Steve Ball

Assault on the Consensus

From the Archive: Memorial Day Weekend, digging through some memories, and stumbled upon this in the 'songs that deserve to be heard' closet -- this one from the "Prometheus" CD, written in 1992, recorded in 1993, released in 1994. For me, this piece was the highlight of a seven year collaboration with Sanford Ponder. Assault on the Consensus (9.1M mp3).

Musicians: Sanford Ponder (guitars), Steve Ball (guitars, vocals), Nigel Gavin (bass), Pat Mastelotto (drums), Chris Rhyne (keyboards).

If you listen in headphones, you will experience for yourself why Sanford deserves the Oscar he won for Sound Design on FF Coppola's Dracula. And also, IMNSHO, why Pat Mastelotto so righteously deserved to join Sylvian Fripp and King Crimson just after this project was released.

assault on the consensus

we saw it coming, a white knife rising
our eyes connected, our senses widened
should have pulled out while the door was open
should have fixed the leak when it was broken

righteous selfish
throwback repeat
silent protest
blinded senseless

pink plastic bandage on an airbrush cancer
pour from the rubber tongue, elastic answer
dissected, disconnected, empty motion
the outside amplified, the inside frozen

mailbox empty
airtight reason
redneck backfire
cordless deathsquad

We saw it coming:

talkshow slavery
neon headstone
science conscience
sequence consequence

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Also in the works: acoustic versions of this and "Enough is Enough" for the Song Sketches CD.

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Last night: invitation to an "inspiration" party from TG at Trina's place which included a lively version TW's new song "Letters" and Brandon's 'ghost recordings' an old school in the U District (where the Seattle Guitar Circle once performed.) Inspiring conversation about the nature of ghosts followed. Note to self: need to get TW into the House Concert calendar for my upcoming June, July, or August house concerts. Second note to self: time to get a new Roadshow lineup off the ground. Some interesting ideas brewing given TM's unavailability for the remainder of 2005.

Later this evening: Bill Frisell at Jazz Alley with Regina and the usual suspects.

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Here Comes the Son

With Fernando Kabusacki: Here Comes the Son (5.5M mp3).

Tracks originally recorded in October of 2003 when Ferny was visiting Seattle on his way back to Buenos Aires from Japan. No editing here. This was direct, one take. Ferny on guitar, me on piano.

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Acoustic Ballistic Boxer

From the Archive: cleaning out the song closet with an old favorite from 1998 solo CD "Ballistic" which kicked-off a new phase of recorded solo work. Acoustic Ballistic Boxer (5.2M mp3).

I used to love playing this live. It was always sort of an analog mash-up, before there ever was such a thing in popular culture. This version was recorded and mixed with Steven Rhodes, mostly in Redwest C game studios. That's Steven on bass. Interesting to contrast this piece of history with my more recent work.

This acoustic version was recorded entirely after the Electric Guitar loop version was recorded (Track 7 on the Ballistic CD.)

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Bottom Rung

Late Evening Work: cleaning out the song closet with a re-mixed version of Bottom Rung (4.9M mp3).

I love these chords, melodies, and harmonies and I'm especially happy with the way the organs and bells dance under and around the 'scratch' single-take guitar part. The subtle chord voicings under the main melody make me v happy. For me, this is another song like 'Orphan' whose sing-songy melody presents a spicy heart-twisting contrast to the otherwise not-so-happy-ish lyrics.

bottom rung
song is sung
time is come
we are done
all that you said to me
letters you read to me
your words are dead to me
died on the vine
how can I comprehend
your lover, your ‘special friend’
was I misled or was that by design?
grass is long
leaves all brown
trees fell down
made no sound
I knew why you looked so nice
made such a sacrifice
walked out to roll your dice
when my cards were down
but why did you wait so long
sing my song, drag it on
freeze me out, lead me on
you knew I would drown
please him, tease him, in the end he'll be gone
leave me, grieve me, in the end you'll still have this song
bottom rung
song is sung
time is come
we are done

Orignally written and recorded on September 10, 2003 as a sort of a closure of a particular three-year relationship which was partially responsible for facilitating the songs "Knotwork" and "Time Stand Still." Revisiting this hyper-dramatic song today again as another sort of closure as I prepare for a new seven-year cycle that seems to be effortlessly unfolding at full steam.

Interesting to notice how yesterday's (alleged) disasters seem to set us up for today's successes.

Much like Death Cab's "For What Reason," in the end, yes, you'll still have this song, but in actuality, in this case, the songwriter actually is the one who really has the song, and it makes a nice closing addition to the Song Sketches CD.

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Speaking of seven-year cycles, DerekD somehow stumbled onto this and emailed me:

I orignally transcribed this vision into my way-pre-online diary while staying at Sanford Ponder's loft on 8th and Spring, downtown LA while we were working on writing and recording Prometheus. Interesting to look at this with some scrutiny twelve years later. In general, so, far, so good.

Much lining-up over this past few weeks and months that seems to be arising in service of this vision.

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Daytime: spent roughly twelve hours today moving my office and cleaning-out over 2500 emails from my inbox. A grand purge. My new office is now spankingly organized, just the way I need it to be to function w minimum distraction and maximum access to my throbbing network of tools, resources, memories, inspirations, and connections.

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