7/31/08
What's up, fellas? Tomorrow I am going to Grand Rapids to play a make-up show for the bummer cancellation back in April. I'm really happy to be sharing this show with The Spectacles, who are good friends from Chicago, and Paleo, whom I have never met but whose music I have enjoyed listening to in my home. The show is also going to be a fundraiser for a new soundsystem for the DAAC. The DAAC has faced some legal troubles in the recent past, and its staff of purehearted volunteers have worked really hard to get the DAAC up to code and totally leigitimate, and that hasn't left much time, energy, or money for things like new mics, cables, and other equipment necessary to put on really great all ages shows. So, to support the cause, none of the bands are taking any money for this show. Come help out the DAAC!
I am also really excited to announce my September European tour. I'm going to a bunch of places I've never been before, including Russia, Finland, and Norway. I'm doing this tour totally solo, which means lots of trains, planes, and gawking at strangers who speak different languages than me. What should I see? What should I eat? What should I avoid touching? If anyone has any Russia or Scaninavian travel advice, I could sure use the help. My email address is casiotonetechsupport@gmail.com.
The September tour will mark the release of the CD edition of the Town Topic EP, which will collect newly mastered tracks from my two most recent 7" releases: The Town Topic EP on OIB Records, and the STSNC INSTRUMENTALS EP on PIAPTK Records. As of now, both 7"s are still available from their respective labels as well as THIS WEBSITE. Tomlab will just be handling the CD version. I think the official release date is September 23. There will also be digital downloads available from wherever you've been getting your CFTPA digital downloads already. Here's the poster for the new release, which will also be serving as my tour poster for all fall dates:
The photo is a still from the Laurel Nakadate film, STAY THE SAME NEVER CHANGE, for which all of the music on the Town Topic EP was recorded. I think Laurel will be releasing a fancy DVD edition pretty soon.
In October and November, I will be playing a whole mess of Midwest and East Coast US tour dates in support of the Town Topic EP. A new album will follow in early 2009, and I'll be touring like a crazy person after that thing comes out. So, if I'm not going to your city in the next few months, chances are I'll be there early next year.
As always, all tour dates can be found on the SHOWS page.
Thanks for reading!
Owen
5/14/08
Hello friends,
Next week, I am starting a tour of the Western States with my buddies in Foot Foot. And, despite Foot Foot's threats of non-stop Harry Potter books on tape in the minivan, I anticipate a pretty good time. I haven't been to a lot of those places for a long while, and I just hope that the good peoeple of Denver haven't gotten all sour due to my neglect. Anyway, there are a mess of dates over on the shows page right now, and I'm expecting to have a few more dates for you in the coming days.
So, after some bummer pressing plant delays (that I can assure you were in no way the fault of the good people at OIB Records), I will finally have the U.S. pressing of the TOWN TOPIC 7" available on the Western States tour. Unlike the blue vinyl UK tour copies, the US tour copies will be on clear vinyl. Clear like those beautiful Pacific waters. As if blue wasn't oceany enough.
Special for the Western States tour, I will also have a brand new 7" called STSNC INSTRUMENTALS that is sort of the sequel to the TOWN TOPIC EP. TOWN TOPIC EP + STSNC INSTRUMENTALS = all of the music that was recorded specifically for the Laurel Nakadate film, STAY THE SAME NEVER CHANGE. STSNC INSTRUMENTALS collects all of the short instrumental tracks that were used throughout the film, plus a few that didn't make the final cut, including some bonus ringtones for some of the characters' cell phones. Ringtones on a 7". Does your phonograph have a Bluetooth hook-up? Here is the track listing:
1. Twinkle Echo (reverse) 0:36
2. Nashville Parthenon (instrumental) 1:40
3. STSNC 1:02
4. Twinkle Echo (redux) 0:54
5. I like Common 1:17
6. Possible Love Interest (ringtone) 0:32
7. Bad People (ringtone) 0:27
8. OMG (ringtone) 0:30
9. Probably Walkin Down The Street (ringtone) 0:35
10. Ice Cream Truck (instrumental) 1:21
STSNC INSTRUMENTALS is being released by People In A Position To Know, INC in Olympia, WA, who also released that CFTPA/Concern collaboration single back in January. STSNC INSTRUMENTALS will be limited to 300 copies, and is being pressed onto random surprise colored vinyl. I don't even know what the records will look like until they come back from the pressing plant, but I can tell you that the cover will look like this:
I drew that.
After this tour that's about to happen, I'll be taking most of the summer off to finally get this new album finished. It probably won't be out until after the new year, but I promise there will be some other interesting things coming out between now and then.
