Passion

Help our guitarist out of a jam?

2009-11-05T18:27:50Z

I know I posted one of these before for Cat and I. So I would never ask for help again like this for my self, but this is for our guitarist, and his family.

Basically we had the windshield on our rental van get cracked while the car was parked in New Orleans. The charges are over $600 to repair. Leaving Martin and his family completely broke and unable to pay their rent and bills this month. To make matters worse Martin has been out of work since this Summer, and is having a hell of a time finding a job right now.

We all took a big financial hit from this tour, but Martin and his family are feeling it the worse.

Thanks!

Tonight in San Francisco, and Thursday in Oakland!

2009-09-22T07:44:56Z

We will be featuring 6 members in the band this evening.

A Cursed Legacy - An Orchestral Tribute to the Castlevania Series

2009-09-20T01:12:13Z

Here is my newest volume in the Retro Gaming Retrospective series.

This seems to be the most anticipated volume so far judging from all the comments and messages I've received regarding it.

So without further adieu, I present "A Cursed Legacy - An Orchestral Tribute to the Castlevania Series".

Once again these were all midis I found in various places online (but mostly from The Castlevania Dungeon: www.castlevaniadungeon.net ) that I re-purposed into orchestral and acoustic versions.

The songs come from the following games in the series:

Castlevania #1 - 3
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest #4 - 9
Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse #10 - 17
Super Castlevania IV #18
Akumajō Dracula #19
Demon Castle Dracula X - Rondo of Blood #20 - 21
Castlevania: Bloodlines #22 - 25
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night #27 - 36

Please feel free to leave any creative criticism, I love perfecting my work through the feedback of others.

Cheers!
Josh

The Cries of the Planet - An Orchestral Tribute to the Music of Final Fantasy VII

2009-09-04T19:35:24Z

Hey all,

I just finished the Final Fantasy VII comp I posted about a few weeks ago.

I have been doing this series that some of you are already familiar with called "Retro Gaming Retrospective". What I've been doing is taking midi files of various old school gaming music and converting them into fully fleshed out orchestral arrangements. Some even include modern instrumentation as well. (I take no credit for the transcription of these midi's, I simply arranged them for my own needs).

The first volume was a tribute to the music of the 16-Bit Sonic the Hedgehog series (which i need to redo now that I have upgraded my studio). This one is my tribute to the music of Final Fantasy VII. And the 3rd will be a tribute to the classic Castlevania games (which should be completed in a few days).

I chose FFVII because it was the first game that really gave me an emotional reaction. I'll never forget that moment. It was then that I realized that Video Games were a medium that were going to explode, taking full advantage of adult themes and dramatic elements.

Most of the tracks I chose have never been recorded with an orchestra (with the exceptions of the Main Theme, and Aeris Theme). You may also notice the last few tracks are bonus pieces taken from the scores to FFVI and IX respectively. As well as the classic credits music "Final Fantasy".

I've gotten a few concerns because of the exclusion of "One Winged Angel", however in order for me to have done that song justice, I would have needed the full Latin choir (which I simply don't have access to).

Anyways, enough babbling from me. Feel free to d-load the collection here:
"Vernian Process - The Cries of the Planet"

I would love to hear any feedback you might have?

Thanks!

Club Resurrection tonight and setlist for last Shadow Society.

2009-08-30T19:54:09Z

Hey guys,

I'm DJing tonight in the back room of Cats for Resurrection. Come on down and have a drink with us, and listen to some good old school Deathrock and Post-Punk music.

Oh and here's our setlist for last week's Shadow Society, featuring a very special guest slot by DJ Rick Taylor from "We Fought the Big One" in Washington DC.

