New mixer

I just got my long awaited Allen & Heath Xone:3D mixer last week. Didn't get to really push it too hard yet because I didn't have my laptop but as a mixer it is unreal. On top of being a straight up mixer, it's also an 8 port 24 bit sound card and a dual MIDI controller.

WTF you're probably asking. The deal is that these days turntables, computers and mixers are talking very nicely to each other in some crazy ways.

FYI, I'm not talking about dweebs with iTunes pretending to be DJ's. The deal is that software like Ableton Live runs MIDI sequences and loops in sync with an external clock. The Zone:3D extracts a clock from analog records and syncs to Ableton. All together, the turntables, Ableton and the mixer are all locked together in sync and can be mixed together with little fuss.

Yeah I know it sounds complex but just watch this video to figure it out...

What else? It's been mad hot around these parts and I've just dropped my boat in the water. Went for a ride on Sunday and my testicles still haven't completely descended :)

Too much stuff to do, too little time.

Israelites no more

I am sorry to say but Desmond Dekker passed away. Some of you reading this know how big a part Desmond Dekker played in my musical history. Very sad indeed.

On a brighter note, I just got back from vacation this week. I had an awesome time, surfed an average of 4 hours a day in Costa Rica. I have sand in my crack, my hair is natty, I still smell like a jellyfish and damn am I ever happy! This time we stuck to Tamarindo because I really wanted to work on my surfing.

Here's how it went:

5:30AM wake up, walk outside check out the surf
7:30 have breakfast
8:00 have a double espresso and go surfing for an hour
11:00 drink some beer, scratch my parts, eat some aroza con camerones, make like an iguana and sleep in the sun
3:30 go surfing until the sun went down
7:00 wander around and drink tequila in every resto/bar possible
11:00 check out the tide chart, drink tequila and pass out

The beach break right in front of the Diria where we were staying was really nice early week and then the main reef break (pico piqueno) picked up later in the week. I caught a million waves and couldn't be happier. Mimi also started to catch nice rides at pico. We went snorkeling on an open-bar catemeran trip which was really fun, actually met a dude that I knew from St. Donat in the shuttle. Nothing like snorkeling drunk with some yardies :o

We went to Avallenas and Playa Negra where I got worked so hard on the outside break that I couldn't remember my name. I need to get into better shape to really enjoy the bigger breaks.

All in all, it was really mellow and we surfed more than probably both other trips combined. The ticos were really great and we met a lot of cool people out in the water. Next time, I think that I'm going to take my lumps and get on a short board.

On a sour note, the baggage handlers stole my camera right out of my bag so I have no pictures. A word to the wise, get a lock for your check-in bags and carry anything you don't want to lose with your carry-on.

One more thing, what the fuck is up with uptight strangers leaving uptight comments here? If you don't have a South Park/Fellini/David Lynch sense of humor you shouldn't be here because you'd think I'm an idiot (which I very well may be). If this blog is offensive to you then maybe you should spend more time here.

Back from NYC

NYC was a blast. So much happened in 48 hours that I can't even really piece the whole thing together right now. In a nutshell, stayed at the W on Lexington, hooked up with the brother of a friend who's a DJ in NYC, went out to half a dozen little underground clubs and met a whole bunch of friendly new peeps. All in all, the music was astounding and the people were extraordinary. The places that I can remember are the Vault, Subtonic, Sullivan Room, Cafe Deville and Happy Valley. There's a couple of other ones that I can't remember or didn't have names. Booze was crazy expensive so next time we're out there we'll be hosed early. I didn't get to check out the Pink Elephant or Crobar this time around but I'll be back as soon as I can because that was too much fun.

I'm on the road for the rest of the week and off to Costa Rica this weekend, hit the ground running with another roadtrip when I get back - phew. Talk to y'all in June.

Oh yeah, I my first snuff film the other day. Sure it was all done in lego, but it was a snuff film none the less.

This guy is funny

here

and so are these dudes.

Stephen Harper

Eats babies.

190

Going fast is fun, real fun. I took out my motorcycle this weekend and ripped around the back hills. I was mostly alone until I got into St Donat where there were probably 300+ motorcyclists all out for the same reason. Off to NYC next week then Costa Rica. See yez later.....

My friend Fred was headlining. 

There was an outdoor party near my place at a Cabane a Sucre... lotsa fun. Spent the weekend in the sun drinking beer (again :) )