Oh and Europe it looks like I'll be seeing you in September.
2/29/08
The UK tour starts Wednesday and I'm pretty excited, dudes. Jenny Herbinson will be joining me for the tour, and we'll be making our UK debut as a DUO. What else. OIB Records in Brighton, England will be releasing a 7" EP especially for the UK tour. The EP will feature four previous unreleased tracks recorded for the Laurel Nakadate film STAY THE SAME NEVER CHANGE. You can watch the movie's trailer HERE, by the way.
Here is the tracklisting:
1. Ice Cream Truck
2. Town Topic (instrumental)
3. I Love Creedence (instrumental)
4. Green Cotton Sweater (version)
"Ice Cream Truck" is streaming now OVER HERE, where you can also see a sneak peak of Laurel Nakadate's cover photography.
The Town Topic EP is a VINYL ONLY RELEASE and won't be available in shops until after the tour. An extremely limited tour edition of the 7" will be pressed on light blue vinyl.
I will also have limited quantities of the Casiotone/Donkeys split 7", the David Horvitz picture disc 7", the Casiotone/Concern square 8 3/4" available on this tour. Also, Shea'la Finch of Tiny Showcase designed some super fancy and very limited tote bags especially for the tour so you'll have something to carry your new records home in. That is if you feel like buying some new records. No pressure.
OH! And a second London show was just added. Full tour dates HERE.
ALSO!!! I will be touring the right-hand portion of the United States in April with my friends from Australia, Clue To Kalo. A tour of the left-hand portion of the United States will follow in May and June with California's own Foot Foot. I should have copies of all of the new vinyl releases for sale on those tours, too.
HERE ARE YOUR TOUR DATES, AMERICA.
1/17/08
I am proud to announce two tours a long time in the making: a February FLORIDA ONLY tour with Dear Nora & an epic March UK/Ireland tour. The dates are up now on the SHOWS page. It looks like I'm probably going to do some kind of special limited edition 7" for the UK tour, but I haven't exactly recorded it yet. It is happening, though! Watch this space for updates.
In other news!!!
STAY THE SAME NEVER CHANGE, the first feature film by Laurel Nakadate, will premiere in Kansas City, MO on February 1. In case you missed the news, all of the music in this movie is by me, Owen Ashworth, the dude from Casiotone for the Painfully Alone. Laurel & I will be presenting the film and leading a gallery discussion at Grand Arts in Kansas City on February 2. You are invited! You can download the press release HERE.
p.s. If you live in Florida and you want to help advertise one of the upcoming shows (no pressure I'm not trying to make this a thing), you can download the FLORIDA ONLY tour poster RIGHT HERE & then go hang it up at the juice bar or something. Only if you feel like it.
12/26/07
An exclusive four-track home recording of "New Year's Kiss" is now available as a free MP3 download on the A/V page. Happy New Year!!!
12/17/07
In January 2008, People In A Position To Know Recordings, Inc. will release a Casiotone for the Painfully Alone and Concern collaborative Bruce Springsteen tribute single. This vinyl only release is a two song, square, one-sided 8 3/8" vinyl single in a full color 9" sleeve. 500 copies are being pressed on brown marble vinyl, and 500 copies are being pressed on tan/black marble vinyl.
Here is the record's tracklisting:
1. Born In The U.S.A.
2. Streets of Philadelphia
This release was previously advertised as being part of PIAPTK's Limited Edition Vinyl Subscription Series. That subscription series is I guess no longer happening, so you can probably just buy it the regular ways you buy records, or by ordering directly from PIAPTK.
Concern (i.e. my brother Gordon) and I will be embarking on a short Pacific Northwest tour to celebrate the release of our collaboration. Here are the tour dates:
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone & Concern
January 2008 Pacific Northwest Tour
1/09/08- Portland, OR- Artistery
1/10/08- Anacortes, WA- Department of Safety
1/11/08- Seattle, WA- Vera Project
1/12/08- Olympia, WA- Black Front Gallery
all shows are all ages.
Also in January, Aagoo Records will be releasing the Casiotone for the Painfully Alone picture disc 7" in an edition of 500. As previously reported, the tracklisting is as follows:
1. Old Panda Days {vocals by Nick Krgovich}
2. Lesley Gore on the TAMI Show (version) {vocals by Jenny Herbinson}
Both of these releases will be for sale at the merch table on the January tour. In the meantime, you can preview tracks from both of these releases right now at www.myspace.com/cftpa.
Thanks for reading!!!
