Posts from — May 2009

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Often we’re asked how we became such good musicians. The answer: Magic!

Here is a short bit of insight into how some of our music is made with this video about making a custom glass slide for playing stringed instruments.

Remember always wear eye-protection and use good judgement. Enjoy.

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A long while back Dan and I bought some bicycles. Two ‘very nice’ in-town single-speed cruisers. They had baskets and racks and petals, that stayed on for the first week. We used and abused those bikes. I think myself more so than Dan.

My bike was borrowed a number of weeks ago and still has not been returned. Dan’s bike is available to any visitors as we both now sport fancy Giant mountain bikes.

Here is a short film in dedication to those bikes and their first journey out. Original Music by 蛋糕.

Enjoy

Aston Corporate has finally put it’s pieces together and erected a live voting site for the various recruitment videos regions have put together. Remember ours, way back at the end of March? Here’s another look if you’ve forgotten.

Now we’re going to need your Honest To Goodness Opinion and a couple clicks with a pointer in your favorite browser.

HERE
We are nestled up here in the North, so look for Hohhot under the North and South Region category (yeah, I know, way to use your brain grouping school Aston, but go with it.) If you click on the link to view the video it will bring you back here. But go for it. Then We’ll need you to click-click-click-a-roo and then tell your friends.

This IS a competition for hard earned Chinese dolla-bills. So it’s serious. Remember. Don’t finish reading this, instead click
HERE

Our projects have finally reached their critical mass requiring – or some would suppose, encouraging, their own domain. Projects so extensive, particular, enthusiastic that they’ll need they’re own set of analytics, advertisements, business cards, billboards, and general buzz. A buzz much larger than this site is capable of handling. In response, we’ve decided to create that space in order to encourage growth and independence. Our chick is finally leaving the nest.

Welcome to ChinaClown.com

- our official GoLive date is set for June 1, 2009 at High Noon, Beijing Standard Time.

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Rain poured down all night and into the morning. Our plans for a massive mountain bike ride was heavily diluted and we sprung onto plan B. Dan and I rearranged the house a bit and I moved my queen bed into the ‘lobby’ as dan dismantled his and took ownership of mine. Only one broken glass later we were moving parts of Dan’s bed down stairs and across the ‘quad’ into Becci’s extra room, from which we were extracting my new single bed. Still stiff as a board and with a few broken planks I was happy to have more space in my already large spacious corner of the apartment. Dan graciously stuck to the plan and heaved beds up and down stairs and within the hour we were all cleaned up and tucked back into our apartment.

About an hour later we called B to get some lunch and revise our previous plans. The suggested in town bicycle ride accompanied by small shopping stops and lunch hit home and we embarked. The rain fell harder as a result. Dan and I were wearing shorts. My hands were cold, but the weather was warm enough.

A man passed us along the way carrying five locked bicycles in his bike-truck. I wanted to kick the thief’s teeth in. Dan and Becci asked me to relax. I held on as long as I could and then followed their advice. We continued on.

Parking our bikes we successfully obtained a new sleeping bag for me, a head lamp (for me), lunch (for all of us), a hand drier, and a soap dispenser (for the school). Feeling successful we stopped at the school to drop our goods and then jumped down stairs to pick up a new phone for me, where upon Dan lost his mind and Becci followed quickly.

Less than 30 minutes later we were in the apartment drinking and writing songs. Close to 4 hours later Becci picked up her keyboard and Dan put away his guitar and we called it a night. The number of tracks recorded exceeding 15. This is the finest of them all. Un-edited. Un-cut. Un-professional. Yet fantastically awesome. I hope you do enjoy.

NOTES REGARDING THE SONG:
Daye (大爷）Pronounced something like Dye-yea, is translated to mean uncle, but has context of any elder and respect man. Strangers whom you meet at shops, stores, help you with directions, or watch after your things can all be referred to as daye. In this case Daye is our school’s night watch man and security guard, handy man, janitor, and general go to guy. And he’s got the most personality of all employees at Aston, including myself. With the most respect, this song was written and recorded, and we all hope to make him as happy and comfortable as we possibly can. Hat’s off to our Daye.