SPEED PASSION'S EBB AS WE GREET ITS FLOW

Good morning Speedsters,

We are fresh off our appearance at Unread Recors & Tape's 19th Annual Junkfest. We were fortunate enough to take part in this wonderful event, marshalled by Unread's inimitable, Christopher Fischer. Money made its way into the box and electricity abounded. We shared the floor with the likes of Charlie McAlister, Chauchat, The Debts, Simon Joyner, Ed Gray, the Prairies, Lonnie Methe, Places we Slept and Ender. This was Unread's last Hoorah in Omaha as Chris is re-locating to Pittsburgh in January. We will miss the glow and hum of mid-town Omaha in November. On tap were several of Unread's new releases, including our Godspeed triple tape, our new cassingle (on CDR), a brand new Unread compilation (featuring ramon speed's "Little Teisco") and tapes and records from Charlie McAlister, Noah Sterba, David Kenneth Nance and others. This show was also, in a fashion, David Nance's Omaha swan song as he is departing the Good Life for the good life in Los Angeles. So, it was particularly great to spend an evening at the old Gunboat with David, Simon, Chris (x2) and all the Omaha folk. As my good friend re-iterates, you can take the punk out of the basement, but you can't take the basement out of the punk.

If you were not at Junkfest (and you should've been) you can find the Godspeed triple tape (complete with digital downloads), as well as a host of other great music here:

http://www.unread-records.com/releases/godspeed.html

Also, the w/Wooden Horses cassingle is out now on Almost Halloween Time Records. This four-song cassingle is limited to a run of 31 copies, each with hand painted covers done by AHT's artist in residence and chief, Luigi Falagario. I have CDR's available also, but take a run at getting one of the coveted originals here:

http://www.underwaternow.com/store.htm

Having put the past to rest, ramon speed will now endeavor in the new year toward new tunage. Rob, Kevin and George will be working on a full length of all new material come 2013. We also are planning an Eastward venture taking us through Ann Arbor and hopefully as far as Sandy battered N.J.

We are thankful this time of year for good family, good friends and great tunage. If you have questions or concerns, love or hate mail, please contact us at:

speed.ramon@yahoo.com

 'til 2013, speed on.

- ramon

Blessed rage for order......

There is stuff going on in the Speed universe.

GODSPEED

First, the Godspeed re-release on Unread Records & Tapes is nigh comlete. Assembly of the Godspeed triple tape re-issue/redux/release (no easy task) is in its final stages. Chris at Unread forcasts a release this month (R-October).  As noted, this is a re-release of the original double tape released as Eunuch-20 on Sing, Eunuchs!  The third tape is unreleased, live or compilation material, which was collected from the time period surrounding the original Godspeed release. The release comes replete with a booklet, musings from Chris Fischer, Simon Joyner and myself about Godspeed and in a handsome triple tape case. Purchasers will receive digital download codes and the first purchasers will receive a "bonus" gift. So, that is that.

W/ WOODEN HORSES

Also, due out this week is the Ramon Speed w/ Wooden Horses Cassingle, being published by our friend Luigi Falagario and his Almost Halloween Time Records. This release, limited to 31 copies (each of which will have hand drawn covers), features ramon speed with special guest performers/authors - Wooden Horses, who is: Ryan Anderlee on baritone guitar, Jourdain LaFramboise on drums and Erin Wolf on keyboards.  These four songs, composed by ramon speed and Wooden Horses, include a pre-imagining of the song "36,000 feet" (a later version of which is featured on ramon speed's Effulgence and Alacrity ep - Unread #88) plus three other new songs. Luigi has slated publication for this week. Keep your eye on AHT's presence at: http://www.underwaternow.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Almost-Halloween-Time-Records/211257998912841?fref=ts. for further details.

UNREAD RECORDS & TAPES JUNKFEST - YEAR 18

Finally, ramon speed is happy to be participating in the Unread Records & Tapes Junkfest - Year 18. ramon speed will appear along side:

CHARLIE MCALISTER
SIMON JOYNER
JOE KILE
ED GRAY
THE PRARIES
CALEB FRAID
CHAUCHAT
THE DEBTS
NUTRITION FUN
LONNIE METHE
PLACES WE SLEPT

This spectacular event will be held at the olde gunboat hause on Saturday, November 24th 2012 (no time slotz yet...we're told).  This is an incompareable lineup. ramon speed had the pleasure of appearing at last year's junkfest (year 17) along with Simon Joyner, The Debts (k/t/a the Fools), David Kenneth Nance (of the Prairies), Ed Gray and Nutrition Fun.  This year's lineup boasts the edition of excellent Unread artists Lonnie Methe, Places we Slept, Chauchat, Caleb Fraid (possibly), Joe Kile and Charile McAlister. It is sure to burn with the deep hot intensity of many suns. We anxiously await.