Owen
11/27/07
ATTENTION NEW ZEALAND
I recently remixed a track for my friend Dudley Benson in Auckland, NZ. The remix is for a song called "I Don't Mind" and it's only available on a limited edition 12" on Dudley's own Golden Retriever label. There were only 300 copies pressed, so if you want one, you'd better be quick about it. New Zealand and international orders can be negotiated at the following website:
www.dudleybenson.com
11/15/07
10 YR ANNIVERSARY SHOW
On December 5, I will return to San Francisco for a special concert to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the very first Casiotone for the Painfully Alone live performance. It's going to be an all ages show at The Bottom of the Hill with The Papercuts & DJ Matt Bonar. This show will also be the record release party for a new Casiotone for the Painfully Alone picture disc 7" from Aagoo Records. This vinyl only release will feature two exclusive tracks with guest vocals by two of my favorite singers and photography by David Horvitz.. Here is the track listing:
1. "Old Panda Days" is sung by Nick Krgovich
2. "Lesley Gore on the TAMI Show (version)" is sung by Jenny Herbinson
This release won't be available in shops or through mail order until early 2008, and I will only have a limited number available at the show. Only one copy per customer will be sold, so come down early and pick up your copy!
EXCLUSIVE CHRISTMAS JAM ON TOYS FOR TOTS BENEFIT COMPILATION
Hard To Find A Friend (the music blog) asked me to record a Christmas song for a download-only benefit compilation album called PEACE ON EARTH. Anyone who knows me knows that I love toys AND tots, so I said "Hell yes." I recorded an instrumental version of one of my favorite holiday tunes, "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and now you can buy it along with 17 other mega-jams right over here at THIS WEBSITE for only $7.
100% of proceeds go to benefit Toys for Tots. It's a totally good cause and pretty worth it I think! Here is the tracklisting:
1. Prayers & Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers - Shepherd's Song
2. Quiet Company - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
3. Great Lake Swimmers - Gonna Make it Through This Year
4. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin / Sweetwater Abilene - The Wheels Are Off
5. Chris Walla - Coventry Carol
6. David Karsten Daniels - In The Bleak Midwinter
7. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
8. The Winston Jazz Routine - Through the Snow
9. Via Audio - My Boo
10. The Long Winters - Sometimes You Have to Work on Christmas (Sometimes)
11. TW Walsh - Drop the Bomb
12. Ohtis - American Christians
13. Aaron Robinson - End of the Year
14. The Cotton Jones Basket Ride (Michael Nau of Page France) - White Christmas
15. American Music Club - Please Please
16. Johnny Bertram - Merry Christmas (You Won't Get What You Want)
17. Rosie Thomas - Christmas Time is Here
18. Sleeptalker - This is Christmas
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is streaming at www.myspace.com/cftpa right now. Remember this song is ONLY AVAILABLE on the benefit compilation so you should go buy it right now! Downloading it illegally will result in more coal in your stocking than you could ever imagine.
GET IT HERE
11/01/07
The Donkeys and I recorded another round of songs for Daytrotter on our last summer tour. The Casiotone vs. The Donkeys session is up now, and The Donkeys vs. The Donkeys session should be up later in the week.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE!!!
Meanwhile, I am on tour in the Northeast USA with my good friends To Bad Catholics from Vancouver, BC. Come see a show! The dates are here.
8/23/07
Folks,
I will be suporting some of David Bazan's Midwest tour dates in September. I'm looking forward to driving around in a rental car and eating at Cracker Barrel again. And not to be prejudiced, but I'm really excited about visiting Lubbock, Texas, hometown of Buddy Holly. I saw the Buddy Holly musical when I was a kid and it laid a pretty heavy trip on me.
After Lubbock, I will be stopping in Kansas to work on some music for my friend Laurel Nakadate's new movie, and then on my way home I will be playing at the Pygmalion Festival in Urbana-Champaign, IL. I will be playing solo for all of these shows, by the way. No new records to promote, but I will have new t-shirts for sale. That's something, right?
Oh, also, I'm making my first ever trip to Portugal in October. I'll be playing in Fundão at the IMAGO Film Festival as part of some kind of Tomlab night, and then another show in (probably) beautiful Alcobaça. All of those dates are over on the shows page.
Last things! I taped an episode of XLR8R TV when I was in San Francisco last. There is some karaoke involved.
The tour split 7" with The Donkeys is now available through mail order from Antenna Farm Records.
Two more vinyl singles are still in the works, but they are taking FOREEEEVVVVVEEEERRRRRRR.
