Friday, June 29, 2007
Some Days Are Diamonds,Some Days Are Rocks...
So yesterday was a particularly surreal day for your humble narrator. It was one of those days that makes you do double takes all day long until you go to sleep at night.
Essentially, I went from having a very difficult, heart wrenching moment with the woman with whom I shared 13 years of my life,to, within an hour from that point, receiving an e-mail from my favorite wine producer, Gamba Winery, offering to send me specially released bottles of their future releases personally autographed by Mr.Gamba himself!
Then, just as I am marvelling at that, I get another e-mail from KEITH CHRISTOPHER!!! asking me to let him know when would be a good time for he and RICK RICHARDS!!!to come to Raleigh to record on MY RECORD sometime after July 18!!! Then I'm copied on an e-mail from my producer and Zen Master, Jack Cornell, to Rick Richards, forwarding Rick via e-mail a few rough mixes of some of my tracks to see if Rick hears anything he'd like to play on!!
And, in the "surreal" department, I immediately start to think to myself,"Hmmm. Do you think I'd better say something to Jack and to Jonathan(co-producer and engineer) that they'd better not try to talk RR out of recording on that BRAND FUCKING NEW VOX AC-30 that I purchased and sent to the studio for me to record with that they never even let me turn on???!!!"
Where the fuck am I? Who the fuck am I?
Essentially, I went from having a very difficult, heart wrenching moment with the woman with whom I shared 13 years of my life,to, within an hour from that point, receiving an e-mail from my favorite wine producer, Gamba Winery, offering to send me specially released bottles of their future releases personally autographed by Mr.Gamba himself!
Then, just as I am marvelling at that, I get another e-mail from KEITH CHRISTOPHER!!! asking me to let him know when would be a good time for he and RICK RICHARDS!!!to come to Raleigh to record on MY RECORD sometime after July 18!!! Then I'm copied on an e-mail from my producer and Zen Master, Jack Cornell, to Rick Richards, forwarding Rick via e-mail a few rough mixes of some of my tracks to see if Rick hears anything he'd like to play on!!
And, in the "surreal" department, I immediately start to think to myself,"Hmmm. Do you think I'd better say something to Jack and to Jonathan(co-producer and engineer) that they'd better not try to talk RR out of recording on that BRAND FUCKING NEW VOX AC-30 that I purchased and sent to the studio for me to record with that they never even let me turn on???!!!"
Where the fuck am I? Who the fuck am I?
Monday, June 25, 2007
A Well Deserved Public Reprimand
Over the weekend I managed to piss off perhaps one of the last true friends I have, Jack Cornell. Today I came across his new blog[www.jax411.blogspot.com] which I welcome the lone, lost Web-surfer who has come across this page to go check out and publicly confess that I am indeed the very "client"(i.e.,"dipshit"]who prompted the entry. I do so to my shame and humiliation.
Seems like I have been waiting for nearly my entire life to get to the point where I can hear songs that I have written really come to life-played by tremendously talented musicians and recorded by professionals. After working since late March,flying back and forth to North Carolina throughout the Spring and into Summer, I finally was given a rough mix of a half dozen songs and I just could not resist letting a bunch of my friends hear them. I was so proud of what they sounded like, and so wanted to let my friends understand why I have been so excited and dedicated to this effort, that I wanted to let them in to what was going on.
From the point of view of folks who know me, I think it seems to them as if I have lost my mind and have been willing to throw everything up into the air for some kind of fanciful, middle aged 'vanity recording'. I wanted them to get a listen to what I really believe is a very worthwhile project, so that they could understand that a) I'm not making this stuff aboout making a record and b)I'm more than the 'lawyer guy' they thought they knew and c)this project is turning out so well that it makes some sense for me to have turned my life upside down for it.
But from the point of view of the true professionals who have also turned their lives upside down for me...I'm a schmuck for having been so uncool and Busch League that I ran around letting the world hear a half-finished(i.e.,"half-assed")effort that could throw a wet blanket over the record because it could potentially lessen the impact of the finshed,best version of the tracks.
There's no doubt-they're right and I was wrong and I announce this to the world(that means you-yes, that 12 year old who got lost and got to this site by accident because he was looking for a Monty Python blog).
