This is a favorite recording of mine. The other guys in Skurj like it too since it contains our friend Mike Ruddnick acting like a big shot and it has me getting my balls busted.
Ruddnick had been helping us try to get gigs around Baltimore at the time. We appreciated the help, but Mike had gotten us a gig on Superbowl Sunday at the Ottobar. It was great, but it was Superbowl Sunday. Superbowl Sunday is a holy day for Skurj. It is the one time of year we get together and we do not make music. No one wanted to do it. Who would come see us on Superbowl Sunday?Mike heard this and automatically blamed me. He called and left this incredible answering machine message. After getting over my initial anger, I sat down and put some music to the message. Later that year we did play an Ottobar gig that Mike got us. That night is a story in itself. Imagine Skurj in an episode of “The Wire”.
Anyway, all of the stuff in the intro of the track was actually on my answering machine. Some weird Indian guy had been mistakenly calling my number and leaving messages that week. Dan, Malcolm and my Mom even makes a cameos…
The above picture is from a gig Ruddnick did not get us. I have no idea who the bald guy is. Thanks to Melinda for finding this pic.
This was from the CD “Fake Rabbit” from 2004. This song basically covers how Skurj does stuff. Rabbits, Sears, Nixon and Ted Danson all make verbal appearances. I think we even have a Bionic Woman in there too. This reminds me of the sound we were making before I left D.C. This is the mid 00’s Skurj here.
I seem to be the only guy in the art department when these things come in…This is an intro animation for a segment where our sports guy Larry Ramirez goes to Sea World and asks different animals who will win the big high school football game. The animals don’t really pick. Larry just hides food inside the helmet of the team he wants to win and lets nature take its course.
I automatically thought about Brian Fellows on this assignment, and I there was no other way to go…You know, Brian Fellows from Safari Planet.
I broke out my digital camera and shot Larry against our green screen. For the animal photos, I had to go online to the free stock photo sites and pray there were some marine animals that would work. I built the first two scenes in After Effects and the last one in Cinema 4d. I didn’t realize it until afterwards, but the music I used is the same music they use on the Girls Gone Wild commercials. Just another layer cheese on an already cheesy animation. I like cheese though and I think Brian Fellows does too.
Well I am not going to mention the site here. It is the one where people submit designs and people vote online for their favorites, and each month the company makes those shirts. I thought I would throw my hat in the ring with this design.
After I finished the design I realized it was really a perfect design for a child’s t-shirt or a girl’s t-shirt. It got decent reviews and votes, but not enough. I pretty much alienated the guy vote on this one with the high cute factor. I may try designing another shirt in the future if I have a good hipster idea. Maybe I’ll start a baby t-shirt company.
Mike heard this and automatically blamed me. He called and left this incredible answering machine message. After getting over my initial anger, I sat down and put some music to the message. Later that year we did play an Ottobar gig that Mike got us. That night is a story in itself. Imagine Skurj in an episode of “The Wire”.
