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Showing posts with label Anthony Garone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anthony Garone. Show all posts

5/19/2026

Make Weird Music’s Anthony Garone: “OK, but why?” on Moonjune Records

Anthony Garone - OK, but why? Cover

Release window: June 1, 2026 (Pre-orders available May 1, 2026)
Label: Moonjune Records
URL: https://anthonygarone-moonjune.bandcamp.com/album/ok-but-why
For fans of: King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Jethro Tull, Dream Theater, Avishai Cohen

Steve Vai: “Anthony Garone has made an unapologetic, dense, alien melodic, rhythmic brain twisting, sublimely lovely solo record… I’m sure glad I don’t have to play it.”

Lyle Workman: “GOOD GOD MAN!! THIS RECORD!!! I have no idea how he did this! Amazing. Incredible writing and playing from everyone. [...] And I thought my music was complex! I am WOWED!”

Gretchen Menn: “An album equally engaging and adventurous. Unselfconsciously intelligent, it spans a broad spectrum of musical and expressive worlds. The musicianship is astounding, and the tunes are beautiful, complex, quirky, and clearly arise from deep artistic integrity.”

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After 600+ Make Weird Music videos spotlighting players in the odd-meter-and-sound universe, founder Anthony Garone is releasing his first full-length album since 2007. “OK, but why?” is releasing on Moonjune Records and features 14 tracks with 20 guest musicians.

Expect tight counterpoint, odd-meter grooves, and hooks that still land as songs, even when the arrangements are trying to misbehave. Anthony is available for podcasts, print/online interviews, and playthrough/composition breakdowns. Some angles:

Writing music that is intentionally hard, but still melodic, and why “complex-but-melodic” is the whole point.
What it takes to coordinate 20 guest musicians and turn years of YouTube releases into a cohesive label release.
• The title is literal: After failing to sell 100 copies of his previous album, Garone assumed nobody wanted this music, including him, and he kept writing it anyway.
• The Bach BWV 1060 is nearly unplayable, even for the musicians he hired.
Most tracks first appeared on YouTube, now remixed/remastered and often re-recorded for this album
• Includes a rethink/cover of Robert Fripp’s “Erudite Eyes” (from Giles, Giles, & Fripp) plus two movements from Bach’s BWV 1060
• Guests include Morgan Ågren, Michael Manring, Gretchen Menn, Jan Zehrfeld, Andy West, Tom Monda, Paul Hanson, Sebastian Lanser, and more

Anthony Garone - OK, but why? Vinyl

OK, but why? pulls together Garone’s best work, obsessing over arrangements that are equal parts song and puzzle. While much of the music existed publicly in earlier forms, this release is the cleaned-up, finished version: updated performances, improved production, and a cohesive arc that finally connects the dots across years of ideas.

The album moves between oddly-timed grooves, tight counterpoint, and melodic hooks that sneak in through the side door. A few album anchors:

• “Binge” (the Make Weird Music theme) runs on shifting meters (9 + 7) and features Morgan Ågren (Mats/Morgan, Devin Townsend) and Michael Manring.
• “Dance” is written as “the worst dance song ever” in 13/4, built on whole tone harmony and a prime-number motif, featuring Tom Monda (Thank You Scientist). It started as a joke demo Garone never expected to finish until Owen Dueck forced the song into existence.
• “Brex” is designed to feel like 4/4 while pulling against it in 5/4, featuring Paul Hanson (Béla Fleck and the Flecktones) on electric bassoon and a nod to King Crimson’s rhythmic language.
• “Harnch 2.0” revisits a Pat Metheny-meets-Gentle Giant inspired piece with a feature solo by Gretchen Menn.
• The album also includes Garone’s rework of Bach BWV 1060 (Mov. 1 and Mov. 3) and his updated version of Fripp’s “Erudite Eyes.”
• Even when the arrangements get absurd, the goal is still a song you can remember, not an exercise you admire from a distance.
• The record is technical by nature, but it was assembled around personality: obsession, self-doubt, and the occasional decision to make something deliberately ridiculous.

