Ducati 848 EVO unveiled

Two years on from its launch, the Ducati 848 has received a few tweaks. These have been focussed mainly on the engine and brakes.



Changes to the 849 cc Testastretta V-twin include revised throttle bodies, cylinder heads and camshafts. As a result, power is up from 134 bhp (100 kW / 136 PS) to 138 bhp (103 kW / 140 PS), while maximum torque is now 98 Nm.

Braking ability has been improved as well, thanks to the use of race-derived Brembo Monobloc calipers for the front twin 320 mm discs. For the first time, the 848 also gets a steering damper.



To mark the changes, Ducati has given the 848 an ‘EVO’ suffix. However, despite the various enhancements, the good news is that UK prices are unchanged compared to the outgoing models.

The 848 EVO, which comes in traditional Ducati red with a matching frame and black wheels, remains at £10,695 (plus on the road charges). A slightly cheaper alternative is the very cool looking 848 EVO Dark Stealth which, as the name implies, has a matt-effect black finish with a black frame. It costs £9,995.



Orders for the 848 EVO can be placed now, ahead of the first customer deliveries which are expected to take place during September.

Ducati 848 EVO unveiled

Two years on from its launch, the Ducati 848 has received a few tweaks. These have been focussed mainly on the engine and brakes.



Changes to the 849 cc Testastretta V-twin include revised throttle bodies, cylinder heads and camshafts. As a result, power is up from 134 bhp (100 kW / 136 PS) to 138 bhp (103 kW / 140 PS), while maximum torque is now 98 Nm.

Braking ability has been improved as well, thanks to the use of race-derived Brembo Monobloc calipers for the front twin 320 mm discs. For the first time, the 848 also gets a steering damper.



To mark the changes, Ducati has given the 848 an ‘EVO’ suffix. However, despite the various enhancements, the good news is that UK prices are unchanged compared to the outgoing models.

The 848 EVO, which comes in traditional Ducati red with a matching frame and black wheels, remains at £10,695 (plus on the road charges). A slightly cheaper alternative is the very cool looking 848 EVO Dark Stealth which, as the name implies, has a matt-effect black finish with a black frame. It costs £9,995.



Orders for the 848 EVO can be placed now, ahead of the first customer deliveries which are expected to take place during September.

"SUMMER BREEZES" are calling ... going on a holliday ... see you in one month ... 'travel' back in the blog in the meanwhile ...

Talking Heads - True Creatures Demos

I've been on a real Talking Heads kick lately, listening to their albums and side-projects with a passion. I've also been reading This Must Be The Place by David Bowman which is an excellent history of the band through the 1999 reissue of Stop Making Sense on DVD. I'd love to read an updated version and catch up on details I've missed since, although the basic vibe the book left with me is that David Byrne IS the heart and soul of Talking Heads, Jerry Harrison is a great musician whose presence opened up new possibilities for the band, Chris Frantz is a great drummer who really enjoyed the ride, and Tina Weymouth is jealous and spiteful because she's not the leader. Maybe that sounds a little hard on Tina but in most of the interviews with her featured in the book she bashes David, complains about the labels, says their audience wasn't sharp enough for her other projects, tries to take credit for things she really had nothing to do with and attempts to re-write history. I don't know Tina, haven't spoken to her and don't know much about her outside of her works with Talking Heads and the Tom Tom Club, and while one could argue the book could be biased, I would assume that the writer, if he has any credibility, wouldn't alter things for his own gain, so I will take the text as is and my assumption is Tina is bitter. She seems to be the main reason that the group has not reunited, and while David may be the center of the group, he is not Talking Heads. And while I'm on it, Tom Tom Club wasn't that great and most of their best moments on the first album go uncredited to Adrian Belew, SO THERE!

It hurts to see something that was so inspiring get left behind because someone holds a grudge that no one else may understand. Talking Heads really impressed me as a child since they seemed to do whatever they wanted without worrying what others thought. Hire wonderful musicians for an African funk fest? CHECK! Make videos that people are still trying to emulate today? CHECK! Make incredible records that still hold up? CHECK! The Big Suit? CHECK! Etcetera, etcetera, and on and on, the point is they earned a permanent place in my consciousness and I know I'm not the only one that can attest to that.

