November 09, 2005
cut down to the quick
Well, time sure does fly when you're trying to find a job, buy/sell apartments, and keep up with a plethora of different projects. What do you mean I can't just hit the bars every night and piss my money away?
Because, my financially challenged friend, you've entered into the realm of adulthood. It's time to bite the bullet. Make the money. Remember those Mortgages, bills, insurance, etc. ad tedium.
Well, since I've been busy prioritizing, the blogosphere has taken a back seat to my real life, which I must say has been a welcome change. I swear, I forgot that I even had one of these things at one point. So, for anyone who's been coming here and leaving empty handed for the last couple of months, I do apologise. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with this space. I'll have to wait until I've got things sorted out. I'll try and keep y'all posted as frequently as I can.
Last night, I checked my e-mails for the first time in a good while. My man Brian had sent me an e-mail, and informed me that his band, Dogs of Winter drops its debut ep today! I was totally blown away. They've been releasing some songs on their website every now and then, and now they have an album out, go figure. Tip o' the pint glass to the Dogs. Well done guys. Hard work does pay off.
I went ahead and pre-ordered my copy from Amazon. If you want to try before you buy, go and check out this little teaser. Brian's the one on vocals and guitar.
I gotta say, it sounds fantastic; precisely the kind of dirty music that grabs a jaded, self-referential music critic like myself by the jollies and doesn't let go. It's like the bald-headed step-child of QOTSA, Foo Fighters and Soundgarden with a little bit of Tom Waits' genetic material thrown in for good measure, and some poppy vocal harmonies in the choruses and lots of quirky little quitar tones. And while I wallow in run-on-sentence hell, by Jah, I do believe there's some old sea shanty influences in there as well. However, the myriad influences notwithstanding, the music still remains tight, and very unique.
If you're like me, and you're instantly sold on this band, go and get your copy of "Cut Down to the Quick". You can get it at CDBaby, or Amazon.
Now, I only have to figure out a way to get these guys to come to Finland.
Oh, and if you're reading this in New York, go and check out the album launch party at Arlene's Grocery tonight!
Posted by CaptJ at 02:32 PM Comments (31) | TrackBack (1537)
October 07, 2005
extra curricular
Yee Gads!
I got my suitably narcissistic portfolio/CV up into a sub folder. About damn time too.
At the moment, I've got three projects which I'm juggling simultaneously. In addition, I've promised to help the bro and his fiancé move house tomorrow. I've also got to put the finishing touches on my own relocation. Of course, it doesn't help that I stayed out in the bars till 2am last night.
Alas, I have to keep this brief. I can see deadlines fast approaching.
ℜapido!
Posted by CaptJ at 10:11 AM Comments (19) | TrackBack (567)
September 30, 2005
changes
Right. I've moved back to Finland, and am currently in the slow, but steady process of moving house. Hence, not much time to update anything. I will say that I'm about to revamp this site yet again, and add a CV and samples of my work. However, I'll have to first find the time to do it.
Stay tuned.
Posted by CaptJ at 01:13 PM Comments (3) | TrackBack (360)
September 05, 2005
captainjansson's chequebook melodrama
As I sat down, for what might be one of the last times, in my chair by the Ikea desk I bought about a year ago, I realized that it's the first time I've actually sat down today.
That's correct. The time has come to leave Britain once again. I think it really will be for good this time. I been here. I've done it. I've got the t-shirt and the original cast album and DVD. Time to cash in my chips and split.
Yeah, "cash in my chips" is a lot easier said than done, as it turns out. I had it all planned out. Every detail timed to the millisecond. The machine was oiled up and ready. The chick at the starting line was poised, the hankerchief was about to drop. My feet were tensing to do the clutch/gas two-step, and in a second I would tear away into the horizon, leaving nothing but a cloud of dust and a waft of melting Goodyears.
My plan for leaving the UK was flawless. Well, flawless except for one tiny flaw. The whole thing relied on a cheque coming through today, which I was assured would happen. Great, I thought.
"I love it when a plan comes together."
Silly boy. This morning I dragged my ass out of bed at 7am to go and check whether the bank had made good on its promise.
I wish I had the power of inducing a voluntary out-of-body-experience, because I will bet you pounds to panties that the expression on my face was one to cherish forever in the Captainjansson Disillusion and Disappointment Scrapbook of Life. It's funny how a few illuminated pixels, or lack thereof, can make a perfect plan crumple like a cheap suit. within seconds my matchstick house had been reduced to a flaming heap and it was time to break the seal on my contingency plan. There was a shipping company to pay off, a few bills to settle, and a host of other crap that was all reliant on that cheque coming through as promised.