Rick:
Cluster - Für Die Katz
Worm is Green - Love Will Tear Us Apart
Stereolab - Tempter
Blonde Redhead - 23
Screen Vinyl Image - Slipping Away
Medio Mutante - Corre Corre
Lizzy Mercier - Hardboiled Babe Descloux
Ike Yard - NCR
Dark Day - Nudes in the Forest
Christof Glowalla - Erde 80
Broadcast - Hammer Without a Master
Abecedarians - They Said Tomorrow (Demo)
Julian Cope - Kelly Kibber's Birthday

FACT.50: And Also the Trees - A Room Lives in Lucy
Rick: Orbidoig - Nocturnal Operations
F: Skeletal Family - Far & Near
R: Il Ya Volkswagens - Kill My Self
F: Goblin - Suspiria (Daemonia Mix)
R: Jeff and Jane Hudson - Los Alamos

FACT.50:
Christopher Yopung - Drag Me to Hell (Theme)
The Damned - Absinthe
Bauhaus - Third Uncle
Terra Nova - Running Away
The Specials - Ghost Town
Sisters of Mercy - This Corrosion (I needed to step outside with Tomas for a few minutes lol)
The Cure - Burn

BAND: The Hollowed Din

Tomas: Killing Joke - Love Like Blood
FACT.50: The Cult - Spiritwalker
T: Red Lorry Yellow Lorry - Hollow Eyes
T:Cocteau Twins - Blood Bitch
T; Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill
F: Bat For Lashes - Daniel
T: Metric - Dead Disco
F: Vernian process - Queen of the Delta
T: Alien Sex Fiend - I Walk the Line (R)
T: Siouxsie - Monitor
F: Tones on Tail - Twist
T: Portishead - Antistar
F: White Lies - Death
T: ???? - You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen
F: Depeche Mode - Leave in Silence
T: Brian Eno - Baby's on Fire
F: New Order - Age of Consent
T: The Smiths - What Difference Does it Make?
F: Echo and the Bunnymen - Bring on the Dancing Horses
T: A Split Second - Mambo Witch
F: CCCP - American Soviets
T: Sisters of Mercy - Dominion/Mother Russia
T: Tears For Fears - Angry Planet
F: Chameleons - Tears
T: Tomas Dolby - One of Our Submarines is Missing
T: Depeche Mode - It's No Good (R)
F: Soft Cell - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye (R)
T: Wolfsheim - Touch
T: Yaz - Only You
F: Soft Cell - Insecure Me (R)
T: Gary Numan - Cars
F: And One - Krieger
T: NIN - ???? (can't read writing (R)
T: Skinny Puppy - ???? (no song written down)

hahaha hackers are silly

2009-08-08T21:50:51Z

So someone hacked my last.fm account, and tagged my music with...

"steamfag"... lol. I guess that's kind of creative. I also guess it's time for a password change =P

R.I.P.

2009-08-06T21:37:37Z

How sad... I love John Hughes, he is responsible for some of my fondest memories of childhood!

Shadow Society is tomorrow!

2009-06-24T19:26:59Z

After last months foray into the darker side of electronic styles, we will be focusing on the more Deathrock / Old School Goth/Darkwave genres at this months event. No bands either. So enjoy the dance floor all night long.

We will also be showing the following films for your visual entertainment:

Return of the Living Dead, The Beyond, & Near Dark.

Thank You to all of our wonderful friends!

2009-06-11T16:53:49Z

I have to say, going in, Cat and I weren't expecting much to come of our donation thing. But you all totally surprised us, and gave us a new sense of hope.

The donations we made are going to easily cover our expenses. Cats bills for for dental work are still going to be rough, but this will take a sizeable chunk out of them and for that we would both like to give our most heartfelt thanks to each and everyone of you that helped us out in what I have to say was probably the worst financial situation we've ever been in together.

And special thanks to all of you that reposted and encouraged complete strangers (to us) to help us out. You guys are the best!

XOXOX Josh, Cat, Ramses, Banshee, Kiki, and Lala LeeLoo.

THANK YOU! Now my mommy can keep giving me yummy food! - Ramses

Can't afford to pay rent. Please help if you can! Thank You!

2009-06-08T03:04:29Z

I would never normally ask this of my friends. But unfortunately, I've really got no options left.