Anthony Garone Photo

Anthony Garone is an author, entrepreneur, guitarist, composer, and producer, and the founder of Make Weird Music, a long-running YouTube platform focused on progressive music, challenging performances, and modern composition. He is best known for his 22-year journey to learn King Crimson’s Fracture, and documenting his journey in a YouTube series and book titled Failure to Fracture.OK, but why?” is his first full-length release since 2007. He can record remotely, and he is available for 30 to 60 minute interviews as well as short playthrough or composition breakdown segments.

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Michael Manring: "Anthony is making ferociously inspired music. It's not easy listening, but for anyone with open ears, it offers a wealth of inspiration, adventure, insight and just plain fun!"

Jon Finn (Berklee College of Music): “Anthony Garone’s new album ‘Ok, But Why?’ is a refreshing, wild ride of an album. If you appreciate good music, you’ll belt yourself in, check off all the disclaimers and surrender to a sonic fun house where the bottom drops out of the floor from time to time. It’s full of drama, fun, surprises and much more. If you’re a musician, you’ll marvel at all the musical and production choices that makes this album tick. I’m going to be listening to this a lot!”

Morgan Ågren: “I have had the pleasure to know Anthony for several years now. Did a bunch of recordings for him, many of which are featured on this album, and we did some chats on his Make Weird Music (his own platform where he serves us in the name of good music). Basically a very skilled musician and a very nice guy! This album is great!”

To pre-order: https://anthonygarone-moonjune.bandcamp.com/album/ok-but-why

Press inquiries: Keith James, Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

4/06/2021

Failure to Fracture: Learning King Crimson's Impossible Song

In a stunning, full-color book, author Anthony Garone details a 22-year journey of transformation in mastering the intricate complexity of “Fracture” - described by composer Robert Fripp as “impossible to play.”

Anthony Garone’s ‘Failure to Fracture’ is a success story.” – Robert Fripp

Watch Robert Fripp praising “Failure to Fracture”:

When progressive rock band King Crimson released “Starless and Bible Black” in 1974, very few recognized the astonishing virtuosity captured in the album’s 11-minute instrumental capstone, “Fracture.” Three minutes into the piece, guitarist Robert Fripp begins a quiet, non-stop barrage of notes called a “moto perpetuo” an Italian term for “perpetual motion.” Fripp’s moto perpetuo requires intense right-hand string-skipping, and picking capabilities only a handful of guitarists around the world possess.

Musician Anthony Garone was challenged by his father to learn “Fracture” in 1998. As a 16-year-old who practiced guitar six or more hours every day, he could not understand why he could play other technical pieces of music, but not “Fracture.” Over the years, he published blog posts and videos about his efforts. Garone kept working in isolated frustration until he enrolled in a week-long guitar instruction course led by Fripp in rural Mexico in 2015. That week was transformative.

It was in Mexico that Garone learned the mechanics of Fripp’s very unique right-hand technique. To properly play “Fracture,” Garone had to re-learn how to play guitar, sit, stand, and breathe. It would also require meditation and a new way of using his body.

Following many months of back-to-the-basics guitar practice, Garone re-trained himself to play guitar, playing a single open string for two hours a day across several weeks. In 2016, he was finally able to play small pieces of “Fracture” without any pain or frustration. He documented his progress on his Make Weird Music YouTube channel in a series called “Failure to Fracture.” The videos garnered hundreds of thousands of views and praise from Fripp himself, who wrote “Fracture is impossible to play, cf. Anthony Garone.”

“Failure to Fracture” captures Garone’s transformative 22-year journey. The story begins with his time as a teenager developing a friendship with guitar hero Steve Vai in 1996. It ends with video performances of both “Fracture” and the even more difficult “sequel” composition, “FraKctured,” written and performed in Fripp’s own New Standard Tuning. It is a book about achieving the impossible, overcoming one’s limitations, and retraining the mind and body.

In March 2021, Fripp stated on YouTube: “Anthony Garone is a man who has just written a book about to be published on ‘Failure to Fracture.’ Anthony has spent 22 years failing to play ‘Fracture.’ Actually, he’s done a pretty good job. Anthony’s failure is so well-achieved in my book, it’s a success.”

