My Blog

Updated info...

mubali — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:59:14 GMT

Just in case you guys haven't gone completely over to Facebook, here's a bit of an update... I've moved to Austin, Tx. I have a job doing tech support for DSL companies. I'm currently staying with friends in North Austin. The job is pretty cool except for the fact that I have a 2 hour bus ride each way to and from work. My job requires me to be available some weekends, so I will be performing a considerable amount less than I have been in the past few years, which is ok with me. I am looking for a living situation much closer to downtown Austin or south congress or something like that. I'd prefer to live with people I know, but I'm already looking on CS for stuff. Eventually, I would like my own place but that's not for a while.

Back to normal

mubali — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:20:14 GMT

I'm down in San Diego now. Just basically taking some time to spend it in the studio, find an odd job or two, and begin working on myself. for at least the next month, my tour schedule is on hold as I need to make new tunes. I'll be focusing on the Arabali/Brains split album between myself and Arahat. We also will team up with Bodhi for a group tune. I'm also going to be expanding my skills in production working on some dubstep and glitchhop or something to that effect. Also will be spending a bit of time learning some programming languages and hopefully increasing my computer skills.

Mubali Live at the Sullivan Room, Thursday Jan 15th NYC

mubali — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:34:28 GMT

http://forum.isratrance.com/psycheground-thursday-january-15-sullivan-room-featuring-mubali-brandon-adams-and-more/

new year....

mubali — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:40:27 GMT

So, I'm still here on the east coast. I've been getting in touch with the New York scene and meeting a lot of really awesome people here. I am still contemplating when I am going back to California, which is mainly to visit family and work on a split album with Arahat, but I'm also considering hanging here on the east coast for an extra month, as I have a booking in February in Philly. I'm still at my crossroad of where to take this, I am feeling the need to set down some roots, but am really at a loss to where. I have an opportunity in Austin to get my head above water and save some cash, which I think is something I really really need. I'm not sure if this nomadic lifestyle I've developed will really end, and sometimes I'm not sure that I want it to. I also have been avoiding some personal issues that I really need to work on before it causes some severe damage to me, and I recognize that if some of my lifestyle choices continue, I will destroy what I've worked to build. It's gonna be a hard road, but I just gotta take it one day at a time.

Finally!!!!!!

mubali — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 07:18:50 GMT

My computer is finally getting sent back to Berlin. In the end the orgs ended up providing the proper pressure needed that the consulate couldn't and it will be there hopefully in a couple of days. Too bad I am in Sweden.

So if you hadn't already heard yet...

mubali — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:29:07 GMT

My laptop was confiscated by Israeli airport security. They did not give me a reason. They said they didn't even have to. They said they would send it to me in 3 days... it's now 5 business days and I am really starting to think that I got fucked six ways from sunday on the whole trip to Israel. To avoid any further issues, I am not going to discuss the details in a blog.. you will have to ask me in person and I will tell ya the story. But I can say that my brain condition actually was detrimental to my experience leaving to come back to Berlin... They asked some strange questions and I uncontrollably started shaking (having an episode) so they assumed that I was hiding something....

trust...

mubali — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:44:59 GMT

Sometimes I think that I am too trusting of an individual, and in general too nice to be in the a traveling musician. Sometimes people who pose as friends are not, and it is up to you to determine what is what. However I believe in giving everyone the benefit of the doubt, however this year I've seen that sometimes even that is enough for someone to take advantage of you. I now understand why most if not many artists very rarely do favors for people. Friends are friends and business is business... I was fooling myself into believing that if you try to approach it from a standpoint that if you do no harm to others, none will do any to you, but that is not the case. This tour has taught me to really revamp a lot of my booking procedures. I'm going to charge a lot more to many people that I don't already have a nice connection with, and I am learning to make very few exceptions. In the US, it'll be a bit different, but at the same time I'm no longer going to want to go everywhere all the time just for fun. There are places that are dear to my heart and I will consider a home for me, and those individuals that I already have the connection with will keep whatever same arrangement that we normally do, but new people will have to jump through more hoops. Outside of the US, things will be much more controlled. For me, it even sucks to have to think like this, but in a few places I don't think that many of the values I had when organizing shows or even as an attendant to events applies to the people who organize events and attend them. Of course this does not happen everywhere and for the most part I have many good situations... But the not so good situations are enough even to make me question my desire to tour and play out everywhere. I imagine that eventually I will just have a set list of places that I like to go and play at, and then from there it would have to be a very special circumstance to make me deviate from someone I trust... but that's really the heart of the matter, trust. I felt fortunate to not have too many untrustworthy friends growing up, and of course I know that you can't trust everyone, but I was also raised to give them a chance. Unfortunately, at least when it comes to playing for someone even giving them a chance is inviting you to be screwed. So what's the point of trust when it seems that it's worth less that toilet paper? Yes not everyone is like that... but in something like this, it's far too easy to say one thing and do another.

