AmZen_eNEWS - Oct 2008
Official Newsletter of American Zen
America’s First Buddhist Rock BandOfficial Shaolin Records email newsletter
for exclusive artist: AMERICAN ZEN
from Richard Connor
producer for Shaolin Records0. -- Main Announcement about AMERICAN ZEN, America’s First Buddhist Rock Band --
American Zen Release 3rd Album
Completed the day before the Marshall’s locked us out of our home.
COYOTE: “It didn’t seem possible, but with a couple legal extensions and some inspired recording sessions--we finished the album. Get the album drum tracks recorded was my first priority. I’d been practicing the drums for two years, since Valentine’s Day 2006. I strived not to record one single song until I was a good drummer. My only exception was some songs on Buddha Zhen’s TAI CHI MAGIC album at the end of 2007.”
“Not knowing where I was moving to next I felt an urgency to record the drums to LEVEL 3 = I WANT YOU TO LOVE ME just to get them done before we moved. That was cool! My first album as a drummer. I dug it!”
“Then, getting guitars was my next priority because I play through a Marshall 50W amp and prefer to get my guitar sounds using the volume controls--no pedals or effects... So I need to be really loud. “
“Same with the bass tracks, I prefer to play them through amps when possible. But now that I was out of time, and I needed hours of recording time--when I wouldn’t bother family or neighbors. As my eviction deadline loomed in a matter of days I had to change my recording technique... I made a couple passes first with my amp as loud as possible and bass grinding loudly... but not all the tracks were usable. There were some technical problems and I needed to rerecord at least half the album. So I used my amp for recording, in a way I haven’t done since I was a recording engineer at Bonita Recording Studios: I won’t tell you all my tricks now, but I’ve got a few recording techniques that I’ve never seen anyone else use. I bypassed the speakers but went through my special D.I. box...and then into my ProTools recording system. The bass came out so cool...and I was able to record more hours of the day.”
“Now with all the songs finished on guitar, drums, and bass, I figured I could record the vocals and poetry somewhere else without a lot of trouble. Then we got a week more extension. I decided to track the vocals. I cut the entire album’s song vocals in one night from about midnight to 5:15am. The songs were recorded in the order they sit on the album. I cut all the background and lead vocals on each song then went to the next song. Not counting practice takes and mistakes, that was still the most singing I have ever done in one day. By the time I got to the second-to-the-last song, “Carol,” my voice was worn out. Those high notes at the end of the song had to pulled back because I could barely hit them. I started to quit but realized, ‘if this was a war, and life or death = finish or not finish... so I kept going. Surprisingly, my vocal on the last song, “In Dreams,” doesn’t sound burned out.”
“Over the next couple days I was like a race horse looking at the finish line. I recorded the percussion and came up with some cool concepts: On the song, “I Just Want To Be With You,” I sandwiched a cowbell in between two tambourines and then bungied it together and beat on it with a drumstick for that cool sound.”
“Ah, it was only days before the eviction. I was packing up stuff every day. By now, I had removed almost everything from the house except my desk, computer, instruments, and recording equipment. I was nervous to cut it close, knowing the landlord was aware of my music equipment and rumors had it that he was anxious to own as much of my stuff as he could get. So, sleeping on the floor in an empty house, I finished recording the album--or had I? THE POETRY!”
“I had been selecting poems but not working on them, planning the order, or even writing down the names of the poems. With most of my life in storage, I didn’t have access to a lot of my creative writing notebooks and files...so I went on a poetry search. I dug through my journal boxes, I sifted through my emails, and selected about 20 poems, all written in Tujunga. Most of these were all written to Lara and even the spiritual poems reminded me of her because she was a part of my life then. The poem, “Let’s Go To Church,” was written to my son. We spent many Sundays reading the webpages of the Shaolin Zen CyperTemple at
http://www.shaolinZEN.org
"So this poem was inspired by those discussions with my son and was written at that time.”“As many of you know, I’m still not making enough money to support the family and decided he’d my son would be better off in Georgia with his Grandparents who have a lot more money to spend on him than I do. He’s doing great and is still an A student. His violin playing is also improving in just the last couple months since he left..."
“My daughter is sharing our Montrose home with me and exwife Michelle is back in Utah.”
“Oh yeah. SO BUY MY ALBUMS! hee hee. Seriously. Buy all my books and buy my albums, then tell your friends...and maybe I’ll be able to support my daughter all by myself. I hope so, evictions are Hell.”
“Back to the poetry: I gathered it together and unlike the last album, LEVEL 2 = CHRIST KILLER, I recorded the poetry in my living room studio instead of the kitchen. I taped up the poetry on the walls, set up my microphone, got in the mood, and recorded all the poems in one night as my kids slept in their rooms. I was very pleased and realized I had almost completed the entire album with only one or two days left before...”
