mykle systems labs

Come visit our living room for a relaxed evening of stories and songs from writers who musician, hosted by Mike Daily, Portland’s maddest word-scientist.

“Itinerant accordionist Franz Nicolay (of The Hold Steady, Guignol, World/Inferno Friendship Society, and others) will read selections from his upcoming story collection COMPLICATED GARDENING TECHNIQUES. Ivories may also be tinkled.  (Excepted on his website — scroll down for it.)

In support of Franz, trashcan-drummer Mykle Hansen (of such bands as The Golden Greats and The Bad Mintons) will read selections from his in-process story collection HOORAY FOR DEATH. Strings may also be strummed.

We will also feed you hors d’ovres, beverages, and whatever else you bring to share. And we’ll get you home before bedtime.”

I am personally tickled to be asked, since I know Franz to be a powerhouse of performance.  You already know way too much about me, so here’s more about Franz.

Mr. Nicolay is the mustachioed champion known for his work in acts such as The Hold Steady, World/Inferno Friendship Society, and Guignol.  In the winter of 2010, he will share his first work of short stories and various observations.  With its old-world outlook, Complicated Gardening Techniques is a work of Twainsian vision.  3 zines will be released over 2010, leading up to a full novel of Mr. Nicolay’s work.

Note that JSP is sold out of the first ‘zine in the series, so this will be your VERY ONLY CHANCE EVER to get a copy.

Also, this may be the only time in 2010 that you’ll spot me behind a guitar.

OFFICIAL DEETS:

Date: Thursday April 8th

Location:  5536 NE 27th Ave

Time: 6-9pm

To bring: Your Own Beverage, and something to share.

Arrrgh!  Sorry, sorry, sorry … again it’s happened that we must postpone this shot.  Sarah Palin can’t make it; something about a bowhunting appointment.  And I personally am caught with my pants down because I just got back in town.  For all of you who were able & planning to make it, please accept my apologies.

But it’s springtime, and opportunities abound!  We will do this, and soon.  Watch this space!

-mykle-

P.S.  Mrs. Palin asks that if you have a red power suit to lend, or a straight-haired red wig, or a large gage shotgun or a stars-and-stripes two piece bikini, please get in touch.

Attention volunteers, weirdos and northern soaks!

Believe it or not, folks, but Snazzy Portland is still in production.  Like a grizzly bear, it takes long naps and wakes up HUNGRY!

We are now planning our third group-shot for the video, set in scenic ALASKA!  We’re very tentatively planning this shoot for SUNDAY MARCH 7.  (At this juncture it’s hard to be sure about the weather, so we will re-confirm or reschedule later this week.)

For this shot, we need extras who resemble typical inhabitants of Alaska, such as:

LUMBERJACKS! (flannel, suspenders, boots, cap, axe, etc.)
FISHERMEN! (rubber rain gear, beards, pipes, fish, etc.)
BEARS! (believe it or not, i already have a bear costume.  want to wear it?)
other WOODLAND CREATURES (moose, crab, hockey player, etc.)
SARAH PALIN!  (stars-n-stripes bikini, shotgun, square framed glasses, etc.)

.. or any other ALASKAN you can think of.  What do Alaskans look like, anyway?  Your guess is as good as mine.  (If you’ve been there, your guess is better!)

As before, I humbly ask that if you are able to show up dressed like this, or if you own any of these prop/costume items and would lend them for the shoot, please get in touch with me so I can coordinate the madness!

Thanks for all you do!
-mykle-

Crap!  Sorry folks, we have a hospitalized cat on our hands.  I have to reschedule this for Wednesday morning, one day later than planned.

Same time, same place, different day.  Sorry to jerk you around, but it’s literally a life or death matter.  (I hope if you couldn’t make it before, you can now.)

So: WEDNESDAY, Feb 10, 2010, 10:00am is the shoot, and the location will be:

VOODOO TOO, the east-side sattelite of Voodoo Donuts!  At 1501 NE Davis St.  (NOT the one downtown!)