Release Date Correction..

mubali — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:07:02 GMT

It seems that my albums like to come out on holidays. If my stoner brain is correct, my first album came out on St. Patrick´s Day (March 17)... Shenanigans will be released October 31st...Halloween Bitches!!!!!! http://forum.isratrance.com/mubali-shenanigans-trishcd016-trishula-records/

Shenanigans ETA...

mubali — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:44:36 GMT

November 21st, 2008.... be prepared... :) Initial release party will be in Serbia.... more info on that to come....

All good....

mubali — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 18:09:57 GMT

Taking a train tomorrow.... but Easy Jet still sucks... here's the party info for Belgium... http://www.goatrance.de/goabase/party/details/40833

I hate easy jet...

mubali — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:51:47 GMT

So... I'm at the airport trying to check in for my flight to Brussels.... The woman at the counter tells me that it's 20 euro for each checked bag... Now I normally know that there's a fee beyond the first, which is why I packed accordingly, but charging for the first bag is just lame... I explain that I honestly don't have any money to pay for this. She tells me that it should have been purchased with my plane ticket. Looking at my confirmation, there's no sign of this fee or even that you needed to pay per bag. Of course this also could be the fact that the itinerary is in Dutch. So, of course, there's no one I can call to even get them to pay for it for me... and I go to see if I can get on a later flight... In the time it takes to get through the line for the rebooking, apparently the checkin window has passed, and I've lost the flight. Bear in mind, I've just gone from the check in counter to the phone, 20m away from the check in counter directly in between the rebooking desk and the check in... So, I've now lost the flight, and have to book a new ticket to Brussels if I want to go, but I still will have to pay for my bag....... FUCKING BULLSHiT!!! So here's hoping this gets all sorted, I've alerted the appropriate people about the situation, now I am just waiting for a solution.... A word to the wise... just because the airline boasts cheap flights, doesn't mean you won't pay out of the ass anyway.... And if anyone books a plane ticket for you, have them send you a confirmation in English... that way you're not surprised at the airport.

Shenanigans Cover art...

mubali — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 09:30:50 GMT

After many trials and tribulations, the artwork for my album is done... Well.... since June actually. I just now finally got photoshop and converted the art files to something you could see... Of course tribe won't let me upload it due to it's size, but I found a work around... http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t179/mubali/Shenanigans%20art/?action=view&current=Frontandbackcover.jpg http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t179/mubali/Shenanigans%20art/?action=view&current=Insidecover.jpg

New Xabuumuphu track

mubali — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:48:18 GMT

On my myspace page... http://www.myspace.com/mubalitrax Called Chillin Berlin. It's a rough mix and the quality of the myspace player is crap, but I just finished it today.

