i actually considered just buying a new monitor...

....but i have a very small space for a monitor on my desk. i want something in the 13-15 inch neighbourhood. the smallest i can find is 20 inches. very frustrating.

on the one hand, i'd rather get something used for environmental reasons. on the other hand, i realize it probably won't last very long. but, if i can't find a small enough monitor new, i'll have no choice but to get a used one.

why is this hard? i haven't had a job in a few years, but you wouldn't expect to walk into an office and see a row of 27 inch monitors. that would just be an absurd waste of space.

i'm a musician. i don't need a big monitor. i need a monitor, but it doesn't have to be big. and, conserving desk space is of far greater importance...

you'd thinks staples, right? no. maybe there's a business direct around here or something...

or i might have to go to detroit.

this lcd screen...

it's a power issue. but, i haven't given up on it yet - or at least not for now. i suppose i'll need to get a new monitor around christmas. sale days are soon, right?

i became convinced that i couldn't get it to power on because it had cooled down, so i cranked the heat in the studio up. this worked. but, the result is that the monitor had it's mind blown out, or something - it's become a fucking vegetable.

i get an immediate flush of white light, followed by a fade to grey and then a black pattern fading back in. it stops when the screen goes all black. and, it's repeatably demonstrable - so long as i don't let the monitor cool down too much. so, wtf?

i am confident the other components are functioning. it seems to be a regulation issue. and i don't know if it will resolve itself or not.

i know that, if it does, then i'll leave the monitor on, no matter how hot it gets.

what if it doesn't come back?

well, the only other monitor that i have is my tv, which should in theory receive a signal. the thing is that i'd need to set it up first, which means i need a monitor out. if it comes back, that will be a high priority. i cannot swap video cards because the studio pc does not have a legacy pci in. so, i will be unable to use that computer.

i spent some time this afternoon backing up my music drive via a sata-to-usb bridge, and now have everything i was working on accessible from the laptop. this should hold me for a few days, worst case. but, i cannot connect either laptop to my sound card (no firewire ports....) and resolving that would be more expensive than a new monitor.

there is only one possible path, and that is to connect the soundcard to the living room pc with the tv as the monitor, which probably means moving it into the recording room. this is the only other firewire connection that i have access to. but, the specs are arguably too weak.

it will be worth a try, at least. if it doesn't work, i'll just have to wait until i get a new monitor.

but, i'm still hoping that it comes back.

my monitor is out again...

i cycled it yesterday and it was fine, so i turned it off until i could go back in. it was hot and hissing. but, it's not coming back on. so, if i can get it back on, i'm never going to turn it off again....

i'm going to wait until the morning before i decide to move the tv back in or not. i guess i'm filing for the night, in the mean time.

*sigh*.

as always, that took longer than i wanted, but i am now done with the alter-reality for the week, caught up on the election reactions and ready to get back to work.

i'm just going to get something to eat and export a couple of vlogs. i should be back in the other room by sunset.

here's the new alter-reality post from last night:
http://therealinri.blogspot.ca/1996/11/the-eleventh-demo-and-young-persons.html

i'm going to spend the day cleaning up vlog stuff, watching the election & taking a shower. i'm then going to put the vlog on hold until i get finished 1.2. so, expect progress starting tomorrow.

i'm guessing the mysterious problem with the monitor is a capacitor, and a known issue.

it's working for now, so i think i'll just wait it out. but if it comes down to it, i'd rather fix than re-buy. that monitor is otherwise going to end up in a landfill...

that was a disappointing weekend, but i can't do anything but move forwards.

i think the short term solution for the smell down here is going to be to keep the door closed for the bathroom, along with the window open. i'm convinced that they've essentially got the furnace exhausting into the vent, and it's depositing shit into the bathroom. yeah. fucking idiots.

i would estimate a near zero probability of convincing them of this, but i think i should be able to force them to install a carbon monoxide detector, which i'm going to hope is also a natural gas detector. and i'll go from there.

for right now, my head is feeling better. but i have an appointment this afternoon, so i'm not going to get anything started today until i come back.

i've been up a few hours and i've got a few things (re)published. there's more shape, anyways.

