Used Universe

"Don't bury me, I'm not dead yet...."

2011-10-19T00:55:00.000-04:00

I know, I know, i've been away. I was without my new computer for a year after it was water damaged from a fire in my apartment last year. I was forced to use an older computer that way under powered and all my cool shit was on the new comp.

This has been a difficult 12+ months but i've been resurrected, brought back from purgatory.

I have some wonderful things lined up so please, hold off writing that epitaph.

In the meantime, please check out my geek/nerdy side over at my Tumblr...

useduniverse.tumblr.com

~UU~

Trish Keenan has past away. 01.14.11

2011-01-14T11:46:00.000-05:00

Singer of the band Broadcast has died from complications with pneumonia after battling the illness for two weeks in intensive care.

Mick Karn 1958-2011 R.I.P.

2011-01-07T12:04:00.000-05:00

Mick Karn, founder on the legendary band Japan died today.

Note: I don't want this blog to be about the deaths of people who's work I enjoy but if they would stop dying off and live forever then I wont have to turn this into a tribute site.

Peter Christopherson 1955 - 2010, R.I.P.

2010-11-25T15:21:00.000-05:00

Peter Christopherson has passed away yesterday, November 24 in his sleep. The industrial/experimental movement has lost a pioneer and a visionary.

In The Future, David Byrne Had It Correct

2010-08-18T16:43:00.001-04:00

26 years ago, David Byrne pretty much hit the nail right on the head.

Volume on this vid is low, crank it.

Movies I saw while waiting to move...

2010-07-26T11:49:00.002-04:00

After the fire, I was staying at a friends place with absolutely nothing to do, they didn't even have cable but she did have netflix on her laptop (not really great for viewing).

Black Dynamite - this move rocked! Making fun and homage to the blacksploitation films of the '60s and '70s. Hands down, the best comedy I've seen in 2010.

Let The Right One In - A Swedish vampire film about a 12yr old boy who is bullied at school meets his new neighbor, a 12yr old(??) girl, strike a bond... in blood. Beautifully filmed, well acted, this is not a bloodly "Saw" type picture. More an Art House film. The cat scene was a bit funny. I highly recommend seeing this, this goes into my top 10 favorite films of all time.

2012 - just for kicks. After your house burns down you want to see someone/everybody loose something, or maybe thats just me. Oh, this movie sucked.

Predators - Went to the theaters to see this, wanted to see Inception but wasn't playing yet. Just what you would expect. Nothing new to see here but it was fun. I guessed the twist right when you meet the cast of characters, lets put it this way they all have something special but one, or so you think, well I saw right through that.

Fire In The Universe

2010-07-14T11:59:00.000-04:00

On tuesday July 13th at 10am my apartment burned down.

FUCK !!!!!!!

Video Block

2010-04-26T14:37:00.002-04:00

Ok, as I get my shit together and sort through a ton of stuff I have, I thought I would post some song vids that I like and hope you will like them also.

I will have some old/new music to post, one of which I dying to put up. I'm hoping later this summer to get the whole collection (if possible).

In the meantime...

Malcolm McLaren 1946-2010 R.I.P.

2010-04-13T14:25:00.003-04:00

When I found out last week he died I debated on a post.

Not that the late Mr. McLaren doesn't deserve a bit of write-up but too many legends are dying and I don't want this blog to be only for obituaries.

Alex Chilton R.I.P

2010-03-18T13:26:00.001-04:00

Alex Chilton American songwriter, guitarist, singer and producer best known for his work with the pop-music bands the Box Tops and Big Star died on Wednesday at age 59.

Blade Runner - Easter Egg

2010-03-13T18:36:00.002-05:00

Very cool video.

Unseen video from the movie, the music is by Brian Eno and David Byrne from My Life in the Bush of Ghosts 1981 LP only. Not found on CD.

~UU~

Robert McCall R.I.P

2010-03-02T17:46:00.004-05:00

Renowned space artist Robert McCall passed away on Feb 26th at age 90.

