Christmas Cleanup

More vacation catchup! Here's one for yesterday, today and tomorrow, since I'll be out. Enjoy!

Christmastime Is Over

(Morgan)

For clarification purposes, I am not this guy. My wife and kids are all sane and happy and not demanding, and we had a wonderful, thankful holiday season. However, I overheard a guy on the train who apparently didn't have the same point of view I did...this is what I Imagine his story might be.

My Dark Energy (SQ Quad mix)
Center Yourself (SQ Quad mix)

(Morgan)

And here's some surround sound stuff. These were cool to play with, hope you enjoy. More music comin'!

Al: All the time

Happy Boxing Day!

Happy boxing day! As I will be off tomorrow, I being you two today to enjoy at your leisure. We're back to the "regular" material...

(This World Is) Full Colour

(Sookman)

We Lenny Kravitz it up for the microphone here to good effect. For the extremely earnest lyrics about peace and universal brotherhood our tongues are, if not in our cheeks, somewhere in the back of our heads.

Al: Lead & backing vox, keys, acoustic guitar
Sook: Percussion, call & response vox
Dave: Drums, bass, guitar, keys

Rock and Roll Daze

(Wall)

An early Osmium tune wherein we deploy Elvis for our purposes, though in this particular instance my over-the-top vocal tics push the portrayal halfway to the Big Bopper. We were kinda trying to encompass a generic 50's rock and roll kind of thing, but the song came out sounding like us, as always. In retrospect, how could it be any other way?

Al: Vox, keys
John: Guitar
Dave: Drums, bass, keys
Al, Scott, Sook, Dave & John: opening bit

O Nata Lux

O Nata Lux

Merry Christmas, everyone. I am fortunate to be able to post a recent holiday performance of "O Nata Lux" as performed by the DuPage Unitarian Universalist Church Choir under the direction of Vickie Hellyer. I'm a tenor in the choir, and Vickie was very kind to provide this recording for your enjoyment. I have listed the names of my fellow choristers below (DUUCsters, please feel free to let me know if I've missed anyone, as I'm using a roster from several months back).

I can't think of a better way to celebrate Christmas day on 365, so please have a happy holiday season and may music of all kinds bring you joy in the year to come...


Performers: Jean Alberti, Jamie Berndt, Catherine Brennan, Bonnie Brewster, Holly Brownlie, Joan Brownlie, Tiffany Brownlie, Pat Carson, Cheryl Clayton, Chris Cooper, Joe Gano, Jane Handy, Vickie Hellyer, Mele Howland, Curt Johnson, Ken Kappel, Cynthia Katz, Tim Krauskopf, Nancy Jo Linsley, Toni Morgan, Allan Morgan, Nancy Murray, George Peck, Dean Reschke, Jon Siegel, Kelley Trombly-Freytag, Jack Wahlers, Maggie Wilson, Terry Wood

The Ballad of Big Red

The Ballad of Big Red

(Hewitt-Morgan-Sookman)

The Big Daddy of Pop Machine Christmas songs. You could say it's our "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (popularly known as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas")...or maybe our "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer". In any event, any resemblance between this song and C.W. McCall's "Convoy" is strictly non-actionable from a legal standpoint. Now, y'all get to bed before Santa's 18-wheeler hits your town, y'hear me good buddies?

Sook: Lead Vox, percussion
Al: Chorus Vox, percussion
Scott: Chorus Vox, percussion
Dave: Drums, bass, guitars

Ska-nta Claus (Final Version)

Ska-nta Claus

(Sookman-Morgan)

OK, you've heard the demo, here's what we can do when we spend some money (and set Dave loose). Vocally, I'm kinda going for a Mighty Mighty Bosstones thing, if you remember them. I personally love the little skit with the two Scotts in the bridge...always gets a chuckle.

