Author: Luke

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Dear Nevada City,

Last night I was out in your wilds and down at the old Chief Crazy Horse bar. Casual Fog was playing and the room was full of young people, and old people, the bartenders were frantically busy. It was an electric night.

It reminded me so much of the first night I spent here, New Year’s Eve a couple years back, when we stumbled accidentally into Cooper’s to watch the Rolling Stones cover band. That night was so invigorating. Kate and I were so new to everything, the world, apartments, a town, a home, all seemed so far away but necessary. In Cooper’s that night the scene was crowded with people, so young and together and excited about music that it felt like it could have been a scene from any big city in the United States, not some little tiny town up in the Sierra Foothills. It swayed us to move here, we were within throwing distance of San Francisco, Sacramento was there if we needed it. We could continue our road trip somehow with a stop along the way, in the last destination our road trip had taken us: Nevada City.

We stopped in Nevada City in the first place because it was on the way to Auburn, where Kate would settle for a couple of weeks at her parent’s house in time for Thanksgiving. Most campsites had long since closed for the season, and we just saw on the map National Forest campsites along the North Fork of the Yuba River, which meant: open to camp. We spent one night there on the Yuba, and then drove down into Nevada City. I remember reading about the town as we had always done on the trip from our guidebook. It said a lot about how many bookstores there were. How charming the town was. How it was a haven for bohemian artists and poets from the 60’s.

We found it to be pleasant in November. It felt like an island in the trees. I could sense the rest of California around it, which made me happy. We had coffee from the Mekka, walked around the little streets. We got some groceries and went to spend our last night of the trip camping on the shores of the reservoir up Hwy. 20.

That was a sad night. All the moves we knew so well, gathering wood, preparing dinner out in the chilly open air on the campstove. Snuggling up in the back of the truck, getting up to the crisp morning.

We moved here to Nevada City because of that New Year’s Eve. We had been looking for a place to live for a month, unable to pull the trigger on going anywhere it seemed… San Francisco was too expensive and too big. Portland too familiar. Mendocino we had done, and it was the smallness of that place that made us leave in the first place.

Luck made us find a charming little apartment on Deer Creek. Bohemian and old, dirty and cold, but charming all the same. It would be our art studio/recording studio. We would have all kinds of friends our age, they would stop by to visit us since we were right in town. We would find jobs and walk across the bridge to them.

It was so hard though. I spent four months unemployed. How I survived I don’t know. It was depressing. And then I did get a crummy job waiting tables at a mediocre restaurant in town. I couldn’t even eat the greasy food, the tips weren’t that great. There was nothing glamorous about it. Not fine dining, not historical, just a place.

And I didn’t really meet people. We made a few good friends, but there was no getting in with the kids in this town. If you were a stranger here, you were just an outsider. You were mistaken to be here or you were somehow taking advantage of it by existing here. We’d go to a couple parties when Cody would invite us, but all we ever got asked is how we came to be here. From there it didn’t really matter. We weren’t from here.

I finished my album. I met another couple of really good friends, and got a new job at the extremely shoddy local paper. Things could have gone so well. I was ready to make podcasts and write stories and do great design. But any new voices couldn’t be heard at that paper. The “entertainment editor” was severely out of touch with reality, extremely uninspired, and closed off to the real music scene that was happening here. Such a sad waste of talent that place. Kate found a job at the cool hip gallery in town, but it quickly dissolved because of some very strange lack of communication. I hadn’t heard from the guy I had framed photographs for for months… out of the blue he just didn’t call. I still haven’t heard from him. All the promise of this town would go up the roller coaster, and then swoop down terribly.

I coped by taking long drives into the mountains. I missed Mendocino (and still do) terribly. We may not have had many friends, but at least they weren’t even there, anywhere to be found. In Nevada City there were so many people we could know, but the roller coaster always swooped back down.

Things rolled here and there. I recorded with some of the amazing musicians in this town. Truly there is real artistry coming out of this place, be it an after effect of the previous generation, the bonding of small town shared stories, the air, the river, the trees, I don’t know, but it is unique, thoughtful, intelligent, anti cool, refreshing. I know that it is because I play an instrument that is in demand, but that’s fine, I loved the opportunity to create with people.

