Part Two.

Next Week, I Got A Prayer For The Girl...Well You Know What Kind Of Eyes She Got!

I must be fighting something off. I've been feeling sluggish for a short while now. Maybe i'm not getting enough sleep. Tomorrow is gonna be a stressful day but thankfully it'll end with Charlie's record store gig. Tallahassee was fun. We (the band and Karen Wideen) left real early in the morning. Even riding up there was fun. It was nice to be stuck with some fellow music freaks. We talked a lot about it. Charlie would ask us weird questions like "If you could form a fantasy band, who would be in it alive or dead?" I never really thought about that stuff. And I got to play Ipod DJ which is one of my most favorite things to do. Last weekend, I was talking to Steven and he said that was also one of his favorite things (insert John Coltrane right about now). I asked him if I could show up with some records at the store and spin them and he thought it would be a good idea so hopefully i'll do that someday.

Anyway, we went to the venue which happened to be an American Legion hall and met up with Jeff and did a soundcheck. They had a piano so I helped myself to it. The place was pretty big and empty so it was plenty loud. Can't say I was happy about the drum situation. They were older Tamas and they sounded real dead but I was glad to not have to lug all my shit up there (but if there is a next time, that's exactly what i'm going to do). Next stop? Guitar Center so Rick could buy some strings. We all found instruments to bang on and I had a ten-second jam with Charlie on dobro and me on banjo. With strings in hand, we headed to a Econolodge and got a room. Rick, Jeff and I headed to the local Goodwill on foot to maybe get lucky and buy some cool souvenirs. Rick bought a wallet and a shirt ( I think). I got a record of Chet Atkins' of Christmas music. I also bought something to wear for the gig. I thought it was a dress but it turned out to be a really large dashiki. I wore it like a dress anyway. We got back and went out to Mexican dinner with a friend of Rick's that he used to play with named Tom. The swell guy bought everybody dinner! Thanks, Tom!

Gig time rolled around and we went back to the Legion hall. The first band was already playing. I poked my head in the door and saw mostly old people and not very many of them. There was a coffee shop behind the place so we ended up there. Ed's nephew, Ryan, met us there and stayed for the show. The next band started (a Neil Young tribute band!) so we thought we would go over and check them out. There was this great couple ballroom dancing to every song no matter the tempo. We finally went on and it was a good show. Can't really remember anything unusual happening except we went over pretty well. Karen sold 13 cds! Charlie signed some autographs and we were out of there.

Back at the hotel, it was lights out pretty quickly. It was a long day. I woke up after a short while and had to put some earplugs in 'cause somebody was sawing logs. I woke up and things were already in motion. I was the last to get up. We got out of there, got breakfast through a window, and got home pretty quickly. I still haven't slept real well but i'm gonna try tonight.

Suddenly, I'm Out-Of-Phase or FINALLY!!!

Here are some older RoosterHead photos contributed by Sarah (thanks!). At the last Eat gig, I went to the record store that's down the street and I saw the staff there playing Beatles Monopoly and it got me started looking for it again. I found it yesterday at the Borders in Byoca. Me and Kris played it last night and she kicked my ass on it. I was happy to at least own Beatles' '65.

I'm in a new phase now and it's the Doors. I bought some magazine with them in it it a few weeks ago and that planted the seed. My first Doors memory happened when I was probably about four or so. I remember my Dad really liking Riders On The Storm (I guess it would have been pretty new at the time) and I have a clear memory of driving somewhere in New York and it was raining pretty hard and that song came on the AM radio. It was the perfect soundtrack for what was out the window. Later on, my friend Pete really got me into them in 6th grade. I knew about them but he had all the important info. I remember he made me a tape with the Apocalypse Now version of The End on it with Jim yelling Fuck and that was pretty cool in 6th grade. Pete was always ahead of his years. I remember, before knowing Pete, owning Weird Scenes Inside The Gold Mine which was a compilation. Through a series of trades with him, I aquired Doors 13 which was another compilation.

