David Foster Wallace is Dead.

Long live David Foster Wallace.

Update

Hi to everyone who may or may not be coming over from Indie Street Radio.

I thought I’d take a minute to update this thing with what I’m doing and do some shameless self-promotion. If you’re interested in having music written for… well, anything: I’m interested in writing music for that anything. Look at my portfolio (jskmusic.com) for some examples of my writing in a bunch of different styles and contexts.

I’m also working on four songs that hopefully will be “released” (burned to a CDR, stuffed in some cheap packaging with photocopied liner notes, and given to friends and anyone else who wants one) by the end of next month.

This might be what the artwork will look like:

Steve Reich on Music Theory

I’ve been explaining what I see as The Problem With A Lot Of Music School Kids to people recently. Steve Reich said basically the same thing in an interview 8 years ago. It’s important! Check it out!

“I think people suffer from a misconception, not only about me, but about music theory and its relation to music practice. Whatever music theory you encounter, certainly including the rules of four-part harmony, was written after a style had been worked out by ear, and by a good musical ear. Of course its good for a student to learn the rules of four-part harmony, but with the understanding that they’re just student exercises and that parallel fifths may be perfect in another context. All music theory refers to something that has already happened, but if it is taken as a prescription, or worse as a manifesto, heaven help you.”

Best Album of Each Year I’ve Been Alive

The only rule is the album has to be the original release – no remasters, no compilations.

1986:
The Smiths – The Queen is Dead

1987:
Sonic Youth – Sister

1988:
Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation

1989:
Pixies – Doolittle

1990:
Iggy Pop – Lust for Life

1991:
My Bloody Valentine – Loveless

1992:
Jim O’Rourke – I’m Happy, and I’m Singing, and a 1 2 3 4

1993:
Flaming Lips – Transmissions from the Satellite Heart

1994:
Pavement – Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain

1995:
Neutral Milk Hotel – On Avery Island

1996:
Daft Punk – Homework

1997:
Radiohead – OK Computer

1998:
Neutral Milk Hotel – In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

1999:
Olivia Tremor Control – Black Foliage

2000:
Modest Mouse – The Moon and Antarctica

2001:
The Microphones – The Glow Pt. 2

2002:
Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

2003:
Jaga Jazzist – The Stix

2004:
Animal Collective – Sung Tongs

2005:
Sleater-Kinney – The Woods

2006:
Califone – Roots & Crowns

2007:
Panda Bear – Person Pitch

2008 so far:
A Silver Mt. Zion – Thirteen Blues for Thirteen Moons

[Really Close Runners-Up]

1991:
Talk Talk – Laughing Stock

1994:
Brainiac – Bonsai Superstar

1997:
Modest Mouse – Lonesome Crowded West

1998:
Apocalypse Hoboken – House of the Rising Son of a Bitch

1999:
Flaiming Lips – The Soft Bulletin
Wilco – Summerteeth

2000:
Radiohead – Kid A

2001:
Owls – S/T

2002:
Microphones – Mount Eerie EP
Sleater-Kinney – One Beat
Ugly Cassanova – Sharpen Your Teeth
Blackalicious – Blazing Arrow
Interpol – Turn On The Bright Lights

2004:
Califone – Heron King Blues
Arcade Fire – Funeral
The Unicorns – Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone

2005:
Broken Social Scene – S/T
Akron/Family – S/T

2007:
Do Make Say Think – You, You’re A History In Rust

This is my blog.

I’ll post things here.