Week 157: What? Thursday already? I mean, damn, I missed thursday again?

I posted last week on time, and i read all the posts this week, and there were several I meant to go back and listen to things, post comments, etc. I still think I will, but now suddenly it’s Friday and I haven’t even thought of anything to write about. But don’t worry, I’m loosing sleep over this. I’ve basically been learning pirate songs all week. Well, last 3 weeks actually, and tonight i get to do my Steampunk debut at Eccentrik Fest VI. In case you’re not familiar with Steampunk, it’s basically Neo-Victorianism with a taste for the fantastic – think Jules Verne, for example. Musically it is still not a defined genre, but it’s coming, slowly but surely. Right now almost anything can fit it musically as long as it sounds either old or futuristic from Tom Waits and Nick Cave to electronic music and back to old timey music. But don’t worry, there are people working hard at defining the musical part of this rapidly growing movement. And yeah, i know, they are easy to hate, just like goths were 20 years ago. Especially if you are a staunch individualist who mistrusts the slightest sense of herd mentality. Still, individualist or not, there is material coming out of the Steampunk aesthetic just like it did from the Goths. Some material is good, some is not, take what you like and do with it as you will. Personally though, I identify with this movement more than I ever did with the Goths, partly because it still seems like it has possibilities (even if the outfits have pretty much been decided upon), but mainly because I can identify much more with dreams of time traveling and brain transplants than with romantic poetry and moody horror. At any rate, a friend of ours puts up this Steampunk fest every year for the past 6 and in order to keep with this year’s theme, The Mariner’s Revenge, and with me being the descendant of a pirate and all, she asked me to play some sea shanties at the festival. How could I say no? I’d spent my whole childhood and adolescence saying no to teachers who wanted me to write and report about my pirate ancestor, so this time I say yes. So I’ve learned/re-learned about 8 “pirate” songs, adapted a few lyrics to be a little more “pseudo-scientific” and threw in a few originals adapted for the occasion. I got myself the best costume I could see myself wearing and I’m packing my cuatro with the custom made explosion pickguard, and I’m ready to go. I expect it’s going to be pretty rough, but it’s pirate music, it’s supposed to be rough, right? Afterward, I’m gonna walk the streets and sing and fight in drunken debauchery. And then do it all again tomorrow for the way more critical Halloween hordes. If I like it enough maybe I’ll join the Alaskan Pirate and His Salty Seamen. They go around 24/7 and all year long living the pirate life, at the grocery store, at the gas station, everywhere they go, can you imagine? Here’s some brass for the gas for me ship, arrr. All kidding aside, The Alaskan Pirate’s album “Come Aboard” is really one of the best pirate records you’ll ever hear. I have to say, though, that it’s been a while since I heard anything from them, I wonder what they’re up to….