The Tear Garden

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October 2009

Have a Nice Trip is now available through Subconscious and Terminal Kaleidoscope. It is part of the Beyond the Vault series and is being described as "A new album of material made over the past year at Subconscious and Edward Ka-spel's home studio. It features mixes by many collaborators including Collide, Humble Brothers, Frankie Pett, Raymond Steeg, and more. Produced by Edward Ka-Spel and cEvin Key."

April 2008

as posted on litany.net:
I am retracing some old steps with past host family members going back 30 years and 4 close friends of mine. Going to photo document / sample as much as possible (been thinking about this for years). I was actually busy saving money to move back to Japan once and for all in 1980 to take a job with Fuji Tv as a music correspondent when I fell into my musical career. I did return 15 years ago, and met Yukihiro Takahashi from YMO, one of my musical inspirations. But this time we will travel to the sacred 3 Buddahs of Japan in Nara, Kamakura, and the biggest in southern Chiba and to Mt Fuji.

Recently I was listening to some of the first recordings of the Pink Dots and it reminded me of how for several years I could have been the moderator of a LPD site I was SO into them. I had sent a few fan letters and I can easily recall why when I listen to these LPs: Brighter Now, Curse, The Tower.

It was amazing recently to have an experience where Edward wanted to come hang out in California and just chill and see what came up. I was surprised to see a few days where 2 or 3 songs ideas were being put down. I haven't seen that since the old days to be honest. We had a friend loan us some choice mics and I was amazed at Edwards voice, as usual again, years later, now sitting with him in the room. He really is a genius. We would make a song idea with the most primitive means we could to get that human old school feel. Have been working a lot with a monome 128 and max msp, so we have some different palettes. Edward has always has pen in hand, with notebook. I remember visiting Teotihuacan Mexico with him,and in the splendor of witnessing the pyramids Edward had pen to paper. It seems that within a few minutes he has a vision of what he wants and where the trip will take us. Often within a hour he would say "Ok I am ready to lay down the words." It's now when I listen back a week later with Ken Marshall that I hear that the lyrics again are from that mind, that brilliant person to whom I have been such a fan for so long. That was fun, but now I am hearing the words hit me instead of looking at the recording levels, and it hits me how fortunate we are to be celebrating our 22nd year being friends, but that the music has always kept us ticking!

The title is currently Have a Nice Trip, and it isn't finished mixing. We are wondering what to do to make this as special as possible for the final mixes. We will have this ready for pre-xmas on Subconscious.

Currently Ken, Otto and I have been finishing a Library "SCARED" with Scaremeister that has been our priority to finish first, but we have also been composing the new Skinny Puppy at the same time, and have a few nice ones so far for this that we are excited about as well. So busy!

This break going to Japan will be nice and provide the new inspiration for the second half of the recording/mixing year for Skinny Puppy and The Tear Garden and the SCARED library...and other surprises!!! - Cevin Key, April 8, 2008

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