j.j. kotarski
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gearfab.bsky.social
j.j. kotarski
@gearfab.bsky.social
330 followers 900 following 120 posts
WWW at St. Edward's in Austin -- former developer at The University of Texas at Austin and Southwestern University + a competent, freelance mobile audio engineer.
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gearfab.bsky.social
Are you kidding me?
Houston Astros player Zach Cole is shown at bat wearing a navy helmet and gray jersey. The broadcast graphic notes he is the 5th player in MLB history to record 3 hits, 1 home run, and 4 RBIs in his debut. The scoreboard shows the Astros leading the Braves 11–1 in the 7th inning.
September 13, 2025 at 1:16 AM
gearfab.bsky.social
July 5, 2025 at 8:10 PM
gearfab.bsky.social
Red, white, and FIRE
July 5, 2025 at 2:13 AM
gearfab.bsky.social
Just around the corner from my house. What fresh hell is this?
A semi-truck trailer displays the slogan “Nuclear You Can Trust™” in large, colorful text. To the left, the trailer bears the old Enron logo—infamously associated with corporate fraud. The juxtaposition creates a stark, ironic message, likely intended as satire.
June 16, 2025 at 11:32 PM
gearfab.bsky.social
Beautiful clip of Brian Wilson and George Martin discussing ‘God Only Knows’. I love Brian’s enthusiasm when he thinks George is making the song better. ‘I can’t believe this is happening!’ (via @doule_tom on the bird site)
June 11, 2025 at 7:26 PM
gearfab.bsky.social
Revisiting this one on the release of its expanded edition. It's still shocking how out of his league Chris Robinson sounds while interpreting the Zeppelin catalogue. The band sounds great, as usual, but CR doesn't have the range or timbre to do these songs justice. A huge waste of time.
The image is the album cover for Live at the Greek by Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes. It features a black and white design with two black crows facing opposite directions, a star above them, and the word “Zoso” below. The ornate border surrounds the text and artwork, creating a vintage aesthetic.
March 14, 2025 at 8:55 PM
gearfab.bsky.social
Peter Brown probably doesn't get enough credit for brushing aside his close relationship with the Beatles to write a crude memoir that focused on sex, tension and conflict instead of carefully exploring every note of Strawberry Fields Take 26.
The image is a black-and-white photograph showing John Lennon lying on the floor in a recording studio with a microphone positioned near his mouth. He appears relaxed, with one arm resting on his chest. Around him, there are cables, teacups, and recording equipment. The caption humorously suggests that Lennon was “so stoned” that he recorded Abbey Road while lying down. The image has a vintage feel, likely taken during The Beatles’ Abbey Road sessions.
February 7, 2025 at 6:59 PM
gearfab.bsky.social
Saturday morning soundtrack
The image shows a vinyl record album cover for Quah by Jorma Kaukonen. The cover features a black-and-white close-up portrait of Kaukonen, with his face centered and slightly shadowed. The album is part of the “Best Buy Series,” as indicated by a logo in the upper right corner. The RCA logo and catalog number “YL 13747 STEREO” are in the upper left corner. The artist’s name, “Jorma Kaukonen,” and album title, “Quah,” are printed in bold white letters in the lower right corner. The album is displayed among a collection of other records on a shelf.
February 1, 2025 at 5:48 PM
gearfab.bsky.social
Hey, Central Texas shoppers. How do you think I can tell there’s a 40% chance of less than 1 inch of snow three days from now?
The image shows a grocery store shelf partially stocked with toilet paper. The left side features packages of Charmin Ultra Strong and Ultra Soft, while the right side displays a variety of generic-brand toilet paper packages. Some shelves appear empty, suggesting limited stock in certain areas.
January 19, 2025 at 1:49 AM
gearfab.bsky.social
Just located my old “flinger” in a box of assorted junk. This is the type of strange and disturbing object that helped #ToyJoy keep Austin weird, once upon a time.
The image shows a sculptural object resembling a cluster of realistic human fingers extending outward from a central point. The surface texture appears rough and slightly uneven, mimicking the natural details of skin. The fingers have defined nails and creases, giving them a lifelike appearance. The object is set on a light-colored countertop with a hexagonal tiled backsplash in the background, and part of a painted canvas is visible to the side.
December 29, 2024 at 2:30 AM
gearfab.bsky.social
The real heroes—6/24/91 Bonner Springs, Kansas
The image depicts a crowd of people gathered outdoors, likely at a concert or festival. The scene is lit by natural light, suggesting it is either late afternoon or early evening. Many individuals are seated or standing in casual attire, with one prominent person wearing a tie-dye shirt and another standing in the foreground wearing a blue shirt and shorts. In the background, numerous tall microphone stands are visible, indicative of an audience taping or recording setup often seen at live music events, especially among dedicated fans. The sky is pale, with no clouds, giving the scene an open and expansive feel. The overall atmosphere suggests a relaxed and communal gathering, common at outdoor music events.
December 6, 2024 at 6:31 PM
gearfab.bsky.social
So I guess I listen to the Island Tour too much. Doesn't seem like a problem. #wrapped
The image is a Spotify Wrapped-style screen displaying a user’s top song. It features a bright yellow background with gradient pixelated borders in shades of blue and purple. At the top, there’s a green album-style image with the text “LIVE PHISH DOWNLOADS” and “04.02.98 Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY,” alongside an image of a concert stage with bright spotlights and a crowd. Below, bold text reads, “Your top song was Tube by Phish.” Smaller text underneath says, “You were in the top 0.1% of listeners globally.” At the bottom, there’s an option to “Share this story” with an icon. The design reflects a personalized music achievement with a vibrant and celebratory aesthetic.