Al: Lead Vox, chorus keys
Sook: Curious guy #1, Skanta Claus
Scott: Curious guy #2
Dave: Drums, bass, guitars, lead keyboards

Surfin Gorilla's Christmas STEREO

Surfin Gorilla's Christmas STEREO

(Sookman)

For you audiophiles out there (you know who you are), the unadulterated stereo mix of this Christmas Classic. (See 12/06/06 for further details.) More good stuff coming in our run up the Christmas day...

Al: Backing vox, Chimes
Sook: Lead & backing vox, percussion
Dave: Guitar, bass, drums, gorilla

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Hey, another non-snide entry! This is becoming dangerously like a habit...
This was recorded live in Tinley Park at the Adventist Church for my mother-in-law, so no surprise, it features a number of people from the family; my lovely wife supplies the alto part. And special thanks to her niece Stacia, a professional singer who supplied the lovely madrigal arrangement.

Al: Bass/Tenor
Toni Morgan: Alto
Stacia Piecuch: Soprano

Everywhere It's Christmas Eve

Everywhere It's Christmas Eve

(Morgan)

OK, the selection intended for tonight was too snide even for me, so we have a last-minute substitution.

We all have our journeys that we're on, be they geographical, spiritual, emotional, whatever. And I think we've all seen enough Rankin-Bass Christmas specials to know that this is when we should stop for a time and enjoy what we have with the people we love. (I know that massive consumer spending is another big message we hear out there, but I'll save that for another song.) Anyway, I hope that the journeys you are on provide you happiness, and that this season is a joyous onefor you, whatever form that takes.

Al: Vox & guitar

Nine Inch Noels

Nine Inch Noels

(Hewitt-Morgan-Sookman)

Lyrically, a take on "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails. This normally wouldn't strike one as a template for a Christmas song, but there's the Pop Machine experience for you. Musically, perhaps "garage industrial Prince" might be a fairly appropriate description until a remix happens or I can buy another $5000 worth of gear. Worth it for the title alone, I think.

Al: Vox, keys, drums
Scott: Guitars & guitar treatments
Sook: SFX

Christmas '96

Ska-nta Claus (Demo Version/Dub Mix) (Sookman-Morgan)
A Louie Zerr Christmas (Hewitt)
APB Santa(Hewitt-Morgan-Sookman)

And...we're back! We've got a bit of catching up to do since my internet access is back, so we'll double & triple up for a few days (mmm...song clumps!) That works out well for this passel of songs recorded at Scott Hewitt's place for the '96 Pop Machine Christmas release. First up is:

Ska-nta Claus: OK, it's been about 10 years now that we've kidding Mr. Sookman that his accent here sounds like Bela Lugosi, and I think he's pretty sick of it. Nonwithstanding that, his song instincts were true as always, and this one was later developed into one of our better offerings in Dave's studio. The demo here has it's own charm; the delay setting makes it sound more dub than ska, but I think it's a lotta fun.

Sook: Lead Vox, drums
Al: Keys, backing vox
Scott: Guitar, backing vox

A Louie Zerr Christmas: Scott Hewitt once saw a standup guy so pathetic that he had no punchlines...only complaints. (Hey, pal, the stage isn't a therapist's couch, no matter how successful Larry David may be.) A parody of him soon developed into a charater and made it into this song. Enjoy, and realize as some of us did that we all could be a lot worse off than we are...

Scott: Lead Vox, guitar, drums
Al: Keys

APB Santa: So who is this fat guy who practices breaking and entering every December 25? Here's a little audio verite from the viewpoint of our men in blue. In an interesting switch, I play guitar for the first time and Scott Hewitt is on Police Scanner.

Al: Police voice #1, guitar, bass keyb
Sook: Police voice #2
Scott: Police Scanner

Just A Note

For all (both) of you following this site, I've got internet problems and will post again with several songs when resolved. Thanks for your patience!

I Can't Get What I Want For Christmas

I Can't Get What I Want For Christmas

(Morgan-Sookman)

Using the demo for "Hey, Einstein!" (before the final version was even recorded, trivia fans), this spiffy little number was cooked up in my home studio, with Mr. Sookman supplying some great made-to-order lyrics for the occasion. Point of fact, people seem to like the sentiment behind this one...

