Don Falcone

Don Falcone doesn't confine himself to one style of music, having recorded industrial noise, experimental, ambient, space music, prog rock, world jazz and even drum-n-bass.  Don's involvement with Silent goes beyond his recorded work.  He became friends with founder Kim Cascone while becoming involved with the San Francisco music scene in the early 80's.  Don released full-length albums and individual tracks for Silent under the names Thessalonians, Spice Barons, Satellite IV, Patternclear, Hydrosphere, Astralfish and played "synthesizer" on Heavenly Music Corporation's first album "In A Garden of Eden".  He was instrumental in helping shape the "feel" of Silent Records and wrote the liner notes to many of the Silent releases.  Outside of Silent, Don helped form the space rock band Melting Euphoria playing keyboards and performing vocals.

In 1995, Don started releasing material on Cleopatra Records under the name Spaceship Eyes.  The first full-length album "Kamarupa" was released on the independent record label Noh Poetry in San Francisco in July, 1997 and made Backroads Music's Best of the Year charts.  This same year, Spaceship Eyes signed with Cleopatra and have released 2 more full-length albums to date.  Don has also performed live under the Spaceship Eyes moniker.

Don is currently very busy having recently released tracks and full-length albums under the names Spirits Burning, Grindlestone, PsiClub and Quiet Celebration.  He also released a fantastic ambient compilation called "Where Stalks The Sandman" that includes a solo track by Don and a Kim Cascone track.

Don is a most gracious person and has influenced me tremendously in the shaping of this website.  For this, I want to thank him.

Don Falcone Discography


Full-Lengths:
Thessalonians - Soulcraft, Silent, 1993

Thessalonians - Solaristics (2nd full-length album), unreleased

Heavenly Music Corporation - In a Garden of Eden , Silent, 1993 (synthesizer on tracks 1, 2, & 3)

Melting Euphoria - Through The Strands Of Time, Stratospheric, 1994

Unidentified Floating Ambience (as Hydrosphere, Patternclear and Astralfish), Silent, 1994

Spice Barons - Future Perfect State, Silent, 1995

Spaceship Eyes - Kamarupa, Noh Poetry, 1997

Trap - Beyond The Status Quo, Gazul, 1997

Spaceship Eyes - Truth In The Eyes Of A Spaceship, Hypnotic, 1998

Spaceship Eyes - Cheebahcabra 12" , Hypnotic, 1998

Spirits Burning - New Worlds By Design, Gazul, 1999

Quiet Celebration - Gazul Records and Noh Poetry, 2000

Spaceship Eyes - Of Cosmic Repercussions, Hypnotic, 2000

Spirits Burning - Reflections In A Radio Shower, Gazul, 2001


Tracks on other CDs:
Alien Heat - "Illegal Space Kids" on Extracted Celluloid, Seeland     Records/illegal art, 1999
Alien Heat - "Shootout at Best Western" on Extracted Celluloid, Seeland Records/illegal art, 1999
Don Falcone - "An Isolated Craft" on Where Stalks The Sandman, Noh Poetry, 2001
Grindlestone - "Ethno Earth" on Musica desde el abismo/Music from the Edge- vol 04, Margen, 2001
Patternclear - "Tundra" on From Here To Tranquility 2, Silent, 1993
Satellite IV - "In A Sugarcube" on Fifty Years Of Sunshine, Silent, 1993
Spaceship Eyes - "Cheebahcabra" (Freaky Chakra Remix), In To The Mix II, Hypnotic, 1998
Spaceship Eyes - "Deadliner" on Gary Numan: The Mix, Cleopatra, 1998
Spaceship Eyes - "Deranged" (Wild Spice Mix) on Kraftwelt: Deranged In Space, Hypnotic, 1996
Spaceship Eyes - "Dr. Panacea" (Art & Kidney Mix) on Earth Ritual, Hypnotic, 1997
Spaceship Eyes - "Dreaming Without The Right Side" on Trancespotting III, Hypnotic, 2000
Spaceship Eyes - "Dr. Panacea" on Drum 'N' Bass Masters [Box Set], Hypnotic, 1999
Spaceship Eyes - "Le Freak" on Saturday Night Fetish, Hypnotic, 1997
Spaceship Eyes - "Le Freak" on Saturday Night House Music [Box Set], Hypnotic, 1999
Spaceship Eyes - "Liquid Sky" on Electronica Sci-Fi, Alpha Wave, 1998
Spaceship Eyes - "Liquid Sky" (Delicious Indian Mix) on Sci-Fi Cafe, Vol. 1, Hypnotic, 1997
Spaceship Eyes - "Mind The Alien" on Better Living Through Circuitry, Moonshine, 2000
Spaceship Eyes - "Mind The Alien" on Ultimate Drum 'N' Bass, Hypnotic, 1997
Spaceship Eyes - "Sea of Steps" on Ambient Time Travelers, Hypnotic, 1996
Spaceship Eyes - "Truth In The Eyes Of A Spaceship" on "Classic Drum 'n' Bass" [Box Set], Big Eye, 2001
Spice Barons - "Cogito ECCO Aum" on John Lilly's E.C.C.O., Silent, 1994
Spice Barons - "Spice Of God" on Mark Riva's Metagrooves: The Silent Mix, Silent Records and FAD, 1994
Spice Barons - "Spice Of God" on From Here To Tranquility 1, Silent, 1993
Spice Barons - "VRML" on From Here To Tranquility 5: The Silent Channel, Silent, 1996
Spirits Burning - "By Design" on Gazul, Gazul, 2002
Spirits Burning - "Clear Audient V2.5" on The Bay Prog CD, 2002
Spirits Burning - "Red" on Schizoid Dimension: A Tribute to King Crimson, Purple Pyramid, 1997
Spirits Burning - "Return Of The Giant Hogweed" on The Fox Lies Down, a Genesis Tribute CD, Purple Pyramid, 1998
Thessalonians - "Be Here Now" on En-Trance Volume 2, En-Trance, 1994
Thessalonians - "E-Space" on From Here To Tranquility 5: The Silent Channel, Silent, 1996
Thessalonians - "Serious Ancient Rhythm" on 110 Below Vol. 3: No Sleeve Notes Required, Beechwood, 1995