So no more Mr.Nice Guy. Those of my friends,family and professional acquaintances who have been dying to hear what I've been working on and putting my heart and soul into, will just have to stand in line and pay $12.95 along with all 3 of the other folks. Sorry.
You don't fuck with Jack Cornell.
Seems like I have been waiting for nearly my entire life to get to the point where I can hear songs that I have written really come to life-played by tremendously talented musicians and recorded by professionals. After working since late March,flying back and forth to North Carolina throughout the Spring and into Summer, I finally was given a rough mix of a half dozen songs and I just could not resist letting a bunch of my friends hear them. I was so proud of what they sounded like, and so wanted to let my friends understand why I have been so excited and dedicated to this effort, that I wanted to let them in to what was going on.
From the point of view of folks who know me, I think it seems to them as if I have lost my mind and have been willing to throw everything up into the air for some kind of fanciful, middle aged 'vanity recording'. I wanted them to get a listen to what I really believe is a very worthwhile project, so that they could understand that a) I'm not making this stuff aboout making a record and b)I'm more than the 'lawyer guy' they thought they knew and c)this project is turning out so well that it makes some sense for me to have turned my life upside down for it.
But from the point of view of the true professionals who have also turned their lives upside down for me...I'm a schmuck for having been so uncool and Busch League that I ran around letting the world hear a half-finished(i.e.,"half-assed")effort that could throw a wet blanket over the record because it could potentially lessen the impact of the finshed,best version of the tracks.
There's no doubt-they're right and I was wrong and I announce this to the world(that means you-yes, that 12 year old who got lost and got to this site by accident because he was looking for a Monty Python blog).
So no more Mr.Nice Guy. Those of my friends,family and professional acquaintances who have been dying to hear what I've been working on and putting my heart and soul into, will just have to stand in line and pay $12.95 along with all 3 of the other folks. Sorry.
You don't fuck with Jack Cornell.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Good Things Come To Those Who Wait..
Guess what? You'll never guess. C'mon take a guess! Fuck! How'd you guess?? You a smart motherfucker! You right-US Air found and delivered my lost luggage!!!
'Course, it's a damn good thing cuz they got one FUCKED UP organization! For example, I tried to call their 800 number to tell them that the claim report was all fucked up-they had my date of travel 2 days later than was the case..you know...nothing major.
Anyhoo, the beeeyatch on the phone refused to take the info,said her computer was not set up for it and that I would have to go TO THE AIRPORT and stand in the ticket line and take up the time of folks who were trying to make their flights, in order to correct US Air's fuck up!
I swear, if you ever see me booking another US Air Flight, just come kick my ass. Don't say anything, just kick my ass!
I'm not asking with this, I'm telling! Kick my ass! For a man! Just kick my ass!
'Course, it's a damn good thing cuz they got one FUCKED UP organization! For example, I tried to call their 800 number to tell them that the claim report was all fucked up-they had my date of travel 2 days later than was the case..you know...nothing major.
Anyhoo, the beeeyatch on the phone refused to take the info,said her computer was not set up for it and that I would have to go TO THE AIRPORT and stand in the ticket line and take up the time of folks who were trying to make their flights, in order to correct US Air's fuck up!
I swear, if you ever see me booking another US Air Flight, just come kick my ass. Don't say anything, just kick my ass!
I'm not asking with this, I'm telling! Kick my ass! For a man! Just kick my ass!
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
So I Went to this Thing Called "Hog Day"...
...And it was...interesting. Not as much BBQ and pigs as I would have imagined and very,very hot(as in "Africa hot"). But very nice, relaxed familes and damn good music since The O.A.K. Team nailed their performance.
Quite a weekend. US Air strands me and loses my luggage, I witness a day of festivites paying tribute to "the other white meat", saw Chip Robinson and The Vibekillers play an absolutely surreal gig at Local 506 in Chapel Hill(which will be the subject of another blog) and caught a Mudcats game before catching the flight home(and was given a free cap to boot).
Land sakes y'all!
Quite a weekend. US Air strands me and loses my luggage, I witness a day of festivites paying tribute to "the other white meat", saw Chip Robinson and The Vibekillers play an absolutely surreal gig at Local 506 in Chapel Hill(which will be the subject of another blog) and caught a Mudcats game before catching the flight home(and was given a free cap to boot).