You will know him from his famous 2001: A Space Odyssey poster.

The Universe has one less star in it today.
More info here...
http://blog.nss.org/?p=1732

Some work here...
http://www.mccallstudios.com/gallery_index.html

~UU~

PEACE PROCESS 2010

2010-02-14T16:32:00.000-05:00

I culled this together from videos from youtube for a friend. I had a bitch of a time trying to figure how to create this, programs I downloaded didn't work on my system or couldn't figure out how to use. I ended up using Windows Live Movie Maker which turned out to be very simple to use.

~UU~

Fuck Off 2009 - Hello 2010

2009-12-31T23:50:00.000-05:00

Beware Of The Krampus

2009-12-24T12:36:00.002-05:00

Hoping that this past year you have been naughty boys and girls, for that's what i feed upon!

Wishing you all a Horrible Holiday! Or Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) whichever you prefer.

~UU~

Dan O'Bannon 1946-2009

2009-12-20T05:04:00.002-05:00

I just found out that Dan O'Bannon died on Dec. 17th.

He was 63.

O'Bannon was instrumental in creating one of my favorite Sci-Fi movies- "Alien".

He also co-stared in John Carpenter's first feature film "Dark Star" ('74). If you've never seen it, it's just brilliant.

We'll miss you Pinback!

~UU~

Planet X (1990)

2009-12-13T19:25:00.012-05:00

Planet X was the project of Allan Kraut and Adam Buhler.
This is in the same vain-sample based style of KMFDM, Skinny Puppy, early Ministry or later Cabaret Voltaire.
Kind of.

Planet X

~UU~

Blue - No Soul (tape 1993)

2009-12-13T16:39:00.011-05:00

Blue was a Boston band from 1993.
With flourishes of the Paisley Revival movement, Tom Verlaine and Rain Parade, Scott L. crafted some formidable music during the time when the dark cloud of grunge was engulfing the '90's.

I knew Scott through a friend of a friend. I just ran into him the other day and I come to find out he lives in my neighborhood, which made me think of his tape, so i dug it out. This is the only thing I have from him, if I recall he had a shitload of music from various bands he created that have waxed and waned.

Not sure how the MP3 is going to sound, I'm using a new sound card and I haven't been to happy with it's interface and sound output. It's a Xonar Essence STX, suppose to be some really good card, well- I'm not hearing it.

~UU~

New Posts Soon...

2009-11-27T11:59:00.007-05:00

Now that 500+ people have viewed the nonsense on this blog, I will try to be a bit more frequent with my posts. I have so much crap that I want to throw up on here but my apathy seems to win over then being productive. So stay tuned, you wont be disappointed. I hope you enjoyed the previous VIDEO blitzkrieg. ~UU~

Trek With Quintronic - Zolian Space 1981

2009-11-27T00:39:00.003-05:00

Carol - So Low 1981

2009-11-27T00:38:00.003-05:00

Frida - I Know There's Something Going On 1982

2009-11-27T00:13:00.003-05:00

Do Piano - Again 1985

2009-11-26T23:29:00.008-05:00

Nisi Period (1991)

2009-09-12T14:31:00.011-04:00

Nisi Period

I'm felling lazy, so here is their info from facebook (will edit & update info later):
Nisi Period was a dark psychedelic post-punk band from Boston, MA in the early-to-mid-1990s. Their sound was atypical for a time when grunge-fueled bands dominated the area's clubs and noncommercial airwaves. The eerie moan of J.B. Mulrooney's e-bow guitar and the keyboard textures of Joel Simches were grounded at any given time by the churning tribal clatter of 2-3 percussionists (including original members Brendan Curtis and sKott Rogers) and by Kris Thompson's bass. Vocalist/guitarist Dave Y wrote most of the songs, which were then fleshed out by the band. In 1992, RRRecords released Nisi Period's only album, Soon the Love Balloon Will Pop, which garnered considerable national attention on college radio. Their live shows are still spoken of fondly by those who caught them, and featured an eclectic range of covers -- including unique versions of songs by Sonic Youth, Tom Waits, The Residents, Beatles, John Zorn, Neil Young, The Clean and perhaps the only adaptation of The Velvet Underground's "The Murder Mystery" ever attempted by anyone.

