Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Ok,ok. I'm now obviously a full grown man. But I clearly refuse to grow up without a fight. The latest example, I suppose, is that I broke down and purchased the "Paul Westerberg Signature" guitar that is being marketed by a new guitar manufacturer, "First Act"...and it arrived this morning!
You shoulda seen me open the box with excitement and anticipation not seen since the "Dad" in "A Christmas Story" opened that Godawful lamp(i.e., "It's a major award!").
So...it arrives in a box that makes it seem like it's a toy guitar(it's not-atleast not when I get through with it)and,on the box, is a practically life size likeness of Paul W. Which probably explains that pissed off expression on his face. He does not look happy at all! It's as if you can hear the voice of Nigel,in "This is Spinal Tap", saying to his manager,"It's a complete cartastrophe! I mean, look! Would you be seen 'olden this?No! I din't think so! Awright,"A",Exhibit A!!"
But you gotta support Paul W in anything that might actually make him a bit a currency-and the guitar(once modified), I think might actually be pretty cool for me to play on stage(with tongue firmly in cheek). Plus, the damn thing costs all of like $170 bucks so it's not like I'm gonna have to cash in the IRA in order to get it.
Still,it's the musician's equivalent to wearing a football jersey with another man's name on it; probably shouldn't do it once over 35 years of age...and Keef, God bless 'em, prolly would never put out a signature Tele nor play another man's 'signature guitar'. But snort one? Hmmmm......
You shoulda seen me open the box with excitement and anticipation not seen since the "Dad" in "A Christmas Story" opened that Godawful lamp(i.e., "It's a major award!").
So...it arrives in a box that makes it seem like it's a toy guitar(it's not-atleast not when I get through with it)and,on the box, is a practically life size likeness of Paul W. Which probably explains that pissed off expression on his face. He does not look happy at all! It's as if you can hear the voice of Nigel,in "This is Spinal Tap", saying to his manager,"It's a complete cartastrophe! I mean, look! Would you be seen 'olden this?No! I din't think so! Awright,"A",Exhibit A!!"
But you gotta support Paul W in anything that might actually make him a bit a currency-and the guitar(once modified), I think might actually be pretty cool for me to play on stage(with tongue firmly in cheek). Plus, the damn thing costs all of like $170 bucks so it's not like I'm gonna have to cash in the IRA in order to get it.
Still,it's the musician's equivalent to wearing a football jersey with another man's name on it; probably shouldn't do it once over 35 years of age...and Keef, God bless 'em, prolly would never put out a signature Tele nor play another man's 'signature guitar'. But snort one? Hmmmm......
Monday, July 30, 2007
Pull this...
Perhaps predictably, some band named "Pull" wound up winning the damn contest. My personal thanks to any of you who voted for Terry and The Team.
I clicked on "Pull's" video and...good luck boys.
Anyhoo, at least Terry got some good local exposure/press outta this and reminded everyone in The Triangle how lucky they are to have him/them around. Plus, now I don't have to watch Fox for any reason whatsoever(ok, other than football).
I clicked on "Pull's" video and...good luck boys.
Anyhoo, at least Terry got some good local exposure/press outta this and reminded everyone in The Triangle how lucky they are to have him/them around. Plus, now I don't have to watch Fox for any reason whatsoever(ok, other than football).
Friday, July 27, 2007
Be Careful What You Wish For....
Ok-so it seems that Terry Anderson and The O.A.K.Team have finally lost their minds and have decided to take a run at being on some fool TV show that(God! I can barely get this out without hurling)THE FOX NETWORK!!(Pardon me....uuuhyaaachhh!!!!)will be running in the Fall. The show is called something like "America's Greatest Band Contest", is sure to be rigged as well as hard to watch and/or listen to...BUT! Terry's my Lord and Savior and if he and the boys wanna put themselves through this nonsense, who am I to throw stones?
So...I'd rather light a candle fer 'em than to curse their darkness and am urging you-yes-you-my little lost 13 year old Web surfer looking for the Monty Python site, to remove your finger from your right nostril and to get over to www.fox50.com/contests/8684162.html and cast a vote or 30 for Terry Anderson and The Olympic Asskickin Team. If nothing else, you need to go to the site and check out the video they submitted-it contains the classic "splash down" that Big Daddy Dave did on the last power chord of the night when they played at my party last March(yes-that's my pool and I was actually playing with them when he pulled that little stunt; so I missed it the first time cuz I was inside 'on stage' while he casually strolled out to the pool deck,with his wireless unit on his guitar, and did a Pete Townsend straight into the friggin pool!).
