Original sketch by Saitarou

“Yoko Intro”
“Tuesday, September 9th”
“Deadway”
“Mimi and Chippu”
“Chippu and Mimi (Alternate Version)”
“Heaven”
“Only Ghosts”
“Yoko’s Song”

Here are some outtakes and experiments from my sessions recording Part 3. Notice the art that accompanies this entry also.  These are the original conceptual sketches for the album art.  These sketches, as well as the end result are the handiwork of Japanese artiste, Saitarou.  Click her name and check out her stuff.  She’s incredibly unique and gifted in what she does.

As to the music, here is a guide:

“Yoko Intro” A lot of stars aligned to get me to Japan.  My friend, Sean Deitrick, had just moved to Nagoya and had an extra room for me to stay in.  Also in Nagoya, they were kicking off the opening of a new airport built on a landfill island.  Because of this, I was able to get a round trip ticket for four hundred and forty-four dollars.  Lastly, through the magic of social networking, I had befriended Homako.  (She is a design wiz, by the way, so you should check out her stuff.)  I knew her better as Yoko back then, when she lived in Nagano.  Part 1 was a mix CD that I sent her in the mail when we first met.  (She sent me candy and a CD by The Books.)  Part 2 was another mix CD, which I hand delivered to her when I arrived at the Zenkouji Exit in Nagano.  Part 3, of course, was the all original recording I did of all the songs I wrote when I was over  there.  Long story short, “Yoko Intro” was the first (and only original) track on Part 1.

“Tuesday, September 9th” I was in Japan in April.  In May I went to Pennsylvania because my aunt was dying.  I brought my MC-909, a hand held tape recorder, and a bag of cassettes with me and began programming work for “Jim on the Plane.” I also worked on three other tracks on that trip.  One of them was this one.  The news broadcast samples were recorded from the radio on the morning of September 11th.  I call it “Tuesday, September 9th” because that first reporter states that Tuesday, September 9th, will go down in infamy.  Either he messed up, or the conspiracies run deeper than we thought.

“Deadway” This beat formed out of the “Train to Nagano” beat quite accidentally.  I was experimenting with different echo effects on the beat and then suddenly there was this thumping, crazy mess.  When Dirtnap Dave and I were putting together the earliest beginnings of our hip hop ensemble, Flashmob, I presented this track (with others) for possible use in the project.  Understandably, he poo-pooed it.  His roomate at the time, Kactus, says it sounds like sweaty gay club music.  I kind of hear it.

“Mimi and Chippu” This was another one that  I presented for Flashmob, but we did not use.  It’s the skeleton from “Chippu and Mimi” but with an assortment of additional sounds, obviously.  I completely did away with the old arrangement and melodies, in fact.

“Chippu and Mimi (Alternate Version)” This essentially is “Chippu and Mimi” but with different beat arrangements.  It almost made the final cut, but I decided on a last minute reworking after deciding that it sounded too disco-simple.  The final version is much less half-assed.  This one simply is what it is.

original sketch by Saitarou

“Heaven” I used to be really proud of this piano piece.  Unfortunately, I could never really find a home for it, outside of my own heart.  We played it live with Obadiah a few times, but no one in the band really gave a shit about it except me.  I held on to it as long as I could, but never wrote it down.  Now it is completely gone from my memory banks and will probably never be played anywhere ever again.  Sad.  This is the only non-Obadiah recorded version of it.  Though they are not present on this version, it did have lyrics.  They were:  “Heaven is in surround sound and the atmosphere is comprised of nitrous oxide.”

“Only Ghosts” I created this on my 909 during the sessions in Pennsylvania.  (See above.)  If you listen carefully, you can hear a sample from “Mr. Krinkle” by Primus in there.  I had no real intention for it in the beginning, but this beat has since been used for a small handful of stuff.  In regards to Part 3, I had first used it in “Bamse.” Since then, it has also been applied to my remix of “Disconap” by Senryu.  The beat was also used by hip hop trio, Per Capita.

“Yoko’s Song” Before there was a Part 3 (or a Part 1 or 2 for that matter), there was “Yoko’s Song.”  Homako and I had begun chatting in February.  After hearing some of my music, she suggested that I make a song with a heartbeat in it.  Then, on St. Valentines Day, I did just that.  The result is this.  I completed the whole thing in a day.  Written, mixed, mastered and delivered on February 14th.  It’s probably the schmaltziest thing I have ever written.