Aaron Ross and Cody Coyote are so amazingly dear to me. Aaron is the most talented songwriter I have known personally, Cody is sweet, cool, and has such an amazing voice. Alela was kind and courteous for her recording session, Mariee a sweetheart and so modest. Joanna Newsom dancing to the Moore Brothers on a random Saturday night at Cooper’s. Dana kept calling me for recording sessions, hopefully he still will! Dan Elkin, so driven, talented, and passionate. David Torch a humble, incredible person. Jonathan Hischke, truly gifted, Neil Morgan, a person who I felt great affinity for in only 30 minutes of conversation. In other words… such an incredible group of people!

I was able to finish my album here. And when I did, Eric Dickerson helped me really cull it down, and inspired me in the process. I wanted to play. And I have, a little. I got a new job. Things feel better now.

And yet, last night, I just wanted you to know that I am so enamored with you, but feel that I will never truly know you Nevada City. Casual Fog encompasses everything I love about the town, a band of not just really talented people, but a group of some of the nicest people you’ll meet. I want it all to shine, I want something magical to come of this place, but dammit I want to be a part of it somehow. I want to FEEL like I belong.

There are so many blessings, I got to meet, thanks to Laura Brown, Gary Snyder! A life long dream. Just to meet him. And one day I’m up at his table in the house he built while he pours me coffee he brewed. Amazing.

There just is no permanence here. I don’t know what I’m missing. But I either want it all to come together in a hurry or I’ve got to get out. I feel like I’ve been courting you, Nevada City, for two years. And I’m waiting for something to happen, a sign. A glimmer.

I have a good job, I love it in fact. And yet it is not music. I have so many wonderful blessings all around me. I just wanted to write this. A sort of plea for connection. For things to make sense somehow. I want to in writing this snap out of the hazy in between that you’ve held me in. I feel like I’m inside a washing machine, being cleansed, abused, and spun around all at once. I want to either love you or hate you, either way, to take more chances, feel more alive.

So that’s that. I don’t know why exactly I wrote this. I just felt like I needed to. Thank you for everything, thank you for last night, and how beautiful it was. I almost don’t feel like a spectator sometimes in moments like that. People are coming together. They are hopeful and alive. They are creating amazing things. And that’s how it is.

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Life moves on. Last weekend I watched Tchaikovsky being played wonderfully by the S.F. Symphony, and it was really inspiring. Sat up in the front row while the conductor grimaced and ohhhed.

February is the longest shortest month. The narcissus are blooming in my kitchen now. Reading Jung. Currently listening to Refused. Cinco the dog lies on the floor patiently. Kate works on paintings.

Here is a rework of the demo song still in demo form, All Right Now.

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This is a track from way back. This is one of my first shows where I used the cello for half my set. I had my beatbox, and was playing at the Medicine Hat, this beautiful underground type spot on NE Alberta St., in Portland. It was a quiet night, like a Wednesday or so, but I remember that several of my friends were there. We probably ate at the Vita Cafe. I know that I had left my cello pickup back at my apartment on SE Hawthorne, and was frantic to make it all happen for this show.

So it was the beginnings of making the cello and beats thing work. This recording was done nicely by the sound engineer. Its an old song too, one off of “Still Dream” I believe.

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I’m sitting here at work waiting to get out of here. I’m waiting for a ride from my good friend Eric because its pretty much chains out there weather.

We got a hit of snow as of this morning and now its getting slightly more interesting, brown outs, being stuck here. I’m quite anxious really.

Had to cancel a recording session and now I’m just eager to find my way home.

It’s winter certainly.

The snow has turned slushy a little bit, but it is cold enough to freeze as soon as it is near the ground. I’ve always been a fan of the snow. It makes me feel like things are being cleaned out. Cleaned over. Starting fresh.

Tonight it is more drama though… kind of fun…

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Last night’s show at Hot Rod Ink in Newcastle, CA, was amazing.

So many good people turned out to check out the newly hung art, and Alice Ann welcomed all to her tattoo shop warmly. The atmosphere was excited, and everyone was into the music as well.

Here is an excerpt from my live performance that night, playing cello and beats.

