Yes, it’s that time of year again. The time of year where my long-standing tradition of hopping into a certain, late 90s model Chevrolet Cavalier with Mark Verbos and driving to Miami for the Winter Music Conference is upheld and renewed.

Verbos and I first made this journey by auto in the late 90s. Although some years were skipped in between, I’ve been making this trip with Verbos in various American-made vehicles every year for about the last 7 years now. (Maybe 8?)

Some pictures were taken here and there along the way, but in our younger days we were more interested in being in the moment than in documenting it. And while that still holds true, digital cameras have made it so super-easy to do both, we’ve begun to make the picture-taking part of the fun and have been trying hard these past few years to work it in somewhere between the dancing, drinking and eating. (Not necessarily in that order.)

I think our first foray into WMC photojournalism was back in good ol’ 2008. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Well, we had the best of times, because we were having the worst of times in our respective personal lives and our Miami debauchery was just what we needed to cure what ailed us. We decided to continue this new ritual in 2009.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “That’s great and all, but what’s in it for ME!?”

Well, since you asked so politely, I’d like to do two things for you. Actually, I’d like to do more than two, but you’ll have to private message me about that! (Note: Please read the preceding sentence aloud in a Groucho Marx voice, followed by a few eyebrow lifts and ashing of a real or imaginary cigar.)

#1. I’d like to invite you to join Verbos and myself on what is sure to be an embarrassing, exhilarating and rewarding, journey to and from Miami, which will be playing out (via our digital lifestyle devices) on the interwebz.

Please feel free to check in and comment my flickr photostream and Verbos’ flickr photostream.

As well as my little twitterz and Verbos’ little twitterz.

#2. In the spirit of the WMC experience, where ‘gift’ is a verb, I’d like to gift you some music that I first released a few years back at WMC. It’s the remix single for my song “Filling In The Blanks” from Cutting Exercises. It features two splendidly bizarre, vocoded, rock guitar-ed, ancient drum machined mixes by Gabe Catanzaro (the midwestern Italo Disco/Black Metal legend…no joke!), a remix done by yours truly and the last by Señor Mark Verbos. The Verbos Mix later appeared on Tommie Sunshine / Mark Romboy’s “Systematic Sessions Vol. 2″.

From time to time people ask where they can get this stuff and I usually just post a zip of it for them. But when my friend Knowlton recently asked about it, I realized it was ridiculous that I didn’t have it up along with the rest of my stuff. So here it is in all its glory, for you to behold (in all your glory)!

Filling In The Blanks (remix single)

P.S. As a special bonus reward, because I’m feeling nostalgic and not easily embarrassed today, I’m going to share links to previews of two songs I did lead vocals on for Mr. Catanzaro some years back. The first is a full on disco meltdown and falsetto workout called “I’ve Got The Feever” and the second is a little synthpop tune called “Memories”.