music

originals

as in some music i recorded when i was younger

The Screaming Lords - Theatre of the Mind

The Screaming Lords:
Theatre of the Mind

Nonpop Records, (1998)

"I didn't realize you guys were so goth!"

Micah Hardy, Pompeii V

the screaming lords—theatre of the mind

krill 01.31.08

Back in the late 80's I met Dave Silva, and together we formed a band called Colony. We played some good gigs, recorded a CD, and had a good time, for the most part. We would do ambitious things like build a 9-foot tall tiki head for the front of the album cover and dress-up like headhunters from Gilligan's Island. Eventually we parted ways, as our lives took different turns.

Then around 1997 I was working for West Music Company and preparing to attend the NAMM Show in Anaheim. The NAMM Show is the annual convention of musical instrument manufacturers and dealers. It's like going to the biggest music store on earth, and seeing all the up-to-the-minute musical gear under one big roof. It's huge. And while you're there you're rubbing shoulders with "stars" like Eddie Van Halen and KISS and all the big hair metal guitar guys.

Dave knew I was working at the music store and called me to ask me some questions about a recording workstation for his home studio. I told him I was going to NAMM and he was dying to go too. I was able to swing an extra pass, and made arrangements to meet him in Anaheim. While we were at the show I took him with me to the Roland booth to look at their line of digital recorders. We had a good time checking out all the gear, and then Dave was on his way. Later he purchased his own Roland VS-880 and began recording some of his own music.

Nigella Sativa Seed Pod

FUN FACTOID: The album cover features a Nigella Sativa seed pod I cut from my garden, scanned on a flatbed scanner, colorized, and pasted into the cover art.

Meanwhile I had acquired a VS-880 and had been recording my own music. Dave called with some questions and we decided to send each other zip disks through thte mail, and collaborate on another Colony album. Thing moved along briskly, but along the was we discovered that there was another band using the Colony name. So when our recording was finished and mastered we changed our name to The Screaming Lords. Dave generously flew me and my VS-880 out to his place in L.A. and we spent a week laying tracks and mixing the material. The disk was pressed in late 1998 and we had them in our hands in early 1999.

Looking back, there's so much more I could have done given more time, but sometimes you just do what you can do in the time alotted to do it.

I created the album artwork, from a variety of mixed media, all digitized. Dave got mad because it was taking me too long.

Then when I went back to the NAMM show in 2000, I was really sick and didn't call him and get him a pass, and he got drunk, called me, and got all pissed-off. He sent me a card later, apologizing. Last I heard he was in upstate California drumming for a band.

fun facts

writing credits

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