's I. the ability to use YouTube through Blogger is a nice benefit.

these are 3 of the playlists that are kept public to share musical vibes #thasmyflava :

#certifiedbanga01

hip-hop

#certifiedbanga02

hip-hop

#dflistens2
(will likely end up w/a 01 designation)

funk, soul, & jazz

i'm not big on hype. people gas too much w/hype. that shit builds expectation & there's nothing quite as unpleasant as unmet expectation. this seems even more so unpleasant when the expectation has been created by agents outside of self.

mayhaps that's just me...

either way, i'm on the #HEATNOHYPE flavas. if i say i dig something, it's no hype, just heat. i don't say watidig because i got paid to...udigme?

get at me...

PEACE
...be calm...

binary functions: #thasmyflava or #thasnotmyflava

human beings seem to be generally averse to change. IMHO this may have a lot to do w/the unwillingness of many of us to recognize our mortality.

WTF does this have to do w/the Refinery &/or music?

a whole lot...

on multiple occasions as a hip-hop head i've seen a great struggle between generations. it seems that each time there is a changing of the guard, there are a group of old heads who essentially make it their purpose to shit on any & all young bucks. this is more so the case if the younger generation doesn't do things exactly like the older generation feels they should be done. this pattern of human behavior doesn't just affect hip-hop music/culture, but this is my primary filter at the moment.

there are some very serious issues created by handling generational transitions w/the above mentality. likely the most prominent is the loss of history that occurs when the older generation creates a barrier between itself & the younger generation. the idea that younger creators have no valuable energy to contribute simply because they are young is relatively absurd. the same can be said of younger creators dismissing the older generation as having run their course in the mix. for some odd reason this has been perpetuated within hip-hop to the detriment of the culture.

take a look around at other cultures that involve creative energies. a creator generally does not stop creating until they are physically unable to do so. in many cases where 1 form of expression is made unavailable to a creator for whatever reason, the energy is channeled into some other form of expression. in fact, quite a few creators have multiple forms of expression anyway. why would hip-hop creatives be any different?

the idea that as you get older you somehow become less effective at being a creator is averse to the idea of improvement w/practice. perfection may be unattainable, but improvement will always be within the grasp of any of us who reach for it. in this light the younger & older generations are served better by finding ways to work w/& through each other. the potential held but such energy combination is worth some consideration by all of us.

as far as giving universal love to everything that's out here, i'm not advocating for that. we still need standards & quality control. the point here is that we are not served well by generalizing based on generational or any other demographic for the purpose of causing separation.

nothing is all good, & nothing is all bad. IMO we all have a lane within which to operate our vehicle(s). as i tend to say i dig watidig & put things in 2 categories.

support what YOU dig & get at me...

PEACE
...be calm...

the arbitrary nature of being...

WTF is genre?

i figured i'd start off w/this question because of something i just picked up on by looking up the same album on allmusic & discogs.

The Temptations - All Directions

allmusic lists the album genre as R&B: makes sense...

discogs lists the album genre as Electronic: hmmmm?

lately i've been rolling w/the discogs genre classifications for the Mediafeast. after catching this interesting issue, i'm considering going w/the allmusic classifications. i'm hedging a bit because i don't know if i really want to spend that time right now to go through the various ears sections & reposition the albums. knowing me i'll likely end up doing it 1 of these early AM's when i'm not quite ready to rest the physical.

i've said previously i'm not big on genres. genres are kind of like boxes. everything doesn't fit neatly in these boxes. i feel it can be irritating to have something you've created forced into this box or the next by whoever else makes such decisions.

what if it can rock in more than 1 box?

what if fits in none of the boxes?

who decides when it's time to come up w/a new box?

it's not always easy to make a clean cut classification. clearly this doesn't just apply to sounds either. it can pretty much be spread around to any creative output. in many cases genre seems to be yet another example of over-complication that results in limitation.

i have essentially 2 boxes:

• #DOPENESS (watidig)
• #WACKNESS (watidontdig)

i'm well aware this system may not work well enough for others. that's why it's my system!

LOL!

i have to say it works quite well since i always know which box i can grab when it's time to K.I.M.!