~UU~

Deckchairs Overboard - Shout 1983

2009-08-14T12:29:00.003-04:00

Man, I can't enough of this song and video!
Thanks to Bimble's Windy Weather, Ausrock and Bowieisacrankycat for turning me on sometime ago.
Head to Youtube to see in HQ.

LUV that girl!

~UU~

Looking for...UPDATE!

2009-07-14T12:34:00.010-04:00

I've been trying to locate a website that has downloadable OOP schlock/horror/Sci-fi movies.
It's not a blog but a generic web page.

I know I booked marked it, but I went through some of my one zillion saved sites with no clear results.
Some of the movies it has on the site are Death Ship, Parasite, Hanger 18 (?) and a slew of others really bad/good movies.

If you know the name/link to this site, please post in comments.
THANKS!

~UU~

UPDATE...
I found the site that I was looking for, it went belly-up about 2 months ago, I was just making room on my computer to gather some of these gems.
cultrararevideos.com
This site was a goldmind of bad '60's, '70's, '80's and such of "so bad it's good" movies.
Now that I can't check the site for content I believe it had a TV movie called "Dark Night of the Scarecrow" also that underwater nazi zombies movie "Shock Waves" with Peter Cushing (Star War).

I know that I can get these form torrents or other moive blogs but this was a one stop shopping of B, C and D grade lost movies.

...Did a search at the Wayback Machine and that was the site. wahhhh.

~UU~

Staalplaat Amsterdam 1996

2009-07-12T23:14:00.012-04:00

Here are some photos of the Staalplaat store in Amsterdam from 1996. I don't believe that it's still in that same spot. It was very tiny, I left there with about $100 worth of music. I think I have that Muslimgauze poster somewhere but I ordered it for Soleilmoon.

Also a photo of the Melkweg Club. Nothing good was playing there during the week I was visiting.

~UU~

Michael Jackson, me and Amsterdam

2009-07-12T16:48:00.010-04:00

Back in 1996 I got the chance to go to Amsterdam for a week. The company that I worked for was sending the IT director to a seminar/conference in Rotterdam. She ask if I wanted to go and spend 4 of the 6 days in Amsterdam and all I had to pay for was the airfare, I would be housed on the company's dime, unknown to them.
This was my first and only trip outside the US.

My last couple of days there I noticed a smattering of people hanging at a hotel, I asked someone what was up and she said that Michael Jackson was staying there. Later on I saw a dude dressed as MJ waiting outside with everyone else.

On the 5th day before I was heading back to the US, that evening MJ was leaving the hotel, I happened to snap these unimpressive images.

1. The fans
2. Two Dutch bike cops
3. MJ approaches
4. Make room
5. He's in there

Well, he didn't stop the car and asked me if i wanted to join him for dinner, 13 years later he dies. Karma's a bitch.

I have know idea what happened to the images, I spent way to much time arranging these in photoshop. I'll re-do them later.

~UU~

Joshua Allen Harris (2008?)

2009-06-30T00:11:00.008-04:00

Joshua Allen Harris air sculptures.

Brilliant, Just Brilliant

2009-06-25T00:08:00.006-04:00

Whats behind that fur coat?
Found this over at Percy Trout.
NSFW, but i just dare ya!

~UU~

Muslimgauze - Iran (1988 Staaltape)

2009-06-24T22:02:00.012-04:00

This was my first ever Muslimgauze CD, bought this in '89-'90.

I did not up-load this, found it here.

Just cuz whats happening over there made me think of this.