Basically I can't afford to survive right now. I am unemployed, and I just had my car towed. We used the last of our funds to get the car back today. But now we are screwed because my girlfriend Cat also owes a couple grand to pay for her recent root canal. We were making due ok, but now with the tow fees, child support payments, rent, bills, and other unexpected expenses we are well and truly screwed.

So if you can afford it, and can find it in your heart to help friends in need, we have set up a chipin event. Anything helps from .50 cents to $50.

Thank you so much,

Josh, Cat, & the kitties (Ramses, Banshee, Kiki, and LeeLoo)

Sonic Symphony - Free downloadable album

2009-05-28T22:34:51Z

This is the first in a series of tributes I plan on doing through my music project Vernian Process. Future installments will include tributes to the work of Nobuo Uematsu, Koji Kondo, and more. But I decided for my first volume, I would pay tribute to one of my favorite games of all time. I am in my thirties and grew up playing all of the 16-bit Sonic titles as a kid. I later had the great pleasure to work for SEGA in the early 2000's and worked on 4 different Sonic titles in my time there. I've always loved the music in the 16-bit games, but after awhile I got sick of the low quality of the old Genesis sound card recordings. So I decided to redo all of the old tracks in my own style. I mainly started this project just for my own listening pleasure, but I quickly decided to share it with other Sonic fans. So without further adieu, I present to you...
Sonic Symphony

Special Thanks to: http://www.vgmusic.com for making these midi's available for me to work with. Also thanks to: Monster Iestyn, John Weeks, Sword-Bolt, King Meteor, and Zenkusa for transcribing the original midi tracks that I used in making this album.

Wooooot!

2009-05-18T07:15:23Z

Vince, Klive Humberstone (one half of In the Nursery!), and yours truly in Grace Cathedral.

I look like a kid in a candy store. It isn't everyday you get to meet your biggest influences, and have them pose for a picture with you!

Riddle me this!??

2009-05-06T19:38:44Z

Ok so check this shit out. There's this Contemporary Christian singer I used to like when I was a kid named "Carman". He made this video in the late 80's called "A Witch's Invitation" (please excuse the pretty misinformed view of "all" wicthes in this video).

So anyways, I was on a nostalgia kick and saw his MySpace profile.
http://www.myspace.com/carmanofficialsite

And I scrolled down to his "top friends".

WTF!!?? He has "My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult" in his top friends. How can this be? How can an incredibly Conservative Christian who made the above video, have a band that has always thrived off of their occult imagery and music on his top friends??!! LOL

My brain is melting...

and I am very fucking high at the moment as well.

This month at Shadow Society - Amethyst After Dark

2009-05-05T18:58:44Z

The theme this month is a tribute to the dark side of atmospheric electronica, and not just the typical stuff you hear at every other Goth club either.

If you guys haven't heard Nezzy Idy yet, go check out his profile, and web page. His music is completely bad ass, and dark, dark, dark!

Or you can just d-load this handy little compilation I uploaded for your listening pleasure: Amethyst After Dark - A Collection of Dark Trip-Hop / Darkwave and Electronica

Shadow Society is nigh!

2009-04-22T15:39:06Z

Featuring an ultra rare live performance by Alternative Tentacle's recording artists Burning Image!

Like last month, expect to here heavily themed tracks (dark circus this month) between 10 - 11. With my self (DJ.FACT.50), Tomas Diablo, and the debut of Deathrock DJ Hungry Zombie.

And in case you missed it before. Have a free compilation to get you in the right spirits for the event!

Oh and on the projector we will be showing (in this order), Tod Browning's "Freaks" (1932), "Vampire Circus" (1972), and "Killer Klowns From Outer Space" (1988).

In the Nursery in SF!!!!!

2009-04-17T08:09:52Z

If you live within 100 miles of San Francisco... DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW!

http://www.gracecathedral.org/calendar/overview/musicevents/detail/index.php?eid=1477

FINALLY!!! After waiting for the past 12 or so years (ever since Vince turned me on to them), my favorite group, and biggest influence on my own work is performing live in SF!

