Penmachine Podcast

Dodging Buses

2009-06-30T19:28:00.000-07:00

I turn 40 today, and in honour of that, here is "Dodging Buses" (3.7 MB MP3 file), a three-minute instrumental number. Like many of my others, it has that signature Penmachine granky guitar-bass-drums sound, with a hint of AC/DC. I started recording it back in March, using my Yamaha Pacifica electric guitar tuned to an open E chord, but only in this past week did I add bass, mix, and then master it. The name comes from something I've said numerous times during my past two and half years of cancer treatment: the saying goes that you could get hit by a bus anytime, but personally, I feel like I'm dodging buses every day. Licensed for you to share and reuse, as long as you give me credit.

Minicipal wireless Internet in New West? (spoken word)

2009-06-08T19:06:00.000-07:00

This afternoon, I appeared on CBC Radio Vancouver's "On the Coast" drivetime show. Guest host Jaeny Baik and I talked about the City of New Westminster's feasibility study/pilot project to create a citywide Wi-Fi network (from the May 11 New West council meeting). We didn't cover everything I wanted to mention—most notably, community-driven mesh networking approaches—but I think it was still a worthwhile discussion. It became a seven-and-a-half-minute interview (2.3 MB MP3 file). © 2009 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Derek's heavy-metal debut (video)

2009-03-24T15:18:00.000-07:00

Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte have used my tune "More Red Than Red" as theme music for their Windows Weekly podcast since 2006. But on their latest episode, they thought about maybe replacing it with the title track from the album "Enigma," by Microsoft's retired chief of Windows development (and longtime guitarist) Jim Allchin. So I tried to dissuade them:

IHR TV #5 - A Plea to Paul and Leo of Windows Weekly
from Inside Home Recording TV on Vimeo.

The "Turrican Van Halen" reference is part of the Windows Weekly show—it refers to the old Commodore 64/Atari/Amiga game "Turrican."

I made this available as Inside Home Recording TV Episode #5. You can also download it (H.264 video) or watch it at Viddler, Blip.tv, Facebook, YouTube, and Vimeo. Licensed for you to share and reuse, as long as you give me credit.

Vitamin Yummy

2008-12-21T12:10:00.000-08:00

When I put together the GarageBand video course that Mac Video Training is now selling, I had to construct a song using the program. I had no plan in advance, so as I worked my way through the various videos the tune sort of assembled itself into a weird little 2-and-a-half-minute song I ended up calling "Vitamin Yummy" (3 MB MP3 file). Licensed for you to share and reuse, as long as you give me credit.

What Child Is This? (Greensleeves)

2008-12-17T19:35:00.000-08:00

A short (1 min 43 sec) solo classical guitar recording of me playing a solo classical guitar version of "What Child Is This?" (2.4 MB MP3 file), a traditional Christmas carol, also known as "Greensleeves" when it's not Christmastime. Licensed for you to share and reuse, as long as you give me credit.

In Phase One

2008-11-18T19:57:00.000-08:00

Based on an old guitar riff I recorded more than two years ago, finally built into an actual instrumental tune while sitting at the B.C. Cancer Agency waiting around for blood tests and such. "In Phase One" (3.1 MB MP3 file, about 2 min 20 sec) has something of an '80s U2/Police/New Wave feel. Licensed for you to share and reuse, as long as you give me credit.

Spokesmodel Six Eight

2008-11-18T19:03:00.000-08:00

Earlier in 2008, I borrowed a set of MIDI electronic drums from our friends KA, Jeff, and Clive. "Spokesmodel Six Eight" (2.9 MB MP3 file) emerged from using that kit: its name comes from the 6/8 time signature I chose to play it in, since that's something not easy to find in the built-in drum loops for GarageBand. It's another track I expected to finish off, polish, and remix at some point, because it's nothing but drums and some guitars. No bass, no keyboards, no vocals, hardly any arrangement there at all. But it doesn't need more than that, and I particularly like the sounds of the guitars I managed to obtain. So rock out with it. Licensed for you to share and reuse, as long as you give me credit.