Land sakes y'all!
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Did I Mention That US AIR Sucks(in my humble opinion...and I could be wrong and would stand corrected if they manage to FIND MY FUCKING LUGGAGE!!)?
Well let's see...
My flight Thursday was to have left at 1pm,to arrive in Asheville by 5pm, so that I could attend a deposition in Asheville by Friday 9AM. I will spare the one lost web surfer who reads this the incredibly mind numbing details of this saga. I will just inform you/him/her that I was ultimately stranded in Charlotte by US Air, which DID NOT EVEN OFFER ME GROUND TRANSPORTATION OR HOTEL AND MANAGED TO LOSE MY LUGGAGE! AND-this IS THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE TRIP THAT THEY LOST MY BAG!!!!
(Ahem...)I got so fed up that I rented a car at the airport...AT 10PM!!And DROVE 3 1/2 HRS TO RALEIGH(because it would have been even longer to Asheville) and attended the depo by phone from my hotel room the next morning.
On a happier note, I managed to get to Slim's that night before last call, ofcourse found Big Daddy Dave and his lovely wife quietly talking about Minor League baseball and learned that a fan of Terry Anderson's GAVE UP 23 FREE TIX to Sunday/Fathers' Day's Mudcats game.
So, looks like I'll take in the game before catching my SOUTHWEST AIR flight back to the 561.
My flight Thursday was to have left at 1pm,to arrive in Asheville by 5pm, so that I could attend a deposition in Asheville by Friday 9AM. I will spare the one lost web surfer who reads this the incredibly mind numbing details of this saga. I will just inform you/him/her that I was ultimately stranded in Charlotte by US Air, which DID NOT EVEN OFFER ME GROUND TRANSPORTATION OR HOTEL AND MANAGED TO LOSE MY LUGGAGE! AND-this IS THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE TRIP THAT THEY LOST MY BAG!!!!
(Ahem...)I got so fed up that I rented a car at the airport...AT 10PM!!And DROVE 3 1/2 HRS TO RALEIGH(because it would have been even longer to Asheville) and attended the depo by phone from my hotel room the next morning.
On a happier note, I managed to get to Slim's that night before last call, ofcourse found Big Daddy Dave and his lovely wife quietly talking about Minor League baseball and learned that a fan of Terry Anderson's GAVE UP 23 FREE TIX to Sunday/Fathers' Day's Mudcats game.
So, looks like I'll take in the game before catching my SOUTHWEST AIR flight back to the 561.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Fathers' day '07
Ok, so I leave for the 919 again tomorrow. I have business in Asheville, then will drive over in time to see Terry Anderson and The Olympic Asskickin Team in action at the Hogday festivities somewhere outside of Raleigh. I also plan to go catch a Mudcats game with the O.A.K.Team and their friends and families on Fathers' Day and then will fly home.
As Fathers' Day approaches, I reflect on my own father and my own avoidance of becoming a father. Rather than wax on with some self-analytical stuff that none of you would possibly care about, I will just say that I greatly admire those of you who have become fathers and have raised families. It is perhaps the most selfless act that a man can perform and the fact that I continue to run from it underscores the difference between a man and an overgorwn boy such as myself(or as it is put so well in the movie, "Arthur": " a delightful child").
So to all my friends who have fought that good fight and to all you fathers out there(both of you who accidentally have stumbled across this site), here's to ya and God Bless yer cotton socks!
As Fathers' Day approaches, I reflect on my own father and my own avoidance of becoming a father. Rather than wax on with some self-analytical stuff that none of you would possibly care about, I will just say that I greatly admire those of you who have become fathers and have raised families. It is perhaps the most selfless act that a man can perform and the fact that I continue to run from it underscores the difference between a man and an overgorwn boy such as myself(or as it is put so well in the movie, "Arthur": " a delightful child").
So to all my friends who have fought that good fight and to all you fathers out there(both of you who accidentally have stumbled across this site), here's to ya and God Bless yer cotton socks!
Friday, June 8, 2007
Yeah It's Sure Been A Cold Hard Winter...
Blah, blah, blah...y'all don't care so I'm not gonna tell ya. You'll have to buy my record when it comes out.
