Filed in Chane, SM General, Vivian Raine on Tuesday, February 14, 2012 · An Interesting Thought »

Did you know that this year’s batch of Friday the 13th’s are rather special?  Not only are there 3 Friday the 13ths this year, (today, April 13 & July 13) but they’re exactly 13 weeks apart.  Last time that happened was back in 1984.  University of Delaware math professor, Tom Fernsler, aka Dr. 13 tells us that while 3 friday the 13ths in one year happen every few years this years batch happen to fall during a leap year – something that won’t happen again until 2040!

Anyway, whether you suffer from friggatriskaidekaphobia, paraskevidekatriaphobia or simply triskaidekaphobia here are some SM approved suggestions to help you over come your fears and start enjoying your Friday the 13ths…

1) Throw a Party:  Celebrating the macabre is not just for goths and Halloween die-hards, a Friday the 13th themed party is a great excuse to leave work early, hang out with friends late and potentially put old superstitions to rest.  Encourage guests to bring 13 of something , represent their favorite superstition or just have a Jason Voorhees movie marathon.  (Ironically, Jason X is probably our favorite…)  Still need inspiration?  Check out the cool party Chicago’s Anti-Superstition Society threw back in 1940!

2) Get a $13 Tattoo:  This probably falls under the category of, “You get  what you pay for…” but tattoo shops have been known to run sales on Friday the 13ths so if have you an affinity for the number 13 and cheap ink, head to you’re local tat shack & get your haggle on.

3) Visit The Lower Jurassic:  The Museum of Jurassic Technology is a beloved spot for us. Descriptions of the MJT will never do it justice as it’s impossible to put this place into words and we’ve been there countless times. (Heck, we’ve even been privileged enough to get a behind the scenes peek and we’re even more inthralled and perplexed then ever!) Needless to say visit, become a member, have some tea and be sure to check out their exhibit on old wives tales entitled, “Tell the Bees…”

4) Cross a Black Cats Path: It’s surprising to know that black cats are still the last to get adopted and the first to get putdown at animal shelters. It’s ridiculous that silly superstitions are keeping people away from saving these animals! Especially since black cats used to be considered the bringers of good luck to sailors, fishermen’s wives and the ancient Egyptians, just to name a few. SM band-cat Waldoze’s of Waldoze Coffee fame should be proof enough that a feline noir is a wonderful addition to any home.

5) Spill Some Salt: What’s not to love about salt? You can pour it into a bath to relax, use it to sooth a bee sting, gargle with it, fill your shaker with it or just toss some over your shoulder. Whatever you do with it, be sure to let us know if you’re cooking salt encrusted fish… we’ll bring the amps and margarita mix.

6) Open an Umbrella Indoors: Here at SM Hq we’re all about DIY. Particularly if it’s in the name of unique costuming! So be brave, pop one open and release your inner bat, jellyfish, octopus, Electric Daisy Carnival attendee, whatever… All’s fair in roleplay, cosplay and recycling!

7) Quadruple Your Luck: If having a single rabbit’s foot brings good luck then having four must multiply your luckiness, right? Well then why not adopt a rabbit? Rabbit Match is a cool organization that helps find good homes for abandoned bunners. Seriously, what better way to protect yourself from a Friday the 13th and do some good karmic work then by helping out a bunny in need?

8) Break A Mirror: Don’t waste a perfectly good broken mirror by throwing it away! Save yourself the 13 years bad luck and money by recycling it into something else… Disco Ball, crazy mosaic art or tricked-out electric guitar – your imagination is the only limit here!

9) Hang with the Dead: Why not spend the day visiting the final resting spots of deceased celebrities? Los Angeles obviously has quite a few dead spots as pointed out by Order of the Good Death’s Caitlin Doughty. Really though, no matter where you are in the world, loitering in a cemetery can be fun.

10) Step on a Crack: Throw caution and the safety of your mother’s back to the wind and step out in fabulous footwear!  (Just be careful to keep your size 5′s away from Vivian she has a bad shoe fetish.)