Clarity in Deep Fog

mubali — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:19:18 GMT

So, this decision has been brewing for at least over a year, and now I think that after weighing everything out I can make this educated choice... I'm moving to Denmark next Fall. I talked with Jahbo and the Aarhus crew and they've got room for me to move in next year. I'm gonna stick around the US and get rid of most of my belongings and do the summer season in the States, but I'll probably split at the end of September. This means that I intend on doing all of the summer festivals.... Gemini, Gaian Mind, AUM, and probably even Burningman, kinda as a last hurrah... But this doesn't mean you'll never see me again... Just a little less frequently than usual. Here's why I'm leaving... I'm really tired of not being able to support myself, but I really want to be involved with the music. I worked 40+ hours a week for 6 years right when I began my journey into electronic music and toward the end of my work stint, I realized that I am not one of those 9-5 people. My head doesn't work like that and when I get stuck in a routine for too long, I freak the fuck out. I tried the touring thing and living in different parts of the US, doesn't work especially when from a financial standpoint playing in your home country doesn't make rent. Nobody's really willing to spend that much money on a plane ticket to Europe just for a show or two every month. I had a stint of being homeless (sleeping on the beach) when I was 17-18 and to be honest, I'd rather die than ever go back to that. So I need to take what few talents that I have and put myself in a place where I can use them wisely. I love the scene in the US. It's intimacy makes the parties worth everything and just about every artist that has come to the states to play LOVES IT!!! This is something we need to keep. But at the same time I know that the lack of money in the scene is kind of what keeps the intimacy of it. So I think that the best thing is for me to live here in Europe, where I can have a place to live and not worry so much about being broke 5 days out of 7.... This decision is more about living my "American dream" outside of the states... Funny... most people go to America to make money to live. I'm probably one of the few mofo's that leaving it to do the same.

Dilemmas, decisions...

mubali — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:45:57 GMT

Sometimes I wonder about my decision making process... I do feel that I need to take others into consideration when I make my decisions, but sometimes I wonder if I'm allowing the feelings of others to coincide with what I feel is best for me. Especially when the decision is directly affecting my life. I don't want to be a selfish person, but at the same time when I neglect myself it seems to land me in even more trouble.... I dunno... I'm on the verge of making a big decision for my future and some of the people I've shared this with have reacted a bit strangely to what I'm planning... It really took me aback, but it's really making me face the question of who am I living for? And when it's all said and done, who's gonna be responsible for all the decision that I've made. It's good to take others into consideration when deciding your future, but there has to be a line. I'm the one who has to face these choices daily and the results of them too... Maybe I should care less what other people think...

No Serbia :(

mubali — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 18:05:46 GMT

Due to the unforeseen circumstance of there being a Skazi party in Serbia, it looks like I have a free weekend for the weekend of September 6th. If anyone in Europe wants to book me for a set, I'm very open for something. Please contact me via email mubali at hotmail.com or on msn at that same address...

I know I'm posting a lot...

mubali — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 13:29:21 GMT

But I figured I'd mention this while it was still fresh.... Upcoming musical projects.. Onkel Dunkel (Monno from the Grapes of Wrath) and I have started a project with the tentative name of Speakerhuggers. We already have one track that we did together, which if you heard my set at Boom, was the very first track I played in my set.. We also have another one we finished with Zoolog that actually was started a year prior. If you've heard my live recording at Sacred Earth, it's the mubmonzoo track in that set, but it's now really different than what I played back then... As it stands, Monno is trying to do a collaboration album for Parvati as well as his solo album, so hopefully that's where the music from that will end up. In November I'm gonna spend a month up in Aarhus writing some tunes with him and the other freaks, so who knows what will happen from that point. Also, just decided.... Arahat and I will be doing a split album for Dark Prisma Records in Argentina.... We're gonna do it Voices of Madness style with 2 tracks from me, 3 from Tom, 3 Arabali, and bring Bodhi in for the very first Brains track. We'll be working on it next year when I'm back in the states, but knowing how labels lag, it'll take a bit before it actually sees the light of day.... Shenanigans is still on a holding pattern. I'm waiting to find out the release date so I can let all of you guys know when that's gonna happen.

