I’ve been working on a modular performance instrument that I call the Excessive Machine. It consists, at the moment, of several electroacoustic devices I have built, and a couple by instrument maker Tim Kaiser. It also incorporates a no-input stomp box component, outboard reverb, and an EHX Freeze Pedal. I’m using it at the moment to develop tracks for the next Donny Who Loved Bowling record, but I’ll likely also do soundtrack work with it as well.
I recently did some audio post work on Amber Love‘s short documentary, “Lifetimes.” I’m thrilled that it will see its world premiere this month as part of the Cleveland International Film Festival.
LIFETIMES looks at the practical and emotional labor of fighting for racial equity long-term through a portrait of one family, encompassing four generations of Black community leaders in Lansing, MI.
Amber Love
The film is part of Firelight Media, Center for Asian American Media, and PBS’s Homegrown Future Visions collection, featuring communities and stories from the Midwest. All of the films involved will be debuting together at the screening in Cleveland.
For more information about the film and the premiere, head on over to the Lifetimes Facebook page!
This month, I’m working on my first theatre sound design since 2019: “Book of Will” by Lauren Gunderson, at Saint Sebastian Players in Chicago.
Because the show is about the printing of Shakespeare’s First Folio, I get to construct the sound of a 1623 printing press! Something I love about theatre sound design is the research aspect of it, and learning about seventeenth-century printing technology has been a tonne of fun.
This involves a bunch of music from the 1600s, so I’m brushing up my faux-lute chops and also doing some flute playing. Fortunately for all concerned, I’ve also got Chicago woodwinds master Airan Wright on board, and he’s carrying most of the woodwindy weight…because as a flute player, I’m a pretty stellar guitarist!
The show also features my brother Tim, so it’s a family project! See you at the theater!
Joey Yow’s quirky and suspenseful short film, “10-62,” will be streaming on Shortverse starting today. I did the post sound for the film, the phenomenal Ele Matelan performed the foley, and the dynamic composing duo of Alexa L. Borden and Connor Cook created the music.
Kerry Reid of the Chicago Reader did an interview with my friend and frequent collaborator, foley artist Ele Matelan. You can read the article here.
Two years ago I went down to Austin, TX to play a set at the New Music Art and Sound Summit with my band, Donny Who Loved Bowling. This year’s summit is virtual and online and such, and DWLB will be part of that – we will be world-premiering a new 30-minute piece, with video accompaniment by Rebecca Ramirez.
Watch and enjoy via:
youtube.com/ghostyfriendable
https://twitch.tv/cotfg
Saturday, July 24th from 4pm – 7pm
2021 artists include: Joey Reyes & Jordan Willis, Christopher Whitley (with McKenzie Bezic, Julia Dixon, Douglas Friesen, khat knotahaiku, Zach Matteson, Kumiko Sakamoto, Camille Schiess, and Mark Sutherland), Lily Taylor & Sean Miller, Tonya Lyles & Mickey Delp, Juan Alfredo Rios-Rodriguez w/Héctor Tednoir, Erica Saucedo, Chris Payeur, Ciyadh Wells & Matt LaComette, Donny Who Loved Bowling (Joe Griffin and Christopher Petkus) with Cynthia Goosby, Scott Charvet, Andrew Trent, and Rebecca Ramirez.
The third iteration of my Spider Pick noise instrument is now available at my Reverb.com store. This model is painted black and features glow-in-the-dark picks and spiders.
Edit: SOLD!
I’ve also put my Prepared Cigar Box percussion instrument up for sale. This instrument can be played by striking, tapping, or spinning the turntable bearing and caster mounted to the cigar box.
For the last couple of years I’ve been solving sound design challenges – especially for live work – by constructing instruments that give me the sounds I want to make. These builds are put together from found objects, boxes from thrift stores, various bibs and bobs from surplus stores…all over the place. All of them have a contact microphone, and some also have a preamplifier or onboard effects devices. I’ve put a gallery of them over on my new Instruments page.
Sometimes I put one or two of them up for sale on Reverb.com or my Etsy shop (though there’s nothing there right now). I’ll post an announcement when something goes up!
Congratulations to the crew and cast of “Superman: The Fiendish Machinations of Lex Luthor” for taking home the Best Parody award from the Rome International Movie Awards!
Superman: The Fiendish Machinations of Lex Luthor as been selected as a finalist in the Rotterdam Independent Film Festival. Congratulations to crew and cast!
Griffin Sound Design 