But in the meantime, I got some cool pictures of some life changing concerts I saw in the last,terrible/wonderful 12 months to show ya.
Enjoy.
But in the meantime, I got some cool pictures of some life changing concerts I saw in the last,terrible/wonderful 12 months to show ya.
Enjoy.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
One Badass in a Band of Badasses
I've been listening to the rough mixes of my record and a number of things are jumping out at me, so I thought that I would share my impressions with y'all. The first has to do with one Dave Bartholomew.
Before I met up with these folks, one of my favorite albums of all time was Caitlin Cary's, "Begonias" album. Then I meet Terry Anderson and the members of his band, which of course include Dave, and come to find out he's on that record quite a bit. I had heard his playing on Terry's records and thought he was one damn good guitar player. But I had no idea he was such a good drummer and producer, until I started to learn more about his background...and see his talent in action in my sessions.
Like all really gifted people, and like I could say about each of the members of The OakTeam, they always make it look easy and effortless. It all seems like they aren't even trying all that hard...and that's where the magic must come from. It's like when a home run hitter will tell you that the secret is to try not to over swing-just see the ball and make solid contact and that is exactly what Dave does.
When we were tracking, he'd track a guitar solo and it would seem like he wasn't even trying. Now when I hear it played back, the stuff he did was absolutely brilliant. Since he is such an accomplished producer in his own right, I can see that he was way downfield while we were recording, imagining what the ultimate recording would need and realizing instinctively how to get there. I say this because, as I am listening to the rough mix of the record, he does stuff right around the time we're fading out that fucking kills me!
And now, as I ruminate, all of it kills me even more! I somehow lucked into recording my first record with a lead guitarist who thinks like a producer..because he is one! And I have bandmates on this record that are quite simply the best in the world at what they do-bar none and they know each other so well that all of this happens automatically and in an unspoken, almost telepathic manner.
I right now have rough mixes of the songs we recorded with Terry on drums and Dave on lead guitar and the sound just explodes out of the speakers. We recorded 7 of the 13 in that line up and it's like watching Barry Bonds, all 'roided up, hitting fat batting practice curves. Each one just goes sailing outta the park. And Mr. Dave Bartholomew is a big big reason why.
I could go on, because I have found that, as a person, he's also one of a kind(as are each of these great people who have gathered together to get this project off the ground). But he'd only get pissed at me for wearing all of this shit on my sleeve.
So, if you see him...just tell him I posted on my Blog about how I think he sucks. That way he'll have yet another reason to feel ok about threatening to kick my ass.
...Then reassure him that he's at the end of a very,very long line.
Before I met up with these folks, one of my favorite albums of all time was Caitlin Cary's, "Begonias" album. Then I meet Terry Anderson and the members of his band, which of course include Dave, and come to find out he's on that record quite a bit. I had heard his playing on Terry's records and thought he was one damn good guitar player. But I had no idea he was such a good drummer and producer, until I started to learn more about his background...and see his talent in action in my sessions.
Like all really gifted people, and like I could say about each of the members of The OakTeam, they always make it look easy and effortless. It all seems like they aren't even trying all that hard...and that's where the magic must come from. It's like when a home run hitter will tell you that the secret is to try not to over swing-just see the ball and make solid contact and that is exactly what Dave does.
When we were tracking, he'd track a guitar solo and it would seem like he wasn't even trying. Now when I hear it played back, the stuff he did was absolutely brilliant. Since he is such an accomplished producer in his own right, I can see that he was way downfield while we were recording, imagining what the ultimate recording would need and realizing instinctively how to get there. I say this because, as I am listening to the rough mix of the record, he does stuff right around the time we're fading out that fucking kills me!
And now, as I ruminate, all of it kills me even more! I somehow lucked into recording my first record with a lead guitarist who thinks like a producer..because he is one! And I have bandmates on this record that are quite simply the best in the world at what they do-bar none and they know each other so well that all of this happens automatically and in an unspoken, almost telepathic manner.
I right now have rough mixes of the songs we recorded with Terry on drums and Dave on lead guitar and the sound just explodes out of the speakers. We recorded 7 of the 13 in that line up and it's like watching Barry Bonds, all 'roided up, hitting fat batting practice curves. Each one just goes sailing outta the park. And Mr. Dave Bartholomew is a big big reason why.
