The Wandering Floret Part 8 by Super Famicom

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So yeah. I had my friend John Carling do the artwork for the Octology, and it was the only time I willingly let anyone do album art for me. After all, I was too busy writing and recording the eight albums. Despite all of my intentions, I wasn't very good at organizing my time and sticking to a schedule. But I had to focus on getting a job first. I couldn't owe my roommates money forever without prioritizing the search for work. Even then it was very easy for pretty much anyone to disrupt my recording and waste the rest of my day. Some might argue that it's not a waste to relax with your friends, but relaxing isn't that easy when you are neglecting the promises you've made to yourself. And part of why I chose to put so much of myself into my work was to prove that I had better things to do than entertain people by watching tv with them. Not all of us just want somebody to sit with us while we wait to die?

About the tracks: for part 8, I wanted to use my darker, more goth songs. It was my intention to go more goth with super famicom, and wear turtle necks, and use drum machines. Maybe I would get a little band of little keyboard players. There would be no future blues dads to decide what tones and beats my songs needed, because I couldn't be trusted to decide that, because I didn't Really know how to write music. There would not be a band to douchify Super Famicom, and slow my progress.

My dad drove me to staples to copy the covers for the Octology. When he came in, I was copying part 8, and I immediately flipped over the cover so he wouldn't see the tits on my album cover. It was an instinctual reaction, and somewhat regrettable. As a kid, I would have gotten in trouble for something like that. In fact, my parents would have taken my guitar and my computer, and anything I might have used to make cds. I never wanted to hide my work from my parents, but they've never acknowledged my achievements in music. It's as if, to them, I've never done anything but fail to finish college.

The Wandering Floret Part 7 by Super Famicom

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Of the Wandering Floret Albums, I put the least amount of thought into the theme of this one, having some of the Octology's shortest and weirdest songs. However, I don't think the likeability of my work is dependant on the amount of attention I put into it. In fact, I'm well aware of the patterns and formulas that can make a nerds-only piece of a crap into something as enjoyable as it is forgettable.

The Wandering Floret Part 5 by Super Famicom

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I thought this number of the Octology had a lot of hits on it, and a lot of acoustic guitar, embodying the formula I was trying for with Super Famicom. I would start with a finger-picked guitar riff, and use half that riff for the chorus and the other half for the verse. Then I'd add two verses, using the last two lines at the chorus, and then add layers to make each verse different. If simple yet weird hits are your thang, this is the album for you.

The Wandering Floret Part 2 by Super Famicom

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For the Wandering Floret Octology, I'd planned for a different labels to put out each one. Most of these labels were brand new, or only had a couple releases. My records weren't finished until a month before August eight, and it seemed like I should go ahead and copy most of these cds myself instead of expecting anyone to rush a release of my cd-r. Most of the tracks for this part were used my Peavey T-15 guitar plugged directly into my four track. For one of the tracks, I used a cup and a cooler of water for the percussion. It's been brought to my attention that I should do more of that for my future releases. As you may have noticed, the Wandering Floret Octology is the only release which I elected to have someone else to do the art for. It was all done by my friend Jon Carling, who I met one time. He hosted a Saturday Morning Cartoon Show in the bay area, and had me as a musical guest. I thought that was pretty cool, and I also liked his work.

You can check out more of it at his website: http://www.joncarling.com

The Wandering Floret Part 1 by Super Famicom

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When planning the Wandering Floret Octology, to be released on August Eighth, Two Thousand Eight (on 888), I had a story concept in mind for the lyrics. It was a story about a young woman who had committed herself for life, to tend to a certain magical garden. Unable to leave this garden, her use to the outside world was gone. She was dead to the world. Useless, and reflecting on this sad truth. However, there were plants in this garden that, within them existed a mass of entirely new worlds. Part 1 was the last set of songs with which I used my half sized acoustic guitar. It needed to be tuned so high to be intonated, and the neck was badly bowing. I used a lot of weird sounding percussion on these tracks, and I think it sounds cool, sloppy but cool. Lost Sound Tapes made a tape of this, but I think for the release show, I made cd-rs. For the PJ Records page, I thought I'd check to see if Lost Sound Tapes had any copies available, but it seems they've erased any evidence of me having ever had a release with them. As if my day in the sun decided to have never been. So it goes.

Texas by Super Famicom

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Like the state, I considered this album to be diverse and expansive, full of inside jokes and easter eggs. Its tracks were recorded in a number of places, using a lot of different stuff. Some are hits, and others are just silly, the kind of stuff you'd expect on an edgy cd's "hidden" track. In 2007, you could get away with calling it experimental. This is also my Super Famicom album with the most guest appearances. Maybe if you listen really hard, you'll hear yourself on it. The original cds were released on a short-lived label from the Kansas City area, called Red Chair Records. I might have chosen a less obvious, less wholesome album art. But you know how it is. You have to support these kids when they want to start their record label, even if they do jump the gun on the art for Your album. Cause you never know. Maybe they'll get really big and Not forget they ever knew about you.

A Thousand Moving Lights by Super Famicom

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Staying the night at my friend Carlos's house, Evan (of The Winslows and Nice And Friendly) and I had just recorded our first pop punk song together. It had been a very fun day, and I wanted to write and record some music. While everyone was crashing out and watching a movie, I set up my four track and recorded this set of instrumental guitar songs. They are weird and sloppy, and really cool in some parts.

Emily Songs 2 by Super Famicom

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The spring of 2007 was a time of some severe ups and downs. There was something in the insert of this cd about how Emily and I had broken up before I finished this album. That's the truth. At the time, I really believed in seeing things through, and I was a little sore about having ruined my life for the sake of a relationship that wasn't worth it. Sometimes I chalk it up to my issues with self-worth. These songs were recorded in my parents' basement while they were probably sleeping. I didn't have a sleep schedule.

The Inside Voices by Super Famicom

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When I was 19, I played guitar in a metalcore band called Lori Ann. It was cool and we played big shows for scenesters, and made money playing those shows. I thought I would do that for a while, and as our fans grew up, I would focus more on playing acoustic guitar music for grown-ups who were not scenesters. Later on, I got re-addicted to playing loud music to rowdy kids, and forgot about that plan I'd had. Back to 2006, The Inside Voices was my first attempt at writing music for grown-up non-scenesters. It is an epic story in song, about a fictional journey to the bottom of my self. I experimented a lot, and my vocals were somewhat mumbled. I was really into The Microphones. For the recording of this cd, I locked myself in my room for about 4 days, and I did nothing but write and record this album. It was a cool time.