Cancer a year later (spoken word)

2008-11-06T19:11:00.000-08:00

More than a year after my previous appearance on CBC Radio about my cancer, I spoke with (5.2 MB, about 12 minutes) host Stephen Quinn of the afternoon radio show "On the Coast" about all the drastic stuff I've been through since June 2007, including my major surgeries and several chemotherapy regimes, as well as the new phase of my cancer treatment, that of living with the disease rather than simply trying to destroy it. © 2008 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Life, death, and the blog (spoken word)

2008-03-30T20:08:00.000-07:00

I spoke to the Editors' Association of Canada, where I used to be an executive, for more than an hour (24 MB Enhanced AAC audio file) in March 2008. I talked about how I've mixed my online and offline lives since developing colon cancer last year. It's less of a bummer than it sounds, really. The audio file includes accompanying visuals. Licensed for you to share and reuse, as long as you give me credit.

Tsunami video from VFS (video)

2008-03-05T20:13:00.000-08:00

Back in late 2004 and early 2005, following the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, I wrote a series of blog posts that turned into an online article about tsunamis. This past few months, three talented students from Vancouver Film School (Jamie Peterson, Erica Edwards, and Shalinder Matharu), in consultation with me, adapted it into a two-minute instructional video graphic (25 MB MPEG video) using Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and After Effects (no, those are not real paper cutouts—I asked). Very cool! I've posted the video in iPod-compatible format for iTunes or QuickTime. © 2008 Vancouver Film School.

Striking Silver

2007-12-19T20:20:00.000-08:00

At almost twelve and a half minutes, “Striking Silver” (MP3 file, 14 MB) is by far the longest instrumental track I've ever posted here. I originally created it as a background track for the Inside Home Recording podcast, made with (and as part of a review of) Guitar Rig 3 by Native Instruments. It's ambient, spacey, noodley, and recorded in one take with only a single guitar, my G&L Tribute S-500. Licensed for you to share and reuse, as long as you give me credit.

Putting up the Christmas tree (video)

2007-12-01T20:29:00.000-08:00

We put up and decorated our Christmas tree today. So I made a time-lapse movie of it. The music is my earlier recording of "We Three Kings." Licensed for you to share and reuse, as long as you give me credit.

Quick 'n' Dirty Drums

2007-10-31T20:36:00.000-07:00

What? Four months without a podcast episode, and more than eight months since my last new tune, and all I have for you is a drum track?! Yup, "Quick 'n' Dirty Drums" (3.5 MB, 2 min 35 sec MP3 file) is it. I played them at 120 beats per minute (bpm) if you want to use them in a song. These drums were originally recorded for an episode of Inside Home Recording, a podcast I co-cost and which you should listen to. This work is dedicated to the Public Domain.

Blogging when it gets tough (spoken word)

2007-06-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

This audio, from June 29, is my third appearance on the Vancouver afternoon radio show “On the Coast,” following others in January, and again in April. This time my wife joined me on air, and we talked about how I have continued blogging despite further bad news about my cancer diagnosis. We spoke with host Paul Grant for about 10 minutes (6 MB MP3 file) about mortality, the Cancer Foundation’s Underwear Affair, my upcoming birthday and surgery, and the fabulous people at the B.C. Cancer Agency. © 2007 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Happy birthday to Derek from podcasters (spoken word)

2007-06-29T21:01:00.000-07:00

Mark Blevis emailed me an audio file (3 min 21 sec), a happy birthday message (I turn 38 tomorrow) from podcasters all over the place. Holy crap. Thanks everybody, I’m stunned. My wife had to get me some tissues after I started listening to it, so it did its job. The backing track is my tune “Fakeout.” The message is © 2007 by Mark Blevis, Bill Deys, Sean McGaughey, and Bob Goyetche, as well as everyone else who contributed. Licensed for you to share and reuse, as long as you give everyone involved credit.

Talking more about cancer (spoken word)

2007-04-05T21:46:00.000-07:00

I first appeared on “On the Coast,” the popular afternoon drivetime show on Vancouver’s CBC Radio One, at the end of January, talking about how I use my blog to discuss my colorectal cancer. This week I was back again with host Priya Ramu for a followup chat. We spoke for about seven minutes (3 MB MP3 file) about how things are going and what has changed since January, which is fair bit. Priya and I also talked about peanut butter sandwiches. © 2007 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Fakeout

2007-02-08T21:54:00.000-08:00

What do I do when I get diagnosed with colon cancer? Blog the heck out of it, and record a fiery little instrumental number like “Fakeout” (MP3 file, 3 min 12 sec). I actually recorded it entirely on my MacBook laptop with my Strat and a series of bass, drum, and other sound loops, processed with IK Multimedia’s AmpliTube 2 Live amp emulator. Les Thorn in New York City managed to refine and punch up the mix amazingly well during his mastering job. Licensed for you to share and reuse, as long as you give me credit.