I could go on, because I have found that, as a person, he's also one of a kind(as are each of these great people who have gathered together to get this project off the ground). But he'd only get pissed at me for wearing all of this shit on my sleeve.
So, if you see him...just tell him I posted on my Blog about how I think he sucks. That way he'll have yet another reason to feel ok about threatening to kick my ass.
...Then reassure him that he's at the end of a very,very long line.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
I want to introduce you to Mr. Jonathan Lowry. He is the engineer/co-producer of my record and is an honest to God rock and roll genius and all around good guy. He, along with Jack Cornell and Terry Anderson, has somehow managed to make me sound like I know what I'm doing on this record-and that's pretty damn near impossible to do.
This past weeekend was, once again, a stunning experience for your humble narrator. I blew into the 919 on Friday afternoon, knocked out vocal tracks on 3 songs. Got up the next day and followed the band to their gig in Asheville. After a 4 hour drive and they set up, I followed those crazy bastards into town, where we took in about 6 innings of the local Double A ballclub's("The Tourists"...I'm not kidding!) night game. Then they hustled back to the gig, with about 15 minutes to spare before they were due to go on. They, ofcourse, nail the performance, then go stay at some woman's mansion in the middle of nowhere while I crashed at the hotel.
I then got up the next day-drove back 4 hours in the rain to Raleigh, met up with Jonathan and Jack about a couple of hours later and proceeded to finish off the vocal tracks to the remaining 2 songs on the record.
Just as I finished, Greg Rice (keyboard player for Terry and The OakTeam as well as for his own band, "The Cartridge Family" and for Caitlin Cary's band, "Tres Chicas")dropped by the studio at about 9pm, just to say hey. When we finished up, we decided to go drop in at my favorite watering hole in Raleigh, Slim's. I got royally hammered and almost gave a rough mix of my record to the bartender for him to play over the club's system-but thank God, I was stopped by Dave Bartholomew,who knows better than to drink that demon alcohol.
Tell u the truth, I don't remember a whole lot after that-'cept for somehow managing to make my way to the airport the next day, missing my flight but catching the very next flight home to sunny, warm and breezy West Palm Beach. I'm bleary eyed, pretty damn tired but, as Dave Letterman use to say-it's a good kinda tired.
This morning I played the rough mix of the first half of the record over my home stereo system and...all I can say is...SHOOZ!! I AM ONE SMILIN MOTHERFUCKER!!!!
This past weeekend was, once again, a stunning experience for your humble narrator. I blew into the 919 on Friday afternoon, knocked out vocal tracks on 3 songs. Got up the next day and followed the band to their gig in Asheville. After a 4 hour drive and they set up, I followed those crazy bastards into town, where we took in about 6 innings of the local Double A ballclub's("The Tourists"...I'm not kidding!) night game. Then they hustled back to the gig, with about 15 minutes to spare before they were due to go on. They, ofcourse, nail the performance, then go stay at some woman's mansion in the middle of nowhere while I crashed at the hotel.
I then got up the next day-drove back 4 hours in the rain to Raleigh, met up with Jonathan and Jack about a couple of hours later and proceeded to finish off the vocal tracks to the remaining 2 songs on the record.
Just as I finished, Greg Rice (keyboard player for Terry and The OakTeam as well as for his own band, "The Cartridge Family" and for Caitlin Cary's band, "Tres Chicas")dropped by the studio at about 9pm, just to say hey. When we finished up, we decided to go drop in at my favorite watering hole in Raleigh, Slim's. I got royally hammered and almost gave a rough mix of my record to the bartender for him to play over the club's system-but thank God, I was stopped by Dave Bartholomew,who knows better than to drink that demon alcohol.
Tell u the truth, I don't remember a whole lot after that-'cept for somehow managing to make my way to the airport the next day, missing my flight but catching the very next flight home to sunny, warm and breezy West Palm Beach. I'm bleary eyed, pretty damn tired but, as Dave Letterman use to say-it's a good kinda tired.
This morning I played the rough mix of the first half of the record over my home stereo system and...all I can say is...SHOOZ!! I AM ONE SMILIN MOTHERFUCKER!!!!
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