Yes!

I remember seeing that “Basquiat” movie years ago, and in it someone told Basquiat to give up making music in order to take painting more seriously. I can remember thinking I was lucky to be an animator, getting to use both music and visual art. I think that’s why a lot of us end up in this profession – it’s an excuse to make music and draw pictures.

Off the top of my head, Christy Karacas, director of SuperJail! is guitarist in the band Cheeseburger. John Kricfalusi wrote the Ren & Stimpy theme song. Alan Foreman, director of Three Delivery, is in the band Ten Minute Turns which also makes the soundtrack for the show. Songwriter Benji Cossa started off as an animator. I’ve heard Mike Judge is quite a bass player. Animator Jim Diotte plays for Major Dad and about seven other bands. Animator Nate Mulliken was the drummer for the great Tie Reds. I’m sure there are more that slip my mind right now.

Anyways, a great song called “Clinically Dead” by a guy named Chad VanGaalen kept popping up when I was listening to Pandora. It turns out that he’s also an animator, and has animated videos for his own songs as well as a few for other bands. Really neat stuff, though I’m guessing he gets a lot of “What is that guy on?” type of comments. He’ll be playing New York on the 21st, but I won’t be back from Ottawa by then. Darn!

My only experience with steel drums is that segment from Sesame Street that shows someone making one in old New York. Lately, I’ve been hearing some interesting sounds when biking on Pacific Street near Classon Ave late at night. Sounds like steel drums.  This past weekend, I found where the music was coming from.

A group called “Desper USA” occupies a lot between some auto garages on Classon between Pacific and Atlantic, and they make a beautiful sound. I couldn’t really tell how many people were playing, or who was conducting the whole thing, but it sounded great. Very dynamic and happy. It seemed like all genders and ages were involved, and about fifteen people were making something that sounded as complicated as Flight of the Bumblebee. One of the guys there said that they’re preparing a ten-minute piece for a big competition next Saturday at the Brooklyn Museum. He said the competition has 50-100 member steel drum orchestras. I think it’ll be worth checking out!