5/15/07
I forgot to tell you about the full band U.S. summer tour with The Donkeys!!! It's going to be epic. And by epic I mean really long. I have some of the confirmed dates up on the shows page now and there are lots more on the way. The Donkeys and I will be playing some brand new songs in glorious full band formation for this tour, and the plan is to head right to the studio at the end of the tour to record for the next Casiotone album. There will be guitar solos. There will be tambourines. There will be really long sound checks!
CLICK HERE FOR TOUR DATES!!!
Antenna Farm Records is going to release a limited edition split 7" special for the tour. The record will feature two brand new and exclusive songs per band and will come wrapped in a real fancy full color photo sleeve which may or may not embarrass the shit out of some old and dear friends of mine.
Speaking of embarrassment, I put an MP3 of the first ever Casiotone for the Painfully Alone song, "Seattle Wash," up on the A/V page. This version was recorded just about ten years ago, and was released as the b-side of my first ever 7" on Train Bridge Recordings. The MP3 was ripped directly off the original test pressing, as the record is long out of print, the master tapes are lost, and that test pressing is the only copy of the recording in my possession. Re-recorded (and in my opinion superior) versions of the original three songs can now be found on the Answering Machine Music reissue, but here's your chance to hear one of the original recordings in all of its fumbling, mouth-breathing glory. Just keep reminding yourself that the sad dude on the mic turned out pretty alright afterall.
4/23/07
I'm home from tour and I turned 30. My back is killing me. Thanks to everyone to came to the shows. I was glad to have the chance to share bills with old friends Xiu Xiu and new friends Shearwater. Special thanks to Caralee and Howard for their surprise guest spots during some of the Casiotone sets. Hopefully I'll have some tour photos by Emma Roach up on the site soon.
There are lots of new dates up on the shows page, and I'll be scrambling to finish up tracks for some new releases before those May Canadian dates. Here's what's coming up:
A track for the David Shrigley Worried Noodles Compilation CD
A split 7" tour support EP w/ The Donkeys
That David Horvitz picture disc 7" finally
Organ Resonance Frequency/Oregon Residence Frequency (two different collaborations with Gordon Wilson Ashworth of Oscillating Innards) split 7" of Bruce Springsteen covers
Maybe a new album eventually
3/15/07
Hey folks,
I'm going to be leaving for tour in a couple of days here. This is the first solo tour I've done in a while and I'm pretty excited about it. I have some new songs to try out and some new things to sell at the merch table. I'm bringing copies of the recent limited edition 7"s (including the very last of the Graceland singles and Fox Pause splits), and I'll have a mess of handsome new t-shirts as well. In fact, Heidi Anderson, who painted the Etiquette and Twinkle Echo covers, is designing and hand-making 40 limited edition lady-sized t-shirts just for this tour. Pretty nice!
Oh, and for a lot of these shows, I will be opening for Xiu Xiu and Shearwater, which will be pretty great. Xiu Xiu were kind enough to bring me along on my first ever U.S. national tour, and I'm very glad to be playing shows with them again for this, my 6th U.S. national tour. I really hope you can make it to one of the shows. I've got em all listed over HERE.
xo
Owen
NEW RELEASES!!!
The Foot Foot / Casiotone for the Painfully Alone split 7" is now available for pre-order from Oedipus Records. The Casiotone song is called "It's A Crime" & it was recorded in San Diego with Alex deLanda & Sam Sprague last year. The Foot Foot song is called "Hysterical" and it is rock n' roll. Carrie Dietz from Foot Foot did the lovely artwork you see above. This release is limited to 500 copies. 150 of those 500 copies are pressed on white vinyl, & won't be available in shops!
ORDER HERE
Tomlab has just released a newly mastered version of "Bobby Malone Moves Home" as the second single from Etiquette. The single is available on CD EP & 7" vinyl. Each format has its own exclusive b-sides of new, full band arrangements of CFTPA favorites, recorded during a 2006 US Tour with San Diego's The Donkeys playing as the backing band. Both formats feature cover art by The Donkeys' Anthony Lukens.
CD EP tracklisting:
1. Bobby Malone Moves Home
2. Jeane, If You're Ever In Portland (Live)
3. Tonight Was A Disaster (Live)
4. It Wasn't The Same Somehow (Live)
5. Bobby Malone Moves Home (Live)
7" tracklisting:
1. Bobby Malone Moves Home
2. Jeane, If You're Ever In Portland (Daytrotter Version)
The Graceland single is out of print!!!!