Thessalonians - Soulcraft

Silent Release
HMC - In A Garden of Eden

Silent Release
Spice Barons - Future Perfect State

Silent Release
Unidentified Floating Ambience

Silent Release
Spirits Burning - Reflections In A Radio Shower
Spaceship Eyes - Of Cosmic Repercussions
Spaceship Eyes - Kamarupa
Trap - Beyond the Status Quo
Here Stalks the Sandman

Special silentrecords.net interview with Don Falcone

How did you meet Kim Cascone and get involved with Silent Records?

Kim and I (as well as Paul, the quiet Thessalonian) worked for Orban, a manufacturer of audio processing gear.  Kim routinely asked me about my musical travails (and maybe was amused a bit by my passion for bands like Hawkwind), and at some point invited me to join Thessalonians.

Briefly describe the "ambient" scene during the times you were putting out material for Silent.

The ambient scene existed for me on a couple of different fronts.  Record shops (and even some clothing stores) had ambient sections.  Zines like Option and Alternative Press helped spread the word to a larger public.  I could go to a rave, assured that there would be an ambient chill room.  One memory is of a room with bean bags to lie on, and crayons to express yourself.  Or, a Silent-sponsored event, where Alaura performed her brand of enchantment, and Hearts of Space creator Stephen Hill was in attendance.  It seemed that ambient was always in the air, and all paths led to an ambient state.

In fact, every Thessalonians and Spice Barons recording session felt like a scene unto itself, as Kim would bring CDs for us to listen to, and we'd talk about all things ambient, from Eno to Lynch's Twin Peaks to our ongoing music.

How has it changed?

Record stores no longer have ambient sections.  Option magazine is gone.  I haven't been to a rave in a long time, so I have no idea if the chill room experience has survived, or mutated.  And, many things Silent are gone as well.  Except for the spirit, of course.

Is there any unreleased material from the Silent period?

The second Thessalonians full-length (titled Solaristics) has not been released.  There's an unreleased Spice Barons cover of "A Rainbow In Curved Air" that I'd like to include on the next "Where Stalks the Sandman" compilation.

What is your favorite Silent release?

From Here to Tranquility V is a perfect ambient compilation.  And I have an extra soft spot for Thessalonians "Soulcraft" (partially because I think it's some of my most interesting keyboard work).

Any plans on re-releasing the Silent material?

I think this is a question for Kim.  But I'd be interested in his reply.

What are you up to now?

Main three projects are:
*Spirits Burning (space rock project).  Kind of the Pigface of space rock, as the line-up changes piece to piece (including contributions from Gong's Daevid Allen, Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson, and many more).

*Spaceship Eyes: Technically, this is a solo project, but it often doesn't work out that way.  Most recent work dabbles in drum 'n' bass and electronica.  Third CD includes a Spaceship Eyes vs. Spice Baron piece, called Vapor (which was never released on Silent).

*Quiet Celebration (ambient-ethno-jazz).  It's a quartet (synths, tabla, acoustic bass, and sax/flute), doing rather quiet, but melodic material.  With a bit of mystery.

Is there anything you would like to add?

I hope to start a band later this week, and call it Crazy Fluid.  The world needs more.  I need more.  It’s a plural thing.

Please include links to any sites you would like included on the site.

Spirits Burning: http://home.earthlink.net/~falcone/sbmain.html
Spaceship Eyes: http://home.earthlink.net/~falcone/sse.html
Quiet Celebration: http://home.earthlink.net/~falcone/qc.html

 
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