In digging through my stuff and scouring the internet for interesting goodies, I found an interesting set of demos labeled True Creatures. True Stories and Little Creatures, while great albums, aren't my favorite periods of the Heads' works, but I was interested and grabbed them, and I'm really glad I did because these are great tracks! These appear to be David Byrne on his own with a drum machine, his guitar and more than half of the songs for the True Stories and Little Creatures albums, multi-tracking his vocals and guitar over basic beats that could have all been recorded at home.

Most of the songs on the True Creatures Demos are pretty much fully written, although there are differences in some of the lyrics from the finished versions. Road To Nowhere sounds rather rough lyrically, with Byrne's vocals garbled by his multi-tracking, making one assume the lyrics were waiting to be finished. Wild Wild Life is mostly the same but has a few slight changes in it's lyrics. It is also missing it's speed and attitude from the finished version, as is Love For Sale, making them mid-tempo songs rather than full-blown rockers. Things get really interesting though with the instrumental Hey, not to be confused with Hey Now. This appears to be Byrne experimenting with his synthesizers and samplers as several pitch adjusted samples of his voice make multiple appearances saying only Hey throughout. Overall a great experimental instrumental which is otherwise unreleased, but the shining point of this collection, for myself at least, is Byrne's stripped-down take on People Like Us, making it more ballad-like and reaffirming it's stance of personal strength.

At the moment, I don't have this in better quality than 128kbps MP3, so if anyone has a better copy and wants to share, drop me a line, I'd love to talk to you. As for where I got this from, credit goes to nic1233 at the guitars101 forums. Thanks for sharing man!


Talking Heads - True Creatures Demos

01 Wild Wild Life
02 Puzzlin' Evidence
03 Love For Sale
04 The Lady Don't Mind
05 Hey Now
06 Road To Nowhere
07 Hey (Instrumental)
08 Papa Legba
09 People Like Us
10 City Of Dreams
11 Radio Head
12 Give Me Back My Name


PS - No offense to Tina, I simply call 'em as I see 'em. I'd love to hear you prove the sources wrong.

Tattoo History - 'Maori Moko'

1) Mythology.

According to Maori mythology, tattooing commenced with a love affair between a young man by the name of Mataora (which means "Face of Vitality") and a young princess of the underworld by the name of Niwareka. One day however, Mataora beat Niwareka, and she left Mataroa, running back to her father's realm which was named "Uetonga". Mataora, filled with guilt and heartbreak followed after his princess Niwareka. After many trials, and after overcoming numerous obstacles, Mataora eventually arrived at the realm of "Uetonga", but with his face paint messed and dirty after his voyage. Niwareka's family taunted and mocked Mataora for his bedraggled appearance. In his very humbled state, Mataora begged Niwareka for forgiveness, which she eventually accepted. Niwareka's father then offered to teach Mataora the art of tattooing, and at the same time Mataora also leant the art of Taniko - the plaiting of cloak borders in many colours. Mataora and Niwareka thus returned together to the human world, bringing with them the arts of ta moko and taniko.

2) Archaeological evidence.

According to archaeological evidence, tattooing came to New Zealand from Eastern Polynesian culture. The bone chisels used for tattooing can be found in archaeological sites of various ages in New Zealand, as well as in some early Eastern Polynesian sites. Although the Maori practised tattooing, there is no evidence that the Moriori people did. In New Zealand, It is in the early sites that the widest chisel blades are found, and this lends evidence to the theory that there was possibly a preference towards rectilinear tattoo patterns in earlier times. The head was considered the most sacred part of the body, and because tattooing caused blood to run the tattoo craftsmen, or "tohunga-ta-oko", were very tapu persons. All high-ranking Maori were tattooed, and those who went without tattoos were seen as persons of no social status. Tattooing commenced at puberty, accompanied by many rites and rituals. In addition to making a warrior attractive to women, the tattoo practice marked both rites of passage and important events in a person's life. There were certain prohibitions during the tattooing process, and for the facial tattoo in particular sexual intimacy and the eating of solid foods were prohibited. In order to overcome this, liquid food and water was drained into a wooden funnel, to ensure that no contaminating product came into contact with the swollen skin. This was also the only way the tattooed person could eat until his or her wounds healed. The full faced tattoo was very time consuming, and a good tattoo craftsman would carefully study a person's bone structure before commencing his art.