Thanks to a little wheeling and dealing, and a generous helping hand from my dear mother, I got my stuff shipped off ok, but everything else is going to have to wait until I get home to Finland. I even tried to move my return flight to Wednesday in the hopes that one more day would give that damned cheque enough time to clear so I could tie up the loose ends. It was not to be. Or rather, it could have been, but not without cancelling tomorrow's ticket with no refund, and throwing another 120 pounds to the dogs in the hopes that the Goddess of Banking would somehow miraculously descend out of the sky and personally present me the cheque whilst massaging my stress-worn shoulders and pouring sweet ambrosia down my parched gullet. I knew better by now.
Cheques, man. I cannot believe what an outdated method of payment they are. This country needs to get with the times fast. We might as well start trading in clamshells, beads and the hides of little animals. At least then you'd know what you have, and when you have it. I swear, if I ever find myself living here again. I will not get a bank account. I will deal in cash only. I will stuff it in my matress and guard it with a baseball bat and a Leatherman. I will also make friends with guys with names like "Vinnie" and "Paulie", who are in the habit of dressing in oversized zoot suits and carrying suspiciously heavy violin cases.
One week to clear, and this is a cheque from the University to me, people. This is a "reliable" bank dealing with another. One week. Unacceptable. Earlier in the year, I had a cheque take all of ten days to clear. Due to reasons of "security". Doesn't that just make you feel great? Everytime you cash or write a cheque, your entire credit history goes through the sifter. It's good to know your bank has your back.
Why do you need so many security checks?, I once asked with innocent, puppy eyes shining brightly.
It's because cases of cheque fraud are pretty common.
That's your first clue to stop dealing in paper, my fair lady.
Regardless of how it all may sound, it all turned out relatively ok though. Thanks to a lengthy discussion with one of the ladies at the bank (one that didn't give me a "textbook" answer and then wave the "till closed" sign in my face), I will be able to sort everything out from Finland.
I should have seen it coming. It's the price you pay for living a day to day kind of life. I will say this: It will take a lot of convincing to shake my firm opinion that banking in this country is so ass-backward and convoluted that you couldn't physically carry one hundred pounds in twenty pound notes from one till to the next without filling out a form or two, in triplicate, in your own blood.
"Oh God, Fortune vomits on my eiderdown once more."
-Blackadder the Third
Posted by CaptJ at 03:35 PM Comments (6) | TrackBack (503)
July 28, 2005
whatcha gonna do, come back back again?
Yeah I decided to return to the blogosphere, after a few months off. At one point during my time away, I was thinking about taking Captainjansson offline but I reconsidered after realising that more people than I ever dreamed possible read this thing every day. So, hats off and a tip of the pint glass in your direction. Thanks for the love.
I've been busy working on a number of different interesting projects during the past few months. The image above is a comp I did for a sound design website I've been working on for the last week. In the end, the client wanted to go with a different image, but I really liked this one, so I decided not to let it go to waste, and publish it here as a desktop for those of you who are interested in that sort of thing. It was all done in Illustrator and Photoshop, if that kind of information floats your boat.
Desktops are here:
Enjoy!
Posted by CaptJ at 01:30 AM Comments (16) | TrackBack (446)
June 15, 2005
bastardo
Hell, with everything that's been going on, I totally forgot to tell y'all about this. Some of you already know, but "Bastardo", the sail boat I was hired to design the logo for, is currently docked in Helsinki, and she's wearing her new decals.
When I was in Finland last week, I happened to stumble upon her, and since some asshole thought it would be a good idea to steal my Combat Camera™, I only had my phone cam on me to take pics with.
Have a look:
*UPDATE -- My brother just sent me a higher resolution pic of the boat
Posted by CaptJ at 02:27 PM Comments (22) | TrackBack (55)
June 14, 2005
always was the lucky one
The new Foo Fighters double album is the tits. I recommend you all rush out acquire it by any means necessary.
I have to admit, I was a bit sceptical about the "not so loud" disc, but after listening to it for about four hours last night, I'm beginning to realize that it's almost better than the "loud" disc.
Well, not that you can really beat growling guitars and Dave Grohl's screaming vocals, but you get the idea...
Posted by CaptJ at 06:57 PM Comments (4) | TrackBack (453)