The Psychedelic Mandala

[audio:krass.mp3]

Would psychedelia and zen (or whatever connotations these two may carry) go together in any way? – I wondered, I feared, I pondered.

Before starting this project, at times I really felt insecure, or was afraid to become too grandiose about the synthesis of two seemingly disparate matters intended here.

But then it occurred to me that at least within one person this very synthesis already existed – in me. If it’s possible for me to understand, it should be possible for others, too.

What I still found missing was a distinct sign on the material plane – a symbol. I tried to paint one (though it’s completely amateurish), simply coloring patterns from a book about Mandalas. So may I introduce to you –

The Psychedelic Mandala! (or a strange wheel of fortune)

Musically, I also dare to post a more edgy improvisation here (which is quite natural to me and fits the concept – but it’s not meditative!). I gave it the German name “krass”, meaning extreme or harsh or stark. There are a few passages where the vehicle seems to veer off the road, but soon gets back on track again.

Although these may be considered flaws, and although there’s a crackling noise whose origin is a mystery to me, I personally like this “krass”. But I had to overcome my tendency to put it aside and spare you…

Well, some might enjoy it anyway.

Guitar & gear: Gibson Les Paul Special, Vox AC 50, BSM Treble booster, Crackling Demon

bass solo

[audio:bass1.mp3]

A bass solo is what you usually realize has happened when it’s over, and the rest of the band joins in again. To be witnessed in Jazz caverns, or, on record, back in the hippie days: even the drummer and the bass player were allowed to solo, sometimes during the same song (overly democratic as these times used to be).

Most of the time a bass solo is so low (in both senses), many people only perceive the lowering of the overall volume…

But this little piece of music here is different, since there are no other instruments. So if you notice there’s music, you notice the bass solo.

bass & gear: Gibson EB3 bass, SWR SM 400 amplifier

Of course I wore my long hair wig when playing this!