December 4, 2024 at 5:59 PM
gearfab.bsky.social
Near Fort Davis, Texas, July 2015.
The image depicts a rural landscape with a large satellite dish, likely part of a radio telescope array, standing prominently in the background under a bright, partly cloudy sky. The dish is surrounded by dry, grassy fields, scattered shrubs, and hills in the distance. In the foreground, an old, rusted piece of metal equipment with tangled wires and curved iron rods lies abandoned in the grass, creating a stark contrast between modern technology and the relic of an earlier era. The vibrant colors and high contrast emphasize the warmth of the sunlight and the texture of the rusted metal. The overall scene evokes a sense of isolation and the blending of past and present.
December 3, 2024 at 6:11 PM
gearfab.bsky.social
Saturday soundtrack
The image is the album cover for Talking Timbuktu by Ali Farka Touré and Ry Cooder. It features a sepia-toned photograph of Ali Farka Touré and Ry Cooder seated in a relaxed setting, playing guitars, with a third individual sitting nearby and drums in the background. Below the photo, a green and blue banner displays the text: “Ali Farka Touré with Ry Cooder” in white and “Talking Timbuktu” in green. The lower section of the cover shows a faded document or letter, adding to the cultural and historical feel of the design.
November 30, 2024 at 4:36 PM
gearfab.bsky.social
Sunday soundtrack #Atriums
The image is an album cover for “Atriums” by Trey Anastasio. It features an abstract design with swirling green and blue patterns resembling water or cosmic energy. A thin white circle is centered in the design, with the artist’s name, “TREY ANASTASIO,” on the left side and the album title, “ATRIUMS,” on the right, both in sleek, modern white text. The artwork conveys a dynamic and ethereal atmosphere.
November 24, 2024 at 6:25 PM
gearfab.bsky.social
Sorry kids, the rules are the rules.
The image shows the side of a building with beige siding, likely a church, under a clear blue sky. A rectangular white sign mounted on the wall reads: “NO HORSES or 4-WHEELERS ON CHURCH PROPERTY” in bold black text. The structure has visible wear, with minor stains and moss growth on the siding.
November 24, 2024 at 5:44 PM
gearfab.bsky.social
Tonight, don't miss the 23rd Annual AmericanaFest Honors, presented by Austin City Limits, featuring unique performances by the leading lights of the Americana field. Watch on your local PBS station or stream following the broadcast on the PBS App or www.pbs.org/show/austin-...
November 23, 2024 at 7:18 PM
gearfab.bsky.social
Saturday soundtrack
The image is an album cover for “Seastones” by Ned Lagin. It features a minimalist design with a square photograph of smooth, colorful stones in shades of brown, orange, gray, and beige centered on a plain gray background. The title “SEASTONES” and artist name “NED LAGIN” are displayed above the image in simple, uppercase text.
November 23, 2024 at 6:27 PM
gearfab.bsky.social
This release snuck up on me. I was in love with Kim Deal from the moment I heard her sing Gigantic back in '88. After a year of toxic masculinity & ugliness, this is a welcome escape pod down to earth—an authentic & grounded work by an artist whose moment came not too late, but just in time.
The image depicts a surreal scene of a person sitting on a floating platform surrounded by water under a twilight sky. The individual wears a dark outfit with star patterns and holds a microphone. The platform contains a flamingo, a red sphere, geometric shapes, a guitar, and audio equipment. The mood is dreamlike, blending elements of nature, music, and abstract art.
November 23, 2024 at 4:41 AM
gearfab.bsky.social
Not going to lie—the vaccine was great. But this is what got me through the last full year of the pandemic. 6 discs of peak 1974 and the best band he ever assembled. For every vault that should ne'er be opened—Paisley Park, I'm looking at you —there's one that needs plundering to every last reel
This image features a close-up portrait of a man with long, curly black hair, a mustache, and a soul patch. He is wearing oversized yellow-tinted sunglasses. The background is a golden hue, and text in the bottom right corner reads “ZAPPA/erie” in bold, bright green letters.
November 22, 2024 at 9:55 PM
gearfab.bsky.social
Really exceptional 1.0 boys in sparkling quality at last. And to benefit 2024 Hurricane Recovery in Southeast states + flooding in Vermont.

www.livephish.com/browse/packa...
November 15, 2024 at 4:36 AM
gearfab.bsky.social
I know they went on to do better stuff—Remain in Light being the high water mark—but there's something about the first one. I wasn't expecting another remaster for 2024, but I'm glad this is where they started. With a fresh performance from CBGB on Disc 3. It's still amazing how modern this sounds.
This image shows the cover of the album “Talking Heads: 77.” The design features a plain red background with the title text “TALKING HEADS: 77” in bright green, positioned near the top in a bold serif font. The minimalist aesthetic highlights the stark contrast between the red and green, creating a striking and recognizable visual.
November 12, 2024 at 7:23 PM
gearfab.bsky.social
That's enough doom-scrolling for one lifetime. Calming my nerves the only way I know how -- working and listening. Mood.
The image shows the album cover for Cluster & Eno by Cluster & Brian Eno. It features a solitary microphone on a stand set against a serene, twilight sky with clouds, and a faint moon or planet in the upper-left corner. The track Schöne Hände is currently playing, with a “Lossless” audio quality indicator displayed.
November 6, 2024 at 8:26 PM
gearfab.bsky.social
Bluesky now has over 10 million users, and I was #99,482!
A virtual certificate with text "Celebrating 10M users on Bluesky, #99,482, j.j. kotarski ‪@gearfab.bsky.social‬, joined on May 30, 2023"
October 7, 2024 at 5:24 PM
gearfab.bsky.social
Man, Apple Music has some great suggestions for my Bob Dylan playlist.
March 13, 2024 at 7:51 PM