ONWARD

Then, that's all the old stuff. We look at the end of this year and the beginning of next toward the production of a full length of all new material, which is new. Seriously.

 It is a nervous, new world.

Listening to:

Simon Joyner - Ghosts (Yes, still. You should be too)
Kids of the Atomic Age - Fight Songs 
Tanlines - Mixed Emotions
De Portables - It's Time to Leave this World Behind
Cloud Nothings - Cloud Nothings

Good God Speed

All,

I last posted in January of this year. At that time I indicated I would not make any further posts until the Godspeed remix, reissue, redux (whatever) project was done.

I am happy to announce that this project is in its final stages, which means it is out of my hands. As I have mentioned, this project will be a triple tape release. There will be a reissue of a remix of the original Godspeed double tape, originally published in 1995 as Eunuch - 20.  This was ramon speed's last cassette release and there would be no ramon speed music published until Unread Records & Tapes release of the Effulgence and Alacrity - ep in 2010.  This remix, reissue, redux (whatever) will also include a third tape of extras, which is entirely previously unreleased material including original recordings, live recordings, radio performances and compilation appearnaces.  This material was all originally created fairly contemporaneous to the original Godspeed release. I am excited about this release. It will be published with a booklet with liner notes written by Simon Joyner and Unread's Chris Fischer, whose relentless pursuit of this project made it possible. We anticipate a release date of October 2012 and although it will be formally released in the unprecedented (for ramon speed) format of a triple tape, it will also be available for digital download.

It goes without saying that this project took a great deal of effort. Each song from the original Godspeed (save three) was remixed from original master recordings. The original masters for the three alluded to have been either lost or destroyed, so these songs appear on the release in the form of original mixdowns, made contemporaneous to the original release, but were not the final mixes for the release. Not bad for seventeen years later. Knew that I was hauling those old masters around for some purpose. In addition to the actual remixing, this project was very difficult because the original release, which was conceived as a whole cohesive piece back in 1995, trolls some of the darker times in the speed universe. Times that ultimately saw the whole speed joint shelved, tabled, abandoned (whatever) until it was resuscitated by Unread Records & Tapes in 2010.  Thus, an inherent problem existed in this project. It found me re-treading the speed burial grounds at exactly the time it was being brought back to life. However, as Fischer has told me, "let's bury these ghosts, good and deep...."   And so, that is what we're doing.  We are rendering to the past what is the past's.  Whether you are fond of the re-mixes or prefer the original, I think you will be impressed with the magnitude of this project.  The re-mixes tried to improve, technically, on the audio presentation of the original.  This is to say, I have tried to make it louder and bring it into sharper focus. In all events, I maintain that this piece contains some of the best material in the speed canon......for now.

What's next? There are two projects on the slate. First, I am finalizing the mixing for the "36,000 feet" cassingle, which will be released by Almost Halloween Records. This cassingle (also a new, but long overdue format for speed) features a re-imagining of "36,000 feet," from 2010's Effulgence and Alacrity - ep plus three.  All of these recordings come from sessions immediately preceding the sessions for that ep. Speed is backed, supported, assisted (whatever) by Wooden Horses, who is Jourdain LaFramboise, Ryan Anderlee and Erin Wolf.  I am excited about this release as I have been seeking to work with Almost Halloween's Luigi Aht Falagario for some time. I understand that these will be released, as has become Luigi's custom, with individually hand-drawn covers.

Following the Almost Halloween release, speed is retreating to the basement to record the twelve or so songs that have been written during the long slog that has been the Godspeed project. This will be the first new material  since the Effulgence and Alacrity - ep and will hopefully constitute the first "full length" speed record since Godspeed and its predecessors (My Speed and Edicts and Muskets).

And so, we're clear. The AED has spiked the speed pulse and we are up and we are running again. Hopefully with the long slog behind us, you'll hear from us more frequently here, like it or not.

GOOOOOOOODGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODSPEEEEEEEEEEEEEED!


