I read this book awhile back after my friend Shawn recommended it to me. Back at the time I think I paid $20 for it because it was out of print. It just was republished. If you like pirates, zombies, voodoo, puppeteers, Blackbeard, rum, and ghosts you would love this book.

It's been raining like crazy here today. Which is fine because if it was just a little bit colder there would be a blizzard. I have been complaining constantly of the weather lately. I just want to go outside without wearing a jacket as thick as an astronaut.

I forgot to post the trailer for the film "Red Sister Red" on here so here it is! (viewer discretion is advised)



Special thanks again to Wendy Mittelstadt for the violin and the vocals at the start of it. The film is still in production and I will be working on the soundtrack in a few weeks. The music will be like this trailer but also containing Irish elements to it.

This week I am rehearsing my set and doing all the organization of material for the design of the album cover. I want to especially give thanks to >Robin for the inspiration of the cover of it. She did some amazing digital manipulation of the photo that Kris made. I still have to write out the linear notes and the credits for it. I dread doing linear notes because I thank everyone than I can think of on it but I almost always forget someone. I shouldn't worry about it because not a lot of people bother reading them and more people will be downloading it anyways.

Right now I am reading a book called White Chapel Gods by S.M. Peters. It's a steampunk-era book set in Victorian London with man fighting machine that controls the city of London. It seems like a good book. I am also reading Professor Winsnicker's Book of Proper Etiquette for Well-mannered Sycophants by Leven Thumps. Which I picked up at a bookstore not knowing anything about the series it's based on. I just liked all the scribbles in the margins of it and the drawings. Between those three books I have been reading a collection of short stories called "The Steampunk Trilogy" by Paul Di Filippo that has some rather funny parts in it. There is this one story where they replace the Queen of England during the Victorian era with a human-sized licentious salamander. Need I say more?

The HorrorPops came out with a new album last week called "Kiss Kiss Kill Kill" . I liked it better than their last (2nd) album "Bring It On!". This new album is a lot like their debut album "Hell Yeah" with the lead singer having Siouxsie Sioux's voice.

Ahhhh my almost monthly posting while I am fresh from the dentist with a numb jaw. Actually this time the dentist shot me with Novocaine right at my front upper gums. Which now my entire upper lip and nose completely numb. The good news is I should be done with going to the dentist for awhile.

Recording for the trailer for the movie "Red Sister Red" is moving along fine. The trailer is about 1 minute and 30 seconds. The first part that is about :47 seconds in length I had recorded with a solo fife but it didn't really work out. So I am placing in a solo violin and female vocals into it which will create a nice contrast to the faster and aggressive section half of the trailer.

I ordered a production book on "Sweeney Todd" that came in the mail today. If you liked the film at all you would love the book. I am a big fan of the movie. It's like a Hammer Horror film mixed with a musical.

I am almost finished read The Diamond Age . I am glad I stuck through 2 chapters at the start of it that started to become boring for me. It picked up after the 4th chapter and I am amazed how insightful the author is on our present day society and how it will evolve into in the future. After this book I am reading Naked Lunch.

I was at the Edward Gorey House today. I have been there several times but as of recent they added a lot more things to it including the "The Doubtful Guest" exhibit to celebrate the 50th anniversary of it. It's brilliant! Something about Edward Gorey's world that I find that I wish I could walk into his world and stay there for a few weeks.

I have some exciting news for those that are in the Los Angeles area. Once I have the firm details I will tell you about them shortly.

I have been reading "The Complete History Of Jack The Ripper" by Phillip Sugden. It's a really good book on the details of all the cases without making theories or broad statements not based on fact. If you want to learn more about it I would recommend it.

Stawndud N Deliiiivah!

That's how I sounded about an hour ago getting out of the dentist after being shot up with novocaine in my mouth. I have to admit in a weird way I like the sound of the drill on my teeth. I wish I had a recorder to record it...what I hated was the burning smell of my teeth! Now that! ... that was scary

This week I have been practicing songs that I will be performing live. I am also going to be working on melody sections for "Red Sister Red" directed by Jim Towns.

I have been reading Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. I have to be honest that I find it thus far trite and really boring! I am only at Chapter 3 so I hope it picks up. I wish H.P. Lovecraft did a remake of the story. I prefer his writing style ... maybe I am just an impatient reader

This weekend was nice. I went to a Pirate's Faire in Salem that was a lot of fun. I have a bit of a sunburn on my cheeks from it (my face).

I am still working on getting all the musicians lined up to record "Babylon Train". I have to be honest that I loathe dealing with schedules for recordings. To have multiple musicians and recording schedules all lined up at a perfect time for a session is like moving the planets Venus & Mercury to be aligned perfectly. It's never "ok let's record tomorrow" it's usually "well I think we can do this 3 1/2 weeks from now". So by the time you actually get to the studio you have played and practiced the song you are to record so many times that some of the fun of it has trickled off. Not that I am at that point with this song.

I just watched "Starter for Ten" which was a cute movie. Kind of a romance/comedy. It's set in the 80's and I never heard any movie contain so many The Cure songs in the soundtrack. I think they were at least 7-8 of their songs. So if you like 80's movies, comedies, romance, and 80's music you would love this movie.

I have been re-reading "Vampire Lestat" by Anne Rice . It's been a really long time since I read it and it's like reading it for the first time. I got a copy of it made by Easton Press which is this nice hardcover leather-bound and signed edition. It really is a well written piece of late 20th century literature.