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Interesting show tonight, another art opening, this one though, not in a salon but a tattoo parlor.

It actually sounds really awesome to me, and I’m looking forward to it a lot. Cody Coyote will be playing, and I’ll be doing my cello beat mashup madness.

It starts at 6pm in Newcastle, and I’ll do some recording for those who can’t be there…

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I finally found myself a decent mic, actually two, to begin work on my new albums.

This one I got in the mail yesterday I am very happy with. Simple to set up, a Blue USB mic (Snowball) and no hum, which is the bane of my digital recording existence.

I kind of love this mic. I sat down to test the sound out last night and just sort of spewed and man, without any special setup, and without a whole lot of adjustments, recording vocals and guitar at the same time it produced an exceptionally clean and full sound.

So that plus another mic and I am good to go beginning recording.

This is a song that I improvised last night. I like to just let words roll and try and not repeat myself and sound cliche. I know that all of it makes 100% sense… but some lines surprise me and I’ll save them, re-write them. Its so much more honest, these lyrics are, for me than sitting down and straining over what clever lines to put.

I said I didn’t have to tweak the sound at all, but of course I did, I added reverb. I am addicted to reverb and I know.

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I’m “writing” songs so much lately… well, not the craft of writing right now, but sketching them out and jotting down ideas at a rapid clip. Its a good way to clear out your mind and influences before recording, which I will start in earnest soon.

My ideas for the next (not kidding) 4 albums, to be released in 2008 are:

Solo cello and voice
Solo guitar or piano and voice
Instrumental Electronica with Cello/other sounds
Fully orchestrated cello, beats, guitar, voices, synths et cetera

All could be started now. And if I had more time, all could be finished in 2 months. But you know, must get money, endless quest, et cetera.

Anyways, here is a sketch:

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Nevada City is to be lively tonight, with film fest participants milling about.

And more fun is the show we are putting on downtown, at a new art place called Dragonfly.

Its below Sushi In The Raw and down the street from the Miner’s Foundry and tonight features:

Luke Janela – Instrumentals: Cello, Beats

The Mechanical Kid – Turntables

VJ Bendji – Live Video Production

Dice/Rapaparatus – Beats, Lyrics, Hip Hop

Mariko Amekodommo – Mixed Media

Katherine Unger – Paintings

Twill be a wild and crazy night.

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In 2008 we have felt the bitter cold, and driven up the frozen highways, at 20mph, while the snow takes all sight. Made my way to work, and back, and had a few moments to bang on drums. There is much to do, and I’ve yet to do it. But that’s ok, we shall prevail.

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And yes, it feels like a torrent, but I’ve been so busy, peacefully clunking on the riverbanks et cetera, ere there is work, and many things to do. Such as, fix this website, which sprouted oddities recently, demented cybereality.

Good news is, I have a tree, a baby hemlock, and that there are mandarins to eat. And that I get to see my family soon… and better yet, there shall be an eye in the storm, wherein I will be posting NEW music, making OLD music available, and making it the most rad ever.

Ok, take care, and thanks for checking in…

Luke

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Last night Santa Cruz was partied by us, and it was fun, and it was more than partying too, because there was music. Victor Kenyon, the other Victor (sorry man, I don’t remember the last name), Cliff Greenwood (with Miles), and I played. OK, it was in a college house, and college kids were there, and it was fun. It was a bit chaotic in some ways, but everyone one was there in one form or another to enjoy the music, at least while the music was going.

I remember looking up the few times during my set that I wasn’t sort of sweating/and or closing my eyes and there was this room packed with people and they were all hell of into it. The arrival of my brother Pete’s friends definitely made the party climb to a new level, and the comraderie in general made it so much more than a normal show.

Then, as parties tend to do, especially when big, it went into decline. This whole crew of young ‘gangster’ kids showed up, and kind of randomly crashed the party. This is a regular state of party life in Santa Cruz. It was just kind of out of control, and it wasn’t like this new group of thirty or so high schoolers were adding anything particularly cool to the scene, so they were asked to leave. A couple, one in particular, refused to leave on the basis that he was “from here”, meaning Santa Cruz.