Why blog about my cancer? (spoken word)

2007-01-31T21:59:00.000-08:00

On January 30, host Priya Ramu of “On the Coast,” the popular afternoon drivetime show on Vancouver’s CBC Radio One, was skeptical about why I’d want to blog about something as personal as my diagnosis and treatment for colorectal cancer. We talked for nearly nine minutes (5 MB MP3 file) on air about why I chose to be so public about it. There is also a followup interview (6.3 MB) with Barry Stein of the Colorectal Cancer Society of Canada. © 2007 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Funkly Dougietude (with Doug Elliott)

2006-12-31T22:15:00.000-08:00

This tune comprises two bass tracks, laid down over a waltz-time drum loop by Doug Elliott (of Vancouver's Odds) between sets when another band he plays in with me had a show, and three guitar tracks layered on by me a little over a week later, on the morning on December 31, 2006. “Funkly Dougietude” (1 MB MP3 file) is only 47 seconds long. Licensed for you to share and reuse, as long as you give Doug and me credit.

Thomas Dolby on being like Austin Powers (spoken word)

2006-11-19T23:25:00.000-08:00

Starting in the early 1990s, Thomas Dolby spent more than a decade out of the music business, building his company Beatnik from a MIDI synthesizer and web audio firm into the world’s leading provider of polyphonic mobile phone ringtones. Now he’s back recording and touring, and says he’s like the Austin Powers of the music industry, unfrozen and amazed at the new opportunities. He spoke (13 MB MP3 file) in November 2006 in Seattle, and I recorded him there. This is the full 42-minute version; an eight-minute edited version appears in episode #28 of Inside Home Recording, the podcast I co-host. Licensed for you to share and reuse, as long as you give me and Thomas Dolby credit.

Writing and editing in the new tech world (spoken word)

2006-11-18T23:31:00.000-08:00

In October 2006 I spoke to the Editors' Association of Canada about writing and editing (15 MB MP3 file) for websites, email, podcasts, and other new-technology media, which is what I do for a living and as a hobby. I also talked a bit about how search engines work, what “Web 2.0” is, and so on. Licensed for you to share and reuse, as long as you give me credit.

Mighty Mullane - full version

2006-10-09T23:44:00.000-07:00

This is the full-length three-minute version of Mighty Mullane, a synth-funk number with a hint of Aerosmith in the beat that I wrote at the request of Tris Hussey. The name derives from The Mullanes, one of the original proposed names for Crowded House, a favourite band of mine. Licensed for you to share and reuse, as long as you give me credit.

Mighty Mullane - short version

2006-10-09T23:40:00.000-07:00

This is the short 44-second version of Mighty Mullane, a synth-funk number with a hint of Aerosmith in the beat that I wrote at the request of Tris Hussey. Licensed for you to share and reuse, as long as you give me credit.

El Campo

2006-08-20T23:53:00.000-07:00

My tribute to Santana, "El Campo" is also a semi-official theme song for the informal BarCamp geek meetups that take place all around the world. For once, I recorded it using Apple's Logic Express instead of GarageBand. Licensed for you to share and reuse, as long as you give me credit.

Alpaca Cheese

2006-07-14T17:24:00.000-07:00

I recorded “Alpaca Cheese” (5.3 MB MP3 file), a guitar instrumental solo piece, in one take, using a modified single-pickup Yamaha Pacifica guitar I bought in the summer of 2006, routed into IK Multimedia's AmpliTube 2 amplifier emulator software. I used no other instruments or external effects, without any overdubs or edits. All the tonal changes come from playing softer and louder and using the volume knob. And the name? My two daughters had been learning about alpacas, and were a bit confused about the goat cheese on my wife’s restaurant salad.. Licensed for you to share and reuse, as long as you give me credit.