win a free consultation as a special guest on the muzic biz

http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/2012/01/win-a-free-consultation-as-a-special-guest-on-the-music-biz-weekly-podcast/

I want to see the porn star mangled in the car crash....

Free song for January is "Horror Movie Song" (DOWNLOAD).
JAN12 - Horror Movie Song by Cancer Killing Gemini

I know, December comes before January. We were all set to release the free song for December but someone in the media caught wind of it and an opportunity to do an exclusive release presented itself. So December's song will premiere in early January and January's song is here for you now in late December. Still one song a month, even if we mess up the order.

"Horror Movie Song" is like "Scary Movie" set to music. It's part Scooby Doo, part Dawn of the Dead / Sean of the Dead. Frank, Max, Chuck and Andrew spread a thick layer of musical goo on this one. Enjoy.

NEXT SHOW:3/2/12  a Friday Night at TT The Bear's Place in Central Square Cambridge w/ Full Body Anchor and Grygiel. This one will benefit the Boston Alliance of Gay and Lesbian Youth, so find yourself a party hat or dress and come out (or come out). facebook event

Thank you to everyone who attended and helped out with Black & White Animal Night at Radio. We raised close to $1400 for kitty connection, gave away some great prizes and really enjoyed playing. If you are in need of a pet, check them out at http://ww.kittyconnection.net

Lyrics:
Porn star, dumb guy 
Full moon climbs through a starless sky 
Black car, brake lights 
The air in this town doesn't feel quite right 
Old man, with just one eye 
That's no reason not to trust a guy 
Cliche, right here 
"We should split up" 
That's a great idea 

Now I want to see some vampires 
I want to see the girl chased 
Then I want to see a werewolf 
I want to see their car crash 
I wanna see the doll child 
Crawling up the staircase 
I want to see the porn star 
Mangled in the car crash 

Farm house, porch light 
Let's go inside and stay for the night 
Come see what I found 
"Is it a big ancient book where the words move around?" 
Just then the old man 
Flailing around with a knife in his hand 
Outside, best part 
Never would've guessed that the car wouldn't start 

Is the old man gonna get me 
I thought we killed him yesterday 
Now he's some kind of zombie 
If he bites me 
I will try to eat your brains 
Just shoot me in the head we'll be okay 
In the sequel I'm undead

We record and release one new song a month. The latest two are free to download, so stay in touch and get all our new music for free by jumping on mailing list

Eric Michael Cohen
Cancer Killing Gemini
http://www.cancerkillinggemini.com
@CancerKillingG

If I don't stand for something, the nothing will corrupt me

Free song for November is "Woe" (DOWNLOAD).



Usually, my writing process starts with vocal melody over a single note bass line. This time, the Rhodes (electric piano) took the melody in the verse and pre-chorus. The song just didn't want vocals there. The chorus comes along and there was one simple message to convey:

If I don't stand for something
The nothing will corrupt me
Each instance gets sad and lonely
So woe is me

NEXT SHOW:
12/11/11 "Black & White Animal Night" @ Radio in Somervile, MA w/ I, Pistol and Sugar Snow to benefit animal rescue organization Kitty Connection. Great music for a great cause, plus some serious raffle prizes

Here is the facebook event page

We record and release one new song a month. The latest two are free to download, so stay in touch and get all our new music for free. facebook

Next month, we've got something as little different in store for you.....

Eric Michael Cohen
Cancer Killing Gemini
http://www.cancerkillinggemini.com
@CancerKillingG

Rock 4 Animals Animals 4 Rock.

So if you haven't heard already, Cancer Killing Gemini's next show is an animal benefit called Black & White Animal Night. We're teaming up with I, Pistol and Sugar Snow to raise money for a non-profit animal rescue organization called Kitty Connection from Medford, MA. The show is at Radio (379 Somerville Ave) in Union Sq Somerville.