I was reading that Doors article and I really like something Robbie Krieger said. He said Jim was only a shaman and a sex symbol and all that junk to other people. To the band he was just Jim. I never really got into the Morrison myth. I always thought what I read about him portrayed him as a spoiled pain in the ass with really bad habits. I knew people just like him. They were weird in their own way and definitely followed their own paths. It sucks when you get older and find out your heroes could be giant assholes. Like John Lennon. When you're a kid, you're impressed with their ability to stand out from the pack and maybe what they believe in but that doesn't mean you really know them at all. But I did think Jim was a great singer for someone who couldn't sing. And Love Street and Indian Summer are cool songs. I always thought Robbie had his own stlye and sound. I learned a lot from John Densmore like the latin beat and the bossa nova. That was some of my first exposure to that stuff. Pete abandoned the Doors long ago for more heady pasture but I still find merit in what they did.

And What A Time It Was It Was It Was.

OK, short recollections on the Eat gig.... Charlie went up first and we played a few Chuck Berrys and he gave some shit to Kenny for moving away (he said he was moving to Arizona but he's going to New Mexico). Rick got a great sound out of my amp. Mr. Entertainment was next and they were superb as usual. Brandon did some Rudy Sarzo over-the-neck tricks. The Eat were next and we played pretty well. John Salton crashed the stage and sang with us. At the end, the rhythm section came out front and Kenny and I played guitar. That was fun. I did a bunch of feedback noodling that i'm sure caused a few people to go deaf. The Eat is gonna be on hiatus for a while with Kenny moving and all. I'm pretty sure I saw Karen filming so I can't wait to see the DVD.

The Past Is Not Always.

Right about now, I should be talking about the great Charlie Pickett/Mr. Entertainment/The EAT show at Churchill's last weekend and I will get to it eventually. Lately, i've been a little obsessed with an old band I was in called RoosterHead. It all started when I found out Mr. E's bass player, Brandon, was a fan of that band. For years, I didn't think too much about it. There were some bad memories associated with the whole thing. Thankfully, it didn't break up badly or anything. I just moved out of state and that ended my time with them. I kept in touch with most of them. While I was gone, two members died of drug abuse/suicide. A few years back, I decided to try to get the band back together just to see if we could still play music together and only that. It didn't go very well and that's why I put it out of my mind.

But here I am now going over the old songs and now most of the memories are good (and great songs they are!!!). I still work with Bob just about every week. I see John quite regularly, too. Pete and Mike are dead so I don't see them much. I never really had a real relationship with Mike. We had conversations and spent a lot of time together but I can't say I really knew him. I used to go to Pete's house every now and then to discuss the merits of the Monkees. Bongo was our helper of sorts and generally made our lives easier. He's in the Funkabilly Playboys with me. I never hear from Dave. I don't have any way of getting a hold of him and I like it that way. Something snapped in him and he decided not to like me one day. He was the main problem when we tried to reunite. He's probably what would stand in the way of it ever happening again. One day, i'll post some good memories and if I find someone willing to transfer some videotapes to DVDs or QuickTime files i'll post some YouTube videos. And if anyone reading this has pix or anything, pass 'em on. All in all, they were a great fucking band and probably the best i'll ever be in. I miss them.

Richard Wright RIP.

There goes any Pink Floyd reunion. Why couldn't they have taken Roger Waters? He's a real shithead.

Just goes to show..

Tonight, I went to the gig with a blazing headache. Can't say I was really in the mood to play. Rick informed me that we would probably be doing a half hour on acoustic guitars because Charlie (who's filling in for Bill) had to leave early to make his own gig. I started noticing people paying attention to what I was doing and I wondered what was up. Someone told me that Stanton Moore was playing at City Limits behind us tonight. I don't know much about him...only I've seen him in the drum fag magazines all the time and I've heard his band Galactic. Not a few minutes after I was told this, he comes strolling by. He stopped to listen and smiled and walked on. He did this a few times. I just looked at some of his stuff on Youtube and it is impressive but I think he's one of those musician's musicians where drummers and their buddies get together and ANALyze his every fill and what kind of sticks he uses. Well, it was nice to be cruised by him anyway. Time came for Charlie to leave and we were just getting the acoustics out when Rick anounced that Rick had arrived. He meant this guy Rick Krevy (?). I'd heard of him through other people. I have to say I was a little leery 'cause I didn't know what he'd be like. He set up and we started playing and it was wonderful. We did some Ray Charles and Jimmy Smith-type organ jazz and Watermelon Man and even The Girl From Ipanema. It was loads of fun and I felt shitty about pre-judging the situation. This week will probably be the last session at Bob's. Last Thursday, I pretty much completed my song except for vocals. Matt came along and did some acoustic guitar playing and helped me add some stereo wah to Jim's song. This is also the last week to rehearse with The Eat for the show on Friday. Since this may be the last show for a while, Kris agreed to go.