The locals vs. college students thing. I mean, first off, it is … dumb. I remember living there and finding out that certain beaches were “locals only”, (but it applied more to surfing in theory). Whatever. And as much as I want to write it off, I think on how in Mendocino, Portland, even here in Nevada City, there is this xenophobia that arises… though xenophobia doesn’t quite sum it ALL up… the sense of ‘being from’ somewhere is obviously very strong, and it is easy to say “dumb tourists, they are always driving funny and are in my way”, or, “wow I am really FROM Portland now since I am completely stoic and cold (something like that)”. I mean, the Ukiah connection. Strong. So, I can… understand where its coming from to some extent, but, if anything it reminds me that it is certainly not something to get in fighting mode over per se.

Anyways, the party was really cool, the music was fun to watch and to play, and I can only thank my brothers Nate and Sam (and housemates, including the yorkiepoo) not enough. They are awesome and rule. Effing slugs.

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I had an amazing weekend and one of the many highlights was getting to meet Gary Snyder. Gary Snyder is a poet who literally changed my life, especially from his book, I believe maybe his first, “The Back Country”. I was into Buddhism and reading the Beats and this book just knocked me down. Ever since he has been a certain standard and guideline for how I live my life, that is, hopefully: full of integrity, open to adventure, adamant about the experience of solitude and nature… well what it boils down to is just… aware, open eyed, real.

So I got to accompany Laura Brown, a reporter for The Union in Grass Valley on an interview. He was fantastic, amiable, and favoritely for me, down to earth. He didn’t seem to want to talk about ethereal things so much as he wanted to discuss “The Real Work”, of forestry, wildlife corridors, millions of years of geology.

So for my life this was truly a wildest wish fulfilled, to have him make me a cup of coffee, and to be sitting across the table from me talking about the San Juan Ridge and the Yuba River.

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Last weekend I got to play at the big church room of St. Joseph’s. Black Bear, Casual Fog, Tahiti Pehrson (Night Court), were all amazing. The sound was great, it was fun.

Here for your amusement is a video of the first song of the set, shot by Eric Lee Dickerson (thanks man), Closure…

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On my way to working out a new song for my show at St. Joseph’s the other night, I stopped and recorded a little of the process. It may end up being called “Beware Sirens”

This song will change most likely and its just a teaser… I’d love to know if YOU think it is at all interesting…

Check it!

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This weekend oh, what was it really? Backwords in reverse, on a loop:

Into The Wild, fantastic movie, eating garden fresh stir fry with friends, riding a horse for the first time ever, show at St. Joes, Black Bear being super beautiful without commentary necessary, and of course the good feeling of the empty church room, must not forget that there was The Crazy Horse, friends, the Nevada City loneliness in the night, before then just decked out in pajamas more or less sifting through endless patterns of beats, sleep, the fantastic Howlin’ Rain, band that my favorite finger picker Joel was in by super surprise, on stage with Mariee Sioux while her audience enthralled loved, before that the Moore Brothers all perfect in harmony.

Yes and back some more and yes, whatever you might say, but I say, whatever it was, it was great.

Thanks Cody Coyote. Thanks Mariee.

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Man last night was great with Mariee shining, the Moore Bros. singing, and Howlin Rain ruling. Seriously it was a fantastic show in the heart of Grass Valley and everyone was having a good time.

And tonight the big weekend culminates with Tahiti Pehrson giving a rare performance, (he is an INCREDIBLE visual artist), Casual Fog being awesomeand Black Bear also being awesome.

It shall definitely be a fun, interesting night.

Hope to see you there.

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Mariee Sioux has a fantastic voice and a wonderful, natural songwriting ability. Her music flows like water, and her voice is soothing and honest, in fact gorgeous.

I won’t be playing many songs, and will be far from the highlight of the show, but you should go if you live in the Nevada City area, it will be a great show. Howlin’ Rain and The Moore Brothers also play. I haven’t heard Howlin Rain but The Moore Brothers are fantastic as well. Their harmonies are crisp and golden, and their lyrics are poetic and often staggering.

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Been catching up, and practicing for this set at Cooper’s tomorrow night. Its a busy week weekend month, and I have to find a way to cram all my practicing in… I need to practice this weekend for the show at St. Joseph’s next weekend at the same time, because of the other show on Friday night with Mariee Sioux. AND! What I mean by this is that its great!! I miss playing a lot.