The financial bottom has pretty much fallen out of the music industry in recent years. Instead of fighting it, we're going with the flow, and even paddling a little bit. The cover at the door will go to the charity. The raffle will go the charity. Money from sponsors will go to the charity. We'll show up and play to a room of (hopefully) drunk, happy animal lovers.


I want to thank Stoops from I,Pistol and Simone from Sugar Snow for being on the bill with us and also for their time and effort already in transforming this from a show to an event. Peter Wilner of PMW Creative Arts has also been of great assistance, as have the extremely enthusiastic volunteers from Kitty Connection. 


The raffle is really shaping up to be something special. Here are some of the prizes I can announce so far: 

• An Epiphone SG guitar autographed by Johnny Winter donated by MusicGoRound in Natick
• $50 gift certificate to Foundry on Elm
• Free oil change from Auto Plus in Somerville
• 3 personal training sessions + Fit Assessment (worth $454) from Fitness Together
• 4 small group sessions + Fit Assessment (worth $226) from Fitness Together
• $50 gift certificate from The Cheescake Factory
• $100 gift certificate from McCracken, Cooper & Petrella, P.C. for financial planning or a tax return
• 4 sessions from YourRunningBuddy.com
• 5 Custom music and animal related T'shirts from AudioCotton.com
• A gift certificate from AudioCotton.com for custom T's of your own design (1 design, 4 shirts)

I'd also like to thank some folks helping out behind the scenes:

     Geoff Chase Recording for multi-tracking the event live to ProTools (if you're in a band you'll know what that means)

     Rob Vassegh from CheapThrillsBoston for filming the event for SCAT

     Dave Clark (daveclarkrocks [at] gmail [dot] com) and Penny Korff for their graphics expertise

     Ashley Willard and the staff at Radio (could't do it without you)

Got something you can donate to the raffle?

Want to adopt a rescued cat or dog?

Need tickets?

Everything is channeling through the facebook event page. 

Thanks everyone. Back to the rock.

-Eric

     

     

You were a wild ride and I'm glad I got off

Free song for September is "Carousel" (DOWNLOAD)

OCT - Carousel by Cancer Killing Gemini


Frank's (drums) love of salsa and Latin percussion continues to influence our sound. We went all out in the recording process (timbales, congas, shakers, cowbells, tambourines etc) then scaled it back a bit. Max (keys) created some custom patches on the Micron for the soaring textures under the main keyboard riffs. Also, listen for the subtle Rhodes in the chorus under all the guitars. We did guitars (Chuck) through this cool little amp about the size of a pack of cigarettes plugged into a few different speaker cabinets. Andrew (bass) fills in the bottom with his trademark low end sludge.

Lyrics:
You're no good for me
But I'm falling
When your carnival comes 'round
At first the ecstasy
Envelopes me
You spin me up then you spit me out
The way you're treating me
Is defeating me
I give up when you make that sound
'Cause there's so much appeal
To your ferris wheel
Until it lays me on the ground


You say you're good for me
I'm not falling
Now the amusement's worn me out
The second ride ain't free
So get off me
Or put the bridle in your mouth
Are you having fun
With all your damage done
Time to find another mount
As you're set so explode
I'll crawl in my hole
Next time your circus tears through my town

In my own living hell
On your carousel
You leared to put me on my knees
On the telephone
You're not coming home
I'll drive myself alone in pieces

The day the glitter fell
From your carousel
You learned to beg enough to please
On the telephone
Don't want you coming home
I'll drive myself alone in peace

SHOWS:
12/11/11 "Black & White Animal Night" @ Radio in Somervile, MA w/ I, Pistol and Sugar Snow

We record and release one new song a month. The latest two are free to download, so stay in touch and get all our new music for free. facebook

Eric Michael Cohen
Cancer Killing Gemini
http://www.cancerkillinggemini.com
@CancerKillingG

Only if I miss you first.... (weep)

Free song for September is "University" (DOWNLOAD)
SEP - University by Cancer Killing Gemini


Last month was pretty heavy, releasing "World Trade" about 9/11. No politics this month. 

