11-July-2008: What's up, nosedoodles! I've been working like a dog all month over at Left Brain Games, working on tons of new artwork for a client's "virtual world" project which will teach kids about undersea life. It will utilize the edgy magic of "two dimensional artwork" provided by your best buddy in the whole world, me! I'll link you up to the place when it's ready to go. Until then, I've put some sample background art over at the FUNHOUSE for you today!
17-June-2008: Hey there, reader. What's goin' on? Feeling bored? Have an IMDb account? Would you like to do me a huge favor? I've tried a couple times now, in failure, to update the Retarded Animal Babies page over there. It's chock full of somewhat accurate info, supplied by (I assume) fans with accounts. If you're reading this, are a fan, and know how to do this shizz, head on over there and update the official site from "idiotmagnet" (a failing failboat of an effort from 2 years ago) to umop.com. Also, there's a MySpace link that's out of date ("rababies")... since there is no official RAB page on MySpace any more (too much spam, sorry), I'd like that link deleted also.
UPDATE: One of you cool dudes is currently working on this with me already. Thanks!!
7-June-2008: Nothing much going on in Camp Lovelace, so here's another dandy YOUTUBE VIDEO. This one just might be full of entirely too much win, thanks to an appearance by the new Customsynth Roland JX-3PG, with a bit of help from my trusty ol' Juno-106.
I filmed all the necessary takes (there are usually a good handful!) while experiencing incredible, torturous tooth pain. Before you say to yourself, "I wish I could have Dave's life... nice car, tons of synths..." consider this very carefully: I've had TWO ROOT CANALS since March! :o(
25-May-2008: My YouTube videos are getting a lot of people interested in my music-related shenanigans, so I've made tons of overdue updates over at the SYNTH GEAR pages today. First off is a brilliant new all-white body mod to my Roland JD-800, now dubbed "Gandalf the White," since it was formerly grey! For many more pictures of Gandalf and the custom install work, check out this FLICKR SET!
I've also recently traded up from a Nord Lead 2X to the incredible-looking Nord Lead Anniversary; basically the same board but with black keys and a new logo. Plus, the Customsynth Roland JX-3PG page is ready to check out, with a good handful of pics of that incredible-looking synth too! Lastly, with all this amazing new gear kicking around, I've updated my studio pic for good measure.
21-May-2008: OK whippercrappers, time to go VOTE FOR JAMSTER in the Garmin Garage contest! Only YOU have the power to get Hamster turned into a 3D navigation avatar for all to enjoy! HOORAY! You can only vote once, so tell a friend! You'll need the Flash 9 plug-in for the page to work.
13-May-2008: Here's a brand new YouTube Video, entitled "The Fast & the Tedious:" Synth guitar solo in every key." It's an idiotically insane 7+ minute keyboard prog-wank solo. This time around I rokk out in all twelve keys (helpful index cards depicting each key are revealed in real time along the way), most in both major, minor, phrygian, you name it.
10-May-2008: Today's new WCCC COMIC is quite a GAS. HEE HAW! Funny Donkey.
7-May-2008: Many frequenters to umop.com may recall that I do enjoy entering art-related contests from time to time. Well this time I have descended upon the Garmin Garage Wrench 'n' Win Contest, mostly because I really want my Nuvi 660 to have a 3D avatar of Hamster from Retarded Animal Babies driving around in a Lamborghini go-kart. DON'T YOU? I hope so, because I'm already a finalist (among what shall be a total of 20 finalists) of this month-long contest, and will need your vote to get the magic happening. When voting time comes in a couple of weeks, I'll link it up again; in the meantime you can check out my stiff competetion by viewing the finalists (this page requires Flash 9). Many of the entries are from kids, but all the basic ideas are kickass, so it's going to be close.
28-Apr-2008: Two nifty new shots in the PHOTO ALBUM today, taken at AHNE2008 (Analog Heaven Northeast; an annual conclave of synth nerds like myself) by my friend Matt Davidson.
27-Apr-2008: Whoa, man. Check that out. That's pretty messed up right there.
25-Apr-2008: I don't post letters to/from fans very often, but figured, "why not, there haven't been enough updates on umop.com this month anyway." I also figured my reply was empirical enough to be potentially relevant elsewhere. So... the other day someone contacted me after watching my YouTube video of my performance of "Subdivisions" by Rush, asking for help on how to get into playing synths. Here is my reply:
"I have nothing to offer... I learned Subdivisions when I was 13 years old in 1983. All self taught... played by ear, etc.
Finding your own way is OK for some people... I think maybe that the truly original players are mostly self-taught... dogged & relentless in their pursuit of greatness while courting failure. Piano lessons will make you technically proficient but there is admittedly something to say about the player that finds their own way. I am a dumb fu** when it comes to the most basic of theory, and I can't read music. Still, I'm doing things that no one else can (or should, possibly) ever do.
I guess it just depends on what you want to do with your music. If you want to be universally accepted, then you should be doing the universally accepted thing. If you want to dare to be different, then follow your heart. Your talent & desire might be enough. If it isn't, don't be afraid to follow the example of the masters. Take lessons, or don't. Maybe this email is a lesson. Or maybe it's all crap. You decide! :o)"