I happen to think that God has a wicked sense of humor and may just send their asses to Vegas over this and then...all Hell's gonna break lose! So if you love to watch a good car crash(and it seems that every good redneck NASCAR watcher does),then for God's sake-VOTE!!!
So...I'd rather light a candle fer 'em than to curse their darkness and am urging you-yes-you-my little lost 13 year old Web surfer looking for the Monty Python site, to remove your finger from your right nostril and to get over to www.fox50.com/contests/8684162.html and cast a vote or 30 for Terry Anderson and The Olympic Asskickin Team. If nothing else, you need to go to the site and check out the video they submitted-it contains the classic "splash down" that Big Daddy Dave did on the last power chord of the night when they played at my party last March(yes-that's my pool and I was actually playing with them when he pulled that little stunt; so I missed it the first time cuz I was inside 'on stage' while he casually strolled out to the pool deck,with his wireless unit on his guitar, and did a Pete Townsend straight into the friggin pool!).
I happen to think that God has a wicked sense of humor and may just send their asses to Vegas over this and then...all Hell's gonna break lose! So if you love to watch a good car crash(and it seems that every good redneck NASCAR watcher does),then for God's sake-VOTE!!!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Bullies
You ever been in a situation where you have to deal with a person who is trying to bully you? Sure you have-probably daily. Seems like more and more, they're everywhere,aren't they?
We wake up in the morning and some of us have to live with them. We then get in our car to go to work and they're all over the road-trying to push us around. We get to work and they're either our bosses,our teachers,co-workers, clients or business partners.
We get through the day somehow, decide to fight our way through these same bullies on the road again and perhaps stop off at a bar or a restaurant or a grocery store or the mall and-AGAIN-there they are-talking too loudly,bumping into us to move us away from a bar, cutting in line,picking a drunken fight,castigating the waiter or sales clerk or anyone who they perceive to be too weak or too polite or too passive to get up in their grill and say," Enough! This agression will not stand! Across this line you do not cross!!"
So what do you do and when do you do it? Do you fight everyone? Do you stand your ground at every perceived transgression? If you do, you probably will end up dead, injured, jailed or institutionalized. On the other hand, there comes a time-and you know it when you see it-when you have to say, "I'm as mad as Hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore!"
For me, in certain phases of my life, that time is now at hand. I hope that you,gentle reader, never have to live through such times and that you are blessed, on a daily basis, with the judgment,patience and fortitude to know it when your time to take action is upon you.
We wake up in the morning and some of us have to live with them. We then get in our car to go to work and they're all over the road-trying to push us around. We get to work and they're either our bosses,our teachers,co-workers, clients or business partners.
We get through the day somehow, decide to fight our way through these same bullies on the road again and perhaps stop off at a bar or a restaurant or a grocery store or the mall and-AGAIN-there they are-talking too loudly,bumping into us to move us away from a bar, cutting in line,picking a drunken fight,castigating the waiter or sales clerk or anyone who they perceive to be too weak or too polite or too passive to get up in their grill and say," Enough! This agression will not stand! Across this line you do not cross!!"
So what do you do and when do you do it? Do you fight everyone? Do you stand your ground at every perceived transgression? If you do, you probably will end up dead, injured, jailed or institutionalized. On the other hand, there comes a time-and you know it when you see it-when you have to say, "I'm as mad as Hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore!"
For me, in certain phases of my life, that time is now at hand. I hope that you,gentle reader, never have to live through such times and that you are blessed, on a daily basis, with the judgment,patience and fortitude to know it when your time to take action is upon you.
Friday, July 13, 2007
"Happy Friday The 13th...Fuckhead"
So I sluggishly awaken this beautiful Friday the 13th, put some coffee on and decide I'd better go get the mail outta the mail box cuz I've been out of town(Had to go to Indy-arrived at 1:30am,had a couple of hours of sleep before runnning off for a meeting-same old,same old). And I find a letter from none other than THE IR FUCKING S!
Well, the first thing I'm thinking is something along the lines of, "Man, I've had a really hard last couple of days and the last thing I need is the FUCKING IRS!!!" But I open the letter,brace for impact and am informed that I....OVERPAID my '06 taxes and that they.... OWE ME over 6k!!!!!
Oh joy! Oh Merciful Heaven!! At last I am repaid for my good works and austere(hope that's a word) life style!Who says Friday the 13th only brings bad luck and frustration to all!