Also, I have decided to write new material and so that is throwing new challenges in. It should all come together, and if it doesn’t, it might seem like it does.

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This track is old. I didn’t just record it. I wrote and recorded this sometime around 2000, it never made it to an album. I like the song, and I like what happened when I took a handheld tape recorder, recorded onto that while I recorded my vocals, and then played that back into a microphone for the dual vocal fuzzy effect.

Enjoy!

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Since my hard drive crashed I’ve been much more aware of preserving and saving and backing up the music that I’ve made. Sounds obvious but it’s easy to let it sit on a CD in the back of a book of CDs that you haven’t opened in five years.

So there’s this album, I made long ago, my third release as a solo musician, back in Santa Cruz, called “Still Dream”. I recorded it onto my four track, and then I had it mastered with a friend who was in the recording program. Funny thing happened though… when we were playing the four track back through the nice machines, the pitch was bumped accidentally up just a little tiny touch. And so everything I put into that album for my ears was ALL WRONG. Voice sounded squeaky and it just… wasn’t me. So now through the miracle of computery geekiness, I am taking that CD and slowing it back down to my real voice’s actual pitch. So its cool, it will be the album I have never got to hear. I’ll put some stuff up here soon!

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Last night in a little corner of the world, in the original wallpaper original everything National Hotel, on the end of Broad Street before it falls off the precipice into Hwy. 20, we sat around and finished off a night. In the bar were so many musicians it was ridiculous, and after we made our way back to my apartment, crossing pine st. bridge under the moon, played piano and guitar and dusted off the keys in the process.

Todays leaves crackly underfoot, and the woodsmoke and warmth mingle in slanted light. Central valley’s fertile air blows up around, while mountain lakes sit still swarming with trout.

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I’m putting up a rare early version of “Closure” here. The drums are more raw, the sound is less bass heavy, there are some miscues. But it is the song in its earlier birth. There are some things that this version has that I like that the album version doesn’t.

Let me know what YOU think!

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I have slept my sleep, catching up a little on three anxious weeks of being behind on it. And now I will walk through the damp forest for a while, thinking about what I am to decide tomorrow, about where to go from here.

Walking is the new clarity. I’ve been reading “Wanderlust” by Rebecca Solnit and it as reminded me of the effectiveness of a good wander on the mind.

Yesterday wandered from the Telegraph Hills of SF down to the maze of skyscrapers, up through China Town, through the Tenderloin as evening set in. I was contemplating my existence there. It would be nice to live there for a while.

And there is Portland, whom I know so well. Or think I know. Its piles of leaves by the urban east side gardens, Ladd’s Addition in the Rain, Pearl District revelry in the warehouse hours.

These things and more, shall I ponder.

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Here we have the video for track 1 off ‘Midnight Door’ – “Closure”.

A lot of the themes of the album come across in the video, those of motion, distance, wandering. Multiple personas and 80’s head shots are addressed as well. Subliminal messages. Birds flying in slow motion. Live footage is worked in, and all in all, it is a strong beginning to the video epic that is to be the entire album.

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A few live shows coming up, this one being awesome. St. Joseph’s in Grass Valley is a beautiful old Catholic school featuring a fantastic former church as the room for live music.

I’ll be playing there November 17th with Tahiti Pehrson, Casual Fog, and Black Bear.

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I-80 on the hill above Sacramento looks down on the city like it was grown of the distant earth. I wrote that line in the header of this post in a song a long time ago called “California” after returning here to its hearth land from a road trip and camping in the country, and feeling the mutant heathen pulsation of millions of cars streaming in and out of the hub of nowhere, ie. Sacramento. Which, when taken out of the metaphysical rant context is a really cool city, deep down inside. And that is where I go today. I will need ninja skills to mind my way through the dark side of the mall, where my computer will be repaired. And then I will rely heavily on psychic barriers to escape again. Then, the underworld of Mid-Town will rise around me, and I will rely on my wits to deceive the trickery of city lazedness.

Sacramento is the only city that has broken my heart, and though I am over it now, I still carry a certain spite for it.

