I was at a FAB’s studio in the lower east side mixing one of my new records Sparrow.  His studio is truly outrageous with an amazing live room, mini-grand piano, collapsable walls and vocal booth, a couple of mix rooms, along with an engineer that just modifies gear full-time at the studio. It is not a huge surprise that this studio has a radical collection of vintage synth’s and drum machines such as; Sequential Circuits Prophet 5, Moog Voyager, Oberheim Expander, bass Rhodes Keyboard (most famously used by Tina Weymouth live in Talking Heads Speaking Tongues movie directed by Jonathen Demme), etc.

However the absolute mind melter was the TUBON.  He had just purchased one and it was living in a fancy poster tube.  Fab is having his engineer modify it so it works more efficiently.  Apparently the power is totally cuckoo and can pretty much light you on fire.

The Tubon was designed and manufactued in Sweden by Joh Mustad AB.  It’s a sort of tube shaped keytar manufactured in 1966 with contrabass, saxaphone, electric bass and woodwind with an internal speaker.  Check out Matrixsynth post for more detailed information.   It was most famously used by the Beatles on the Sgt. Peppers record and probably was best used by Kraftwerk.  The bass is truly guttural and distinct.

I felt slightly empty after seeing it because after years of being a synthphile I just saw one of the most rare indeed.  Like an archeologist that discovered the most rare Viking Ship preserved in clay.  Just like well..what’s next.

OK here are my “live” pics of the Tubon.  However, I blew it and forgot to put my specs next to it.  SO DUMB!!  Also found a pic of Paul McCartney and the advertisement on the world wide web.

I had a great meeting with my closest friends and art collaborators in 0th last evening. We have launched a new website (thank you Gloat) at www.0th.cc and we also have a new direction for the band. We are shifting this band in to an art collective. Each member of the band JapJap, Statue of Liberty, MNDR, and Gloat are all highly involved in robotics, sound/sculpture/sound installations, performance art, and music/video that we wanted to create an environment that was less about a traditional band and more about highlighting each members interests and art.
Musically 0th straddles many genres of experimental, neo-soul no wave, performance art, and psychedelic sound frequencies that are lead by throbbing rhythms on drums and bass. 0th Tammy is out on Resipiscent now.
0th have been in existence since late 2006 beginning as a two piece on drums and bass (Gloat and MNDR). We have expanded the band to include Statue of Liberty and JapJap which has built upon the audio experience and also expanded the live experience to enter into multi-media performance art realm. Most recently we performed with MNDR projected over the band playing over skype. We are planning more skype shows for 2009.
0th have also been invited by 21Grand Gallery in Oakland, CA to set up a month long installation for January 2010. The planning is in the works and top secret!

Dominique Young Unique (Tampa!) myspaced me over the weekend.  We have some friends in common, mainly Willie Isz.  I absolutely feel in love with her record Music Time (listen to it on her myspace).  I have been playing it for everyone I meet and I can not get it out of my head.  She is part of the Yo Majesty crew out of Tampa.  She is only 17 and is making really great records.  Look out for her she is about to blow it up.

Dominique Young Unique (Tampa!)

On June 5th MNDR was on the Marc Ronson show hosted by Aaron Lacrate on East Village Radio with Theophilus London.(download show by clicking this link). Heads up on Theophilus London. That kid is about to blow up…look for his record This Charming Mixtape (giving props to Elvis Costello). My interview and world premiere is at the end. Check it out! I am doing C.L.U.B. over some Baltimore breaks and some of my old Juke tracks over some breaks. So much fun.
Thanks so much to Aaron Lacrate. Looking forward to much more with him!
East Village Radio Marc Ronson show hosted by Aaron Lacrate w/MNDR and Theophilus Lond live!

I casually collect German minimal, cold/dark wave. Somehow missed these guys and I believe they are Swiss. I love the sounds in the chorus. However, this video is truly next level. Peter Wade turned me on to this.

I met Loredana at the studio and we instantly hit it off.  She is from Romania and has sold over a million records without lable support.  I like to think of her as the Romanian Madonna.
I am finishing up a remix for her today the track is called Dance or Die.  She is dropping her new full length on June 11th.
Here is a video that apparently got her into a lot of trouble in Romania.  I think maybe the video was banned or something.

My bandmate from Triangle, Brian Tester, turned me ont the Sound Lab Mini Synth’s.  He found this man named Alan who lives in the UK who was making battery powered versions of Ray Wilson’s infamous Sound Lab’s in a suitcase with an internal speaker.

I have been using mine in the studio often and for live use.  It has two VCO-CV, VCF-CV, and a GATE IN in order to trigger it from another signal/sound or use it with a keyboard.  It is truly sick and the GATE IN is extremely sensitive.

I have owned mine for almost three years, but I understand that Alan does not make them anymore because it was not cost effective.  However, you can buy the kits and assemble your own.  Please post a link in my comments if you can find his website (I couldn’t).

Project synths and pedals are becoming more common.  It is difficult to find ones that sound amazing and allow for a wide range of sonic possibilities.  This synth was designed with much of that in mind and because of that it sounds truly next and dynamic.

I have already used it on my single FADE TO BLACK and JUMP IN.  Look for it on stage, because I play with it live for all of my new set.  It will be blinking lights at me with only 9volts to power its bone shaking capabilities.

I had the honor of meeting Dave Smith the designer of all Sequential Circuits. at an Eats Tapes/White Willimans concert in San Francisco.  I was super nervous.  His most famouse synth is the Prophet 5, the first programable polyphonic synthesizer.  It is probably one of the most decade defining synths of all time.  My favorite use is on Talking Heads Speaking in Tongues. Regardless, it is a classic and timeless synth!

My band Triangle made our entire first out of print EP using a TOM.  We had two and I had the latin and sound effects cartridge.  I love love love this drum machine.  It is 8 bit and sounds amazing because a true genuis designed it.  The claps are unstoppable.  Peter and I are working on a track right now and we plugged in the TOM to get that snare and clap sound.

claps!

OMG!  Check out this youtube demo.

Also here are some pics of a Prophet 5 and the undeniable consumer monophonic synth, Sequenctial Circuits Pro-One (which reminds me of a Yamaha CS 10….Dave Smith later sold Sequential Circuits to Yamaha).

Dave Smith has not stopped in making defining gear.  I have only programmed the Evolver.  You can check out all of his new designs on his website.

First Programmable Polyphonic Synth

Monophonic Synth

Synth and Sequencer