So I recover, count my good fortune and decide to move on through the mail and what do I find? Why it's a strange sight indeed. It is a mutilated, crumpled, shat upon letter of some sort that is housed within a plastic baggie that has the logo of The US Postal Service embossed(hope that's a word). Upon closer inspection I'd swear that it's,it's...MY TAX CHECK REFUND!!! It is so hoplessly mangled that no bank will ever negotiate it's legal tender!
Now that's more like it!! At last, the ying has returned to it's yang and all is right and natural in the world. For photographic evidence(for on this blog,and only here, I tell no lies)see below...and HAPPY FREAKIN FRIDAY THE 13TH!
Well, the first thing I'm thinking is something along the lines of, "Man, I've had a really hard last couple of days and the last thing I need is the FUCKING IRS!!!" But I open the letter,brace for impact and am informed that I....OVERPAID my '06 taxes and that they.... OWE ME over 6k!!!!!
Oh joy! Oh Merciful Heaven!! At last I am repaid for my good works and austere(hope that's a word) life style!Who says Friday the 13th only brings bad luck and frustration to all!
So I recover, count my good fortune and decide to move on through the mail and what do I find? Why it's a strange sight indeed. It is a mutilated, crumpled, shat upon letter of some sort that is housed within a plastic baggie that has the logo of The US Postal Service embossed(hope that's a word). Upon closer inspection I'd swear that it's,it's...MY TAX CHECK REFUND!!! It is so hoplessly mangled that no bank will ever negotiate it's legal tender!
Now that's more like it!! At last, the ying has returned to it's yang and all is right and natural in the world. For photographic evidence(for on this blog,and only here, I tell no lies)see below...and HAPPY FREAKIN FRIDAY THE 13TH!
Monday, July 9, 2007
How Was Your Weekend?
Mine was off the charts!
Got to see Ian Mclagan(Small Faces,Faces, New Barbarians) at The Hideaway BBQ in the 919 and he was flat out great!
Before that, was invited to a friendly NASCAR watching,guacamole eating party at Bobzilla's place(Road Manager to the stars,friend of Terry A's and all around good guy). Before that, worked for about 12 hours on my record(with about 2 hours sleep in between) and pretty much finished alot of what I needed to finish. The results are just making me one smilin mofo,yo! Once again I need to emphasize that Jonathan Lowry is a freaking genius,as is Jack! And the playing of Terry Anderson,Dave Bartholomew, Greg Rice, Jesse Huebner and Jack is just jaw dropping!!
And no-you can't hear it until Jack says it's ok!!!
And,let's see-what else? Oh yeah-got booked to have my world premier performance of the original songs on my record at Slim's in downtown Raleigh on October 19-my birthday(day before is Chuck Berry"s birthday-day after is Tom Petty's). Now all I need is a band. But,as Nigel Tufnel says, "That's nit picking, in'it"?
Have a good week. Let's be careful out there!
Got to see Ian Mclagan(Small Faces,Faces, New Barbarians) at The Hideaway BBQ in the 919 and he was flat out great!
Before that, was invited to a friendly NASCAR watching,guacamole eating party at Bobzilla's place(Road Manager to the stars,friend of Terry A's and all around good guy). Before that, worked for about 12 hours on my record(with about 2 hours sleep in between) and pretty much finished alot of what I needed to finish. The results are just making me one smilin mofo,yo! Once again I need to emphasize that Jonathan Lowry is a freaking genius,as is Jack! And the playing of Terry Anderson,Dave Bartholomew, Greg Rice, Jesse Huebner and Jack is just jaw dropping!!
And no-you can't hear it until Jack says it's ok!!!
And,let's see-what else? Oh yeah-got booked to have my world premier performance of the original songs on my record at Slim's in downtown Raleigh on October 19-my birthday(day before is Chuck Berry"s birthday-day after is Tom Petty's). Now all I need is a band. But,as Nigel Tufnel says, "That's nit picking, in'it"?
Have a good week. Let's be careful out there!
Friday, July 6, 2007
..."So Now I'm Really Livin in the 919"...
Well, finally went and did it. Yesterday, I put a deposit down on a great apartment in Raleigh. It's within running distance of Jack's house/studio,within walking distance of "Cameron Village"(upscale shopping/dining village)and about a 5 minute cab ride to the heart of the downtown Raleigh and, ofcourse, "Slim's".
Feels really,really good. Within a minute of e-mailing news about this blessed event to Terry and the guys, I was showered with warm, welcoming e-mails.