“As I packed up the last of my instruments, I was reminded of something that Lara had taught me, that the bass can be a song, all by intselt. She loved listening to me play the bass over the phone to her. I sang and played the acoustic guitar also, but the bass was our sexual instrument. She inspired me to... So, I was inspired and motivated to do something I had never done before, put bass underneath or behind my poetry.”
“This wasn’t blasting bass like on, “Hurts To Know,” this was romantic, sexy, loving, soothing, bass so I figured I could cut this in my secret way mentioned above. Uncomfortable with packing up my studio and bass without at least giving it a try--I plugged in my bass one more time. “
“I had no idea what I was going to play. There wasn’t a single melody in my head and no rehearsals whatsover. I was barely familiar with the poetry after recording it and just had a blind faith in my abilities to come up with something good. It worked. Some songs use a guitar pick and many use my fingers...especially the ones to Lara like, “1,000 Sorrows For A Love.” To my surprise, the poetry on the album has received more acclaim than the songs. People love this poetry more than ever.”
“It would appear I have stumbled upon a new skill and a new style of music for me, “BASS POETRY.” Some people call it “Beat Poetry” based upon the beatnicks reciting poetry over a light jazzy beat. Tell me what you think. Is this Beat Poetry? In Beat Poetry, the groove is first and then the poetry is on top. In my Bass Poetry, the poetry comes first and then the bass tries to tag it and follow it and enhance it. Similar but with such different intentions, I wonder if I have created a new musical style.“
“Sorry this is late. I’ve been without a computer the past month. After moving to Montrose, I put my iMac G5 into the shop to get those noisy fans replaced. Then there were some other issues, so I took it back and they replaced the Hard Drive and Logic board, so now I’ve got a new computer? I love Apple. This computer is at the end of its’ 3-year warranty, it was run daily in a very hot climate without air conditioning...so it held up fine. They even gave me a bonus upgrade to Leopard OSX...”
“Whew. I put together the album cover and have sold out of my first batch of records already. You can download the album now. If you want a CD, be patient, I’m running small batches and they’re selling as fast as I can make them.”
“Love you guys!"
CoyoteThe album is also available at iTunes:
iTunes AMERICAN ZEN albums
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewArtist?id=7403290iTunes AMERICAN ZEN Level 3 = I Want You to Love Me album
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=292907806&s=143441American Zen’s third album: LEVEL 3 = I WANT YOU TO LOVE ME
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1. -- CafePress.com AMERICAN ZEN PRODUCTS --
Wear Your Zen
Are you Zen enough?
Wear your Zen of American Zen at CafePress.com
http://www.cafepress.com/americanzen- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -2. - - BUDDHA KUNG FU ROCKS! - -
Kung Fu School of American Zen
We’re in the Buddha Kung Fu Student Manual!
Check out the chapters in the second half of the book about American Zen (after you buy the book).
There are pictures, stories, album release dates, and website links of stories going back to 1965.
Get your BUDDHA KUNG FU STUDENT MANUAL . The book would still be a great thing to have even if we weren’t in it. The Buddha Kung Fu Student Manual is an interactive internet book.
For more information:
http://www.BuddhaKungFu.com/books- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -3. -- FOLK ROCK PODCAST of SHAOLIN RECORDS --
Folk Rock Stars Coming
Finally, I’ve got my computer back. I’m setting up the studo for VIDEO recording also now.
Podcasts, archive, webblogs
http://folkrockpodcast.comThe CALIFORNIA FOLK ROCK WEBSITE:
http://www.CaliforniaFolkRock.comPodcasts available at iTunes:
Coyote Radio .net (American Zen Buddhist Rock Podcasts)
itpc://folkrockpodcast.com- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -4. -- SHAOLIN COMMUNICATIONS SPECIAL OFFERS --
DOMAIN NAMES for only $10.94
Thanks for giving us your business. Call us if you need anything, and “Welcome to Shaolin Communications.”
Need a domain name? Buy it from us.
Web Hosting? $50 year with lots of space, speed, and great service.
Our prices are the lowest on the internet:
$10 domain names
$4 month web hostingShare our lowered rates by purchasing your domains from Shaolin Communications.
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American Zen Buddhist Rock Podcast
Send in your tales of your actZEN.com experiences. We would like to hear them and share them.
American Zen Buddhist Rock Podcast:
http://www.CoyoteRadio.NETCoyote’s podcasts are licensed and broadcast by COYOTE RADIO.
http://www.CoyoteRadio.tv- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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The Coyote Poetry Podcast
We’re really anxious to wrap up the LEVEL 2 CHRIST KILLER poetry and move on to our new romantic poetry of LEVEL 3 = I Want You To Love Me.