I just came across this video a few hours ago. Good to see it out there.

I believe American Panda and Star Mountain also played that gig. Caleb Wilson provided the visuals. This video can be found on mysweetjenna79’s YouTube Channel. The birthday girl was…

…having a birthday. I’m glad she spent it there.

“The Goal”

I want to make two things perfectly clear to you before you listen to this.

1) The piano is not in tune. If you know how to tune a piano and are willing to do so for free, then please contact me.

2) I am out of tune. But this is why…

This session was created on a whim. I felt a free flowing creative energy around me, so I set up microphones around the piano. Then I randomly made everything up. All that you here, both musically and lyrically, is completely from the moment. Noting that came out of my mouth or hands had been composed prior to the session itself. This is total improv.

So the singing sucks at times. The piano is mostly always tolerable though…and the singing did improve as the session barreled on. I must say, though, that if these “songs” were to become worked into a polished album, I think it could be decent. I don’t really have much complaint about the lyrics or chord progressions, themselves.

It is for this reason that I contemplated this session a lot before posting it here. First I intended to mix, master and post. Then I didn’t want to share it at all. Then I wanted to run it though an autotuner. Then I wanted to just recreate the whole thing, altogether (and still wouldn’t rule this out). Then I went back to just wanting to mix, master and post. Then I just decided to post it as is…grit in tact.

It did have some light mastering done to it…but that’s about it.

As for the content, there are a good handful of swears in this session. Nothing sexually over the top. Just good ol’ American cursing. It’s also rather personal since it’s all completely improvisational. You sing what you think you know…you know? Though listening back, I’m not entirely sure where all this shit comes from.

This also kicks off a new section here: Sessions.

More to come, I hope indeed. Email me if you’d like to be a part of one.

Arrison Kirby

“Going Away”
“Jim On the Plane”
“Train to Nagano”
“Zenkouji Exit”
“New Feeling”
“Bamse”
“Sad Bus”
“Tokyo”
“Nagano Return”
“Chippu and Mimi”
“Sad Divide”
“Goodbye Again”
“Anastasia at the Bar”
“I Will Wait”

Written, produced and performed by Arrison Kirby

Samuel Williams – banjo on “New Feeling”
Rhiannon Coulombe – bass on “Bamse”

Artwork by Saitarou

Recorded at El Studio, Knoxville, TN.

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Arrison Kirby and The Bubble Orchestra

“The Approaching Era”
“Take and Give”
“A Joyous Occasion”
“Washing My Hands”
“Dealers”
“Balance Upset”
“Na X 5″
“It’s You”
“The End”

Arranged and produced by Arrison Kirby

“The Approaching Era”
Colin Sanders – vocals
Rhiannon Coulombe – bass
Hamilton Ellis – bass
Rob Green – organ solo

“Take and Give”
Nathan Tipton – guitar
Ty Newton – guitar

“A Joyous Occasion”
The Illiest – vocals
Chris Nehrzak – bass

“Washing My Hands”
Rachel Matvy – violin
Aaron Shugart-Brown – guitar
Josh Russell – guitar
Nathan Brown – bass
Josh Lunsford – drums

“Dealers”
Brandon Biondo – guitar
Aaron Shugart-Brown – noise, words

“Balance Upset”
April Cooper – vocals
Nick Huinker – guitar
Derek Ashe – bass
Brandt Womack – bass
Josh Lunsford – drums

“Na X 5″
Emily Robinson – drums

“It’s You”
Jeff Maynard – guitar
Ty Newton – bass
words: Dustin Basalla, David Dalton, Steve Sutton, Melissa Fagan, Jeremy Law, Jeff Maynard, Lindsey Law, Robbie Koons, Ty Newton, Liz Stender

“The End”
Jeff Maynard – guitar

Recorded and constructed at El Studio, Knoxville, TN. and Manor Way Apartments, 144J, Louisville, TN.

Arrison Kirby

“If Only”
“Sound Army”
“What’s Coming to Me”
“All I’m Saying”
“Wind Up Monkey Parade”
“Knickers”
“None”
“Blipple”
“Just Say No”
“The Queen”
“Jesus”
“Love is Free”
[rise up]
“A Place in Space”

Written, produced and performed by Arrison Kirby

Jason Everette – guitar on “Wind Up Monkey Parade”
Josh Lunsford – electronics on “Knickers”
Nathan Moses – drums on “None”

Assembled at Manor Way Apartments, 144J, Louisville, TN.