In the past 24 hours, I've had some great times. Had a fun lunch with Paul Friedland(aka "Clutch"), who is a great artist(and also handles merchandizing for The OAK Team)and we batted around ideas for my record artwork and layout. Then had dinner with Jesse Huebner and his wife and just had a great evening. Jesse played bass on half of the songs on my record and also plays for Tres Chicas and The Patty Hurst Shifters and a nicer more pleasant man you cannot find on this planet.
Then dropped by the studio to say hey to Jack who casually announced that we're going to work on my record tonight and tomorrow, doing some singing, adding or repeating some guitar,etc. This was not on the program; I was just coming up to hang arouund cuz I just like it up here. So I am thrilled! Not because I'm stressed about completing the record-but because I cannot think of anything more fun then playing around in the studio recording. It's better than the most fun game or sport you've ever played.
By the way, since my last dispatch some more mind blowing experiences have occurred which involve Keith Christopher, Rick Richards and...Gamba Vineyards! Stay tuned for further dispatches from...The Twilight Zone!
Feels really,really good. Within a minute of e-mailing news about this blessed event to Terry and the guys, I was showered with warm, welcoming e-mails.
In the past 24 hours, I've had some great times. Had a fun lunch with Paul Friedland(aka "Clutch"), who is a great artist(and also handles merchandizing for The OAK Team)and we batted around ideas for my record artwork and layout. Then had dinner with Jesse Huebner and his wife and just had a great evening. Jesse played bass on half of the songs on my record and also plays for Tres Chicas and The Patty Hurst Shifters and a nicer more pleasant man you cannot find on this planet.
Then dropped by the studio to say hey to Jack who casually announced that we're going to work on my record tonight and tomorrow, doing some singing, adding or repeating some guitar,etc. This was not on the program; I was just coming up to hang arouund cuz I just like it up here. So I am thrilled! Not because I'm stressed about completing the record-but because I cannot think of anything more fun then playing around in the studio recording. It's better than the most fun game or sport you've ever played.
By the way, since my last dispatch some more mind blowing experiences have occurred which involve Keith Christopher, Rick Richards and...Gamba Vineyards! Stay tuned for further dispatches from...The Twilight Zone!
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
4th of July
Well, as we all know, the 4th of July is upon us so it is time for all of us to take a moment to pause, reflect and perhaps honor and pay tribute to a great national tradition.
I'm speaking, ofcourse, of the annual Coney Island Hot Dog eating contest. Once again, America will watch in awe as a demure gentleman of Asian descent kicks the big fat asses of the 300 pound,beer swilling, pork rind eating nasty-ass stereotypes of "Americans" who are misfortunate enough to compete against him, by using his head at least as much as his stomach.
The little Nip,er, I mean, this fine young man figured out that, by dunking the hot dog buns into water before ingesting them and after swalling the hot dogs nearly whole, he could fit within the rules of the competition while reducing the liklihood that the bread would fill him up and thereby slow him down.
So he has been kicking the extremely fat asses of the ugly American competition for years(outside of a very occassional loss, here or there).
What I don't understand is why his rivals don't figure out that his method works, and start to adopt it to their 'game'(if you'll excuse this rediculous concept).
Anyhoo, here's to ya Mr.Kobayashi, if that IS your real name.
To the other person who actually reads this here blog o'mine, here's to you as well and have a very Happy Independance Day.
Me? I have seen to it that my Independance Day will be happier than sheeyaht cuz I'm cruisin to the 919,son!!
I'm speaking, ofcourse, of the annual Coney Island Hot Dog eating contest. Once again, America will watch in awe as a demure gentleman of Asian descent kicks the big fat asses of the 300 pound,beer swilling, pork rind eating nasty-ass stereotypes of "Americans" who are misfortunate enough to compete against him, by using his head at least as much as his stomach.
The little Nip,er, I mean, this fine young man figured out that, by dunking the hot dog buns into water before ingesting them and after swalling the hot dogs nearly whole, he could fit within the rules of the competition while reducing the liklihood that the bread would fill him up and thereby slow him down.
So he has been kicking the extremely fat asses of the ugly American competition for years(outside of a very occassional loss, here or there).
What I don't understand is why his rivals don't figure out that his method works, and start to adopt it to their 'game'(if you'll excuse this rediculous concept).
Anyhoo, here's to ya Mr.Kobayashi, if that IS your real name.
To the other person who actually reads this here blog o'mine, here's to you as well and have a very Happy Independance Day.
Me? I have seen to it that my Independance Day will be happier than sheeyaht cuz I'm cruisin to the 919,son!!
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