11) Get Your Gnostic On: The best way to deal with Friday the 13ths, let alone any superstition, ancient mythology or conspiracy theory is to do your research. Origins of Friday the 13th, The Secret Sun, and Conspiracy XX are all good starting points. (Just don’t blame us if you find yourself covering the walls in tinfoil…)

12) Leave a Penny: or two or three thousand… You can’t argue with the cool feeling of knowing that you’ve done something good. Support your favorite charity, public radio station, independently owned business or (*cough cough*) medical sci-fi indie punk band today! (Check out our Hoka-Hoka page to see some of our favorites.)

13) Have a Happy Friday the 13th: ‘Nuff Said! Rx, SM

Filed in SM General, Vivian Raine on Friday, January 13, 2012 · 13, 13 things, 13th, Fears, friday the 13th, Friday the 13th party, Happy Friday the 13th, Superstitions, Wives Tales · An Interesting Thought »

Filed in SM General, Wish Lists on Saturday, December 31, 2011 · 2011, 2012, happy new year, infamy, light year, new year, pulp, rocket ship, sci-fi-, space, space exploration, Surgeon Marta · An Interesting Thought »

 

Finally, it’s that time of year again where eating chocolate for breakfast seems perfectly normal.  Well at least over here at SM, Hq…

Now we’ll be the first to admit, (the 1% aside) that 2011 was a rough year for most of us but courage people – it’s almost OVER!

So we’d like to take this opportunity to send a heartfelt, Thank You to everyone who sent some love our way this year. Whether you spun our tunes, shared the stage, or got a wet shirt in the face – Thanks for being there & making it happen!

Many Happy Returns & See you in 2012!

Rx, SM

______________________________________________________________________

Now for a little holiday cheer, if only to show our Irish friends
how over the top Americans can get with holiday decorating…   Enjoy! 

Filed in Chane, SM General, Vivian Raine on Saturday, December 24, 2011 · 1%, 2011, 2012, american, Chocolate, Christmas Lights, Crazy Christmas Lights, Happy Chanukah, Happy hanukkah, Happy Holidays, Holiday Wishes, Irish, Merry Christmas, Merry Xmas, over the top decoration, Surgeon Marta, Thank You, XMas · Thoughts? »

With the current plight and resilience of The Occupy Movement stirring hope and imaginations across the land, Surgeon Marta has decided to stage a little occupation of their own. Next Wednesday, November 24th at midnight Surgeon Marta will take over the airwaves at KXLU, 88.9FM with a special 2-hour DJ set!

From uprising to decriminalizing we’ll spin the sounds of rebellion until the needle wears out.

Set your dial to 88.9FM in Los Angeles at 11:59PM Wed. 11/24 on the award winning
Livation Show or stream it live on www.KXLU.com at 8am for our Irish listeners

Callers welcome!

Rx, SM

Filed in Belvis, Chane, Shows, SM General, Vivian Raine on Thursday, November 17, 2011 · 88.9FM, decriminalizing, DJ, dj set, FREE, Internet Radio, KXLU, Livation, Live, live radio, Los Angeles, midnight, music, Occupy, occupy movement, origins, OWS, spinning, Surgeon Marta, thanksgiving · 3 Interesting Thoughts »

We’ll be the first to admit that living in an abandoned mental hospital isn’t for everybody but it’s been a dream come true for us and surprisingly we even found some roommates! Although we’ve been busy with renovations, playing shows and working on new SM material we finally had a free moment to sit down and chat with our new roomies, a power-duo called Magnuson. So, here’s the low-down and be sure to check these guys out! Rx, SM

The Magnuson Interview

Surgeon Marta: So of course the first question will always be…. Where and how did you guys meet? In Magnuson’s case was music already a part of your individual lives, bands, open mics, etc…?