3) The Moko (tattoo) generally has the following significance :

Upper forehead = rank
a) The left and right areas, above the eyes = position
b) The left and right areas, just beneath the eyes = genealogy
c) The far left and right areas, leading to the ear = marriage(s)
d) Left and right areas, between the nose and lips = signature
e) The left and right areas, just under the ear = profession
f) The left and right areas of the chin = power and standing
g) The left and right areas leading onto the neck = position at birth

The tattoo instrument was a bone chisel, either with a serrated or an extremely sharp straight edge. The first stage of the tattoo commenced with the graving of deep cuts into the skin. Next, a chisel was dipped into a sooty type pigment such as burnt Kauri gum or burnt vegetable caterpillars, and then tapped into the skin. It was an extremely painful and long process, and often leaves from the native Karaka tree were placed over the swollen tattoo cuts to hasten the healing process. Wars were frequent, and the warriors had little time for recuperation. During the tattooing process, flute music and chant poems were performed to help soothe the pain. Although the tattoos were mainly facial, the North Auckland warriors included swirling double spirals on both buttocks, often leading down their legs until the knee. The women were not as extensively tattooed as the men. Their upper lips were outlined, usually in dark blue. The nostrils were also very finely incised. The chin moko was always the most popular, and continued to be practised even into the 1970s.

The native people of New Zealand (Maori) are world famous for their tattooing. Though they do not cover as much of the body as many of the South Pacific people, the Maori developed an unusual style of tattooing. Working mostly on the face (Moko) and buttocks, the Maori took their wood carving technique and applied it to tattooing. With this they achieved a unique chiseled design that ink was then rubbed into. After the Europeans arrived in the 1700s, they brought metal to these islands and the Maori began a more conventional style of puncture tattooing. Amazingly enough this tattooing can still be seen in many museums around the world, not just in drawings or photographs, but actually in the skin. The Maori had an unusual custom of removing and preserving the heads of their tattooed chiefs after death. These heads would stay with the family and be an honored possession. Until Europeans began to visit New Zealand and to settle there, heads were of sentimental interest only and had no commercial value. The museums' and collectors' desire to possess them as curiosities for caused a great demand to spring up. Although reluctant to part with the heads, the Maori were eager to obtain firearms, ammunition and iron implements. So a brisk traffic ensued and the demand began to exceed the supply. The Maori were known to fight one another in disputes over land and property. The heads of these war victims became part of the trade supply. This considerably reduced the population of New Zealand while stocking the museums of Europe with specimens of barbaric face-culture. As a commercial enterprise this traffic was not without monetary profit as well. The first dried head ever possessed by a European was acquired on January 20, 1770. It was brought by Mr. (later Sir Joseph) Banks, who was with Captain Cook's expedition as a naturalist, and it was one of four brought on board the Endeavour for inspection. It was the head of a youth of fourteen or fifteen, who had been killed by a blow that fractured his skull. The three other heads, not for sale, seemed to have false eyes and ornaments in the ears. The first head taken to Sydney, for which there is any record, was brought from Fouveaux Straits in 1811. It was obtained by theft, and the boat crew's heads were nearly cut off for "utu" (revenge.) In 1814 heads were certainly not yet an ordinary article to trade at Sydney, but by 1829 it appears that preserved heads were not uncommon. The arrival of the first Europeans were to bring about dramatic changes to their environment. Stone impliments, greenstone adze and similar tools became quickly cast aside when the advantages of metal, steel and iron, became known to them.

The Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman, 'found' New Zealand on the 13th December, 1642. Sailing aboard the war-yacht Zeehaven accompanied by the Dutch flute Heemskerck he wrote: "Towards noon we saw a large, high lying land bearing southeastward to us at about 20 leagues distance; (the Hokitika area) we saw no human beings; no smoke; nor can the people here have any boats, since we did not see any sign of them." Sailing on to Golden Bay, Tasman saw smoke from fires along the coast lit by the maori. He anchored in the bay and in the evening two canoes came out to the ship. They made no attempt to come aboard. Early next morning another canoe came out with thirteen people aboard. They were double canoes, two prows side by side. Eleven more canoes followed, completely surrounding his ship. Suddenly and without warning there was trouble. Tasman sent a small boat out to greet the local canoes. One of the maori canoes deliberately rammed the boat and swung alongside, when three of his crew members were cut down by the maori and killed, another mortally wounded. Seeing the cannon aboard Zeehaven being run out through the portals, the Maori canoes made for the shore, while the guns hit and killed the Maori warriors in the rear canoe. Tasman now considered the Maori as hostile and his enemy and set sail northwards towards the Three Kings Islands to replenish his fresh water supplies. Heavy seas were running in the area and he could not get ashore through the surf with the boats and casks. He decided to weigh anchor and set sail from New Zealand February, 1643. His journal and charts of the southern oceans made a note to warn all mariners to regard the natives of this land as 'hostile'.

References:

http://history-nz.org/maori3.html
http://www.library.csi.cuny.edu/dept/history/lavender/maoritattoo.html
http://www.tattooarchive.com/Maori.html
http://www.pbs.org/skinstories/history/newzealand.html
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~tonyf/explore/explore.html
http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/1800nz.htm
http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/polynesia.htm
http://tattoos.com/jane/steve/new_zealand.htm
http://www.history-nz.org/img/moko.jpg
http://www.tattooarchive.com/Maori.html

Dedicating a tattoo to someone loved or admired.

Many people decide to get a tattoo with the face of a loved one because for them it shows the love and how special they are in their lives. The biggest challenge is finding an artist who can project a clear picture of who the person is and is a bit devastating when someone very important in the family question "Who is this person?" not realizing that the intention of the tattoo is the image of either the mother, father or son of the person who asked who he was.

 

Going for a situation like this can be quite traumatic because the person who did the tattoo had confidence in the artist who did the work. Having regrets about a tattoo is not something new and often there are people who complain about certain artist's work and are unhappy about the lack of knowledge regarding the quality of talent that particular artist have.

 

Some people choose to tattoo the image of a celebrity (either actual or legendary) and the rules when it comes to do portraits do not change. It's hard to believe when a person recommend an artist without ever having been tattooed by him, and many people fall into the trap and when they make the mistake that then leads to a job poorly done they have no choice but to cover with a tattoo over it to cover it up. (cover up DUH).

 

When getting a tattoo (not only in terms of images of people) one has to keep in mind that it is necessary to honestly show what having a tattoo means to us, especially if it is the image of a loved one. The person being tattooed has a responsibility to investigate the work of an artist and decide for themselves whether they like the work of that artist it or not.

Kashiwa Daisuke - 5 Dec.

I hate to say this, but I know practically nothing about the amazing Kashiwa Daisuke. His records aren't available in the US and may not be available anywhere else outside of Japan for all I know. I found a brief bio for him at TheSirensSound blog and he has his own beautiful website you should check out, but much else, at least in english, is hard to come by. My addition to this small assortment of data will be to describe his music like that of a classical Richard Devine or Autechre. Tracks like Red Moon are hauntingly beautiful and don't feature a lick of distorted electronics, whereas it's follow-up on the album, Requiem, is a masterpiece of noise, chopped-up audio, delays and rhythms. I can't help but think of some kind of ultra-violent mechanized warfare when I hear it and it doesn't relent. And the rest of 5 Dec. continues to shock, amaze and confuse without showing you it's cards. Simply incredible stuff!

As this album isn't readily available for purchase in the US or much of anywhere else as far as I am aware, I will be sharing it with you for download. That said, if you can purchase this album or anything else by the fabulous Mr. Daisuke, please do and support his endeavors. On top of that, on the rare chance Mr. Daisuke or someone from his party is reading this, if you would like me to delete the download from this post please drop me a line and I will be more than happy to do so. All I want to do is spread the word of Mr. Daisuke's work, not rip him off.


Kashiwa Daisuke - 5 Dec.

01 Red Moon
02 Requiem
03 Bogus Music
04 Taurus Prelude
05 Black Lie, White Lie
06 Silver Moon
07 Broken Device
08 About Moonlight
09 Aqua Regia
10 Beautiful Sunday