Oh, and I really don’t like malls. Even when I am in the mood to be a consumer, and throw myself on the altar of nose hair trimmers and hair product and gucci suits, this feeling of utter dismay creeps over me long before I actually enter them. I feel as if it wouldn’t be suprising if for instances the mall itself would visually dissolve and reveal the entrance to you know where. Et cetera. For some dumb reason I could go on.

Things that are in the works:
I will have digital artwork to accompany “Midnight Door” up soon on the site.
Most importantly (for me at least) this shall include thank you’s and lyrics. And some other stuff.
The video for Closure will be up very soon, perhaps this Monday.
A couple more shows to add here, a total of 4 in November (and counting).

So thanks for continuing to check in and I apologize for flooding you with my untowards sentiments in regards to malls. Though I have a feeling you might know what I am talking about!

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my website manipulating device, or computer, is dead for the time being.

If you have a computer, and you haven’t been regularly backing the entire thing (including software) up, GET ON IT! Do it now!! Because if you don’t, you will be sad and cry.

So the video for Closure thankfully is on a hard drive, and will debut next week.

Thank you, take care,

Luke

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Too much good stuff and many good things of last night (Show at Cooper’s, downtown Nevada City). The air was chillier but full of howls from Casual Fog, the melodic and thrummed onslaught of Strangers Die Everyday, and the haunting and spot on poetics of Lisa Papineau.

Here we have (thanks for filming “Lee” Dickerson) one of the songs from the set, “Opulent Desires”. (This is a fairly large file at ~22mb)

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So, it turns out that the podcast only shoots out one track at a time, so for those of you subscribed to that thingy, I’m reposting the demo version of ‘Up Into The Blue’ here, since it didn’t make it to your magical downloads.

For those of you who are thinking, what exactly are you speaking of, I will repost here the commentary I made about the song below the track…:

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Here are a couple of versions of “Up Into The Blue” off of ‘Midnight Door’. The first is the album version, and the second is a rare demo cut.

Up Into The Blue is yet another song where the imagery of my Catholic upraising plays a prominent role… this idea of absolution for our wrongs in an almost whimsical way, of waiting for the holy parade pervades this song. In some sense I feel like this song is about my older brother. We were inseparable growing up, and the last verse of the song especially reflects my strong memories of being best friends, and perhaps the extend rumination at the end of the song is a meditation on the things that have changed since then… not in a bad way, just the pulse of life gets quicker, things get more confusing as you grow up. Obviously this is a fairly emotional song!

I like how the demo gives a version of the song that is a bit more whimsical and a quicker tempo. It is a very different perspective

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Here are a couple of versions of “Up Into The Blue” off of ‘Midnight Door’. The first is the album version, and the second is a rare demo cut.

Up Into The Blue is yet another song where the imagery of my Catholic upraising plays a prominent role… this idea of absolution for our wrongs in an almost whimsical way, of waiting for the holy parade pervades this song. In some sense I feel like this song is about my older brother. We were inseparable growing up, and the last verse of the song especially reflects my strong memories of being best friends, and perhaps the extend rumination at the end of the song is a meditation on the things that have changed since then… not in a bad way, just the pulse of life gets quicker, things get more confusing as you grow up. Obviously this is a fairly emotional song!

I like how the demo gives a version of the song that is a bit more whimsical and a quicker tempo. It is a very different perspective

Lyrics are below:

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Reservoirs of shooting stars
fall between your eyes
hundred mile shy smile
begging you to try
Thundercloud, tall and proud
petulant and snide,
Don’t know how, even now
to say goodbye.

Wait for the truth to come,
be enthralled.
Hold your head up
Don’t resist.

Everyone will be absolved!
Hold your hands out – get a piece of it!

Everywhere, in the air
only thing I saw
Last chance, happenstance,
drawing of the straws
Maybe wow, somehow
it’ll disappear
Don’t know how, even now,
to shed a tear.

Stay up all night –
hear the words…
Finally.

Everyone will be absolved!
Hold your hands out
take it quietly.

Forgot back then
played pretend
glimmer in your eyes.
Perfect light
clear and bright
brilliantly alive.
Everywhere you would be
I would be too
Perfect sky
learned to fly
up into the Blue.