Al: The Works

Won't Be Home For Christmas

Won't Be Home For Christmas

(Sookman)

Family can often seem like a parade of Jerry Springer Show refugees at the best of times, and holidays will often only make things worse. Mr. Sookman sketches a memorable cast of characters here; check to see how many of them are in your family.

Al: Backing vox, keys, drums
Sook: Lead vox
Scott: Guitars

Christmas Comes One Time A Year

Christmas Comes One Time A Year

(Morgan-Hewitt-Sookman)

From the tracking sessions that produced "1-900-KRISMAS". I'm not sure what Peabo Bryson has to do with anything, but it sounded right.

Al: Vox, Keys, Drums
Sook: Guitar
Scott: Guitar

1-900-KRISMAS

1-900-KRISMAS

(Morgan-Hewitt-Sookman)

Perhaps the rudest Christmas song we've been involved with, and it's mostly my fault. A chopped and channeled version of a jam session, this made the Christmas CD in '97 (which didn't make it out until '98, which is another story). Not for the kiddies.

Al: Vox, Keys, Drums
Sook: Guitar
Scott: Guitar

California Christmas (1999)

California Christmas (1999)

(Morgan-Sookman)

...and here's the revisited version. We've learned just enough to throw some "Pet Sounds"/"Smiley Smile"-era Beach Boys references in with the standard pre-'66 homages. Plus, hey, some actual harmonies. Next thing you know, we'll be writing rock operas and having reunions and/or farewell tours.

Al: Lead & backing vox, keys, drum programming
Sook: Lead & backing vox, percussion
Dave: Bass

California Christmas (1989)

California Christmas (1989)

(Morgan-Sookman)

The first Pop Machine track per se. We had just moved to California and decided to pick up where Mindflux left off...I'm still not sure where that was, exactly. Anyway, Sook and I met Dave through an ad in Music Connection and the rest is hysteria. We revisited this track ten years later with more sophisticated Beach Boys ripoff mannerisims (see tomorrow's entry), but the original still has a goofy charm...

Al: Lead & backing vox, keys
Sook: Lead & backing vox, percussion
Dave: Bass, backing vox

Santa Santa

Santa Santa

(Bowie, new lyrics Sookman)

David Bowie takes it up the chimney as we give you a little glam to go with your tinsel. This may be the only time we've thus far captured Sook's "Drunk Belligerent British Guy" character on tape/disc (and, no, he's not modeled on any one particular British rock star that I know of. I'd almost guess Ozzy or one of the Stones, but his diction is too clear).

Sook: Vox, rythym guitar
Scott: Guitarpeggios, rythym guitar
Al: Drum loop, bass keyboard

Santa's Rave

Santa's Rave

(Hewitt-Morgan-Sookman)

Where were you in '92? Pop Machine dives into sampling & electronic music in this ripoff...er, tribute to rave culture. Basically, it's an excuse for us to push buttons and be clever, which is why we got into music in the first place. In true democratic fashion, we (Al, Scott, Sook, Dave) all contributed vocal snippets and keyboard duties for this one..

Surfin Gorilla's Christmas

Surfin Gorilla's Christmas

(Sookman)

Sometimes when Scott Sookman starts talking about his latest idea he will begin channeling what I imagine to be a 60-ish leisure suit-wearing cigar-chomping old school record promoter named Morty. It's eerie. He was wearing this persona when selling the goods (i.e. this song) to the Pop Machine guys.
The idea revolves around a fictional 60's novelty record called "Surfin' Gorilla" which was recorded a few years back. Well, what would be more natural for a quickie follow-up than a Christmas record? Sook put together some new lyrics (personal fave: "Jimmy got a woody, and Suzy got the wax"), pressed the original backing track into service and Voila! Another track for the Pop Machine Christmas catalog.
Following the logic of the concept, we took another sterling Dave Waterbury production and mixed it into mono and then from there into crappy fake stereo. We then added scratchy record sound effects for a true 60's audio verite experience. You're welcome.

