- Email Marketing – I mean, it’s a major part of what I do for a living with CLOSE MONDAYS, and I started a newsletter called HEAVY METAL EMAIL for “metal folks who want to start an email list.” So yeah, I could talk for an hour about this.
- Running – though I’ve only been running nearly every other day (or so) since July of 2016, ran a bunch of races, got advice some great people, coached by the great Grayson Murphy in 2019 / 2020 for a marathon that I never ran because of COVID!
- Bikes – I left my Williamsburg, Brooklyn apartment in August of 2010 with a messenger bag and some clothes taped to my handle bars. Rode all the way to Rutherford, NJ. Then kept going, crashing on friend’s couches, all the way to Albuquerque, NM (via a lot of buses). Also traveled by Brompton and train from Miami, FL to Portland, ME. That’s just scratching the surface.
- Music blogging – I’m where I’m at in life right now because I started a music blog in 2001, so heck yeah, I can riff on writing, friendships, interviews, gossip, life before social media, all that good stuff.
- Growing up in the 80s – the movies, buying a Poison record at a drugstore, the bikes, the toys, the technology… my goodness, what a time to have lived.
CREATED FOR MYSELF
Found this quote from an artist today while sourcing tracks for an upcoming Goodnight, Metal Friend mix:
“These tracks were originally created as a source of inspiration for both myself and meditative purposes.”
Ran Kirlian
For myself. And meditative purposes.
As I recklessly pay for hosting and domain names and set up a newsletter for Goodnight, Metal Friend, I think that’s the biggest part.
I love my new site (see it here). It makes my eyes light up, seeing all the mixes I’ve produced over nearly two years.
The newsletter on Substack will be partly meditative, too. A log of the journey, seeing where all this goes.
Putting this out into the world doesn’t feel like obligation, like a regimented “content creation” schedule that I must adhere to. The easiest “posting schedule” or whatever is simply sharing what you make every now and again.
A lot of people won’t get it. Some people might. In the end, it’s for me.
THE MATRIX MIRRORED
I started to watch Matrix Resurrections and the Matrix at the same time, like a totally normal person. I had two windows open, and tried to sync them up, but just started skipping ahead to notable moments.
So then Bugs runs away from the agents, and then it cuts to the “old” Matrix code, as the camera pulls out to Thomas (bottom), staring ahead with dead eyes.
The next scene in the original Matrix (after the whole “white rabbit tattoo” thing), is DRAGULA (top)! Again, Thomas sort of staring off into space.
Matrix Resurrection: Thomas on the right.
OLD – METACORTEX (what a silly name that the Matrix programmers would use) NEW – SIMULATTE (what a silly name that the Matrix programmers would use)
Next scene… Original Matrix, Thomas on the left.
Matrix Resurrection: Thomas on the right.
The look of someone who’s about to talk to someone they’ve never talked to before.
OLD: Morpheus
NEW: “Trinity”
So the next major moment (save for Thomas trying to get to the scaffolding, the Modal 101: File Purged) is… this.
Exact opposites again!
OLD: Agents entering the room, Thomas to the right and sitting.
NEW: Thomas entering the room (not sitting), Smith on the right.
This is as far as I got on a Sunday night, just sort of clicking ahead here and there. These shots don’t seem coincidental. Perhaps a play on the “mirror image” concept?
I’m sure there’s more shots down the road that are similar, like with Morpheus fighting Neo, the first stand off with Agent Smith after he’s been freed (again).
GOODNIGHT, METAL FRIEND #19
Three mixes in one month is a first for me. Think I’m finding my rhythm with these. From sourcing, arranging, mixing, and promoting a bit.
These aren’t exactly burning up any charts, but in all they’ve been played over 120 times on Mixcloud, which is pretty rad.
I told myself I’d purchase a DJ controller when I hit my 20th mix. I really do enjoy making these, and perhaps the proper get could make it even more fun.
Also, I got a message today from Yorkshire Modular Society, thanking me for using ‘0132’ in Mix #16. Give it a listen.
LET PEOPLE DO TIKTOK
This year TikTok got more traffic than all of Google, which includes Gmail, Maps, search, and about a million other things.
It’s a trap. Just like every social media platform that came before.
It’s a new gold rush, right? You have to get a TikTok account, they say.
But what about writers? Or poets? Teachers?
There was a time when TV production involved dozens of people, a studio space, and tens of thousands of dollars of equipment.
Now we have 4K cameras in our pockets and we’re expected to shovel video content into a new social media platform everyday.
When, in fact, I’d say 99% of of still haven’t managed to optimize our websites or social channels to sell something, get hired, or build trust.
But yeah, let’s all sign up for TikTok.