1) hexonxonx in the timeline. july 15, 1998.
https://jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/hexonxonx

2) inri017. aug 5, 1998.
https://jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/the-harsh-truth-is-that-only-idiots-wish-for-happiness

3) the souls that create in the timeline. sept 1, 1998.
https://jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/the-souls-that-create

4) dirty magic in the timeline. oct 1, 1998.
https://jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/dirty-magic

5) inri018. dec 1, 1998.
https://jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/circus

6) inri019. jan 13, 1999.
https://jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/teenage-jesus

7) inri020. jan 15, 1999.
https://jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/boogeyman

8) inri021. jan 25, 1999.
https://jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/inriched

following inriched, there will be a sequence of compilations for the 1997-1999 period, which will close period 1.2.

9) inri022. jan 26, 1999.
https://jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/inrijected

10) inri023. jan 27, 1999.
https://jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/inrimixed

11) inri024. jan 28, 1999.
https://jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/inriclaimed

period 1.3 will begin with the too cold single, dated to feb 5, 1999. and, i am then officially over the hump and back to finalizing period 1.2 and periods 2.1-2.4.

12) i've also partially republished the covers disc, inrimake. inri031 (tentatively).
https://jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/inrimake

a long, unexpected detour. but i'm almost there.

and then my lcd monitor is randomly alive.

i don't know. i rant in the vlog. i'm just going to get back to work, if i can. i wasted a lot of the day and am going to need to sleep at some point.

the gas-driven headache also appears to be back. i can't mix with my head throbbing. i'm going to have until i get things back in order before i decide if i'm done for the night or not.

my lcd monitor is randomly dead.

so, i'm trying to hook my pc up to an old crt tv.

i was trying to be productive this weekend. fuck.

so, it took a few tries for me to wake up this morning. bad air? apparently. it's at least nice enough to have the windows open and the heat down....

so, how am i doing this?

i'm going to work in the order of the record and slowly spin off eps. there will be no write-ups or anything of the sort just quite yet - that will happen at the end of the process, when i sit down and close them one by one, just like last time.

this one isn't done yet, but likely will be within a few hours.

"there is the actual remastered lead track & an early version coming. i'm not sure yet if i want the early version from cd-r or from mp3. the mp3 may have better dynamics; i may have run the cd-r through a normalization process. immediate purchases will have to re-down in the near future.

i cannot reclaim this from tape, but i had sufficient source material for a reasonable reconstruction."

i'll have plenty to say about this when the time comes. but, for now, this is inri017 in an embryonic form.

well, it seems like i'm awake...

i'm in the dangerous circumstance of not being able to tell if the smell is from a gas leak or from the pollution outside. i'm keeping the windows closed despite the headache; i'm waiting until the weather comes up a little, so i can see if the smell dissipates with the pollution. if i get light-headed, i'll have to open them.

i'm going to get something to eat and then get mixing. today must be productive. and i think it will be.

i'm crashing a little earlier than i wanted to again. the air quality down here is bad. headaches. stomach aches. so, i have the windows open. but, it's not like it's a short day, really - i was up at 1:30 am.

i have a tentative mix for the lead single for the record done, but i'm going to sequence the entire record before i drop any singles. it just has to do with the rational way to remaster the tracks. the singles are going to be a little rough, eq wise - they all are. but, the record needs to flow properly. that's going to mean ensuring everything blends well.

i already have reconstructions for most of the tracks, so the task is primarily to build the segues. and i think this should actually be fairly quick.

so, the record will no doubt come up before the singles do, and then i'll have to go back and reconstruct. that's fine.

right now, i need at least a nap. it's pointless to try and mix tired.

so, i'm done all of the things, now.

i'm going to make myself a substantive meal and then get to some substantial work.

i want this week-end to be productive. i have nothing else planned until monday afternoon. what can i get done in that space?

i'm a tad behind, but it's not too bad.