What's up, fellas? Tomorrow I am going to Grand Rapids to play a make-up show for the bummer cancellation back in April. I'm really happy to be sharing this show with The Spectacles, who are good friends from Chicago, and Paleo, whom I have never met but whose music I have enjoyed listening to in my home. The show is also going to be a fundraiser for a new soundsystem for the DAAC. The DAAC has faced some legal troubles in the recent past, and its staff of purehearted volunteers have worked really hard to get the DAAC up to code and totally leigitimate, and that hasn't left much time, energy, or money for things like new mics, cables, and other equipment necessary to put on really great all ages shows. So, to support the cause, none of the bands are taking any money for this show. Come help out the DAAC!
I am also really excited to announce my September European tour. I'm going to a bunch of places I've never been before, including Russia, Finland, and Norway. I'm doing this tour totally solo, which means lots of trains, planes, and gawking at strangers who speak different languages than me. What should I see? What should I eat? What should I avoid touching? If anyone has any Russia or Scaninavian travel advice, I could sure use the help. My email address is casiotonetechsupport@gmail.com.
The September tour will mark the release of the CD edition of the Town Topic EP, which will collect newly mastered tracks from my two most recent 7" releases: The Town Topic EP on OIB Records, and the STSNC INSTRUMENTALS EP on PIAPTK Records. As of now, both 7"s are still available from their respective labels as well as THIS WEBSITE. Tomlab will just be handling the CD version. I think the official release date is September 23. There will also be digital downloads available from wherever you've been getting your CFTPA digital downloads already. Here's the poster for the new release, which will also be serving as my tour poster for all fall dates:
The photo is a still from the Laurel Nakadate film, STAY THE SAME NEVER CHANGE, for which all of the music on the Town Topic EP was recorded. I think Laurel will be releasing a fancy DVD edition pretty soon.
In October and November, I will be playing a whole mess of Midwest and East Coast US tour dates in support of the Town Topic EP. A new album will follow in early 2009, and I'll be touring like a crazy person after that thing comes out. So, if I'm not going to your city in the next few months, chances are I'll be there early next year.
As always, all tour dates can be found on the SHOWS page.
Thanks for reading!
Owen
5/14/08
Hello friends,
Next week, I am starting a tour of the Western States with my buddies in Foot Foot. And, despite Foot Foot's threats of non-stop Harry Potter books on tape in the minivan, I anticipate a pretty good time. I haven't been to a lot of those places for a long while, and I just hope that the good peoeple of Denver haven't gotten all sour due to my neglect. Anyway, there are a mess of dates over on the shows page right now, and I'm expecting to have a few more dates for you in the coming days.
So, after some bummer pressing plant delays (that I can assure you were in no way the fault of the good people at OIB Records), I will finally have the U.S. pressing of the TOWN TOPIC 7" available on the Western States tour. Unlike the blue vinyl UK tour copies, the US tour copies will be on clear vinyl. Clear like those beautiful Pacific waters. As if blue wasn't oceany enough.
Special for the Western States tour, I will also have a brand new 7" called STSNC INSTRUMENTALS that is sort of the sequel to the TOWN TOPIC EP. TOWN TOPIC EP + STSNC INSTRUMENTALS = all of the music that was recorded specifically for the Laurel Nakadate film, STAY THE SAME NEVER CHANGE. STSNC INSTRUMENTALS collects all of the short instrumental tracks that were used throughout the film, plus a few that didn't make the final cut, including some bonus ringtones for some of the characters' cell phones. Ringtones on a 7". Does your phonograph have a Bluetooth hook-up? Here is the track listing:
1. Twinkle Echo (reverse) 0:36
2. Nashville Parthenon (instrumental) 1:40
3. STSNC 1:02
4. Twinkle Echo (redux) 0:54
5. I like Common 1:17
6. Possible Love Interest (ringtone) 0:32
7. Bad People (ringtone) 0:27
8. OMG (ringtone) 0:30
9. Probably Walkin Down The Street (ringtone) 0:35
10. Ice Cream Truck (instrumental) 1:21
STSNC INSTRUMENTALS is being released by People In A Position To Know, INC in Olympia, WA, who also released that CFTPA/Concern collaboration single back in January. STSNC INSTRUMENTALS will be limited to 300 copies, and is being pressed onto random surprise colored vinyl. I don't even know what the records will look like until they come back from the pressing plant, but I can tell you that the cover will look like this:
I drew that.
After this tour that's about to happen, I'll be taking most of the summer off to finally get this new album finished. It probably won't be out until after the new year, but I promise there will be some other interesting things coming out between now and then.
Oh and Europe it looks like I'll be seeing you in September.