Upcoming Shows...

mubali — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 13:17:02 GMT

So it looks like the Macedonia show is not gonna work out for me. I was gonna fly myself out there, but I spent way too much money at Boom and can't afford my ticket.. I'm still trying to sort out the subsequent Serbia show I was gonna have, but who knows... anyway here's some info on the show I'm gonna be at on the 13th of Sept.... in Belgium (open air) http://www.psychedelic.be/forum/showthread.php?t=34645&page=2 and for those who can't get on that site.... 2 years Fubar and Lycantrop Records presents Lycans Meeting cd-release and in memory of Seppo who left us to soon seppo a friend of ours, died in a carcrash, after going home , after fubar vs en sof party this will be a party in memory of him , rest in peace our friend In memory of Seppo ! Lycans Meeting Live: Mubali (Lycantrop Records / Trishula Records / Psycircle Records / usa) Baba Jelly (Lycantrop Records / Trishula Records / fr-be) Mind Distortion System (Lycantrop Records / Trishula Records / por-be) dj's: Makkura vs Yata Garasu (Fubar / Skitzophrenik Lifeform Records / Lycantrop Records / Recycled Records / be) Azidax vs Cousin Trebor (Fubar / Skitzophrenik Lifeform Records / Lycantrop Records / Blind Noise Records / be) Narcosmix (Fubar / Skitzophrenik Lifeform Records / Lycantrop Records / Hypnotica Records / be) Karkazz (Fubar / Xibalz / be) Open Air party Location near genk, beautifull place at a lake next to a forest, so pls : RESPECT NATURE there will be a camping area before the party there will be a bbq and chill music (dubstep, raggea, ragga), so come early MAX 100 FREAKZ, no reservation, no entrance full = full reservations => Kimmekee@hotmail.com , bussdriverman@hotmail.com , fubar-crew@hotmail.com Timetable: 22.00-00.00 : Karkazz 00.00-02.00 : Azidax vs Cousin Trebor 02.00-04.00 : Mubali (live) 04.00-05.30 : Baba Jelly (live) 05.30-07.30 : Makkura vs Yata Garasu 07.30-09.00 : Mind Distortion System (live) 09.00- ... : Narcosmix More info coming soon www.lycantrop-rec.com www.fubar-crew.com And here's a link to the flyer for the party in Israel http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii50/crying_orc/AlalilA_inside.jpg

Getting to Boom!

