BILLY JOEL The Stranger ... Even Stranger

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This is a really annoying loop from Billy Joel's The Stranger.  Kinda grows on you for a bit, uplifts, and then terrorizes.  I made the loop along with this creepy drawing a while back, whilst having a very bad day.   The loop was longer.  If you listen, please loop the loop.   Probably shouldn't even share this kind of thing, but it's all too easy now!

The Stranger (abbreviated version) by Psychobuildings

- Peter Schuette

Keyboard Magazine, 1995

It takes me a long time to read a magazine.  This one's from 1995.  I've had it on my nightstand for 16 years and am just now unlocking its glitter-ous contents.  As a teenager, there was little way of telling what any of this gear did.   Some pages are a total confusing mess.

I think I would just read the interminable music theory articles or the Nine Inch Nails concert report.  (still used reel-to-reel for their live show, and DX7's as Midi controllers!)  Years later, the gear reviews make a lot more sense.  A couple of my particular favorites, the Novation Bass Station and the Studio Electronics SE-1, both came out in 1995 and are reviewed in this issue.  (We've used both on Psychobuildings tracks.)   Then there's one of the first ads for my favorite live keyboard, the Nord Lead,

and all the amazing / mildly nauseating mid-90s clip art illustrations.

I may have to pick up some more back issues.

- Peter Schuette

Stevie Wonder Feelings

I'm a huge Stevie Wonder fan along with the rest of the band.  More Psychobuildings posts on Stevie to come!  

I love the simplicity of this song's structure.  Very few lyrics-- the power of the performance really makes the song work. 

I try to keep Stevie Wonder in mind when working on Psychobuildings music.  As a songwriter and singer he often communicates very direct, unguarded emotions.  It can be scary thing to put yourself out there like that.  Stevie does it time and time again and I find it really inspiring.  You get the sense that he really feels it making it easier as a listener to feel it and be moved too:

- Peter LaBier