2/29/08
The UK tour starts Wednesday and I'm pretty excited, dudes. Jenny Herbinson will be joining me for the tour, and we'll be making our UK debut as a DUO. What else. OIB Records in Brighton, England will be releasing a 7" EP especially for the UK tour. The EP will feature four previous unreleased tracks recorded for the Laurel Nakadate film STAY THE SAME NEVER CHANGE. You can watch the movie's trailer HERE, by the way.
Here is the tracklisting:
1. Ice Cream Truck
2. Town Topic (instrumental)
3. I Love Creedence (instrumental)
4. Green Cotton Sweater (version)
"Ice Cream Truck" is streaming now OVER HERE, where you can also see a sneak peak of Laurel Nakadate's cover photography.
The Town Topic EP is a VINYL ONLY RELEASE and won't be available in shops until after the tour. An extremely limited tour edition of the 7" will be pressed on light blue vinyl.
I will also have limited quantities of the Casiotone/Donkeys split 7", the David Horvitz picture disc 7", the Casiotone/Concern square 8 3/4" available on this tour. Also, Shea'la Finch of Tiny Showcase designed some super fancy and very limited tote bags especially for the tour so you'll have something to carry your new records home in. That is if you feel like buying some new records. No pressure.
OH! And a second London show was just added. Full tour dates HERE.
ALSO!!! I will be touring the right-hand portion of the United States in April with my friends from Australia, Clue To Kalo. A tour of the left-hand portion of the United States will follow in May and June with California's own Foot Foot. I should have copies of all of the new vinyl releases for sale on those tours, too.
HERE ARE YOUR TOUR DATES, AMERICA.
1/17/08
I am proud to announce two tours a long time in the making: a February FLORIDA ONLY tour with Dear Nora & an epic March UK/Ireland tour. The dates are up now on the SHOWS page. It looks like I'm probably going to do some kind of special limited edition 7" for the UK tour, but I haven't exactly recorded it yet. It is happening, though! Watch this space for updates.
In other news!!!
STAY THE SAME NEVER CHANGE, the first feature film by Laurel Nakadate, will premiere in Kansas City, MO on February 1. In case you missed the news, all of the music in this movie is by me, Owen Ashworth, the dude from Casiotone for the Painfully Alone. Laurel & I will be presenting the film and leading a gallery discussion at Grand Arts in Kansas City on February 2. You are invited! You can download the press release HERE.
p.s. If you live in Florida and you want to help advertise one of the upcoming shows (no pressure I'm not trying to make this a thing), you can download the FLORIDA ONLY tour poster RIGHT HERE & then go hang it up at the juice bar or something. Only if you feel like it.
12/26/07
An exclusive four-track home recording of "New Year's Kiss" is now available as a free MP3 download on the A/V page. Happy New Year!!!
12/17/07
In January 2008, People In A Position To Know Recordings, Inc. will release a Casiotone for the Painfully Alone and Concern collaborative Bruce Springsteen tribute single. This vinyl only release is a two song, square, one-sided 8 3/8" vinyl single in a full color 9" sleeve. 500 copies are being pressed on brown marble vinyl, and 500 copies are being pressed on tan/black marble vinyl.
Here is the record's tracklisting:
1. Born In The U.S.A.
2. Streets of Philadelphia
This release was previously advertised as being part of PIAPTK's Limited Edition Vinyl Subscription Series. That subscription series is I guess no longer happening, so you can probably just buy it the regular ways you buy records, or by ordering directly from PIAPTK.
Concern (i.e. my brother Gordon) and I will be embarking on a short Pacific Northwest tour to celebrate the release of our collaboration. Here are the tour dates:
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone & Concern
January 2008 Pacific Northwest Tour
1/09/08- Portland, OR- Artistery
1/10/08- Anacortes, WA- Department of Safety
1/11/08- Seattle, WA- Vera Project
1/12/08- Olympia, WA- Black Front Gallery
all shows are all ages.
Also in January, Aagoo Records will be releasing the Casiotone for the Painfully Alone picture disc 7" in an edition of 500. As previously reported, the tracklisting is as follows:
1. Old Panda Days {vocals by Nick Krgovich}
2. Lesley Gore on the TAMI Show (version) {vocals by Jenny Herbinson}
Both of these releases will be for sale at the merch table on the January tour. In the meantime, you can preview tracks from both of these releases right now at www.myspace.com/cftpa.
Thanks for reading!!!