there is a clear gas leak upstairs, so i'm stuck with the windows open and the fans on and the heat up until they fix it. they put a gas furnace in upstairs to save money. so, i'm hoping that wasting money pisses them off enough that they fix it. and, i don't have any empathy, either. moving from clean electricity to dirty natural gas was a step backwards, and i hope they do pay for it. in the mean time, this may have the effect of slowing me down due to temperature issues. i may need to turn the machine off. we'll have to see.

i got some alter-reality done yesterday:
http://therealinri.blogspot.ca/1996/11/halloween-drugs-pumpkins-hendrix-covers.html

wednesday was spent cleaning. tuesday was spent doing grocery shopping. i need to do a small number of things this morning, but should be back to work this afternoon. before the afternoon, even.

i'm hoping i can sequence inriched by monday. we'll see.

combining releases into sets

jessica
i'm just wondering if you'd be willing to consider the idea of packaging collections of downloads together?

so, let's say my discography has 20 releases and it's split into four phases that are conceptually linked. it may make sense for me to package these releases in 5 record subsets.

more specifically, i've added what are essentially dvd-length torrents as physical purchase items and i'd like to offer them as downloads without the redundancy.

example:
jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/flac-dvd-disc-volume-1

there's 15 releases on the dvd. could i package them all together as a download?

maybe another way to ask this is if you're considering allowing the attachment of multiple downloads.

bandcamp
Hey Jessica,

There isn't an official bundling option yet (though that's something we're definitely considering), but there is a fairly simple workaround.

Create a set of codes for each album (https://bandcamp.com/help/codes_how_to), and create a package for each album (as if there was a physical component to the sale, details here: http://bandcamp.com/merch_how_to).

Explain in the package info that anyone who purchases it will also receive codes for the other albums within a few days of purchasing. For anyone who purchases the bundle, just shoot them the respective album codes. It is a bit more work, but until we have an official option it will work a treat.

i'm too old for hallowe'en.

i was too old for hallowe'en when i was about 8. alter-reality post?

wait. was that the year we brought the news paper box to....no. that must have been grade 11.  or even....no. i did 'shrooms with greg in grade 12. grade 11.

i don't know what i did in grade 10 for hallowe'en. actually. wait. i do. yeah. that's right. lol...

at the top of the hill. but, it didn't work the first time. that's typical.

anyways.

i'm too old for hallowe'en.

i'm still going to have fun this weekend...

i feel like i made some progress this week. i'll be back at it monday or tuesday.

ok. so, i'm shutting the browser down and heading to the other room. i think i should get a rough idea of inri017 planned out by the night, at least.

i'm going to have to do a mild remix to balance it out. i remastered the second part of it for inriclamed, but it was already instrumental, and the source was corrupt. the first part didn't get touched at all - and iirc the source is incomplete. what that means is that i have the task of resplicing a few files that are basically already dealt with. but, i'm going to be thorough.

there is an off chance that i could even finish it this morning.

new alter-reality post:
http://therealinri.blogspot.ca/1996/10/demo-9-terrorists.html

how long do you think it will take for me to re-read animal farm, anyways? a day? two? i remember it being very short....

i also need to take note of this before i move to inri017. sort of. this is actually what i did between inri017 and inri018, but the track that i contributed to it was done in july. so, i'm going to post it now....

i'm not labeling or distributing this because it's not my release. but, the full track (not the edit, here) ends up released on a covers disc dated to the end of 1999.

this is the full track:



"so, i'm going through some old files and decided to put this up...

the backstory is connected to a covers compilation put together by cleopatra records called "hymns of the warlock", as well as a remix compilation put together by nettwerk records called "remix dystemper". this compilation was put together between the releases of those two compilations.