Greg Magnuson: We were both playing music separately and had grown up playing music. We met while playing on worship team in San Diego. I always wanted to talk to her but couldn’t come up with anything to say but we ended up sharing a microphone one day. After that, she realized she was friends with my drummer and that gave us that common element to start up a conversation. We gradually got closer as she gave me a critical review of the “Last Days” album I was finishing at the time. Then she sang with us at the San Diego Fair. Then, our drummer quit and I had to move to drums so, she joined the band as rhythm guitarist and vocalist.

SM: Magnuson wasn’t always a dynamic duo.  a) – What led to this direction?  b) – How difficult was it to make the change?  c) – And in particular create the sound/s you wanted to make????

GM: Magnuson has been a “project” since 2003 and the whole time it has been challenging to keep a group of people together that had the same goals and ambition. It went from a solo acoustic act, to a duo, to 4 piece, then 5 piece, then 3 piece. There were occasionally shows where the drummer couldn’t play and Kyrsten and I would just play as a 2 piece and we were surprised by the response we got. We started to make some serious progress when we released our EP “The Struggle Within” but right at the point we decided to start touring, we realized we didn’t have the same vision as our drummer. So, one month before our tour started, we reworked our entire set into our official duo line up. It was challenging because we had to really step up our game and take it more seriously. We also had to revamp our guitar sound to give it more beef. Aside from that though, it was really easy. Now we can do what we want because we are on the same page.

SM: Musical influences!!!  From Morrissey to Metallica to psychedelic folk it seems like you guys do it all! Was there, a) – A conscious decision to explore such a broad palette within the framework of the band or b) – simply, “Whatever we write…. It’s a Magnuson song! “

GM: Well, I’ve always liked the vocals of Morrissey, his phrasing and lyrical content really helped me through a lot of my growing up. But I really learned to play guitar doing Metallica and Sex Pistols covers. Same with when I learned bass, Primus was my go to. As a result, I’ve always straddled different genres when writing songs. We like to sing as well so that sets us apart from a lot of the heavier bands we are influenced by. We’re not death metal. So, our goal has always been to try to write songs that are musically interesting but have singable vocals. Wherever that leads us, we follow and then promptly label it “Magnuson”.

SM: Greg you recorded/produced the new Magnuson LP “Crash of Cassini”  a) – How difficult was the process + what set up did you use ?  b) – Was this a budgetary or creative control issue?  c) – Any advise to other bands thinking of going the DIY route?

GM: Ahh, recording. Well, I have always had ideas of what I wanted to hear in recordings. When we write songs, we both hear fairly well formed ideas. So we know what we want and sometimes, if it differs from what someone else wants, it can be difficult. In this case, we were still kind of solidifying our 2 piece sound so we thought it would be good to go at our own pace and have the ability to produce what we wanted. We ran the numbers and a Pro Tools LE rig along with a Mac Book Pro was about the same price as what we had spent recording our 4 song EP. So, we decided to make the investment in our own studio. We did all the tracking in our second bedroom and it was actually kind of challenging. When you can redo any part you want any time, it kind of consumes your life. But, we worked hard most of 2010 to get everything tracked. After I spent about 3 months mixing, I decided to have a friend to the final mix and master. But, we saved money in the long run and are very pleased with our cost vs. quality ratio.

SM: Magnuson are known for multiple mid set instrument swaps and hi-decibel mayhem.  How would you describe your live show to audiences that have never seen you before?

GM: I would describe our show as 5 for the price of 2. We both sing pretty much the whole time in addition to playing guitar and drums so we sound like a full band. We had so many people on tour say after the shows, “We heard you outside and it sounded like a full band!” That’s a good feeling. But straight to the point, it’s a rock show that proves not all prog bands are boring. You can sing along to a song and connect with it as a listener and you can also experience some powerful prog rock… or metal as some have said. Maybe you could say we’re an indie band on steroids? Just come check out a show and see what you think!