And what a way to make a debut! Grace Cathedral! Performing their original score for the silent film The Passion of Joan of Arc, while the film is projected in the Cathedral!

I can not wait!

Monday, May 11, 2009
8:00 pm

Just say "Yes" to the Pet Shop Boys!

2009-04-07T23:31:38Z

The new Pet Shop Boys album is fantastic!

Tomorrow night!!! Voltaire w/ Vernian Process

2009-04-06T17:53:40Z

April 23rd - Cirque de la Mort - A Deathrock Circus at Shadow Society

2009-04-03T04:51:41Z

dj_fact50 @ 2009-03-31T21:33:00

2009-04-01T04:34:58Z

http://www.myspace.com/gildedagerecords
http://www.gildedagerecords.com

Gilded Age Records is a collective of artists who share a 19th Century aesthetic in either their musical style or thematic influences. We feature a wide range of musical styles from traditional Tin-Pan Alley to Industrial-Metal, and a little bit of everything in between.

I'm still working on details and the overall layout of the main site (I have some really grand ideas that I'm working out), but I'm happy enough with it to make it public finally.

Cheers!
Josh

Shadow Society this Thursday - A Vaudevillian Faerytale

2009-03-23T19:49:36Z

Unwoman and Onkel Woland will be performing a fantastic combination of live skits and music. Something quite unique, you don't want to miss it!

Visuals will be provided by our friend Van. He will be decorating the venue to look like something out of the darkest recesses of the Brothers Grimm's imaginations. We will also be projecting the weirdest most surreal fantasy shorts, and films including the works of Jan Švankmajer, The Brothers Quay, Terry Gilliam, Tim Burton, and many others.

New free compilation for my friends

2009-03-19T06:30:12Z

DJ.FACT.50's 2009 Electro-Dance Mix

I put this set together today. It's all "good" contemporary electronic dance music. Most of this stuff has a very cheesy (in a good way) underground 80's electro vibe to it. Enjoy!

A little something for the Elfman fans out there.

2009-03-03T18:16:15Z

Danny Elfman - Little Demons

In 1997 Danny Elfman recorded a series of demos for a film he was pitching about three (evil) adopted children who make the children in the "The Bad Seed," and "The Good Son" look like angels. From what I've been able to gather the children are initially used to lure other children to their deaths at the hands of a demented circus performer (Come Along). And eventually murder most of their adopted family (The Cat is Dead).

The music is very similar to the score of The Nightmare Before Christmas (but that's to be expected given Elfman's fondness for that sound).

Until now the only copies of these demos floating around online have been very poor quality recordings. So I present to you the newly remastered mixes of these demos.

Their is still a bit more static in the background than I'd like, but I've compressed and EQ'd each track for the best quality I could muster from them.

Enjoy!

Josh

Happy Anniversary! Free E.P. in Remembrance of Jules Gabriel Verne!

2009-02-09T06:15:21Z

We were planning on releasing the full length version of Behold the Machine today. But Martin and I decided that we should push the official release date back a few weeks so that we can finish the rest of the planned songs and polish the album in general.

So here is a free E.P., with fully mastered tracks. Most of these tracks will have vocal recordingings, and we still have at least five more to finish before we are ready to share them.

Please let us know what you think?

Vernian Process - Behold the Machine (Vernivarsary Edition EP)

After 6 years, I'm spinning again tonight at House of Voodoo

2009-01-30T20:07:09Z

So Mike Voodoo was the first promoter to give me a shot DJing, I will forever be thankful to him for that. I spun with Mike, Perki, and Phylean at House of Vooddoo for about two years around 2001.

We didn't exactly part ways on the best of terms, but we settled our differences, and I have been asked to come spin tonight at The Cat Club.

So if any of you miss hearing me spin lots and lots of Deathrock, tonight will be your chance (at least until Shadow Society, because Deathrock will factor heavily into the sets there as well). I don't think i need to bother posting the address as you all know damn well how to get to the Cat Club lol.