the easiest thing to say is simply that there were always two different types of skinny puppy fans, related to a now historical split in electronic music between those who preferred "ebm" (that is electronic booty/body music) and "idm" (intelligent dance music). ebm is only reasonably listened to in clubs because it's simplistic and repetitive; idm is the kind of thing you put on when you're doing homework or reading a book. the separation has been much maligned, but it is intuitively obvious that there are some types of electronic music that do not have much depth (and yet are fun to dance to) and some types of electronic music with dozens of layers to disentangle (and may be less danceable), so i see little point in getting silly about it. skinny puppy existed in a middle point; they always had the ability to attract both audiences because their music was both highly danceable and yet also in an art rock and political/punk rock tradition. this is not unique within electronic music, but it *is* rare. they're not considered to be the high point of electronic art music in the modern era for no reason.

throughout the 90s, skinny puppy fans connected with each other and discussed various topics over the epilogue internet mailing list. within this list, there was much derision directed at the cleopatra compilation due to it's over-representation of the ebm side of the band's sound. the more musically inclined members of the list claimed they could put together a better record, were challenged to do so and eventually did.

i was a fairly recent addition to the list and volunteered for distribution for the sole reason that i had the tools to do so (cd burners were still relatively rare in 1998). the cover art was put together by other members of the list and sent to me for reproduction.

while i would argue that the disc more accurately represents the experimental aspect of the band than either of the officially released compilations did, i listen to it now and wish i would have been more selective. the reality is that i didn't really have the standing necessary in the list (you have to have an understanding of 90s internet communications to get that, i guess) to act as a filter on material coming in. nor did i receive enough material to have the luxury of cutting tracks. there's some interesting remixes/reconstructions, but some of it is very blatantly the work of amateur musicians. i should also point out that i considered some of those amateur musicians to be my friends.

it's up here, as is, for listening ears. should either of the kevins express an opposition to this (i doubt that, but i am not able to tap into their consciousnesses from a distance), they own it and get to make the choices.

tracklisting:

1) the intonarumori project: rain (souless mix)
*2) dmt: blackout
3) animoid row: jahya (meld)
4) livesidog: smothered hope
5) pool-a: downlode
6) krewl: meat flavour
7) inri: hexonxonx (featuring ogrebot)
8) j deell: 200 years
9) triptamine: circustance (vitriol remix)
10) amputate: shore lined poison (deformed)
11) lunar caustic: worlock
12) dmso : anger (adrenergic brap)
13) jesus h. christ: assimilate (ambient mix)
14) lichaem: who's laughing now? (offended)
15) j deell: basement
*16) dj billpheus and oscar the grouch (with special guest vocals by the infinite hheathen): love

* - features bill van roy, later briefly of download"

this is something i did between inri demos. i needed a break from structured writing. just wanted to make some noise...

i suppose this is the biggest sample collage of them all, but it's best not to take it too seriously. the idea here eventually morphed into a project called "fuel true anarchy in the americas" (jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/ftaa), a play on the ftaa trade agreement, which itself got toned down in scope.

there's everything from science docs to hitler in here. it's meant to be a passive trip through real and imaginary time that is experienced with the aid of psychedelic drugs, rather than any kind of political statement. it's quite consciously absurd, often juxtaposing ironic statements with their contradictions.

the core of the ambience was produced by a program called sound raider. i then took the sound it created and shaped it by adding in vocal samples, looping certain parts, running things through effects, sequencing the noise into a more melodic shape, etc. it's consequently a sort of a collaboration between myself and the machine, rather than the work of the machine itself.

no sane person could really listen to this passively. you basically *need* drugs to get anything out of this at all.

...and i think i'm probably the only person that ever experienced it properly. hey, it's never too late...

created in the summer of 1998. released as a standalone ep on nov 16, 2013. audio permanently closed on oct 12, 2016. release finalized on oct 27, 2016. as always, please use headphones.

this track also appears on my third record:
jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/inridiculous

this release is compiled on inriℵ4:
jasonparent.bandcamp.com/merch/inri-box-set

this release also includes a printable jewel case insert and will also eventually include a comprehensive package of journal entries from all phases of production (1998, 2013, 2016).

credits

released July 1, 1998

j - sound raider, sampling, cool edit synthesis/sequencing, digital effects processing, digital wave editing, flute
gauntk9 - anti-social quip