mubali — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 12:03:53 GMT

Everyone has some incredible journey to get to Boom. I am no different.... :) Originally when I got my plane ticket, it looked like I would have no problem at all getting to the site of the festival. I was supposed to fly from the smallest of the Berlin airports (Tempelhof) to Brussels, catch a connecting flight to Lisbon, get picked up by the artist shuttle and head off to the party... Of course this isn't taking into consideration that I'm the one flying and I'm usually cursed with airport issues. I get to Tempelhof, and don't really see my flight number. I go to the counter to ask if this is where I check in to fly to Brussels, they tell me yes, however the flight is indefinitely delayed and you will miss your connection to Lisbon. They direct me over to the Brussels Airlines office there in the airport, where they reroute my flight from Berlin - Frankfurt - Lisbon. Tricky thing is, I must leave from another airport in Berlin (Tegel) and that's on the other side of town. The flight to Frankfurt is on Air Berlin and the connecting flight is on Lufthansa. To make matters even worse, the flight is leaving at the same time my original one was leaving. I'm actually glad I got to the airport about 90 minutes early... :) They give me a taxi voucher to get to the airport, and after waiting for a taxi driver that actually accepted the voucher, I was on my way. Berlin traffic is a nightmare when you're actually in a hurry, but somehow we manage to make it to Tegel with about 30 minutes to spare before my flight leaves. I get to the counter and present my changed flight info, and the people working the check in have no idea what I'm talking about... I have to go to another Brussels airlines counter at Tegel, stand in line for about 5 minutes and then talk to the woman working the counter only to find out that I already had all the correct info and that the people working the checkin were idiots... (I knew that already, but it helps to be reaffirmed) So finally, my ticket is all set and they inform me that since my connecting flight is on another airline, I need to get a new ticket at Frankfurt from the Lufthansa transfer office.... (Pain in the ass) Ok.. I go through security, which is surprisingly a breeze and done right at the entrance to the gate that my flight is leaving on, get to my seat and almost immediately pass out. I was running on about 2 hours of sleep, so I was done... I wake up a bit later and look at my surroundings. I notice that we haven't left the gate yet. I end up asking the passenger next to me what time it is, and it's about 45 minutes after our departure time.... Now I instantly start internally freaking out because my layover is only about an hour and I'm not sure when the next flight to Lisbon is or if I can even get on it.... I was also broke as always so making a phone call to Portugal was gonna be out of the question. All told, we're at the gate an hour waiting on other people whose flights got rerouted as well... I finally get to Frankfurt and upon arriving there, I have to go through customs and immigration. Mind you, I flew from Berlin which is in the same country. I realize that I've got about 5 minutes to go get my new ticket and catch my flight to Lisbon on time. After getting hassled about the state that my passport is in. (It got water damaged at Mage 3 and I haven't bought a new one yet. It was only less than a year old so why spend all that cash again) I get through immigration and customs and go to the Lufthansa transfer desk.... Apparently, they can't help me at that one and I must go one floor up to another transfer desk. 2 minutes till departure. I run up the stairs basically screaming "get the fuck out of my way". Normally I'm never this rude, but I'm freaking out at this point. Once I get to the door leading to where I need to get my plane ticket, I have virtually no time left but I'm hoping that maybe just maybe they'll wait. Open the door...... and have to go through the fucking xray machine with my stuff AGAIN!!!!! Mind you, I haven't left the airport at all since I went through the last time to get on the flight to Frankfurt. I'm beyond pissed, but manage somehow to keep my composure as I just take out my laptop. Then of all things, they need to pull my cooling pad for my laptop out and examine it... At this point, I know I'm screwed as far as getting to Portugal on time. So after the x-ray I walk over to the Lufthansa transfer desk, and they tell me that they do have another flight for me and can help, but originally it was Air Berlin's responsibility to get me a new flight. I shoot the attendant the "I really don't give a shit, just get me to Portugal" look, and she kindly books me on the next flight which is in about 2 and a half hours. I then have to go back down the stairs and go through immigration again!!! They didn't even bother to look to see if I was already stamped, they just added another stamp and sent me on my way. At this point, I'm beyond pissed.... I just want to go to the gate and see where it is and find some place to hole up at. I have no money, and more than craving some food which I hadn't had since the night before... I really want a beer.. So I'm storming through the terminal on my way to the gate when I hear something behind me.... At that point I really didn't want to see anyone so I keep walking, but the sound gets closer and I can recognize that he's calling my name.... I turn around and it's Leo from Atriohm.... I got the biggest look of relief that I have ever had seeing him, and we went to go smoke a cig in the smoking section of the airport. (a life saver if you ask me) He ends up buying me a beer and we just hang out because we're on the same flight. He really saved my sanity and so the flight is very pleasant. We get to Lisbon airport and we go to baggage claim... Leo was smart and brought everything he needed as carry on. His brother Sashe, Sashe's girlfriend, and me all had at least one bag that we needed. I had all my clothes as checked luggage, and Sashe had pretty much the same too. It takes 1 hour to get our baggage.... Mind you, were pretty much the last inbound flight to Lisbon, so somehow it still took forever, and we're worried that we won't have our shit. I was dreading having to wear the same outfit for 10 days in what was supposed to be blisteringly hot weather. So we get everything and go to where the boom bus/ artist shuttle is.... Somehow, my name isn't on the list... I end up showing them my printout and my artist thing and basically telling them that I am who I say I am, and that I'm supposed to be getting a lift. They take my word for it, especially after the Atriohm boyz vouch for me, and then they tell me that the artist shuttle is full. Then nice as can be, the Atriohm guys volunteer to ride on the Boom Bus to the party and let me get on the shuttle... Ok... This shuttle driver is INSANE. And people drive like they have no sense in Portugal. Seriously thought I was gonna die on that ride up to the party.... So from Lisbon airport the site is like almost 4 hours, and about 3 and a half hours into the ride, we come to this police road block. Apparently there's like a really big line of cars heading to the site... something like a 6 KM line. So the driver says that he knows of a short cut to take us around this 6 KM line... So we end up backtracking and driving around bat country for about 45 minutes... All the while, the driver's on the phone with some guy trying to find the right road to take... Just because you know OF a route, doesn't mean you know how to navigate it... :) So finally we make it around the big line and the Police let up past, but turned away all the cars that followed us, so then they had to go all the way back to the end of the line... (that must have fucking sucked) This dude is driving past all the traffic and everything pretty much like a bat out of hell and even just slows down long enough at the front gate to tell the guys that he's driving the artist shuttle. Now we were all supposed to submit our tickets and get our wristbands there, but they guy felt that he didn't have time for that and delivered us directly to the artist check in. Now I assume that the Boom Bus will get the same treatment, but the Police made the bus stop about 5 KM away from the front gate and the artists had to either walk or wait for someone to pick them up. Fortunately, they only had to wait about 45 minutes, but once I heard this I felt really bad. In the end everyone made it to the party before sunrise, but considering that we started our respective journeys probably each 13 or more hours before, we're beyond exhausted... And the sun was coming up.... (I'll continue this story in parts as I get the time.... )