Al: Backing vox, Chimes
Sook: Lead & backing vox, percussion
Dave: Guitar, bass, drums, gorilla

Christmas Makes Me Ill

Christmas Makes Me Ill

(Morgan-Sookman)

Ah, our beloved Morrissey. So iconic and so utterly lampoonable. The instrumental part of this holiday tribute actually sounds more like the Pet Shop Boys doing a drunk demo than the Smiths, but you get the idea. From '90, this led off our second holiday release. For once, I can't exactly remember who played what, but I think we're all adding keyboards & commentary...

Al, Sook & Scott: the works

Happy Holidays, Suckers!

12 Days of Christmas? Hah! Here at 365 we'll give ya 20-plus.

The backstory: the mighty Pop Machine has been recording Christmas-related songs since the 80's and flogging them to an unsuspecting public. Call it a cry for help if you must, these seasonal efforts are often among the most successful and popular of our material. To start our countdown to December 25 I'll be rolling these out starting tonight and throwing a few new ones into the mix.

That said, the material will range in quality from pretty damn good to near misses to total misses. Of course, I want to keep you hooked for now and of course will lead off with one of the good 'uns. Without further ado, we present:

Funky Christmas Party With The Undead

(Hewitt-Morgan-Sookman)

Our Christmas effort for '91; you can tell we were at the forefront of the 70's nostalgia wave. I remember we were actively brainstorming to come up with the Christmas song idea for the year, and, during a lull in the action I started giggling. The other guys asked me what was so funny and I blurted out the title as a joke, thinking it would be too "out there" to fully realize. To their eternal credit the Scotts grabbed it and shaped it into the goofball masterpiece it is. We all had a fun time recording it, I can tell ya that...hope that feeling comes across. Another Dr. Demento airplay...

Al: Backing vox, Key Bass, Al Green impression
Sook: Lead & backing vox, "...have to find out"
Scott: Guitar & backing vox, wah-wah & "yo mama" jokes
Mike: Keys & backing vox, Yosemite Sam impression
Dave: Drums & backing vox, varispeed & bemused looks

1000 Miles Away (Demo)

1000 Miles Away

(Morgan-Wall)

The finished version was showcased here back on 9/1/2006, but I like the demo as well. As John and I had written the tune before I demoed it, it's pretty complete, and fairly close to the finished arrangement. There's more of a rough-hewn urgency to the vocal here which is kinda cool in a lo-fi way. Anyway, here ya go.

Al: Now 2000 miles away

Night Is Light

Night Is Light

(Wall-Sookman)

An early Osmium track, blatantly attempting to capture some of that Moody Blues magic. John makes with the 12-string to great effect, and I try to stay on pitch. Sook contributes the amazingly Graeme Edge-like poetry in the middle and Scott Hewitt adds his contribution in the form of the opening yawn, which could be described as self-commentary if you were waggishly inclined. Dave fills in the rest and makes it sound like we were hoping for, as usual.

Al: Vox, Keys
John: Guitars
Sook: Inner Rap
Scott: Yawn
Dave: Drums, Bass

Demolution

Demolution

(Morgan)

Obsessed as we have been at times with the gooniest musical ideas of the 60's, Sook and I thought it might be a good idea to write an honest-to-goodness rock opera under the guise of one of our many alter-egos The Electric Lime-Peel Expansion Module (or ELPEM for short).
Stay with me here. The work in question would star a groovy fun-loving hippie named Slipperhead, who would be shot into space by a group of Mafioso and encounter the Groovy Goddess, the Creatures Who Smell With Their Feet, and a myriad of other oddities.
So here's a Slipperhead piece. As all that exists at this point is an old treatment and some fragmentary demos (though there is a full several hundred page ELPEM book in existance. Really.), it's hard to say where (if it all) this piece would fit in the canonical work. But get stoned and dig it anyway.