Ok,

Here's the three best songs in the world and, no, i'm not depressed.

Vi Vi Vi Vi Vi.

Don't watch this video unless you have a lot of time and are bored. I just found it on youtube. Goodness knows how old it is.
So Danco Samba. Well, the hand seems to be healed. Thanks for the cards and letters. I think rest cured it pretty much. It still hurts a little if I overuse it, but so far so good. Tonight was an Eat rehearsal and it went well. I really should take pictures while Kenny is still here. Kenny, the bass player, is off to New Mexico at the beginning of next month. This will probably be the last show with him (Sept. 19). Tomorrow is another night at the studio with Bob. This may also be the last one of these for a while as our project is coming to a close. I hope I get to help Bob mix. Tomorrow, i've got to finish up my song with some electric guitars and some acoustics on Jim Wurster's song. I've been feeling very hermit-like lately. I wish I never had to go out of the house. It's so fleepin' hot out, I don't know why anyone would go out. I'm also having serious brain problems as i'm trying to remember where my stuff is...two Beatles books to be exact. I lend things out and I forget who to. If I ever got all my stuff back from everywhere, I could open a store. This weekend, i've got Elwood's on Saturday and Sunday. Ought to be good for the pocket and bad for the voice. I'm waiting for it to finally go as it's been raw for a good, long time. I haven't had it back full strength in a while. Gotta quit taking the high harmony parts. How've you been?
P.S. Just got word today that some stupid fuck stole Peter Buck's Rickenbacker 360. This person must burn! I remember the first time I heard Peter's style and it blew me out...so, naturally, I had to copy it. There's so much '60's influence there. I hope he gets it back. I had a 330 that I sold a long time ago 'cause I didn't use it much. Boy, I regret that one!!! Hopefully, I'll own another one before I kick it old school.

MMMMMMMMMMMMM....Not Quite.

An update; I went to an orthopedic surgeon Tuesday and he diagnosed my condition as intersection syndrome. The place on top of my forearm where the tendons mix with muscles gets inflamed from overuse...which is basically playing guitar, playing drums, painting the fence, putting up shelves, strumming the banjo, making soup, punching the clown, varnishing the banister, taking a load off, oiling the pennywhistle, manually increasing the surface temperature of the Ship's primary cannon by repeated linear manipulation....you get the idea. I had a cortisone shot but it doesn't seem to be working.

Fucking OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

I've been lowdown lately so I haven't felt like writing anything. I haven't really felt like being social or even contacting anyone. It all started last week. The family went to our nephew's first birthday on Saturday and I was asked to bring a guitar to have a sing-a-long. Normally, I don't like these things 'cause I get real nervous singing in front of people but when it gets going that wears off. I left the guitar in the car and a few people were bugging me to break it out. Finally, I got it out and started playing and I ended up playing for about 6 hours straight. When I was younger, it wouldn't have fazed me a bit (not to mention I was really enjoying it and my voice didn't sound too bad. Kris sang some with me and that sounded really good.). The next night, I played Elwood's and that's where the trouble began. The next day, my wrist/arm was on fire. My tendonitis flared up in a major way and any slight movement hurt like fuck.

No time to slow down. I had rehearsals with Charlie Pickett for our big gig with Johnny Depp (the Sheila Witkin Memorial Show at Club Cinema in Pompano) and I was real worried on how that was gonna work out. The first rehearsal went OK on Monday. I narrowly missed meeting Mr. Depp but did see some of his family. We had another rehearsal on Wednesday and that one hurt. We were booked in another rehearsal studio but it was occupied so we got to rehearse in the one occupied by Mr. Depp and the Kids. Right before I got there, Charlie met him and showed me where he was standing and there was some guitar picks on his amp so I snagged one. We weren't allowed to use their gear and our rehearsal was cut short by all the time used to haul other gear into the room. I didn't sleep very well thinking I was gonna blow the gig if I couldn't grip my sticks or was in too much pain. Friday came and the soundcheck went OK without too much pain. No problems at the show either (thanks to Karen Wideen for the photos!). I kinda laid off the fancier stuff and just kept the beat and that probably helped, I didn't think we went over too well. There was mostly teenagers waiting to see Mr. Depp and our sloppy brand of garage blues didn't seem to move them. In fact, the most applause we received was from Charlie introducing his Hello Kitty Stratocaster. Hmmmm. Rick and I didn't stick around and as we were leaving, Johnny Depp arrived in a Lincoln Navigator. Yet another missed opportunity. I'm not crying.

