Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Quixote - 12/15/15



This was originally just a test of some mic configurations...turned out nicely so it's here.  For those who care: Blumlein pair of AKG C414B XLS mics, Mogami cables, Focusrite Scarlett 6i6, basement.  Taylor 910 CE, D'Addario EXP 13's.  Song is Quixote, from Drawing Board: available for download at jeffersonfox.bandcamp.com  Love ya.  See ya.

Monday, November 2, 2015

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Too old for this shit.

   I was asked earlier where someone can get my music.  I said "all the usual internet sites and out of the boxes in my basement".  Turns out I was mostly wrong.  Apparently I let my contracts lapse with most of the usual internet sites so there's about one place you can download them now.

   "So I should fix that"...I thought for a moment.  No.  Screw it.  It's available at http://jeffersonfox.bandcamp.com and that's good enough.  If anybody finds it I'll be just tickled.  If they don't I'll be just tickled.

   You may ask yourself: "Why's this guy not more interested in promotion?" or say to yourself "maybe this is a ploy: some type of reverse psychology thing."  No.  I'm just not interested.  Bandcamp is easy and it's already done and the 400 ever-changing other sites that I don't want to update constantly just annoy me and I'm glad that shit expired.  I still like music, making music, and putting together things that resemble records.  Hell I might even do it again someday...but...I'm too old for this shit.  The internet and the Instant Gratification Nation have fucking exhausted me.  I don't have the time or the money to make another 'Animule' production happen and if I did I probably wouldn't because the only point in that would be to try to make a living at music and I don't want to tour enough to make that happen and I'm well aware that the depressing crap I write is not ever going to be "popular" so I'm not going to make a bunch of money at it.  Oh well.

   You may ask yourself: "If he knows the depressing crap he writes is never going to be popular, why doesn't he write less depressing crap?"  or say to yourself :  "He ought to just use a regular drummer and some electric guitars and make normal music."  And I would answer both those notions with "Why in the Hell would I make music that didn't feel was coming from my own heart and mind?"

   I used to really think that I wanted people to like my music and every now and again that happened.  These days I am rarely reminded by someone at work or in our circle of very few friends that those days ever existed.  I've been recording a lot since those days.  I like some of it very much.  I may release it to the internet.  I might press little shiny circles with those songs on them.  How will I sell them?  Probably not well.  I won't invest much in it because I understand that reality.  If the shit goes viral I'll print more.  And people can buy said shit at http://jeffersonfox.bandcamp.com

   Why tell you all of this?  There are a few people who just keep asking these questions.  Here's your answer:  I don't care at all who likes my music.  I don't care at all who listens to my music.  I'm recording these days so that my two girls may have these things to listen to when I'm dead and because I like listening to these songs.  I like the process of writing them.  It's really hard to want to spend money to let other people listen to my music.  I'm sorry.  I always busted my ass to make the house payment when I was touring and trying to force feed my music to people who really would rather hear the latest and greatest version of Maroon 5 or some cover band doing "Brick House" at the local sports bar.  I slept on couches all over the country and nearly missed my kids growing up and ate like crap and got really depressed and hated my life...in an attempt to be famous or get rich or feel loved or something...not even sure what I thought I was trying to prove.  I guess I wanted somebody to tell me I was really cool...honestly no fucking idea what I wanted.

   Now I want to enjoy the remaining years of my life to the best of my ability.  I want to see my children discover a meaning to their lives.  I want to enjoy my garden and raising a few chickens.  I want to play music for myself and enjoy the process of trying to record it well for the sake of making it sound nice.  I want to get the bathroom remodel over so the drain won't leak in the studio.  I don't want to be famous or rich (I'd like to be slightly richER).  I don't want to compete for popularity with young people who really need that to feel complete.  I don't need to be told I'm cool.  I'm not all that cool.  If you think I am you don't get out much.  I'm pretty much a 40 year old nerd/philosopher who violated all of his own personal views on how a life should be lived before I figured out what I needed.  Oh and I write poetry and play guitar (like 50 million other people)

   So back to the reason I wrote this.  If new music from my basement studio ever, in fact, becomes available to the public it will likely arrive at http://jeffersonfox.bandcamp.com although there's a good chance I'll forget to tell anyone.  If you remember to look every few months and you find something interesting please enjoy it and don't bother to ponder why no one else likes it or knows about it.  It doesn't matter.  Just enjoy it.  Have a good life.

JF

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Ruby Jane Allen (Mom) Obituary

Ruby "Jane" Allen, 66, of Puxico, Missouri passed away peacefully on June 15, 2015 at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri.  She was surrounded by those closest to her at the end of a battle with cancer.

Born on January 31, 1949 in Piggott, Arkansas to L.D. and Ruby Eskew, she and her two sisters, Joyce (Stahl) and Janet (Mason) were raised lovingly, taught the values of hard work, compassion and commitment.  The family moved to Puxico, Missouri in 1962.  They farmed, raised cattle and became ingrained in a close-knit community which remained dear to her heart.  Jane's mother was a beautician.  She became one as well.

She married Elbert M. Fox in 1968 and gave birth to son, Jefferson Fox in 1972.  The marriage did not endure but mutual love for their son and granddaughters allowed the two to remain friends all of her life.

On February 20, 1976 Jane married Michael Ellsworth Allen of Puxico, Missouri.  Together they had one daughter, Kelly Renee Allen (Marconyak).  She also loved dearly Mike's son, Douglas from a previous marriage.  The two devoted their lives to each other and to raising their children well.  They traveled extensively while Mike worked as a pilot for the United States Army, retiring to Puxico in 1997.

Jane was an avid volunteer, sports enthusiast, active member of Brown General Baptist Church, and caregiver both professionally and in private.  She worked at Pinelawn Residential Care in Puxico until her own mother's care became her primary duty.  She came to the rescue of those in need.  She burned the candle at both ends.  She loved deeply and she forgave.  She was outgoing and made life-long friends everywhere she went.  She stayed in touch with those people and she truly appreciated every opportunity to be near them.  She was a best friend to many.

She is survived by her mother, Ruby Eskew, her husband Mike Allen, her son Jefferson and Sharon Fox, her daughter Kelly and Jaison Marconyak, her step-son Doug and Bernice Allen, grandchildren Andie and Zoe Fox, Lucy and Kelson Marconyak, Grace and Rebecca Allen and her sister Joyce and Barry Stahl.

She was preceded in death by her father L.D. Eskew and sister Janet K. Mason.  She loved them both dearly.

A visitation for family members will be held at Morgan Sifford Funeral Home at 5pm on Friday, June 19, 2015 opening to friends at 6pm.

Her funeral will be held at 11am on Saturday, June 20, 2015 at Brown General Baptist Church of Puxico, Missouri.