R.G.Karokor
Years ago I just got tired of working around fellow band members' schedules, no-shows, tardiness, etc... so I decided, since I play all these instruments, I'll just do it myself... whenever, or not, I feel like it. Former bands: 20+ bands from about 1985 to 2001, but none ever gelled... and none are on MFT. UPDATE 2012: THE RED BLACK is now my main "band name"... ON "MFT". I was in a couple bands from 1988 to 1990 with Kenny Childers of Gentleman Caller, Stranded At The Drive-In, Velo Deluxe, Lola, The Mysteries of Life, The Prom, The Hung Stockings, and Kenny Childers fame, one band in 1997 or 1998 with multi-instrumentalist Pat Spurgeon (also known as The Phantom Drummer) of Antenna, Brando, Old Pike, The Staple Guns, Steve Kowalski's Army, Stranded At The Drive-In, The Phantom Drummer, and Rogue Wave fame. Pat's also the subject of the INCREDIBLE film, "D tour", that my best friend, Jim Granato, directed. I was also in a band in 1992 with Josh Bennett of The Spoon Furies, Brando, The Hung Stockings, and Josh Bennett fame. All of the bands I listed from those 3 gentlemen are on MFT... look 'em up... NOW! Main influences: The Pixies, The Beatles, John Lennon, Rush, Superchunk, Pink Floyd, Elvis Presley, The Turtles, A Flock of Seagulls, Bowie, The Police, Ned's Atomic Dustbin, Trans Am, Ravel, Big Country, Elliot Goldenthal, Jerry Goldsmith, Bernard Herrmann, The Rentals, John Cage, Tommy James & The Shondells, Wolf Mother, Buddy Holly, Sardina, The Edge, Vanilla Trainwreck, Sugar, Debussy, The Dave Clark Five, The Kinks, Peter Gabriel, Andres Segovia, Belly, Bach, Gary Numan, Chopin, Tangerine Dream, Eno, etc... It was in '96 while writing screenplays in Indy, that I started to use the name R.G.Karokor (Raymond Gordan Karokor) as a 'pen-name'. I began to also use it for my 'musician-name'. I moved to San Francisco in late '96, where I made some recordings of ambient/film-music & power-pop stuff under the same name (nothing ever released). I returned to Bloomington in late '98. I have been recording, almost continuously, since 2009.
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12 songs
Music for a film that never was. Pieces to be enjoyed with the eyes closed. Most pieces were composed from \'98-\'00, with exception of "Yellowjacket" (title stolen from a screenplay I wrote in \'97-\'98 in San Francisco), "Silverolla", "Gasoline Facelift" (title stolen from a screenplay I wrote in \'96 in Indianapolis), and "The Forcible"... those 4 composed in 2010. * Special thanks to Brent Hatfield for lettin\' me use his equipment.
10 songs
If you\'re a "Dizasterizer" fan, you may like these recordings. I\'ve included the original titles of the songs in parentheses. This is also the original song sequence. These are from the first recording sessions (5/09-7/09) for the album. The original working title for the album was "The Not Ready Yet Album 1". Some prefer the \'bassier\' tonality. The drums may sound better to some as well. The guitar tones are also different. The higher guitar melodies, on some songs, are a little different. The bass lines are pretty much the same, with the exception of some subtle variations. Enjoy - R.G.K.
10 songs
Recorded on a "TASCAM" DP-02FX/CD Portastudio... in my bedroom... on the bed... while my ex-girlfriend was sleeping. Project recorded from 5/09 to 9/09. Contains songs written from 1992 or 1993 to about 2000. I used a Fender Standard Strat equipped w/ a Duncan \'Full-Shred\' humbucker in the bridge-position (middle & neck pickups disconnected... BIG mistake), a Fender Geddy Lee Jazz bass. No amps, just amp-simulators built-in on the TASCAM. And a "Boss" DR-660 \'Dr. Rhythm\' drum-machine for percussion (no programmed patterns, or sequencing... NO MIDI... played everything manually along w/ a click-track on the recorder... did a lot of punching in & out). I first recorded snare, bass, toms... then, hi-hat, ride, crashes, china-boy, & splash. There are 4 guitar tracks, 2 bass tracks, and 4 drum tracks on all songs.