Owen
11/27/07
ATTENTION NEW ZEALAND
I recently remixed a track for my friend Dudley Benson in Auckland, NZ. The remix is for a song called "I Don't Mind" and it's only available on a limited edition 12" on Dudley's own Golden Retriever label. There were only 300 copies pressed, so if you want one, you'd better be quick about it. New Zealand and international orders can be negotiated at the following website:
www.dudleybenson.com
11/15/07
10 YR ANNIVERSARY SHOW
On December 5, I will return to San Francisco for a special concert to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the very first Casiotone for the Painfully Alone live performance. It's going to be an all ages show at The Bottom of the Hill with The Papercuts & DJ Matt Bonar. This show will also be the record release party for a new Casiotone for the Painfully Alone picture disc 7" from Aagoo Records. This vinyl only release will feature two exclusive tracks with guest vocals by two of my favorite singers and photography by David Horvitz.. Here is the track listing:
1. "Old Panda Days" is sung by Nick Krgovich
2. "Lesley Gore on the TAMI Show (version)" is sung by Jenny Herbinson
This release won't be available in shops or through mail order until early 2008, and I will only have a limited number available at the show. Only one copy per customer will be sold, so come down early and pick up your copy!
EXCLUSIVE CHRISTMAS JAM ON TOYS FOR TOTS BENEFIT COMPILATION
Hard To Find A Friend (the music blog) asked me to record a Christmas song for a download-only benefit compilation album called PEACE ON EARTH. Anyone who knows me knows that I love toys AND tots, so I said "Hell yes." I recorded an instrumental version of one of my favorite holiday tunes, "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and now you can buy it along with 17 other mega-jams right over here at THIS WEBSITE for only $7.
100% of proceeds go to benefit Toys for Tots. It's a totally good cause and pretty worth it I think! Here is the tracklisting:
1. Prayers & Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers - Shepherd's Song
2. Quiet Company - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
3. Great Lake Swimmers - Gonna Make it Through This Year
4. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin / Sweetwater Abilene - The Wheels Are Off
5. Chris Walla - Coventry Carol
6. David Karsten Daniels - In The Bleak Midwinter
7. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
8. The Winston Jazz Routine - Through the Snow
9. Via Audio - My Boo
10. The Long Winters - Sometimes You Have to Work on Christmas (Sometimes)
11. TW Walsh - Drop the Bomb
12. Ohtis - American Christians
13. Aaron Robinson - End of the Year
14. The Cotton Jones Basket Ride (Michael Nau of Page France) - White Christmas
15. American Music Club - Please Please
16. Johnny Bertram - Merry Christmas (You Won't Get What You Want)
17. Rosie Thomas - Christmas Time is Here
18. Sleeptalker - This is Christmas
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is streaming at www.myspace.com/cftpa right now. Remember this song is ONLY AVAILABLE on the benefit compilation so you should go buy it right now! Downloading it illegally will result in more coal in your stocking than you could ever imagine.
GET IT HERE
11/01/07
The Donkeys and I recorded another round of songs for Daytrotter on our last summer tour. The Casiotone vs. The Donkeys session is up now, and The Donkeys vs. The Donkeys session should be up later in the week.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE!!!
Meanwhile, I am on tour in the Northeast USA with my good friends To Bad Catholics from Vancouver, BC. Come see a show! The dates are here.
8/23/07
Folks,
I will be suporting some of David Bazan's Midwest tour dates in September. I'm looking forward to driving around in a rental car and eating at Cracker Barrel again. And not to be prejudiced, but I'm really excited about visiting Lubbock, Texas, hometown of Buddy Holly. I saw the Buddy Holly musical when I was a kid and it laid a pretty heavy trip on me.
After Lubbock, I will be stopping in Kansas to work on some music for my friend Laurel Nakadate's new movie, and then on my way home I will be playing at the Pygmalion Festival in Urbana-Champaign, IL. I will be playing solo for all of these shows, by the way. No new records to promote, but I will have new t-shirts for sale. That's something, right?
Oh, also, I'm making my first ever trip to Portugal in October. I'll be playing in Fundão at the IMAGO Film Festival as part of some kind of Tomlab night, and then another show in (probably) beautiful Alcobaça. All of those dates are over on the shows page.
Last things! I taped an episode of XLR8R TV when I was in San Francisco last. There is some karaoke involved.
The tour split 7" with The Donkeys is now available through mail order from Antenna Farm Records.
Two more vinyl singles are still in the works, but they are taking FOREEEEVVVVVEEEERRRRRRR.