"University" is a strong departure from the typical "industrial-ish" CKG fare. No electronics on this track. Rhodes, Hammond, guitar, bass, drums and vocals.

If you are headed off to school without your girlfriend / boyfriend, this might be a good theme song... as it ends in a burning pile of hurt feelings and broken promises. Get yourself some Ben and Jerry's and have a good cry.

Lyrics:

In the fall the change is on the way 
You hit the road in brand new clothes 
To learn something about everything 
You promise me you'll call me everyday 
From university 
University

November comes it's getting cold 
Your scent is gone from all my clothes 
A new excuse for not calling me 
Your minor in philosophy 
A brand new friend he's really great 
And you swear to me it's not a date 
You're not immersed in me 
From university

I hate when you're so logical 
You say between the tears 
This argument is impossible 
Don't scream at me 
All this jealousy 
Will destroy our chemistry

I reach out 
You freak out 
I think we'll 
Not end well

Thanks again to Chuck Pukmel for getting his hands dirty with me mixing this one

SHOWS: 

9/15 live in studio performance on http://unregularradio.com/

10/2 Precinct in Somerville, MA 9pm - tix available here.
This will likely be our ONLY BOSTON AREA FALL SHOW


We record and release one new song a month. The latest two are free to download, so stay in touch and get all our new music for free. facebook

Next month's free song: How about "Carousel"? Unless you want to hear about Max almost getting a girl pregnant...

Eric Michael Cohen
Cancer Killing Gemini
http://www.cancerkillinggemini.com
@CancerKillingG

"World Trade": writing music about 9/11 ten years later

Free song for August is "World Trade" (DOWNLOAD)


I had not really intended to write a song about the war on terror, but when I heard the news that we had killed Osama, what really sunk in was how much the world had changed as a result of 9/11. Airport scanners, the Patriot act, the Arab spring, Guantanamo Bay, unpaid wars in the Middle East, a rebirth of racism; the list goes on and on. How had this one act created such a deep, long lasting impact on our country and our planet?

AUG - World Trade by Cancer Killing Gemini

The news of Bin Laden's death, for me, brought back the images of the planes hitting the towers. The chorus lyrics of this song ("World Trade") came out days after I heard the news. I had intellectualized the events of that day and stored away the emotion for almost a decade.

The verses of the song were a different story. Eventually they would go through three versions as I found the message and the tone for what I wanted to say. The rest of the band (especially Frank) was a great sounding board as the song took shape. Everyone has some opinion, emotion or connection with the events of 9/11. Hearing input from the band (and later from others) helped me find the context for my experiences.

Engine Company 10

I visited Ground Zero after 9/11. Now it felt like time to go back. Back then it was a pile of rubble being loaded into dump trucks. The tone around the site was quiet and somber. There was a undeniable respect for what had transpired. But what I experienced this time was quite different. Hope. Progress. Pride. I didn't need a blueprint to see what was being created. There's the Memorial. There's the Freedom Tower. The walls and fences that obscured much of the view on my first visit couldn't hide the majesty that was underway. Everything was vertical now, with cranes bearing American flags dominating the sky.

construction at WTC August 2011

And people. Every age, every race. No hostility, no anti-anything signs, just people. Maybe America, at least around the WTC, was returning to its core values.
While in NYC, I visited with two friends I had not seen in a very long time. I asked about their experiences as New Yorkers during and after 9/11. I'm changing names but no other details of our conversations.

Amy worked for an investment firm in Tower 2 in 2001. At the beginning of September, she was on vacation in Europe. Her return ticket had her scheduled to be back in NY on Sunday the 9th. She would have been at work on Tuesday had she taken that flight, but her travel companion suggested they extend their vacation for a few more days and fly home on Wednesday the 12th. The flight on the 12th would be cancelled as flights across the world were disrupted in the aftermath. Amy eventually returned on the Sunday after 9/11. Of the thousands of employees of her company that were in the tower, all but 4 escaped. She knew and had worked with all 4. Returning to work, Amy described an environment of alienation. Her friends and coworkers avoided and ignored her. Having not been through the experience in the tower, she was an outsider.