Aug 26th, 2008 - Five Years of Mubali

mubali — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:02:52 GMT

On the 26th will be the 5th anniversary of me making my first psychedelic trance song "Spork". It was made at the Van Ness house while all of you guys went to Burningman. At that time, I never thought that 5 years later, I'd be traveling the world performing my musical creations. But this isn't about me. This is about all my friends that fed me, gave me a place to stay, taught me about writing music, provided travel advice, booked plane tickets for me, picked me up from the airport or gave me a lift to the airport, gave me a shoulder to lean or cry on. You guys provided me with the strength to keep on doing this, even when the odds of me doing this seemed unfeasible. Without you guys, Mubali wouldn't exist, and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Bits of thoughts from Boom and other stuff....

mubali — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:17:48 GMT

Boom was truly amazing... I've never seen a crowd like that and never heard a soundsystem like that either. Funktion One rules!!! For me, Boom was Burning Man for psytrancers.... I unfortunately don't have a camera so I didn't get to take any pics or videos. I know that there were some cats from the states that got some good footage, but some of them have had their cameras stolen at the last day of the fest :( I'll elaborate more on my experience when I get time tomorrow. I just got to Berlin a few hours ago, and am catching up on 10 days of email. Needless to say, I had a great time and performing there has opened a plethora of new doors for me. I was fortunate not to really get the illness that many people got at Boom... Texas Faggot rules!!!, Menog put on a great morning set, and Random really showed people what we do in SF. Actually all of the US performers had a nice set and represented the scene very well. Anyway, more to come once I've slept and processed all of this....

To Boom!!!

mubali — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:04:23 GMT

One hour before I gotta go to the airport. Just did my laundry. messed up my animal shoes, but it's ok. Got everything sorted and packed despite running on 2 hours of sleep, and less sleep ahead of me. I'll touch base after the 21st, but till then I'm in Portugal, which should be warmer and drier than it's been up in Denmark and Germany these past weeks... hehehe... Really fucking excited...

R.I.P. Isaac Hayes...

mubali — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 02:38:16 GMT

The man who the kids know as Chef, has passed away at the age of 65. He will be sorely missed and I personally will do a tribute to him Sunday morning on Boom Radio... He was a Baaaaaaaad Mutha (shut yo mouth)....

Off to Boom and more info...

mubali — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 08:56:41 GMT

So I'm leaving for Boom Monday evening... Really excited... Looks like I'm doing a dj set, but apparently I get more time if I dj than if I played live. I'm still in Denmark, and if it weren't for the fact that I'm going to Portugal I'd just stay here. I've already made plans to come back in November for a few weeks and base myself there to start a mini project with Onkel Dunkel, and to do some more work with System Overload, Papiyan, and Jahbo... Anyway... I just got some more info on the festival I'll be playing in Israel on October 24th, nice lineup.... http://forum.isratrance.com/alalila-festival/

Forest parties rock!

mubali — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:21:56 GMT

I had a very nice weekend here in Aarhus. Really nice party in Moesgaard and wonderful people. Encephalopaticys came and layed down a superbly awesome set. Frode also came down from Yggradsil records.. Also really really nice music. It's raining now in Aarhus and the end of my first leg of my stay will be complete. I really love Aarhus, if I could afford to (or if I marry a German woman) I'd love to live up here...