More praise from fellow Crims and chums:

The best story of the long path of craftsmanship I have come across.” - Trey Gunn, former member of King Crimson

This book is a game changer. It delivers a detailed insight into a ‘secret’ world that is hardly ever being discussed in popular culture.” - Markus Reuter

The insight in this book goes beyond simply learning to play an impossible song... it provides a roadmap for how to live your best life.” - Gabriel Riccio

Guitarist, author and composer Anthony Garone pens a compelling story of transformational failure after failure followed by a final victory: the ultimate performance of one of progressive rock’s most challenging and complex songs.

Release date: May 18, 2021

To pre-order:
www.FailureToFracture.com
Anthony@MakeWeirdMusic.com

Contact Information:
Ken Coffman, Publisher, Stairway Press
1000 West Apache Trail, Suite 126
Apache Junction, AZ 85120
(360) 420-8870
Ken@StairwayPress.com
www.StairwayPress.com

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Failure to Fracture: Learning King Crimson's Impossible Song

In a stunning, full-color book, author Anthony Garone details a 22-year journey of transformation in mastering the intricate complexity of “Fracture” - described by composer Robert Fripp as “impossible to play.”

Anthony Garone’s ‘Failure to Fracture’ is a success story.” – Robert Fripp

Watch Robert Fripp praising “Failure to Fracture”:

When progressive rock band King Crimson released “Starless and Bible Black” in 1974, very few recognized the astonishing virtuosity captured in the album’s 11-minute instrumental capstone, “Fracture.” Three minutes into the piece, guitarist Robert Fripp begins a quiet, non-stop barrage of notes called a “moto perpetuo” an Italian term for “perpetual motion.” Fripp’s moto perpetuo requires intense right-hand string-skipping, and picking capabilities only a handful of guitarists around the world possess.

Musician Anthony Garone was challenged by his father to learn “Fracture” in 1998. As a 16-year-old who practiced guitar six or more hours every day, he could not understand why he could play other technical pieces of music, but not “Fracture.” Over the years, he published blog posts and videos about his efforts. Garone kept working in isolated frustration until he enrolled in a week-long guitar instruction course led by Fripp in rural Mexico in 2015. That week was transformative.

It was in Mexico that Garone learned the mechanics of Fripp’s very unique right-hand technique. To properly play “Fracture,” Garone had to re-learn how to play guitar, sit, stand, and breathe. It would also require meditation and a new way of using his body.

Following many months of back-to-the-basics guitar practice, Garone re-trained himself to play guitar, playing a single open string for two hours a day across several weeks. In 2016, he was finally able to play small pieces of “Fracture” without any pain or frustration. He documented his progress on his Make Weird Music YouTube channel in a series called “Failure to Fracture.” The videos garnered hundreds of thousands of views and praise from Fripp himself, who wrote “Fracture is impossible to play, cf. Anthony Garone.”

“Failure to Fracture” captures Garone’s transformative 22-year journey. The story begins with his time as a teenager developing a friendship with guitar hero Steve Vai in 1996. It ends with video performances of both “Fracture” and the even more difficult “sequel” composition, “FraKctured,” written and performed in Fripp’s own New Standard Tuning. It is a book about achieving the impossible, overcoming one’s limitations, and retraining the mind and body.

In March 2021, Fripp stated on YouTube: “Anthony Garone is a man who has just written a book about to be published on ‘Failure to Fracture.’ Anthony has spent 22 years failing to play ‘Fracture.’ Actually, he’s done a pretty good job. Anthony’s failure is so well-achieved in my book, it’s a success.”

More praise from fellow Crims and chums:

The best story of the long path of craftsmanship I have come across.” - Trey Gunn, former member of King Crimson

This book is a game changer. It delivers a detailed insight into a ‘secret’ world that is hardly ever being discussed in popular culture.” - Markus Reuter

The insight in this book goes beyond simply learning to play an impossible song... it provides a roadmap for how to live your best life.” - Gabriel Riccio

Guitarist, author and composer Anthony Garone pens a compelling story of transformational failure after failure followed by a final victory: the ultimate performance of one of progressive rock’s most challenging and complex songs.

Release date: May 18, 2021

To pre-order:
www.FailureToFracture.com
Anthony@MakeWeirdMusic.com

Contact Information:
Ken Coffman, Publisher, Stairway Press
1000 West Apache Trail, Suite 126
Apache Junction, AZ 85120
(360) 420-8870
Ken@StairwayPress.com
www.StairwayPress.com

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com