~UU~

Edit: My bad, I should have looked at the link a bit closer. This comes from a really great blog found here . A thousand pardons.

Best New Experimental Sounds From Europe (1991)

2009-06-10T21:26:00.015-04:00

I found this flyer for a great show from 1991(?). This took place at a gallery on the edge of China Town near downtown Boston. My friend and I were walking to the gallery when we noticed two guys standing up ahead of us a block a way from the gallery holding a pretty decent microphone, patched into a DAT recorder, we went past and straight to the show.

It was a small space and there were many spectators jammed-sitting down on the floor. I believe we missed Phauss or just the tail end. There was a good 25min before Hafler Trio played (there's no stage, it's them right in front of you BTY), but they didn't have instruments, just a DAT player and a couple flange pedals i think. It was the two dudes that were outside, playing back "street sounds" they recorded with overlays. IT WAS VERY LOUD!
They had the volume cranked to 11, for a small space densely packed-not pleasant. During a lull someone from the audience spoke up "Could you turn it down, please." and everyone in the space agreed "YESSSS!".

The Trio obliged, and continued. After they played, Karkawski/Bilting set up. The set consisted of a stainless steel double sink turned upside down on a stand and a PVC cage cube the height of a tall person.
There was some kind of mixer/computer patched into the cage, one of them entered the cube and moved their hands ,arms or legs in between the bars it would break a light beam that were dotted over the cage. This would change the speed, pitch or tone while the other played the sink with thick drum sticks, banging away with this tribal industrial melee.

By far one of the best shows that blew through the states during that time. Very intimate and in-your-face evening.

The flyer toner started to stick to other papers that i had packed away was very difficult pull apart without destroying it, with help from a blow dryer the job was done.

~UU~

Tape Delay: Confessions from the Eighties Underground (1987)

2009-06-08T00:41:00.014-04:00

THIS BOOK WAS MY BIBLE!
If your interested in any the the artists listed on the back of this book (above) then I highly recommend buying it. If you already know about the bands then this will be a supplement or just to complete your obsessive collection, if you're just discovering them then this will give you much needed info on the history of these pioneering sub-artists.

My favorite chapter has to be the one about "The Hafler Trio". Great subject on sound and it's effects on the body and mind.
~UU~

Udate: If you want a hard copy then buy it with link above, or...
Tape Delay - THANKS GOOGLE BOOKS!!!!

No Artistic Merit

2009-06-07T22:50:00.009-04:00

Here is a flyer from June 1990.
The Legendary Pink Dots were slated to play on Saturday June 23. If I recall, the Dots applied for visas to get into the US but were declined do to "No artistic merit". I have a tape recording of a interview with Edward Ka-Spel talking about the problem getting into the US, i'll look for that tape soon and post it.
Around this time, Boston was having a "Golden Age" of experimental/industrial/noise shows like the "Static and Interference Tour" hosted by WZBC. The exact dates escape me but I was lucky to see Psychic TV, Hafler Trio, Chris & Cosey, Danielle Dax, Zbigniew Karkowski, and a slew of others at venues across town.
I know I have another flyer packed away somewhere for the "Static" show, i'll post once it's located.
~UU~

David Carradine dead at 72

2009-06-04T11:10:00.010-04:00

David Carradine, the actor of the movie "Kill Bill" died from an apparent suicide yesterday (June 3rd 2009) in Bangkok. I was a huge fan of the "Kung Fu" series back in the '70's when i was a young grasshopper. I always though he was a really good actor, even in the shlock movies he made in the late '70's and '80's like "Death Race 2000" (1975), but it was in "Kill Bill" that i thought he shined. I was hoping that more roles in indie films would come his way and show a new generation what this actor was capable of.

He has been in well over 200 TV and films roles.

He will be greatly missed.

~UU~

Oh Where, Oh Where...

2009-04-24T10:22:00.003-04:00

Content coming soon. I'm scanning and preparing some recent finds.