Saturday was a Funkabilly gig at O'Hara's and the arm was fine for the first set but after that it was uncomfortable playing through the pain. Last night, Kris and I had date night and had a great time. We ate at a Brazilian steakhouse called Amazonia in Palm Beach Gardens. Then we ended up at SalonChair down the street from us. A great night! Tomorrow, I go to the orthopedic surgeon to see what he can do about this. As i'm writing this, i'm wallowing in a Percodanic haze. Let's hope it's just a simple cortisone shot and not too serious.

Here It Comes Again (i think i'm starting to like it).

Well, we narrowly escaped disaster. Actually, we just got a lot of rain and wind. Got Tuesday off though. I finished reading this book on The Replacements and i've been listening to them a lot lately. It reminds me of my late-teens/early-twenties. Maybe one day, when I can afford it, i'll pick up the new reissues of their cds/albums. Last night at the studio, we were supposed to have some guests but everybody bailed. No big deal. Bob and I got down to business overdubbing on some of the rhythm tracks we already had. I think so far we have at least three songs done recording-wise. Last night, we did a few electric 12-string tracks and I added electric piano and shakers to Jim Wurster's song. I've really been enjoying being in the studio. If I had my way, i'd just be a studio rat. It's so creative and I love shaping the sounds. Like a sound lab. Bob and I gel so well production-wise and he's taught me a whole lot over the years. And he'll try any crazy idea I can come up with (and he thankfully vetoes the ones that don't work). Playing in front of people has never been comfortable for me. I get really nervous and my stomach gets all knotted up. I'd rather do without all that. Boo hoo. Waaaaaa. Shut up, already!

Take A Flying Fuck At A Rolling Donut.

I can't take credit for that one. I learned it from Mr. Eddie O'Brien from The Eat. Let's see...where'd I leave off? Oh, last Tuesday was a success. We went in and did the Elvis Costello song. Pete sang and played drums and Matt and I played guitars. Matt was gonna play bass but he changed his mind at the last minute. Pity. He's a good bass player. All in all, it was a fun night. I'm trying to figure out a way to post some of these rough tracks so anyone who wants to can listen to the progress. Thursday at the Quillo was no great shakes. Kinda the same goes for Elwood's on Saturday. Kris went and Keith showed with our old friend Deb who was visiting from out of town. Sunday, we got rained out and I caught up on a little sleep. This week, Johanna started 1st grade! Kris and I took her to school the first day and got a little emotional. Seems like yesterday I was changing diapers. Next it'll be college applications (which Kris will have to figger out....What was that thing about Women Are Smarter?...Amen, Sister).

Psssssssst! It's Me!

Last Tuesday, Chris and John from The 18 Wheelers went to Bob's studio and we quickly knocked out a version of "Eve Of Destruction" for Bob's project. It went really easily. I finally got to play the baritone but I don't know if it'll make the final cut. The song is too fast for that sort of thing. I like it, though. This project is really coming along and i'm very proud to be part of it. The Eat had another rehearsal before the gig that Wednesday. Ed decided on my Super Reverb and I must say he made it sound great. By Thursday, I was really worn out. Friday was the Alligator Alley gig and it was a great success. I re-established some old contacts and made some new friends. It was hard hearing Brandon kick my ass on the drums. There was a rumor going around that someone wanted to try and put Roosterhead back together for a one-off show. That brought back lots of old memories (most of them good) and I broke out the old cds and got nostalgic. That was probably the best band i'll ever be in and I miss it sometimes. After this project is done, I hope I have some time to elaborate on some of this stuff. Right now, i'm just jotting down memories so I remember some of this stuff. Sunday was a drum lesson with Tess and it went really well. She's really getting good. She's definitely gonna give Keith Moon a run for his money. Tomorrow, it's back to the studio with Pete and Matt and we're gonna tackle "(what's so funny about) Peace Love and Understanding". I'll keep me posted. Thanks to Karen for the picture of The Eat