SM: Magnuson just finished a tour of the Western United States and the first thing we all need to know, did you play naked in Salt Lake City? OK only half kidding but seriously what was audience reaction to your live shows? Any favorite venues or towns? Best Show of the tour? Craziest/strangest tour moment? And what’s up with the crab photos / explain crabbing?

GM: Okay, we did not play naked in SLC. Actually, we almost didn’t play at all! When I contacted the venue about our load in time, they said, “Oh sorry, we over booked the night… Sorry.” So, I got on the phone and booked us at The Dawg Pound and we had a freaking blast! Seriously, those guys know how to party. That was one of our best shows. My favorite city was Portland. So many great people there and the food and scenery are amazing. All the audiences seemed to have a blast as did we. We can’t wait to go back. As far as strange moments, we had quite a few! The after party in Seattle, watching the Dutch band Death Letters we were touring with drink Four Loko was hilarious! Crabbing came about because our first band to band bonding moment on tour was talking about the hilarity of the “crab core” genre. So we just started taking pictures of us “crabbing” on everything! When the bands parted ways in Idaho, we got the idea to challenge each other. The van crabbing pic was pretty much the highlight, but we have some Vegas shots yet to unleash. When the tour was over we found out there’s a Facebook group of people that “crab” – its like, a thing! And they made us their main photo! WINNING!!!!!

SM: Finally Surgeon Marta would like to thank Greg and Kyrsten for taking us up on the offer to move into our hospital HQ. Clearly the building is haunted seven ways to Sunday and we have to ask have either of you experienced any supernatural influences creeping into your creative work since the move?

Interview Note:  After we asked this question the color left Greg’s face, he shuffled nervously and handed us this battered videotape which contained the following footage.  The strangest thing is, almost exactly as we were done watching it, the phone rang and we heard a child’s voice say “seven days…”  Weird right?

UPDATE:

Earlier this year Greg was on a Swedish reality TV show called, Allt för Sverige where Americans of Swedish descent competed with each other for a chance to meet living relatives. Below are the episodes that have already aired – stay tuned for more! Rx, SM

Filed in Music, Reviews, SM General on Friday, November 11, 2011 · 2 piece, Abandoned, Allt för Sverige, Crab Core, Crabbing, Crash of Cassini, cursed tape, Death Letters, diy, dutch band, Four Loko, Haunted, interview, Las Vegas, Last Days, live tour, magnuson, magnuson band, Mental Hospital, metal, metallica, morrissey, Music recording, music video, musical duos, Portland, primus, prog rock, Real Control, roommate, roommates, Salt Lake City, Samara, San Deigo, Seattle, sex pistols, Surgeon Marta, Sweden, Swedish, The Dawg Pound, The Struggle Within, tour, Vhs, video, videotape, winning · 3 Interesting Thoughts »

In general it’s fairly safe to say that Surgeon Marta has a couple of usual predilections but our favorites always seem to lie in the foggy crossroads of scientific study and the esoteric unknown. That’s why Day of the Dead is just our kind of holiday! Seriously, what other holiday let’s you decorate with skulls and skeletons, feast with your dearly departed and falls on the day after Halloween? (WINNING!)

Anyway, this year Christine’s Día de Muertos make-up was featured on the Skull-a-Day blog!

Skull-a-Day is a super cool site which is in it’s 5th year of featuring some kind of skull everyday.

Check ‘em out!

Rx, SM

Filed in Breaking News, Christine Hellbourne, SM General on Tuesday, November 1, 2011 · blacklight, Day of the Dead, Día de Muertos, esoteric unknown, glow in the dark, Halloween, Make-up, scientific study, skull a day, Surgeon Marta · An Interesting Thought »

Happy Halloween

from Surgeon Marta & friends!  Rx, SM

Filed in Chane, Eugene Cist, Shows, SM General, Vivian Raine on Monday, October 31, 2011 · 2011, Dark Harbor, Halloween, Happy Halloween, Queen Mary, queen mary dark harbor, Surgeon Marta · 4 Interesting Thoughts »