The current podcasts also contain some basic tracks of American Zen’s new album. Check ‘em out:
Coyote Poetry Podcast:
http://www.coyotepoetry.comiTUNES Store Free Podcasts:
Coyote’s Poetry Headquarters:
http://www.coyotepoetry.comLEVEL 1 cd website POETRY:
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UTAH PHASE 1 Poetry Book Reading
"Thanks for supporting my poetry."
"All my life I’ve been a “closet poet.” My own friends said it was “faggey” or... to be a “poet.”"
"I had a lot of fun doing poetry readings in Utah. They were either Gothes or housewives. Maybe now I’ll reach a larger audience."
Love, Coyote
Coyote’s poetry headquarters:
http://www.shaolincom.com/American_Zen/poetryCOYOTE-S.htm- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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LEVEL 3 = I WANT YOU TO LOVE ME = Done
Get your album now! Fresh!
For more of the stories about this new album, and Coyote’s lovelife, visit their OFFICIAL BAND WEBSITE:
http://www.americanZEN.org/level_3A.htmlLEVEL 3 = I WANT YOU TO LOVE ME cd:
Shaolin RecordsOrder from cdBaby.com
http://www.cdbaby.com/americanzen3Order from amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Level-Want-You-Love-Me/dp/B001GNFQOK/ref=sr_1_3/177-0543956-1747203?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1225646811&sr=1-3- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -AmZen_eNEWS - July 2008
Official Newsletter of American Zen
America’s First Buddhist Rock BandOfficial Shaolin Records email newsletter
for exclusive artist: AMERICAN ZEN
from Richard Connor
producer for Shaolin Records0. -- Main Announcement about AMERICAN ZEN, America’s First Buddhist Rock Band --
Sid’s Place, Coyote’s First Novel
Written by Coyote in the seventies, a major book publisher, whose name starts with a “B,” assigned an editor to this book. “That editor helped shaped this book into a novel. I had a thousand pages of notes and stories for this book that I collected while hitchhiking in Canada and America in the late sixties and early seventies. He wanted me to focus on certain characters and eliminate many others. I took out a lot of the bomb and weaponmaking lessons, which I still feel good about, but there were a lot more drug deals and parties in the original book...”
Unfortunately, the book publisher took the book to their committee meeting and decided that the backlash from the Reagan Administration would be too severe, since SID'S PLACE is about a drug runner.
So we’ve shared the book with a few friends over the years until this month: with our eviction looming and the marshalls waiting to lock us out on July 26, I had to decide on what projects I could and should finish before I put my computer and recording studio in storage: Sid’s Place floated to the top of my list.
I thought it would only take a week, but it took...quite a few 12 hour workdays to reedit, typeset, and publish this book. I’m very proud of it. Since it is a multimedia book, we are considering it a Shaolin Records production being published by Shaolin Communications, which I always intended to be my book publishing and parent company since forming both enterprises in 1984.
Coyote’s first rock opera, UNDERGROUND, was based upon this book and performed in San Diego from 1974 to 1977. The rock opera, THE PAUPER, was performed from 1977 to 1979 when Coyote and fellow bandmates moved from San Diego to Venice Beach, California, renaming their band, THE RICH.
The history of Coyote is included in the book’s lengthy discography.
So get your copy of the book that should have made Coyote famous 25 years ago, SID’S PLACE.
http://www.shaolinCOM.com- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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Kung Fu School of American Zen
We’re in the BUDDHA KUNG FU STUDENT MANUAL!
Check out the chapters in the second half of the book about American Zen (after you buy the book).
There are pictures, stories, album release dates, and website links of stories going back to 1965.
Get your BUDDHA KUNG FU STUDENT MANUAL . The book would still be a great thing to have even if we weren’t in it. The Buddha Kung Fu Student Manual is an interactive internet book.
Next SEMESTER STARTS: September, 2008
For more information:
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Folk Rock Stars Coming
We’ve got 20 artists we are researching for our next Folk Rock Podcast.
Use this opportunity to go back and check out all of our previous Folk Rock Podcasts.
Podcasts, archive, webblogs
http://folkrockpodcast.comThe CALIFORNIA FOLK ROCK WEBSITE:
http://www.CaliforniaFolkRock.comPodcasts available at iTunes:
Coyote Radio .net (American Zen Buddhist Rock Podcasts)- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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American Zen Buddhist Rock Podcast
Send in your tales of your actZEN.com experiences. We would like to hear them and share them.
American Zen Buddhist Rock Podcast:
http://www.CoyoteRadio.netCoyote’s podcasts are licensed and broadcast by COYOTE RADIO.
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UTAH PHASE 1 Poetry Book Reading
We cleaned it up and resized some of the graphics. Since this is meant to be a representation of the LEVEL 1 and LEVEL 2 periods of American Zen, it’s gritty look will remain.
Expect more from future poetry books now that I’ve mastered Quark XPress.