Listening to:

Simon Joyner - Ghosts

Dinosaur Jr. - I bet on Sky

Beachwood Sparks - The Tarnished Gold

Japandroids - Celebration Rock

ramon speed

ramon speed

Stun Organ

I am reveling in the discovery of ramon speed's new stun organ.  Neighbors gave ramon a keyboard.  Power cord wont power, but AAs do.  Also, can't get the direct line to run through the Roland, BUT......can run it direct through limiter/gate to the 4-track. Results on tone no. 12 is the awesome new ramon speed stun organ.

Also, many great contacts on my last post regarding Bob Claymore's not-so-flattering review of the "Effulgence and Alacrity - ep."   OJK replies that RS should name its next effort "Wimpy mushmouthed snorewads" from the opening clause of Mr. Claymore's review. It is a pithy phrase.

Am finally nearing the end of the re-mixes for Unread's triple-tape re-release of Godspeed. The third tape is a real corker, and we've included on that piece of plastic the title track from the E & A - ep, which did not make the EP, but did make the release show at Alex and Nicole's Gallery Night.  Lots of other old gems that would've otherwise remained under a rock. Thanks Chris for eliciting these.

Finally, just two tracks (of six) yet to be mixed for the hopeful comp with Snowstorm (Kevin Monotone). I understand he has recorded some for this.

I will not post again til these two look-back projects are done and RS is again oriented forward.

Anyway, am totally psyched with the stun organ. Think the Joy Formidable "The Greatest Light is the Greatest Shade."  Sweet!

That is all

- ramon

The omitted "listening to" section:

From the last entry, I omitted my "listening to" section. This is germane as ramon speed has moved to new digs. William Speed has taken over the finished part of the basement (a slow and steady war of attrition). In any event, ramon has moved to the utility room, which is most aptly named. The room is where I listen now to the "listening to."

Anyway, that's where it happens and here's what it is:

1.  PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
2.  The Cure - Three Imaginary Boys
3.  Firehose - Mr. Machinery Operater (a recent re-find)
4.  The Pixies - Come on Pilgrim (in anticipation with JPW)
5.  Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be


that is all.

- ramon

Bob Claymore's Kryptonite

Hello Folks,

Still hunkered down with some projects. As previously noted, I am re-mixing Godspeed for a epic triple cassette release. Yes, the first incarnation was a double cassette, but the re-issue will contain unreleased material, comp appearances and outtakes. Second, I am final mixing tracks for a split (potential....fingers crossed) with Snowstorm (Kevin Monotone's). This is great work, but taking some time. Kevin Speed and I have been working on new and old material. In between all of this, I get the chance to read a few things. From recent musings I have gleaned that not everyone liked last year's "Effulgence and Alacrity - ep".

See: http://still-single.tumblr.com/post/3338957753/ramon-speed-effulgence-and-alacrity-7-ep-unread

I don't know how to respond to Mssr. Claymore, but think that it suffices to say that the record was not his bag of tea. I don't think it's important to point out to this illiterate mutt that just because he needed a dictionary to untangle the title of the record does not mean its inappropriatly named. What I tried to capture with the title is that these songs were produced with enthusiasm and eagerness. I also tried to capture the brightness and radiance I felt in recording these songs, after not having produced music like this in so long. That radiance is also evidenced in each beat of Kevin Speed's drums, which without question, shine forth brilliantly. So, it matters not to me that he didn't approve of the title, becuase that title meant so much to me. I I would also note that, while it is nice to hear kinder words regarding this project, like those of Luigi:

http://www.underwaternow.com/ihearstrangemusic/reviews.htm 

and Jason:

http://7inches.blogspot.com/2010/06/ramon-speed-effulgence-and-alacrity-ep.html

that is not what motivated and compelled me to make this record.  Those are verily distilled in the title to the piece. I think that, at least, Claymore was honest in his estimations, which is exactly what I sought to be in recording this ep.  

On a side note, whatever pretentions Mssr. Claymore observed from the title (or general appearance) of the record, I find it hard to believe that these can be attributed to the actual music. So the vocal quality didn't meet his approval. I hope this is because he didn't like the form and character of the voice (often I don't) and not the fact that recording on a Tascam 4-track necessarily limits the quality of full band recordings, the vocals often suffering the brunt of that. Similarly, I hope that Claymore simply didn't like the music and not the hiss and crash that are nearly unavoidable when recording in such a manner. Finally, I relish a review like Claymore's becuase I am keenly aware that ramon speed music is not for everyone. That type of music is best left to others.

So, despite the acerbic tone of Claymore's opinions I am glad for his review and especially that it was informed by actually listening to the record.

That is all.