-mykle-

Whee!  We just had a great organizational meeting, and the weatherman says we’re ON for tomorrow morning’s shoot for SNAZZY PORTLAND!  Again I beg your wacky assistance: please come if you can.  Fun times are assured!

The shoot starts at 10am on Sunday January 10th — tomorrow morning, as I write this.  We will be shooting by the Japanese Memorial Sculpture on the West Side Esplanade, next to the Steel Bridge.  Here’s a map link:

http://bit.ly/snazzyshoot1

We need a variety of costume items in order to create the illusion of Venice Beach, which will then dissolve into the reality of Tom McCall Waterfront Park.

If you just want to be part of the pack of smiling Portland bicyclists in this shot, simply come as yourself and bring your bicycle.  So easy!

BUT, if you’re willing to be a Californian-Portlander transformer in this shot, please bring AT LEAST these things:

– dark glasses
– cell phone (does not have to work)
– beachwear, lawyerwear or moviestarwear
– proper Portland rain attire, especially a coat and hat, to fit over your other attire.
– your bicycle

In addition, it would be helpful if you wore or lent us

– a blonde wig
– a bikini
– zinc sunblock
– sweat bands and/or leggings
– a small dog in a beach outfit
– a brightly colored jogging suit
– a ponytail
– iguana boots
– board shorts
– flip flops
– spandex in any color, but the brighter the better
– a surfboard
– a skateboard or inline skates (please know how to use)
– any other obviously Californian items you have.

If you have extra of any of the above, we’d love to borrow it for this shot.

Also: please bring enough layers, books, whiskey, etc. that you will be comfortable waiting around outdoors between takes.  There will be hot coffee and snacks.  There will be mirth and hijinks.  There will not be cocaine or groupies, but I’m still looking forward to a good Hollywood-style video-making time.

Thank you a million, billion times over!

-mykle-

Okay, it’s on!  This weekend we begin shooting the WORLD’S MOST AWESOMEST MUSIC VIDEO!  Please come be a part of the weirdness that is SNAZZY PORTLAND! 

This weekend’s shooting schedule:
Read the rest of this entry »

Hello 2010, and hello to everybody who’s expressed interest in helping make the Snazzy Portland video.  If you are reading this and you’re still interested, please reply with these three important pieces of info: Read the rest of this entry »

Drama alert!  If you’ve ever wanted to portray an annoying Californian, a lumberjack or a stoner on the big screen — and by big I mean at least laptop-sized — then read on.

The Bad Mintons – that street-hustling superbusker band of Chet Lyster, myself and a cast of dozens — will be shooting a pop video this January for our super-mega-ultra-hit cassingle “Snazzy Portland.” It is our most popular song ever, and we believe that with the right video it might actually sell one or two copies of our nearly-released record, or at least amuse more of our friends.

But it’s 2009 in Portland and we’re all unemployed.  We have no budget — but we do have a plan.  Right now I’m asking you, our friends and fans and friends-of-fans, for a little help with that. Read the rest of this entry »

At Noon on June 27th, as part of the St. Johns NO.Fest, I will again be curating a performance of “IN C”, Terry Riley’s awesome avant-garde score for any number of musicians.  I first got to play in this piece last February at LIGHTBAR as part of an ensemble of 12 musicians, struggling in the biting cold.  It was fascinating, exciting, difficult, well-received, and left us all longing to do it again, better.

This time around, we’ll be performing in downtown St. Johns, in summer, at midday.  The performance will kick off a day of avant-garde music and arts in St. Johns, and will be simulcast on KBOO FM.  If you’re a musician who can read sheet music and play well with others, I invite you to join our single-serving orchestra!

Read the rest of this entry »

… was great!  For instance:

Huge thanks to my pals in CHERVONA, the greatest Russian band in all of Portland! They leave for their Maslenitsa tour of California IHOP franchises on Friday. Go see them!  Their last Portland show before the tour will be this Thursday at the Alberta Street Public House.

Huge thanks also to everybody who came, danced, partied, celebrated, tipped, and then vanished into thin air right at midnight like ninja elves!  Such professionals!  Remember:

He who rocks and sneaks away
lives to rock another day!