Coyote’s poetry headquarters:
http://www.shaolincom.com/American_Zen/poetryCOYOTE-S.html- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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LEVEL 3 = I WANT YOU TO LOVE ME = Done
In a rush to complete the album, we finished the last vocals on July 20. They’re building seven townhouses next door to our home studio so all recording had to be done after midnight. Our neighbors have not complained as we blasted guitars, played percussion, and sang our hearts out.
With only a couple days left, and nowhere to go, I do not know when and where I will be able to complete this album’s mixing, mastering, and album cover. Things are very hectic here with my family boxing up our world and the gas turned off and no internet... If I make the album cover today, I’d probably use a picture of Coyote mooning one of his girlfriends--so I’m waiting for a better inspiration for the album cover.
We were going to put more flute on this album, but Coyote says, “This is my drumming album.” He’s proud of his drumming and says that the drums speak his heart more than the flute right now. You’ll understand when you get your copy. This album strains our “folk rock” image further as it makes you tap your feet and my kids dance around the house. We never considered making a dance album, but this comes close, if you like to dance to rock’n’roll.
Some of the basic tracks of the new songs can be found in the following podcasts:
AMERICAN ZEN BUDDHIST ROCK PODCAST:
http://www.CoyoteRadio.netTHE COYOTE POETRY PODCAST
http://coyotepoetry.comFor more of the stories about this new album, and Coyote’s lovelife, visit their OFFICIAL BAND WEBSITE:
http://www.americanZEN.org/level_3A.htmlLEVEL 3 = I WANT YOU TO LOVE ME cd:
Shaolin RecordsFor more of the stories about their PREVIOUS ALBUM, and Coyote’s religious life, visit their OFFICIAL BAND WEBSITE:
http://www.americanZEN.org/level_2A.html
AmZen_eNEWS - June 2008
Official Newsletter of American Zen
America’s First Buddhist Rock BandOfficial Shaolin Records email newsletter
for exclusive artist: AMERICAN ZEN
from Richard Connor
producer for Shaolin Records0. -- Main Announcement about AMERICAN ZEN, America’s First Buddhist Rock Band --
American Zen Recording 3rd Album at Shaolin Records
I am excited. It is coming out great. This is an album you can dance to!
Coyote’s gone back to his childhood and teen roots of boogie-woogie, 50s rock’n’roll, and 60s surf music to create an energetic album about love, life, and more love.
Some of the basic tracks of the new songs can be found in the following podcasts:
AMERICAN ZEN BUDDHIST ROCK PODCAST:
http://www.CoyoteRadio.netTHE COYOTE POETRY PODCAST
http://coyotepoetry.libsyn.comFor more of the stories about this new album, and Coyote’s lovelife, visit their OFFICIAL BAND WEBSITE:
http://www.americanZEN.org/level_3A.htmlLEVEL 3 = I WANT YOU TO LOVE ME cd:
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Folk Rock Star: JoAnna Lynne
Her resume emphasizes her pinball life with singing being the most consistent factor. With a slight country twang, joy of life, and sincere purpose, JoAnna is a folk rocker of Virginia Beach, Virginia.
With an infectious smile, her own label, Flutter Records, and a Gibson acoustic guitar, JoAnna wants to perform for the biggest audiences possible, as often as possible. An entertainer since childhood, then a Berklee music student, JoAnna is performing the East Coast as a singer-songwriter, and also with her band of two girls and a guy.
JoAnna is our newest folk rocker, featured in our 13th podcast of the Folk Rock Podcast of Shaolin Records.
Podcasts, archive, webblogs
http://folkrockpodcast.comThe CALIFORNIA FOLK ROCK WEBSITE:
http://www.CaliforniaFolkRock.comPodcasts available at iTunes:
Coyote Radio .net (American Zen Buddhist Rock Podcasts)- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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American Zen Buddhist Rock Podcast
Send in your tales of your actZEN.com experiences. We would like to hear them and share them.
American Zen Buddhist Rock Podcast:
http://www.CoyoteRadio.netCoyote’s podcasts are licensed and broadcast by COYOTE RADIO.
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CHRIST KILLER CD First Batch = Collector’s Item
The bright red CD cases were a special deal by our CD manufacturer. They said they had a few thousand left over, and nobody else would use them--so we got a good deal.
Shaoln Records cannot guarantee the next batch will have the same BRIGHT RED CD CASES.
The CDs can be purchased from AMAZON.com and CDbaby.com
IF, anyone wants a CD directly from Shaolin Records, this is one of our last links to do so:
http://www.shaolinCOM.com/Shaolin_Records/amzenSR-S.htmlI dropped off CDs of LEVEL 2 = CHRIST KILLER at the Amoeba Records in Hollywood, California.
Or, go to any local record store and ORDER THE CD.
Let me know if you have trouble.
I’ve signed a couple distribution deals so any record store should be able to get our Shaolin Records records.
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