Lynn was a musician who also did temp work. The week before 9/11, she was scheduled to temp in one of the towers, but over the weekend, a music gig materialized. She called a friend to cover and he went to work in her place for that week. He didn't make it out of the tower. Lynn still carries the guilt of "killing her friend" to this day. As soon as she started telling me about her experience, she was in tears. She can intellectualize that there is no fault in her actions but it doesn't do anything to make her feel better or to bring her friend back.

Lynn told me of an experience she had recently on a train. A tall dark-skinned man boarded in traditional Muslim clothing boarded the train and sat down near her. He put his backpack under the seat and sat quietly. She paid him little attention. But when, a few stops later, the man exited the train, leaving his backpack behind, Lynn immediately bolted off the train and ran as fast as she could. She knew which direction the train ran, and took off in a perpendicular direction so that the inevitable blast from the bomb she knew was in the backpack would not get her. After she was blocks away, she slowed down and started crying. Not because of fear, but because it was only at this moment that she realized the possibility that it was just a regular backpack. Her experience on 9/11 had scarred her in a way she was not aware of until that moment. Situational racism. There was no bomb.

Freedom Tower, roughly 50% complete, August 2011

After visiting the WTC, I went to see where the "proposed mosque" I had heard so much about about in the news was located. I remembered that it was north of the site, so I headed out in that direction. I asked a street vendor selling souvenirs where it was. "Warren St" he replied. I walked up to Warren St and asked someone working in a restaurant where the mosque site was. They didn't know. The people in the convenient store didn't know either. At a bar down the street, the bartender thought it was in "the old Burlington Coat Factory" building, but she didn't know where that was. I started walking back towards the WTC site. I stopped into another business. "It's near a bar called Dakota's, but I don't know what street that's on". Okay, more walking.  Then I came across the Christian Science Reading Room. They must know. Nope. Didn't even know what I was talking about, but they did have a computer and I was able to look it up on the internet. It was less than a block away. I went around the corner and there was Dakota's. I went in and asked the bartender where the mosque site was. He didn't know either. He asked his coworker who said "it's next door".

I left the bar and looked next door. No crowds. No banners. Just an old building in need of a paint job and some serious renovations. There was a police car parked at the curb. I knocked on the window and the officer rolled down the window. "Is this the 'proposed mosque' site?" I asked. Yes it was. "Is it always this quiet around here?" I asked. She said it was. Maybe there would be some yelling on the anniversary of 9/11, but for the most part New Yorkers just walked by.

not much happening at the mosque site

But the thing that was the most constant reminder of 9/11 is my cousin serving in the Marines, in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He has a young wife and young son. I am always impressed with his character, his conviction and his courage. Each time we get together, I hope for the news that his next assignment will be stateside: something mundane and safe. As long as the wars continue, there's no long term guarantee of that. Bin Laden's dead. It's time for him to be the amazing dad we all know he is.

"World Trade" will be a free download forever.

Lyrics:
You drop the towers

and then retreat

Our shock and awe will wreck the wrong country

Now we've both put on a big display

The Arab spring blooms anyway

Blue sky outside

Airplanes inside

In flames goodbye

World trade

To my cousin 

and your Marines

I want you safe far from the Middle East

While congress fights to see how long you stay

I think that you should see your son today

Throw some boots on the ground to confuse the outrage

Then to kill just one man we invade three countries

Call it terror or religion we all bleed the same way

Because all Muslims aren't Al Qaeda nor all Christians the KKK

Thanks again to Chuck Pukmel for some great mix consutation

SHOWS: 

9/15 live in studio performance on http://unregularradio.com/

10/2 Precinct in Somerville, MA 9pm - tix available here

We record and release one new song a month. The latest two are free to download, so stay in touch and get all our new music for free. facebook

Next month's free song: "University"


Eric Michael Cohen
Cancer Killing Gemini
http://www.cancerkillinggemini.com
@CancerKillingG