#BLAM

PEACE
...be calm...

mission's transition...

today i finally got a relatively minor technical issue squared away w/some Refinery fuel files. i'm getting closer to where i want to be before i continue refining the fuel tanks.

w/1 minor exception due to strong vibes, i haven't crafted any new fuel since last November when the youngest sabotaged the system. it took about 3 months or so to get those issues settled. even though the system is back up & running relatively smooth, i have put off making anything new.

i'm still doing a lot of organizational work. it is highly necessary. in addition to organizing, taking this time off from working on new material has allowed me to ear the pre-existing tanks in very different ways. i think the time off has been more beneficial than not. i feel like there are certain things that need to be addressed in the arrangements/mixes.

Endok Puifang by DieselF

1 absolute benefit is that it appears the issues w/vocal recording have been properly resolved during this time off. now it's just a matter of shaking off what i feel is the rustaciousness of not really spitting anything live on a regular basis for the last 5-10 years. i never stop writing, so that's not an issue. i will always write as long as i can formulate thought & physically handle writing utensils.

the issue as i see/feel it is spitting off the top w/fluidity. i've never made a habit of spitting writtens in the street. i just don't see the purpose in it. i dig spitting off the top when out. i reserve written material for use when recording &/or organized performances. off the top verbals are just more challenging & entertaining to me when in a street cypher. in addition to all this i write way too much to memorize everything that i write.

Dokeay Blimokont by DieselF

for various reasons, i haven't really been hanging out w/other MC's like i did in the early to mid 90's. for the most part it just got to where i was no longer motivated by cats talking about rims, whips, gats, & bling. i refuse to hate, but i actually have to feel what i'm doing to sound like i feel what i'm doing. call it a character flaw...

so, the work now is to continue organizing, solidify the mixes of the fuel that have already been crafted, begin recording/mixing vocals w/the appropriate tanks, & essentially K.I.M.!

the process of the Refinery is the foundation & basis for the realization of A.B.B....

ALWAYS BE BUILDING!

get at me...

Lorgieamost by DieselF

PEACE
...be calm...

on creating reality of dreams...

in the many years that i have been pursuing my creative endeavors the most difficult obstacle of all to overcome has to have been personal frustration.

by nature i am an extremely giving & supportive human being. for various reasons beyond my control, i spent many years dealing w/blood relatives who either did not know how or did not choose to be at all supportive. couple this experience w/the dog-eat-dog mentality of the average human in our society & you have the makings of what has been a disturbing journey at times.

even w/all of the negativity i have been exposed to over the years, the reality is that my path will always ultimately be determined by the actions that i take. it took me many years to fully realize the power of this truth in seeking the realization of my goals.

regardless of what any other human does to me, the aftermath will be determined by my response to their actions. if i choose to respond w/ignorance, violence, hatred, etc., then i choose the path that the dark tread. it's a challenge, but i have made a conscious decision of late to stay lit. as a Star Wars head i guess it would be that i've decided to avoid the dark side of the force...

i see why so many people choose to embrace the darker ways of looking out for self so much so that all those who cross their path become victims of blind ambition. i refuse to become 1 of these ambition zombies.

frustration would seem to be the primary cause for an individual to just say fuck it to the world & recklessly go for self. as social animals, legitimate self preservation as a human does not require such a disregard for others. in my case, it's not in my nature to approach the journey in this fashion. if this is seen as not having a killer instinct then so be it. i'll reserve my instinctual observational skills for killing bullshit.

i find nothing more frustrating in life than flakiness, lies, & the general fuckery that is involved in social dealings on a regular basis. the difference for me nowadays is that i am no longer allowing said frustration to impede my efforts to create a more + reality for self & those who choose to support what it is that i represent.

it comes down to ABB = Always Be Building. sadly, many will not reciprocate this way of being. fortunately, this will no longer be stopping me from doing watitdo...

#BLAM

PEACE

...be calm...

2-wheel tunin' II...

as stated previously, whenever i ride w/sounds & the phonecam, i will catch images of some of the sights along the way. Illadelph is a beautiful, culturally dense city. on foot or 2-wheel, you never know what you might see...

this trip's LP:

Sly & The Family Stone - There's A Riot Goin' On

this trip's images:

sounds from this trip:

FYI: the album art & the date of this particular trip are purely coincidental. i was already listening to this LP from a few days back before the day of the trip... #deadserious

PEACE
...be calm...