Just because your audience heads to TikTok doesn’t mean you need to meet them there! People are allowed to leave your shop, set down your book, listen to other bands.
Focus on who is in front of you. And get their damn email addresses, while you’re at it.
GET UNCOMFORTABLE
I’ve been sleeping like crap lately, and I finally figured it was time to buy a humidifier. I’ll save you any of the grim details that led to this choice, but today I reaped the rewards.
Similar to when I tried sleeping with an eye mask back in April, and had the Whoop to sort of prove it, the humidifier helped me sleep better, and today’s run was magic.
I haven’t had many magic runs lately.
It was cold, then it started to rain, and I wasn’t wearing my rain jacket. My gloves started to get saturated.
But like that line from Fight Club, the one about “when’s the last time you got in a fight,” when’s the last time I got caught in the rain? In gross conditions?
When’s the last time I purposely put myself in an uncomfortable spot?
Quite honestly, it’s been awhile, so today’s cold gross run was a perfect way to start the week.
The hot chocolate taste better after shoveling the drive way. The A/C is more refreshing after that run in 90F+ temps. Shit is just better when you stick your neck out a bit.
A COLORFUL MATRIX
Watched the new Matrix for the sixth time last night, this time with my roomie, and they asked something that got me thinking; if I were a character in the Matrix, how what would be my wardrobe?
Five years ago I probably would have said all black and be done with it, but now I’m not so sure.
Besides Switch, Morpheus seems to be more my style. The most colorful.
And the new Morpheus? Wow.
“This Morpheus is a newborn, discovering who he is. So he wants to try out the suits, the body, different fighting styles even different sunglasses. He’s having a ball with freedom of choice,”
Abdul-Mateen via USA Today
As I said, years ago it would have been all black everything, all the time. But now I have yellow glasses, lots of blues and reds. Oh snap. My jacket is the same color as Morpheus above.
My first foray into adding more color to my life was when I started going to the gym, and being around a lot of masculine energy. Men’s locker rooms are a… vibe, which I’m not really all that into. So when I needed a new gym bag, I bought this North Face bag.
Green! Purple! Pink!
Every other gym bag I found was just plain and boring.
In the past few years, I’m trying to avoid plain and boring, I guess.
I’m turning 46 in 2022, like a fireball to 50. Dammit.
So maybe not an awaking from the Matrix, and the red goo, with the flush and grab.
Just maybe a bit more vibrancy in my digital self image here in the real world.
PLEASE MAKE YOUR THING
Success or making it isn’t black and white, yes or no. For every success we see on a magazine cover there’s years of back story. Of “failure.”
For every video with 3 million views there’s a legion more with 174.
Those 174 are no less valid. They’re just as important, and we need to keep making them.
The world needs videos and songs with “low play counts” in the same way we need street art – it is PERMISSION.
It is a sign from the universe that says anyone can do this, so you should try it.
GOODNIGHT, METAL FRIEND #18
In a world of high energy everything – Twitch streams, podcasts, DJ sets – I seek low energy vibes. Give me chill. Give me late night coffee. Give me walks at night.
Making these dark ambient sleepy time mixes are very calming and soothing for me.
Tracks used:
https://proxhus.bandcamp.com/track/bones-pt-2
https://jamesparrott.bandcamp.com/album/drone-92?from=hp
https://ghunzul.bandcamp.com/track/white-emptiness
https://edgeofoctober.bandcamp.com/track/repression
https://winterblood78.bandcamp.com/track/heilige-linien
https://sutekhproductions.bandcamp.com/track/scapegoat-merge-with-space
GOING LIVE WITH HUNTERTHEN
Sunday evening HUNTERTHEN live mixing. Listen live on Blast then it’ll be available for 24 hours. After that it’s gone.
On Blast Radio, artists get their own radio station to broadcast what they want, when they want. From talking to tracking, album debuts to venue performances, daily request radio to live production sessions, rehearsals to reviews. Listen to the artists you love share what they love.
Blast
I started making these as mixes, and called them Goodnight, Metal Friend.
I would search for hours on Bandcamp, sourcing the sound and vibe I wanted. Now I’m finally figuring out how to make my own as HUNTERTHEN.
Dark ambient? Drone? Atmospheric gloom? I don’t know.
Something mechanical. Robotic.
It’s like you’re in sleeping bunk on a futuristic space train. I dig it. And been nerding out to it since the pandemic started. Weird hobby, I know.
Going to try to stream live to Blast in the evenings, when the days are winding down. Install the app, maybe, and find me on there as hunterthen. The app will notify you when I’m live.
I tried doing the same on Twitch, but holy shit, Twitch is a beast. So much going on, especially for something as low key and chill as this.