5/15/07
I forgot to tell you about the full band U.S. summer tour with The Donkeys!!! It's going to be epic. And by epic I mean really long. I have some of the confirmed dates up on the shows page now and there are lots more on the way. The Donkeys and I will be playing some brand new songs in glorious full band formation for this tour, and the plan is to head right to the studio at the end of the tour to record for the next Casiotone album. There will be guitar solos. There will be tambourines. There will be really long sound checks!
CLICK HERE FOR TOUR DATES!!!
Antenna Farm Records is going to release a limited edition split 7" special for the tour. The record will feature two brand new and exclusive songs per band and will come wrapped in a real fancy full color photo sleeve which may or may not embarrass the shit out of some old and dear friends of mine.
Speaking of embarrassment, I put an MP3 of the first ever Casiotone for the Painfully Alone song, "Seattle Wash," up on the A/V page. This version was recorded just about ten years ago, and was released as the b-side of my first ever 7" on Train Bridge Recordings. The MP3 was ripped directly off the original test pressing, as the record is long out of print, the master tapes are lost, and that test pressing is the only copy of the recording in my possession. Re-recorded (and in my opinion superior) versions of the original three songs can now be found on the Answering Machine Music reissue, but here's your chance to hear one of the original recordings in all of its fumbling, mouth-breathing glory. Just keep reminding yourself that the sad dude on the mic turned out pretty alright afterall.
4/23/07
I'm home from tour and I turned 30. My back is killing me. Thanks to everyone to came to the shows. I was glad to have the chance to share bills with old friends Xiu Xiu and new friends Shearwater. Special thanks to Caralee and Howard for their surprise guest spots during some of the Casiotone sets. Hopefully I'll have some tour photos by Emma Roach up on the site soon.
There are lots of new dates up on the shows page, and I'll be scrambling to finish up tracks for some new releases before those May Canadian dates. Here's what's coming up:
A track for the David Shrigley Worried Noodles Compilation CD
A split 7" tour support EP w/ The Donkeys
That David Horvitz picture disc 7" finally
Organ Resonance Frequency/Oregon Residence Frequency (two different collaborations with Gordon Wilson Ashworth of Oscillating Innards) split 7" of Bruce Springsteen covers
Maybe a new album eventually
3/15/07
Hey folks,
I'm going to be leaving for tour in a couple of days here. This is the first solo tour I've done in a while and I'm pretty excited about it. I have some new songs to try out and some new things to sell at the merch table. I'm bringing copies of the recent limited edition 7"s (including the very last of the Graceland singles and Fox Pause splits), and I'll have a mess of handsome new t-shirts as well. In fact, Heidi Anderson, who painted the Etiquette and Twinkle Echo covers, is designing and hand-making 40 limited edition lady-sized t-shirts just for this tour. Pretty nice!
Oh, and for a lot of these shows, I will be opening for Xiu Xiu and Shearwater, which will be pretty great. Xiu Xiu were kind enough to bring me along on my first ever U.S. national tour, and I'm very glad to be playing shows with them again for this, my 6th U.S. national tour. I really hope you can make it to one of the shows. I've got em all listed over HERE.
xo
Owen
NEW RELEASES!!!
The Foot Foot / Casiotone for the Painfully Alone split 7" is now available for pre-order from Oedipus Records. The Casiotone song is called "It's A Crime" & it was recorded in San Diego with Alex deLanda & Sam Sprague last year. The Foot Foot song is called "Hysterical" and it is rock n' roll. Carrie Dietz from Foot Foot did the lovely artwork you see above. This release is limited to 500 copies. 150 of those 500 copies are pressed on white vinyl, & won't be available in shops!
ORDER HERE
Tomlab has just released a newly mastered version of "Bobby Malone Moves Home" as the second single from Etiquette. The single is available on CD EP & 7" vinyl. Each format has its own exclusive b-sides of new, full band arrangements of CFTPA favorites, recorded during a 2006 US Tour with San Diego's The Donkeys playing as the backing band. Both formats feature cover art by The Donkeys' Anthony Lukens.
CD EP tracklisting:
1. Bobby Malone Moves Home
2. Jeane, If You're Ever In Portland (Live)
3. Tonight Was A Disaster (Live)
4. It Wasn't The Same Somehow (Live)
5. Bobby Malone Moves Home (Live)
7" tracklisting:
1. Bobby Malone Moves Home
2. Jeane, If You're Ever In Portland (Daytrotter Version)
The Graceland single is out of print!!!!
More singles are on the way!!!
Finally, Rococo Records will be releasing a Casiotone for the Painfully Alone/Oscillating Innards collaborative single sometime around the end of the year or early next year. I will be posting more information on this one in the coming weeks.