NEW COMPUTER--AND VIDEO THOUGHTS...

The new computer (its name appears to be “Justin”) is up and running. Does Internet just fine, and I've recovered a few Website links—by no means all. Got a word processor (Open Office), Audacity (this time with the *.mp3 “exporter”), installed my old Acrobat, digital camera and Click 'n' Design programs and a replacement photo processor (my 1996-vintage Adobe PhotoDeluxe is too old to work); still need to do PageMaker, the business card program, and a couple others. I also have to switch sound cards, apparently—the one in “Justin” is garbage.

I have tons of files to transfer over, and it won't be that easy. ”Alice” has finally given up the ghost (her motherboard is completely dead), so I'll have to pull her hard drive, add it to a PC of equivalent vintage (I know where there is one), and dump the files to a couple of flash drives to transfer to “Justin.” Alas, change is never easy.

Computer designs changed drastically since “Alice” was built, so I can't just add her old hard drive to “Justin”—I have to re-install each and every program (and some, like my 1997 version of Lotus, won't work any more). It's why I'm not a great fan of progress. (And this version of Windows XP has something called “Windows Dancer.” When you click on it, a dancing girl appears in the corner of the screen, gyrating. Why was that necessary?)

I do want to try creating that fan-generated music video. I think I'll use “Blue Krishna” for the experiment: it's a draft recording, but a pretty good one, and the Hinduesque subject matter may encourage people to be creative. I think Michael and Sedona should have first crack at a camera, since the Krishna painting at their Rainbow Lotus tea house was the inspiration for the song, and then I'll randomly tap others. Everybody can have a CD of the song for reference as soon as I have “Justin” the new 'puter making CDs. If I use folks close to home for my videographers, I can deliver and pick up the cameras personally, making the process move a lot faster. (Still, it'd be fun to do one of these really long distance, and transfer the cameras around by mail. One could end up with some fascinating stuff.)

I can overlay credits during the instrumental break (like I've done in the last two music videos), and maybe overlay lyrics to the song, too, if the footage I get seems to lend itself to it. And I'll want to add a Rap at the beginning, explaining both the genesis of the song and the fan-generated video idea—and give credit to the videographers. (It'd be nice to do that—or part of it—live. I could do that on one of the Arts Center's Macs—but I wonder how my new 'puter would handle a Webcam? I do have one of those, a good one I think, that I never hooked up to either “Alice” or “StuartLittle.”)

And once the “Blue Krishna” video is done, then what? More such videos? A lot depends on how this one comes out. One way or another, every song of mine should be turned into video; not only is “video the new audio,” as DJ Len Amsterdam maintains, but being on video exposes the song to a whole different audience, that's not hearing the songs on CD.

Another performance opportunity: the music program at the 2nd Street Market is under new management (again), and they've asked me if I'm interested in a Friday night slot. Maybe. I appreciate the offer (and I'd said I wanted more exposure), but it'd sure be nice to have accompaniment for something like that. I think I get on people's nerves if I'm singing at them for more than an hour, and this is a 2-hour set.

Sound isn't a problem—I think I can borrow again the 4-channel amp I used for the Willamette Writers gig, and that'll work for the 2nd Street Market's stage. (And of course the gig is unpaid. The 2nd Street Market has a long way to go before they can afford to pay performers. We'd be splitting tips. I'm generally happy to play for free, but I'm uncomfortable asking anyone else to.) The Hoffman Center in Manzanita is doing another talent show (finally)--October 1, same day as the Train Set, but at a different time. Yes, I'm interested. (Have to audition first.) It's been suggested that this time they get “The Abomination Two-Step.”

Music Thursday night at the Tsunami in Wheeler, Friday night at City Hall in Garibaldi, and maybe Saturday afternoon at the Tillamook library (don't know about that one yet—it's Labor Day weekend). Perhaps Sunday night at the “Rapture Room” I can start the camera going around for the “Blue Krishna” video.

Joe